History of Alchemy

Prehistory to Newton

Timeline of Alchemy

This is my timeline of Alchemy and all the influences it received and produced. 

This is a work in progress. Links take you to my blog at https://blog.kf7k.com

Ancient dates are uncertain.

 10000 BC Invention of the plow and using domesticated draft animals to pull it allows villages to form, centering on crops and animal domestication.
5000 BC Towns form when food is abundant, supporting crafts like pottery and gold metallurgy, and early religious beliefs. Trade probably begins. Copper is smelted from ore. Dyeing with insect and vegetable dyes begins. pre-alchemy-alchemy-01
3500 BC The wheel is invented, promoting trade and consequently local political power. By 3000 BC urbanized cities appear with cuneiform and Indus script to record transactions and stock. Crafts begin to diversify into artistic representational pottery, wall decoration with pigmented paints. pre-alchemy-alchemy-01
3000 BC Tin is smelted from rare ores; when combined with 7 parts copper the resulting bronze is strong. The bronze trade expands across the Mediterranean by 2000 BC; the bronze age spans 1900 BC to 1100 BC. Trade booms: ivory and tin from Syria, copper from Sardinia and Cyprus, gold and alabaster from Egypt, pottery, cloth and olive oil from Greece and Crete. pre-alchemy-alchemy-01
2500 BC Colored glass beads and glass mosaics are created in Lebanon, Mesopotamia, Egypt. Industrial-size trade by 1500 BC.
2000 BC Astrology is born from a combination of proto-astronomy and religion in the river valleys, where predicting floods from the sun's location in the heavens is key to planting at the right time.
1500 BC Writing had progressed from pictograms (Chinese scripts, Cuneiform scripts and hieroglyphs) to stylized cuneiform marks to the proto-Canaanite alphabet, probably in Egypt. Alphabets spread quickly, making writing and reading much easier, speeding the spread of ideas along bronze-age trade routes.
1175 BC Bronze age collapses when the Sea Peoples invade and destroy all urban centers in the Mediterranean. Egypt defends itself well. Climate change and earthquakes contribute. Trade ceases in the Mediterranean and the Levant. Civilizations begin to smelt iron because tin is no longer available. The biblical Philistines are one group of invaders who settle in the southern Levant (called Canaan in the Bible).
800 BC Iron-age wealth builds; trade restarts, driven primarily by the sea-faring Phoenicians, and cultural envy precipitates invasions. Assyria (in Anatolia, now Iraq and Turkey) dominates.
650 BC Zoroastrianism founded in Persia; embraces astrology and magic. astrology-and-magic-alchemy-07-interlude
590 BC Thales of Miletus (a Greek city in Turkey) postulates, from Egyptian creation myths, a theory that water is the primordial substance. Studies geometry, astronomy and philosophy, founds the Miletian school of philosophy. Miletian philosophers (Anaximines, Anaximander, etc) propose, in turn, earth, air, and fire as primordial elements. egyptian-creation-myths-as-interpreted-by-thales-of-miletus-alchemy-02
586 BC Nebuchanezzar II leads Babylon and Persia against the Levant and Anatolia (Turkey) and into Greece. Hebrews exported as slaves to Mesopotamia (Iraq), to be released by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC but some stay as free men.
540 BC Pythagoras of Samos, near Miletus, excels in geometry, mathematics, numerology, and mysticism.
490 BC Darius I of Babylon, having taken all of Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Egypt, invades the Greek city-states; they defend themselves successfully. Xerxes, his son, tries to finish the invasion but withdraws in 480 BC.
450 BC Empedocles proposes there are four "elements" or primal forms of matter, Air, Water, Earth, Fire, as a capstone of the Miletian school.
360 BC Plato adopts the four-element theory with transmutations (using examples of phase changes), adding Prime Matter as matter which has no properties. He also introduces the idea of Being and Becoming: Being are things which are perfect, as God is perfect; Becoming are things endeavoring to be perfect, but which are still mortal. Into the Being category he places reason, into becoming he places observation. This puts reason as fundamental to interpreting the world, dismissing observation. plato-alchemy-03
350 BC Democritus proposes a theory of atoms, the indivisible smallest parts of matter, of unique shapes. Can't prove it. Plato and Aristotle ignore the idea. what-might-have-been-democritus-and-the-atomic-theory-alchemy-08-interlude
340 BC Aristotle changes the four-elements theory to one related to properties (hot/cold, wet/dry) allowing the addition or subtraction of these properties to change the nature of the matter, or transmutation. He is very convincing and his ideas become the cornerstone of alchemy. Introduced æther as the fifth element, the element composing the heavens. Proposes a cosmology later influencing the Gnostics strongly.  aristotle-alchemy-04
334 BC Alexander the Great, pupil of Aristotle, conquers all the lands the Persians held and more, from Rome to Tibet. Established trade on an immense scale using Koine (common) Greek. Aristotle's ideas were carried from Italy to China. Founds Alexandria, a trade port in the Nile Delta. alexander-the-great-spreading-ideas-alchemy-06 a-note-on-translations-from-the-greek-alchemy-10-interlude
300 BC Theophrastus, a follower of Aristotle, studies botany and the uses of plants in medicine.
221 BC Shih Huang Ti, first emperor of China, legendary founder of alchemy in China, believed wuxing, the five-element theory.
100 BC Ssu-ma Ch’ien, historian, first mention of alchemy in Chinese literature
32 AD Jesus founds Christianity
100 AD Gnostic ideas begin in Israel and Egypt as a blend of Aristotelean cosmology, Christianity, Jewish mysticism, Copic religion, and Zoroastiran astrology.  gnosticism-alchemy-14-interlude
100 AD Pseudo-Democritus the alchemist: Recipes for coloring or alloying base metals. Contains the first hints at two important concepts: the process is more important than the materials used, and alchemists are doing what nature does, only faster.  the-beginning-of-alchemy-psuedo-democritus-alchemy-09
100 AD Mary the Jewess: experimental alchemist, invented early alchemical equipment
150 AD Cleopatra the Alchemist, experimental alchemist the-dialog-of-cleopatra-and-the-philosophers-alchemy-11
200 AD Composition of the Corpus Hermeticum, a collection of several Greek texts from the second and third centuries, survivors from a more extensive literature, known as the Hermetica. hermes-trismegistus-alchemy-15
296 AD Diocletian, Roman emperor, bans alchemy perhaps to control the economy, but alchemy continues in the Roman-controlled Alexandria, Egypt
300 AD Earliest chemical recipes with alchemical outcomes written the-earliest-chemistry-alchemy-12
300 AD Zosimos of Panopolis (Hellenistic alchemist) writer of one of the oldest surviving alchemical tractates, introduces pure allegorical descriptions of alchemical processes the-visions-of-alchemy-alchemy-13
600 AD Stephanos of Alexandria, a public speaker, speaks rhapsodically about alchemy stephanos-of-alexandria-alchemy-16
642 AD The Muslims invade Egypt, pass through Oxyrhynchus and dump all the library records. They appear to keep Plato and Aristotle and any alchemical writings they find. oxyrynchus-and-the-rise-of-islam-alchemy-24-interlude
650 AD Khalid Ibn Yazeed, Arabic Alchemist, summarized Greek alchemy khalid-ibn-yazid-alchemy-25
700 AD 8th century. Copy of an Alexandrian manuscript (which?) gives first recorded mention of the word Vitriol. The same document gives first mention of cinnabar (mercuric sulfide)
776 AD Jabir, the Arabian alchemist whose real name has been variously stated as Abu Musu Jabir ibn Haiyan or Abou Moussah Djafar al Sofi, is active. According to the tenth-century Kitab-al-Fihrist, Jabir was born at Tarsus and lived at Damascus and Kufa. jabir-ibn-hayyan-alchemy-26 what-jabir-said-alchemy-27-interlude
800 AD Alchemy, combined with medicine and yoga, printed in India. The practice may have predated the earliest texts we have. indian-alchemy-alchemy-21
900 AD Al-Tamimi Muhammad Ibn Umayl, Arabic Alchemist ibn-umayl-alchemy-28
940 AD Ibn Wahshiyh, Abu Baker, "Rhazes" Arabic Alchemist and botanist al-razi-alchemy-29
950 CE Al Majrett’ti Abu-al Qasim, Arabic alchemist and astrologer
954 CE Alfarabi, an Arab Alchemist
1000 CE Codex Marcianus 299: Earliest surviving Greek alchemical manuscript
1010 CE Abu Ali Sina, "Avicenna", an Arab physician avicenna-alchemy-30
1054 CE Rome splits from orthodox church, forms Catholic church
1099 CE Godfri de Bouillion takes Jerusalem as part of the crusades.
1100 CE Al-Tuhra-ee, Al-Husain Ibn Ali, Arabic Alchemist
1144 CE Earliest dated Western alchemical treatise - Robert of Chester De compositione alchemiae
1150 CE Turba philosophorum translated from Arabic in the Toledo School of the Translators
1160 CE Artephius (alchemist) asserts in his ‘Secret Book’ that he has lived for 1000 years before this date due to his use of the Elixir of Life.
1199 CE Approximate date Grail romances appeared in Western Europe
1231 CE First mention of alchemy in French literature - Roman de la Rose. William de Loris writes Le Roman de Rose, assisted by Jean de Meung, who also wrote The Remonstrance of Nature to the Wandering Alchemist and The Reply of the Alchemist to Nature
1235 CE Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, discusses transmutation of metals in De artibus liberalibus and De generatione stellarum.
1248 CE Albertus Magnus, alchemist, Dominican Monk, well-respected philosopher, publishes his version of Arabic alchemy, and his study of minerals and ores. albertus-magnus-alchemy-32
1256 CE King Alfonso the Wise of Castile orders translation of alchemical texts from Arabic. He is supposed to have written Tesoro a treatise on the Philosophers’ stone
1267 CE Roger Bacon, alchemist, occultist and Franciscan friar, is born. Bacon, also known as Doctor Mirabilis (Latin: ‘wonderful teacher’), eventually places considerable emphasis on empiricism and becomes one of the earliest European advocates of the modern scientific method. roger-bacon-alchemy-33
1270 CE Thomas Aquinas, pupil of Albertus, is sympathetic to the idea of alchemical transmutation in his Summa theologia. In his Thesaurus Alchimae, Aquinus speaks openly of the successes of Albertus and himself in the art of transmutation.
1272 CE Provincal Chapter at Narbonne forbids the Franciscans to practice alchemy.
1275 Ce Raymond Lull, actually not an alchemist, believed to possess titanic physical and mental energy, who threw himself heart and soul into everything he did, is born. Writings attributed to Lull include a number of works on alchemy, most notably Alchimia Magic Naturalis, De Aquis Super Accurtationes, De Secretis Medicina Magna and De Conservatione Vitoe, Ars Magna.  raymond-lull-alchemy-35
1280 CE Sefer Ha-Zohar, an essential Qabalistic text, makes its first written appearance, written by Moses de León but attributed to Simon ben Yohai.
1285 CE Arnold of Villanova, physician and alchemist. His lengthy book The Treasure of Treasures, Rosary of the Philosophers, and Greatest Secret of all Secrets highly influential and popular. arnold-of-villanova-alchemy-34
1298 CE Alain de Lisle. There are also earlier accounts of Alanus de Insulis, born in Rijssel in 1114 CE in the Netherlands, later abbot of Clairvaux and bishop of Auxerne
1310 CE Al-Jildaki, Muhammad Ibn Aidamer, Arabic Alchemist which shared knowledge with certain Templars
1312 CE The Knights Templar become extinct, except for a few, when the order is dissolved by the Council of Vienne. All the property owned by the Templars is transferred to the Knights of St. John (The Hospitallers)
1314 CE Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, is burned at the stake
1317 CE The first Rosicrucian order is formed: the French Ordre Souverain des. Frères Aînés de la Rose Croix
1317 CE Pope John XXII’s Papal Bull, Spondet quas non exhibent, is issued against those who practice alchemy. The Cistercians ban alchemy. John Dunstin defends. john-dastin-and-the-pope-alchemy-38
1323 CE Dominicans in France prohibit the teaching of alchemy at the University of Paris, and demand the burning of alchemical writings
1329 CE King Edward III requests Thomas Cary to find two alchemists who have escaped, and to find the secret of their art
1330 CE Nicolas Flamel is born. Flamel becomes a successful writer, manuscript-seller, and alchemist. Flamel is attributed as the author of the Livre des Figures Hiéroglypiques, an alchemical book published in Paris in 1612 then in London in 1624 as ‘Exposition of the Hieroglyphicall Figures.’ Flamel is reputed to have succeeded in the two goals of Hermetic alchemy - to have made the Philosopher’s Stone which turns lead into gold, and to have achieved immortality in a single incarnation, together his wife Perenelle. Pope John XXII gives funds to his physician to set up a laboratory for a ‘certain secret work.’
1338 CE Hospitallers acquire Templar Holdings in Scotland
1340 CE Jean de Meung, author of the Romance of the Rose
1356 CE Pope Innocent VI imprisons the Catalan alchemist John of Rupescissa, who insists that the only real purpose of alchemy is to benefit mankind. Rupescissa’s works abound with medicinal preparations derived from metals and minerals and he emphasizes distillation processes which seemingly separate pure quintessences from the gross matter of natural substances.
1357 CE Hortulanus’ commentary on the Emerald Tablet of Hermes
1376 CE The Dominican Directorium inquisitorum, the textbook for inquisitors, places alchemists among magicians and wizards.
1380 CE King Charles V the Wise issues a decree forbidding alchemical experiments
1380 CE Bernard of Trevisa
1388 CE Geoffrey Chaucer Canterbury Tales discussed alchemy in the Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale alchemical-cons-the-canons-yeomans-tale-alchemy-40 
1398 CE Supposed date that Christian Rosencruez founds Rosicrucian Order
1403 CE King Henry IV of England issues a prohibition of alchemy and to stop counterfeit money
1450 CE Basil Valentine, prior of a Benedictine monastry
1453 CE Joost Balbian, Dutch alchemist born in Aalst, died in 1616 in Gouda
1456 CE 12 men petition Henry VI of England for a license to practise alchemy
1470 CE Der Antichrist und die funfzehn Zeichnen (the book of the antichrist) associates alchemists with demons and Satan
1471 CE George Ripley Compound of alchemy. Ficino’s translation of the Corpus Hermeticum
1476 CE George Ripley writes Medulla alchemiae.
1485 CE Summa perfectionis, attributed to Geber, is published. In this important alchemical text, the sulphur-mercury theory forms the theoretical basis for an understanding of the metals, and the alchemist is informed that he must arrange these substances in perfect proportions for the consummation of the Great Work. Geber describes in considerable detail the laboratory processes and equipment of the alchemist
1493 CE Paracelsus, alchemist, physician, astrologer, and general occultist, is born. Born Phillip von Hohenheim, he later takes up the name Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, and still later takes the title, Paracelsus, meaning ‘equal to or greater than Celsus.’ Celsus was a Roman encyclopedist from the first century known for his tract on medicine.
1530 CE Georgius Agricola Bermannus, book on mining and extraction of ores
1532 CE The earliest version of the Splendor Solis, one of the most beautiful of illuminated alchemical manuscripts, part of an illustrated book trend called Emblem Books. The work consists of a sequence of 22 elaborate images, set in ornamental borders and niches. The symbolic process shows the classical alchemical death and rebirth of the king, and incorporates a series of seven flasks, each associated with one of the planets. Within the flasks a process is shown involving the transformation of bird and animal symbols into the Queen and King, the white and the red tincture. 

Slendor Solis.pdf (3.79 mb)
1536 CE Petrus Ramus (Peter rami) publishes his thesis, translated as "Everything Aristotle Said Was Wrong." First break with the tradition of Aristotle as the smartest man who ever lived.
1540 CE Paracelsus, physician and alchemist
1541 CE In hoc volumine alchemia first alchemical compendium
1550 CE The Rosarium philosophorum, attributed to Attributed to Arnoldo di Villanova (1235-1315), is first published, although it had circulated in manuscript form for centuries.
1552 CE Emperor Rudolph II is born. Astronomy and alchemy become mainstream science in Renaissance Prague and Rudolf was a firm devotee of both. His lifelong quest is to find the Philosophers Stone and Rudolf spares no expense in bringing Europe’s best alchemists to court, such as Edward Kelley and John Dee. Rudolf even performs his own experiments in a private alchemical laboratory.
1560 CE Heinrich Khunrath is born in Leipzig. It is evident that the first Rosicrucian manifesto, the Fama Fraternitatis, is influenced by the work of this respected Hermetic philosopher and author of "Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae" (1609), a work on the mystical aspects of alchemy, which contains the oft-seen engraving entitled ‘The First Stage of the Great Work’, better-known as the ‘Alchemist’s Laboratory.’
1566 CE Michael Maier, Rosicrucian alchemist, and philosopher, physician to Emperor Rudolph II, is born. Meier becomes one of the most prominent defenders of the Rosicrucians, clearly transmitting details about the "Brothers of the Rose Cross" in his writings.
1571 CE Johannes Pontanus, born in Hardewijk, the Netherlands, studied the path of Arthepius together with Tycho Brahe. Died in 1640
1589 CE Edward Kelley embarkes on his public alchemical transmutations in Prague
1599 CE First appearance of a work of Basil Valentine, the German adept and Benedictine monk, in alchemical philosophy is commonly supposed to have been born at Mayence toward the close of the fourteenth century. His works will eventually include the Triumphant Chariot of Antimony, Apocalypsis Chymica, De Microcosmo degue Magno Mundi Mysterio et Medecina Hominis and Practica un cum duodecim Clavibus et Appendice.
1608 CE Seton the cosmopolite
1608 CE John Dee, an English clergyman
1612 CE Flamel figures hierogliphiques first published. Ruland’s Lexicon alchemiae.
1614 CE The Fama Fraternitas, the first Rosicrucian manifesto is published. The Rosicrucian manifestos, Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis (1614), Confessio Fraternitatis (1615), and Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz (1616) cause immense excitement throughout Europe.
1620 CE Jean d’Espagnet, author of the Hermetic Arcanum
1626 CE Goosen van Vreeswyk, the Dutch mountain master. Died in 1690
1636 CE Michael Sendivogius
1638 CE Robert Fludd, theologican and mystic
1640 CE Albaro Alonso Barba Art of metals
1643 CE Johannes van Helmont
1646 CE George Starkey
1648 CE Elias Ashmole, the antiquarian
1650 CE Rudolf Glauber, physician
1652 CE Georg von Welling, a Bavarian alchemical and theosophical writer, is born. Von Welling is known for his 1719 work Opus Mago-Cabalisticum et Theosophicum.
1661 CE Robert Boyle publishes Skeptycal Chymist, a dialog against Paracelsian alchemy. Boyle continues as an alchemist another 5 years at least.
1662 CE Robert Boyle conducts first scientific experiment, finds Law of Gasses.
1666 CE Helvetius’ account of the transmutation in the Hague. Crassellame Lux obnubilata
1667 CE Johan de Monte Snijder performed a transmuation in 1667 for Guillaume in Aken, the Netherlands
1667 CE Eirenaeus Philalethes An open entrance to the closed palace of the King
1675 CE Olaus Borrichius
1677 CE Mutus Liber
1680 CE Isaac Newton begins his study of alchemy, continues until he dies.
1690 CE Publication of the English translation of the Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz
1691 CE Birth of Saint Germain
1710 CE Samuel Richter begins to form the Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross
  Lascaris, A greek Adept / monk that live in the Netherlands for a while, and thereafter went to Berlin, where he gave J.F. Böttger the stone
1717 CE Grand Lodge of English Freemasonry founded
1719 CE Georg von Welling’s "Opus Mago-Cabalisticum et Theosophicum" is published. This is an important and influential esoteric work, which influences numerous subsequent authors, including Goethe, who perused it during his alchemical studies.
1723 CE The Golden Chain of Homer, written or edited by Anton Josef Kirchweger, is first issued at Frankfurt and Leipzig in four German editions in 1723, 1728, 1738 and 1757. A Latin version is issued at Frankfurt in 1762, and further German editions follow. This work has an enormous influence on Rosicrucan alchemy and on the Golden and Rosy Cross order. In the late eighteenth century
1735 CE Abraham Eleazar Uraltes chymisches Werck
1739 CE Matthieu Dammy, one of the last famous Parisian Alchymists, published his works in Amsterdam
1779 CE Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier assembles the coffin for alchemy by making exact measurements of chemical reactions. He is fundamental in establishing the nomenclature of chemistry.
1805 CE John Dalton nails the lid on alchemy's coffin when he publishes his atomic theory.

 I am assisted for the dates by History of the World Map by Map, 2018, DK/Penguin Random House.
Basic format and many entries from https://innergarden.org/en/time.html

01 Pre-alchemy

What is known of how much chemistry was done before 600 BC? 

Lots, and none. We have artifacts. Lots of them. Glass from Egypt.

Clays and potteries from everywhere.

Metals from India, Persia, and all around the Old World. Even some early samples of steel. Gold and silver working. Lots of copper, some zinc, thus some bronze.

We have paints, glazes, dyes. There is soap.

And we don't have a single word on how any of it was made. The manufacture of all these things seemed to be ensconced firmly in the crafts. No one was asking "Why?" or "How?" They just made it, probably passed from master to apprentice. No instructions exist. Nothing but what they made.

Pottery required multi-stage firings, taking advantage of oxidizing and reducing furnaces to get the blacks and the lighter shades to both give purer colors.

   

Dying and metallurgy were probably the most difficult, with glassmaking and paint close behind.

Dying requires a good permanent dye, and a mordant to make it stick to the leather or cloth fibers. Once you have them by experimentation, you have a good method. Then you simply need a good source of supplies. The dyes came from plants or insects. The mordant was typically something like alum, KAl(SO4)2 . 12H2O. Use the trade routes to get it in from the distant lands where it was mined. Some of the dyes needed to be shipped in also, when the plant or insect was found only far away. 

     

Metallurgy is straightforward when you have the ore close by. Most was done using charcoal (wood heated in the absence of air) and bellows to blow it hot. Iron was possible bit needed a very hot fire. Steel was made probably by accident in a few locations. Most of the metallurgy was copper and tin, which combined to make bronze. Bronze was hard and workable, and the bronze age sword was state of the art for a very long time. But tin is hard to find because it is rather more soluble in water than most metal ores. Gold and silver smithing was more common because, well, looks and longevity.

  

Glass making requires sand, borax, and trace metal ores for color. And a very hot flame. And a pot to melt it in. Early Egyptian glass was mostly flat-poured glass. No vessels or shaped items, just flat cracked colored glass.

 

All this we know because we have it in museums and have studied it.

Paint was known, but required brilliant minerals you grind and combine with egg whites to make them stick to surfaces. It doesn't work perfectly, and most painted items don't look painted anymore, so it has a darkened past.

Alchemy probably had something of a start in these crafts, but alchemy went an entirely different direction than making pretty things.

  

It first needed philosophy.

02 Thales of Miletus: Egyptian Creation Myths?

There are four Egyptian creation myths, all similar.

The different creation myths have some elements in common. They all held that the world had arisen out of the lifeless waters of chaos, called Nu. They also included a pyramid-shaped mound, called the benben, which was the first thing to emerge from the waters. These elements were likely inspired by the flooding of the Nile River each year; the receding floodwaters left fertile soil in their wake, and the Egyptians may have equated this with the emergence of life from the primeval chaos. The imagery of the pyramidal mound derived from the highest mounds of earth emerging as the river receded.

Wikipedia

Sunrise at Creation: The sun rises over the circular mound of creation as goddesses pour out the primeval waters around it
Scanned from the book Ancient Egypt, edited by David P. Silverman, p. 121; photograph from the Book of the Dead of Khensumose

Thales of Miletus, considered the first Greek philosophical sage (Melitus is in modern-day Turkey) was wealthy and may have traveled to Egypt and saw these creation myths on the walls of temples (where we found them also).

Thales (around 600 B.C.) brought them home and created a philosophy around them: everything on the Earth started as water. It's an astounding thing to say, because we don't observe this behavior in nature. You can find hints of it, when, say, you evaporate a glass of seawater to dryness, but nice pure rain water doesn't do this. But his theory of elements starts with water, from which all other matter is formed. The land, the sky, eventually fire.

Aristotle laid out his own thinking about matter and form which may shed some light on the ideas of Thales, in Metaphysics 983 b6 8–11, 17–21. (The passage contains words that were later adopted by science with quite different meanings.)

That from which is everything that exists and from which it first becomes and into which it is rendered at last, its substance remaining under it, but transforming in qualities, that they say is the element and principle of things that are. …For it is necessary that there be some nature (φύσις), either one or more than one, from which become the other things of the object being saved... Thales the founder of this type of philosophy says that it is water.

Wikipedia: Thales of Miletus

This marks the beginning of the Greek Philosopher, more interested in the thinking than in making their philosophy describe their observations. It's a trend that will last at least past 300 B.C. Thales worked in astronomy, hydraulics, geometry and the nature of God, but his ideas about water had the most influence.

The Miletus School of philosophers followed and expounded on what Thales taught. Water became a first "element" or "Principle" of matter.

Anaximander thought there were four elements, each primordial. They are recycled as the "waste" of mortality.

"Anaximander taught, then, that there was an eternal. The indestructible something out of which everything arises, and into which everything returns; a boundless stock from which the waste of existence is continually made good, “elements.”. That is only the natural development of the thought we have ascribed to Thales, and there can be no doubt that Anaximander at least formulated it distinctly. Indeed, we can still follow to some extent the reasoning which led him to do so. Thales had regarded water as the most likely thing to be that of which all others are forms; Anaximander appears to have asked how the primary substance could be one of these particular things. His argument seems to be preserved by Aristotle, who has the following passage in his discussion of the Infinite: "Further, there cannot be a single, simple body which is infinite, either, as some hold, one distinct from the elements, which they then derive from it, or without this qualification. For there are some who make this. (i.e. a body distinct from the elements). the infinite, and not air or water, in order that the other things may not be destroyed by their infinity. They are in opposition one to another. air is cold, water moist, and fire hot. and therefore, if any one of them were infinite, the rest would have ceased to be by this time. Accordingly they say that what is infinite is something other than the elements, and from it the elements arise.'⁠—Aristotle Physics. F, 5 204 b 22 (Ritter and Preller (1898) Historia Philosophiae Graecae, section 16 b)."

Anaximenes settled back on air as the primordial element. “Just as our soul...being air holds us together, so pneuma and air encompass [and guard] the whole world.” (Vamvacas, Constantine J. (2009), "Anaximenes of Miletus (ca. 585–525 B.C.)", The Founders of Western Thought – the Presocratics, Springer Netherlands, pp. 45–51). The phrase "breath of life" comes from Anaximenes.

Minor Miletians selected earth or fire as the primordial element.

Empedocles later selected all four.

Empedocles established four ultimate elements which make all the structures in the world—fire, air, water, earth.[29][40] Empedocles called these four elements "roots", which he also identified with the mythical names of Zeus, Hera, Nestis, and Aidoneus[41] (e.g., "Now hear the fourfold roots of everything: enlivening Hera, Hades, shining Zeus. And Nestis, moistening mortal springs with tears").[42] Empedocles never used the term "element" (στοιχεῖον, stoicheion), which seems to have been first used by Plato.[43] According to the different proportions in which these four indestructible and unchangeable elements are combined with each other the difference of the structure is produced.[29] It is in the aggregation and segregation of elements thus arising, that Empedocles, like the atomists, found the real process which corresponds to what is popularly termed growth, increase or decrease. Nothing new comes or can come into being; the only change that can occur is a change in the juxtaposition of element with element.[29] This theory of the four elements became the standard dogma for the next two thousand years.

Wikipedia: Empedocles

And thus was the stage set for the disaster of alchemy. But the ideas needed hero, a believable hero. A hero of ideas so believed that no one would consider calling them wrong. These ideas needed Plato.

03 Plato

Plato inherited the four-element idea from Empedocles. About 360 B.C. he wrote Timaeus where the foundations of alchemy are set forth. These underpinnings take the form of two concepts: Being & Becoming, and Transmutation. Note that Plato was not an alchemist. He was a philosopher, but so pervasive are his ideas that later alchemists almost always style themselves as philosophers also. Sorry for the long quotations below.

Being & Becoming. Plato, and his pupil Aristotle, are categorizers. Always organizing ideas and object in various categories. Foundationally are the two categories of Being and Becoming. Things that are being are perfect, have no change, are always right. Things which are becoming are imperfect, in the process of becoming more like God (as is the whole Earth), and thus are always changing and are not yet true. Into the Being category he places reason. Into the Becoming category he places opinion and observation. 

First then, in my judgment, we must make a distinction and ask, What is that which always is and has no becoming, and what is that which is always becoming and never is? That which is apprehended by intelligence and reason is always in the same state, but that which is conceived by opinion with the help of sensation and without reason is always in a process of becoming and perishing and never really is. Now everything that becomes or is created must of necessity be created by some cause, for without a cause nothing can be created. The work of the creator, whenever he looks to the unchangeable and fashions the form and nature of his work after an unchangeable pattern, must necessarily be made fair and perfect, but when he looks to the created only and uses a created pattern, it is not fair or perfect. Was the heaven then or the world, whether called by this or by any other more appropriate name – assuming the name, I am asking a question which has to be asked at the beginning of an inquiry about anything – was the world, I say, always in existence and without beginning, or created, and had it a beginning? Created, I reply, being visible and tangible and having a body, and therefore sensible, and all sensible things are apprehended by opinion and sense, and are in a process of creation and created. Now that which is created must, as we affirm, of necessity be created by a cause. But the father and maker of all this universe is past finding out, and even if we found him, to tell of him to all men would be impossible. This question, however, we must ask about the world. Which of the patterns had the artificer in view when he made it – the pattern of the unchangeable or of that which is created? If the world be indeed fair and the artificer good, it is manifest that he must have looked to that which is eternal, but if what cannot be said without blasphemy is true, then to the created pattern. Everyone will see that he must have looked to the eternal, for the world is the fairest of creations and he is the best of causes. And having been created in this way, the world has been framed in the likeness of that which is apprehended by reason and mind and is unchangeable, and must therefore of necessity, if this is admitted, be a copy of something . . .

From the translation of the Timaeus by Benjamin Jowett, in The Collected Dialogues of Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (New York: Pantheon Books, 1961);

Here Plato is using reason and observation in the opposite sense we do today; for us observation is undeniable fact, and reason can take any fancy it likes. But for the alchemist who reads the Timaeus dialog, reason is paramount and observation is suspect. Aristotle will take this to new levels.

Plato expounds on the four-element theory of Empedocles by doing several things. First, he established via reason that the creator is good, perfect, and wants everything to be like He is. The world is not perfect, but it is changing to become so. Thus, the world is alive, like plants and animals are alive; he called it anima mundi, the "aliveness of the world".

TIMAEUS: Let me tell you then why the creator made this world of generation. He was good, and the good can never have any jealousy of anything. And being free from jealousy, he desired that all things should be as like himself as they could be. This is in the truest sense the origin of creation and of the world, as we shall do well in believing on the testimony of wise men. God desired that all things should be good and nothing bad, so far as this was attainable. Wherefore also finding the whole visible sphere not at rest, but moving in an irregular and disorderly fashion, out of disorder he brought order, considering that this was in every way better than the other. Now the deeds of the best could never be or have been other than the fairest, and the creator, reflecting on the things which are by nature visible, found that no unintelligent creature taken as a whole could ever be fairer than the intelligent taken as a whole, and again that intelligence could not be present in anything which was devoid of soul. For which reason, when he was framing the universe, he put intelligence in soul, and soul in body, that he might be the creator of a work which was by nature fairest and best. On this wise, using the language of probability, we may say that the world came into being – a living creature truly endowed with soul and intelligence by the providence of God.

This being supposed, let us proceed to the next stage. In the likeness of what animal did the creator make the world? It would be an unworthy thing to liken it to any nature which exists as a part only, for nothing can be beautiful which is like any imperfect thing. But let us suppose the world to be the very image of that whole of which all other animals both individually and in their tribes are portions. For the original of the universe contains in itself all intelligible beings, just as this world comprehends us and all other visible creatures. For the deity, intending to make this world like the fairest and most perfect of intelligible beings, framed one visible animal comprehending within itself all other animals of a kindred nature. Are we right in saying that there is one world, or that they are many and infinite? There must be one only if the created copy is to accord with the original. For that which includes all other intelligible creatures cannot have a second or companion; in that case there would be need of another living being which would include both, and of which they would be parts, and the likeness would be more truly said to resemble not them, but that other which included them. In order then that the world might be solitary, like the perfect animal, the creator made not two worlds or an infinite number of them, but there is and ever will be one only-begotten and created heaven. [27c–31b]

From the translation of the Timaeus by Benjamin Jowett, in The Collected Dialogues of Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (New York: Pantheon Books, 1961)

Secondly, Plato establishes that in the Creation, the world contains all the fire, air, water and earth that could exist, and that each of these contains differing properties that we observe. For example, earth always moves down toward the center of the spherical earth, and fire always moves up. Air and water behave similarly, but to a lesser extent.

Now the creation took up the whole of each of the four elements, for the creator compounded the world out of all the fire and all the water and all the air and all the earth, leaving no part of any of them nor any power of them outside. His intention was, in the first place, that the animal should be as far as possible a perfect whole and of perfect parts, secondly, that it should be one, leaving no remnants out of which another such world might be created, and also that it should be free from old age and unaffected by disease. Considering that if heat and cold and other powerful forces surround composite bodies and attack them from without, they decompose them before their time, and by bringing diseases and old age upon them make them waste away – for this cause and on these grounds he made the world one whole, having every part entire, and being therefore perfect and not liable to old age and disease. And he gave to the world the figure which was suitable and also natural. Now to the animal which was to comprehend all animals, that figure would be suitable which comprehends within itself all other figures. Wherefore he made the world in the form of a globe, round as from a lathe, having its extremes in every direction equidistant from the center, the most perfect and the most like itself of all figures, for he considered that the like is infinitely fairer than the unlike . . . Of design he was created thus – his own waste providing his own food, and all that he did or suffered taking place in and by himself. For the creator conceived that a being which was self-sufficient would be far more excellent than one which lacked anything, and, as he had no need to take anything or defend himself against anyone, the creator did not think it necessary to bestow upon him hands, nor had he any need of feet, nor of the whole apparatus of walking. But the movement suited to his spherical form was assigned to him, being of all the seven that which is most appropriate to mind and intelligence, and he was made to move in the same manner and on the same spot, within his own limits revolving in a circle. All the other six motions were taken away from him, and he was made not to partake of their deviations. And as this circular movement required no feet, the universe was created without legs and without feet.

From the translation of the Timaeus by Benjamin Jowett, in The Collected Dialogues of Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (New York: Pantheon Books, 1961)

Plato continues then to the transmutation of the elements by introducing the idea of prima materia, primeval matter, matter which has no properties. Yet. To explain the act of matter taking on properties, he first needs matter with a soul, matter which is in some sense alive.

Such was the whole plan of the eternal God about the god that was to be; he made it smooth and even, having a surface in every direction equidistant from the center, a body entire and perfect, and formed out of perfect bodies. And in the center he put the soul, which he diffused throughout the body, making it also to be the exterior environment of it, and he made the universe a circle moving in a circle, one and solitary, yet by reason of its excellence able to converse with itself, and needing no other friendship or acquaintance. Having these purposes in view he created the world a blessed god. Now God did not make the soul after the body, although we are speaking of them in this order, for when he put them together he would never have allowed that the elder should be ruled by the younger, but this is a random manner of speaking which we have, because somehow we ourselves too are very much under the dominion of chance. Whereas he made the soul in origin and excellence prior to and older than the body, to be the ruler and mistress, of whom the body was to be the subject. [32c–34c] Now when the creator had framed the soul according to his will, he formed within her the corporeal universe, and brought the two together and united them center to center. The soul, interfused everywhere from the center to the circumference of heaven, of which also she is the external envelopment, herself turning in herself, began a divine beginning of never-ceasing and rational life enduring throughout all things. [36d–e]

From the translation of the Timaeus by Benjamin Jowett, in The Collected Dialogues of Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (New York: Pantheon Books, 1961)

Now he is ready to introduce transmutation, the shifting of the properties of matter, by the matter itself, to move it toward perfection.

Thus far in what we have been saying, with small exceptions, the works of intelligence have been set forth, and now we must place by the side of them in our discourse the things which come into being through necessity – for the creation of this world is the combined work of necessity and mind. Mind, the ruling power, persuaded necessity to bring the greater part of created things to perfection, and thus and after this manner in the beginning, through necessity made subject to reason, this universe was created. But if a person will truly tell of the way in which the work was accomplished, he must include the variable cause as well, and explain its influence. Wherefore, we must return again and find another suitable beginning – as about the former matters, so also about these. To which end we must consider the nature of fire and water and air and earth, such as they were prior to the creation of the heaven, and what was happening to them in this previous state, for no one has as yet explained the manner of their generation, but we speak of fire and the rest of them, as though men knew their natures, and we maintain them to be the first principles and letters or elements of the whole, when they cannot reasonably be compared by a man of any sense even to syllables or first compounds . . .

In the first place, we see that what we just now called water, by condensation, I suppose, becomes stone and earth, and this same element, when melted and dispersed, passes into vapor and air. Air, again, when inflamed, becomes fire, and, again, fire, when condensed and extinguished, passes once more into the form of air, and once more, air, when collected and condensed, produces cloud and mist – and from these, when still more compressed, comes flowing water, and from water comes earth and stones once more – and thus generation appears to be transmitted from one to the other in a circle. Thus, then, as the several elements never present themselves in the same form, how can anyone have the assurance to assert positively that any of them, whatever it may be, is one thing rather than another? No one can . . .

From the translation of the Timaeus by Benjamin Jowett, in The Collected Dialogues of Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (New York: Pantheon Books, 1961)

And there it is. Matter, having a soul, can direct the properties it has to become more perfect. It can transform by altering those properties. Plato gives us examples, centered around gold.

Let me make another attempt to explain my meaning more clearly. Suppose a person to make all kinds of figures of gold and to be always remodeling each form into all the rest; somebody points to one of them and asks what it is. By far the safest and truest answer is, ‘That is gold,’ and not to call the triangle or any other figures which are formed in the gold ‘these,’ as though they had existence, since they are in process of change while he is making the assertion, but if the questioner be willing to take the safe and indefinite expression, ‘such,’ we should be satisfied. And the same argument applies to the universal nature which receives all bodies – that must be always called the same, for, inasmuch as she always receives all things, she never departs at all from her own nature and never, in any way or at any time, assumes a form like that of any of the things which enter into her; she is the natural recipient of all impressions, and is stirred and informed by them, and appears different from time to time by reason of them . . . Wherefore the mother and receptacle of all created and visible and in any way sensible things is not to be termed earth or air or fire or water, or any of their compounds, or any of the elements from which these are derived, but is an invisible and formless being which receives all things and in some mysterious way partakes of the intelligible, and is most incomprehensible. In saying this we shall not be far wrong; as far, however, as we can attain to a knowledge of her from the previous considerations, we may truly say that fire is that part of her nature which from time to time is inflamed, and water that which is moistened, and that the mother substance becomes earth and air, in so far as she receives the impressions of them. [47e–51b]

Of all the kinds termed fusile [by which he means metals], that which is the densest and is formed out of the finest and most uniform parts is that most precious possession called gold, which is hardened by filtration through rock; this is unique in kind, and has both a glittering and a yellow color. A shoot of gold, which is so dense as to be very hard, and takes a black color, is termed adamant. There is also another kind which has parts nearly like gold, and of which there are several species; it is denser than gold, and it contains a small and fine portion of earth and is therefore harder, yet also lighter because of the great interstices which it has within itself, and this substance, which is one of the bright and denser kinds of water, when solidified is called copper. [59b–c]

From the translation of the Timaeus by Benjamin Jowett, in The Collected Dialogues of Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (New York: Pantheon Books, 1961)

Aristotle will take these ideas, and run with them. 

04 Aristotle

Aristotle, the pupil of Plato, is considered one of the best minds the world has every produced. I'm afraid is just wasn't so, but ask anyone before 1600 who was the smartest man to ever live, and Aristotle would be the only answer you heard. He was seriously challenged by only two men, Diogenes who attended Plato and Aristotle's talks and made fun of them, and in 1536 by Peter Rami (Petrus Ramus in the Latinized form) in his Master's thesis Quaecumque ab Aristotele dicta essent, commentitia esse (Everything that Aristotle has said is false).

Aristotle was a good writer. I think that's why he's famous. His ideas are to our ears silly, but they were believable if you didn't look at nature so closely that you saw the flaws in Aristotle's statements of now Nature operates.

Around 300 B.C Aristotle wrote Meteorology, where the ideas of alchemy are presented. Again, Aristotle is not an alchemist, but alchemy would be constructed on his ideas.

We have already laid down that there is one principle which makes up the nature of the bodies that move in a circle, and besides this four bodies owing their existence to the four principles [elements], the motion of these latter bodies being of two kinds: either from the centre or to the centre. These four bodies are fire, air, water, earth. Fire occupies the highest place among them all, earth the lowest, and two elements correspond to these in their relation to one another, air being nearest to fire, water to earth. The whole world surrounding the earth [water, air, fire, cosmos], then, the affections of which are our subject, is made up of these bodies. This world necessarily has a certain continuity with the upper motions [the movements of the planets are influencing us]; consequently all its power is derived from them. (For the originating principle of all motion must be deemed the first cause. Besides, that element is eternal and its motion has no limit in space, but is always complete; whereas all these other bodies have separate regions which limit one another.) So we must treat fire and earth and the elements like them as the material causes of the events in this world (meaning by material what is subject and is affected), but must assign causality in the sense of the originating principle of motion to the power of the eternally moving bodies . . . Fire, air, water, earth, we assert, come-to-be from one another, and each of them exists potentially in each, as all things do that can be resolved into a common and ultimate substrate. [Bk. 1, 339a 11–339b 2]

So at the centre and round it [the earth-centred world] we get earth and water, the heaviest and coldest elements, by themselves; round them and contiguous with them, air and what we commonly call fire. It is not really fire, for fire is an excess of heat and a sort of ebullition; but in reality, of what we call air, the part surrounding the earth is moist and warm, because it contains both vapour and a dry exhalation from the earth. But the next part, above that, is warm and dry. For vapour is naturally moist and cold, exhalation warm and dry; and vapour is potentially like water, exhalation potentially like fire. [Bk. 1, 340b 19–28]

From the translation of the Meteorology by E. W. Webster, in The Complete Works of Aristotle, Revised Oxford Translation, ed. Jonathan Barnes, Bollingen Series 71.2, vol. 1 (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984)

We have a few ideas here. The cosmos, circling as it does by way of it's natural motion to go in circles, is influencing everything below, in our sublunary sphere. We also have the formation of metals in the two vapors that exist below ground, the moist vapors and the dry ones. Keep in mind that Aristotle was from Greece, a geologically active area, and would have been familiar with volcanos.

Aristotle's elements[46]
Element Hot/Cold Wet/Dry Motion Modern state
of matter
Earth Cold Dry Down Solid
Water Cold Wet Down Liquid
Air Hot Wet Up Gas
Fire Hot Dry Up Plasma
Aether (divine
substance)		 — Circular
(in heavens)		 —

 

He continues with an important idea, that by exposing a lesser metal, like copper, to wet or dry vapors, the nature of the metal is changed; it becomes a different metal. Aristotle has adopted the Platonic transmutation, and has defined how it is done: by altering the metal's properties.

We recognize two kinds of exhalation, one moist, the other dry. The former is called vapour: for the other there is no general name but we must call it a sort of smoke, applying to the whole of it a word that is proper to one of its forms. The moist cannot exist without the dry nor the dry without the moist: whenever we speak of either we mean that it predominates. Now when the sun in its circular course approaches, it draws up by its heat the moist evaporation: when it recedes the cold makes the vapour that had been raised condense back into water which falls and is distributed over the earth. (This explains why there is more rain in winter and more by night than by day: though the fact is not recognized because rain by night is more apt to escape observation than by day.) But there is a great quantity of fire and heat in the earth, and the sun not only draws up the moisture that lies on the surface of it, but warms and dries the earth itself. Consequently, since there are two kinds of exhalation, as we have said, one like vapour, the other like smoke, both of them are necessarily generated. That in which moisture predominates is the source of rain, as we explained before, while the dry one is the source and substance of all winds. [Bk. 2, 359b 29–360a 13]

Some account has now been given of the effects of the exhalation above the surface of the earth; we must go on to describe its operations below, when it is shut up in the parts of the earth.

Its own twofold nature gives rise here to two varieties of bodies, just as it does in the upper region. We maintain that there are two exhalations, one vaporous the other smoky, and there correspond two kinds of bodies that originate in the earth, things quarried and things mined. The heat of the dry exhalation is the cause of all things quarried. Such are the kinds of stones that cannot be melted, and realgar, and ochre, and ruddle, and sulphur, and the other things of that kind, most things quarried being either coloured lye or, like cinnabar, a stone compounded of it. The vaporous exhalation is the cause of all things mined – things which are either fusible or malleable such as iron, copper, gold. All these originate from the imprisonment of the vaporous exhalation in the earth, and especially in stones. Their dryness compresses it, and it congeals just as dew or hoar-frost does when it has been separated off, though in the present case the metals are generated before that separation occurs. Hence, they are water in a sense, and in a sense not. Their matter was that which might have become water, but it can no longer do so; nor are they, like savours, due to a qualitative change in actual water. Copper and gold are not formed like that, but in every case the evaporation congealed before water was formed. Hence, they all (except gold) are affected by fire, and they possess an admixture of earth; for they still contain the dry exhalation.

This is the general theory of all these bodies, but we must take up each kind of them and discuss it separately. [Bk. 3, 378a 14–378b 6]

We have explained that the causes of the elements are four, and that their combinations determine the number of the elements to be four.

Two of the causes, the hot and the cold, are active; two, the dry and the moist, passive. We can satisfy ourselves of this by looking at instances. In every case heat and cold determine, conjoin, and change things of the same kind and things of different kinds, moistening, drying, hardening, and softening them. Things dry and moist, on the other hand, both in isolation and when present together in the same body are the subjects of that determination and of the other affections enumerated. The account we give when we define their natures shows this too. Hot and cold we describe as active, for combining is a sort of activity; moist and dry are passive, for it is in virtue of its being acted upon in a certain way that a thing is said to be easy to determine or difficult to determine. So it is clear that some are active and some passive. [Bk. 4, 378b 10–25]

We must now describe the next kinds of processes which the qualities already mentioned set up in actually existing natural objects as matter.

Of these concoction is due to heat; its species are ripening, boiling, broiling . . . Concoction is a process in which the natural and proper heat of an object perfects the corresponding passive qualities, which are the proper matter of any given object. For when concoction has taken place we say that a thing has been perfected and has come to be itself. It is the proper heat of a thing that sets up this perfecting, though external influences may contribute in some degree to its fulfilment . . . In some cases of concoction the end of the process is the nature of the thing – nature, that is, in the sense of the form and essence. [Bk. 4, 379b 10–26]

Homogeneous bodies differ to touch by these affections and differences, as we have said. They also differ in respect of their smell, taste, and colour.

By homogeneous bodies I mean, for instance, the stuffs that are mined – gold, copper, silver, tin, iron, stone, and everything else of this kind and the bodies that are extracted from them . . . [Bk. 4, 388a 10–15]

From the translation of the Meteorology by E. W. Webster, in The Complete Works of Aristotle, Revised Oxford Translation, ed. Jonathan Barnes, Bollingen Series 71.2, vol. 1 (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984)

Sorry this is so long, but so was Aristotle. He has redefined transmutation by making it all about the properties. Instead of earth, air, water and fire, he has hot/cold and dry/wet. Start with any matter, and subject it to one of these four properties, and by adding that property to the matter, new matter will result. This is the core philosophy of alchemy. And by using gold as his example, he set the stage for alchemy centered on the production of gold.

What's needed now is for these ideas to be spread abroad. 

Thus enters Aristotle's pupil, Alexander the Great.

The Aristotelean Cosmos, as Ptolemy rendered it:

 

05 Diogenes: Challenging Philosophy

Diogenes tried hard to challenge the ideas underpinning alchemy. He was a troll, attending lectures and making fun of what was said or otherwise distracting from the solemnity of the moment. He wore only a blanket, slept where he wanted, tried his best to live a completely honest life, though not a comfortable one. He tried to live up to his own high ideals.

You can search out and read the many stories of the life of Diogenes, but his manner platform.

Diogenes couldn't do it. But he was our first cynic. Today cynicism is one of the foundations of the scientific method: don't believe anything which isn't multiple-times proven.

06 Alexander: Spreading Ideas

Alexander III, son of Philip of Macedon, was at the age of 16 a pupil of Aristotle. As his pupil he would have heard of Plato. Philip was obsessed with conquering Persia, current-day Iran/Iraq, as a consequence of Persia conquering all the known world around 540 B.C. and into Greece around 480 B.C. (and in the process, as Cyrus passed through Babylon, freed the Hebrews taken 60 years earlier). Alexander fulfilled that obsession by taking it all back. In 336 B.C. he took Philips army across Anatolia (Turkey, 333 B.C.), the Levant (Syria and Israel, 332 B.C.), Egypt (331 B.C.), Persia (Iran/Iraq, 330 B.C.), into the northeast provinces (Afganistan/Pakistan, 329 B.C.) and into Punjab (western India and Tibet, 328 B.C.).

His army moved fast, and picked up many many warriors along the way. He did this by not being a cruel tyrant, but by opening trade in every land he conquered. His goal was not to tax, but to trade with everyone. Calm the land and open the trade routes. Teach everyone a simplified Greek (Koine Greek, common Greek), and let them govern themselves. Part of this was (probably, for this I have no proof) indoctrination into the Greek culture by bringing books with them, books like Aristotle's Meteorology and Plato's Timaeus. Books the Greeks told them to read so they could understand them. And read them they did. When alchemy was developed, it seem to spring from all parts of the old world: 

It worked well. The conquered people never rebelled, and hundreds of years later, Hellenism (as we call it) was still intact.

Towns were founded to help with the trade routes. Alexandria, in Egypt, as a trade port. In fact, almost every area conquered had a new Alexandria. All were founded as classical Greek cities.

But revolt did come, from his generals. Alexander wasn't done. He wanted to go as far as China, but the troops were done. In the end Alexander settled down in Babylon, and died in Nebuchadnezzar's palace in 323 B.C., probably from foul play. The empire was willed to four generals: Ptolemy got Egypt, Seleucid got Mesopotamia and Central Asia, Attalid got Anatolia (Turkey) and the Levant (Syria/Israel), and Antigonid got Macedonia, the Greek homeland. Each ruled by his own standards.

Ptolemy's kingdom lasted the longest, and was the most generous. He funded huge libraries over his little empire, and Alexandria became the world center of learning. By decree any book brought into Alexandria was allowed to be copied for the library, but typically the copy was returned to the owner; the original stayed with the library. Books at the great library of Alexandria were copied for the other libraries around the Mediterranean, and famous men began to be identified by the city housing the library where they studied.

But it was at Alexandria that the most ideas met. And fused. And grew.

07 Astrology and Magic: Status Quo

Alchemy, astrology and Magic always seem to go together. They were combined in the early renaissance as a deliberate act, but early on they were informally combined as they all fit the same cosmology and religion.

We have seen a hint of this in Plato, where he had the Gods living far outside the sphere of the earth, and by the rotation of the planetary spheres have some influence over the earth. Aristotle made this a central aspect of his cosmology. But the origins are earlier.

From Persian Zoroastrianism (600 B.C., note the date relative to the conquest of the old world by the Persians) came the love of wisdom and the idea that all the world seeks to be like God. As these ideas were carried to Greece by Heraclitus (500 B.C.) he brought with it some mathematics which inspired Pythagoras, the eastern forms of astrology, and the practice of natural magic brought to Greece by Ostanes.

Astrology was practiced by everybody by about 2000 B.C. The astrologers controlled the calendar, and most religions incorporated astrology as the means of finding out which gods were influencing you right now. Egyptian religion went as far as to enumerate the "siderial gods" 36 in number, who rule each 40-minute block of each day.

Magic was not the black magic we play with on Halloween, it was the natural magic of using herbs to heal. It was a forerunner of medicinal alchemy and medicine. It required a vast understanding of the plants and how to prepare them so they would heal.

As these arts were practiced, the astrologer would calculate which planets were in the sky at your birth. Since you came from heaven, your soul needed to pass through each planetary sphere, picking up the vice associated with each one (pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, lust) each associated with a particular body in the cosmos. As these influence us, some have greater influences than others. That imparts our character. 

These vice-like aspects can be overcome. It requires that the astrologer find the "antidote" by finding the planets, stars, plants, shapes, objects that will undo our vices, then at the correct time of year, at the feet of the correct statue of deity, imbue a talisman that can help undo our vices. Potion making worked the same way. 

An astrologer would need to be a magician and later an alchemist to perform astrology. Alchemists relied on astrologers to get the timing right, and later some would become makers of medicines.

08 Democritus: What Might Have Been

Democritus around 350 B.C. had a nice theory of atoms. He said any bit of matter can be divided up to a point. When the particles are small enough, they can be divided no further. He called these "atoms."

Plato hated him, Aristotle ignored him, and he taught Pythagoras.

He came to his atomic theory not how Dalton came to his in the very early 1800's. Democritus thought atoms were unique in shape, and when they stacked together there was empty space between them (an idea both Plato and Aristotle rejected utterly in their philosophies).

Lucretius, describing atomism in his De rerum natura, gives very clear and compelling empirical arguments for the original atomist theory. He observes that any material is subject to irreversible decay. Through time, even hard rocks are slowly worn down by drops of water. Things have the tendency to get mixed up: Mix water with soil and mud will result, seldom disintegrating by itself. Wood decays. However, there are mechanisms in nature and technology to recreate "pure" materials like water, air, and metals. The seed of an oak will grow out into an oak tree, made of similar wood as historical oak trees, the wood of which has already decayed. The conclusion is that many properties of materials must derive from something inside, that will itself never decay, something that stores for eternity the same inherent, indivisible properties. The basic question is: Why has everything in the world not yet decayed, and how can exactly some of the same materials, plants, and animals be recreated again and again? One obvious solution to explain how indivisible properties can be conveyed in a way not easily visible to human senses, is to hypothesize the existence of "atoms". These classical "atoms" are nearer to humans' modern concept of "molecule" than to the atoms of modern science. The other central point of classical atomism is that there must be considerable open space between these "atoms": the void. Lucretius gives reasonable arguments that the void is absolutely necessary to explain how gases and liquids can flow and change shape, while metals can be molded without their basic material properties changing.

Wikipedia - Democritus

The idea of atoms is fundamental to our understanding matter and everything to do with matter. Once atoms are understood it merely forty years before chemistry and technology are in full swing.

So where would we be if Democritus was believed instead of Plato and Aristotle?

Richard Feynmann, renowned Nobel physicist, said this:

If, through some cataclysm, all scientific knowledge were to be lost, and only one sentence could be passed on to the following generations, what single statement would contain the most information in the fewest words? All things are made of atoms -- little particles that move around in perpetual motion, attracting each other when they are a little distance apart, but repelling upon being squeezed into one another. In that one sentence, you will see, there is an enormous amount of information about the world, if just a little imagination and thinking are applied.

James Gleick, Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman

09 Pseudo-Democritus

The first writings we have on Alchemy are recipes. A little obscure philosophy, mostly instructions. This is dated first of second centuries A.D. but it could be as late as 400 A.D. Martelli puts this at 60 A.D. [Martelli, Matteo, The Four Books of Pseudo-Democritus (Manley Publishing: Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry, 2013)]

It portends to be the Greek Democritus speaking, but we know it isn't. The author is Greek. There is a blend of mysticism ( aka magic) and philosophy here that puts it almost certainly in Alexandria. But already alchemy is developed much further than we generally think it would be. It is this early development which fascinates me, and is my only real proof that the ideas in the Timaeus and the Meteorology were widely spread through out the Mediterranean area well before 100 A.D. Only familiarity with those two books would make alchemy easy to adopt. It's my guess that these books were spread by Alexander's army or the traders who followed.

The following text is a nearly complete version of the translation by Robert B. Steele that appeared in Chemical News, 61 (1890): 88–125; a number of Steele’s notes have been incorporated in the annotations. Steel is convinced that this is very early first century. I'm not convinced. Steele's comments are in [square brackets,] mine are in {curly braces.}

FRAGMENT OF ANCIENT INTRODUCTION

“Nature rejoices with Nature; Nature conquers Nature; Nature restrains Nature.” We (his disciples) greatly wondered at how briefly he had bound up the whole science. I come into Egypt, bearing the treatises of nature, that thou mayest cast off confused and superfluous matter.

1. Copper is Whitened with Mercury-Amalgam or Arsenic, and is then Coloured Golden by Electrum or Powdered Gold. Taking mercury, thrust it into the body of magnesia,[Any white body, steatite or soapstone. In later alchemical writing, magnesia has a broad range of meanings, including the quintessence or an ingredient of the philosopher’s stone.] or into the body of Italian antimony, or of unfired sulphur, or of silver spume,[Argentiferous litharge] or of quick lime, or to alum from Melos, or to arsenic, or as thou knowest, and throw in white earth of Venus, and thou shalt have clear Venus; then throw in yellow Luna,[Venus and Luna stand for copper and silver, respectively] and thou shalt have gold, and it will be chrysocoral[“gold solder” or chrysocolla, a name given to a specific mineral or minerals in ancient times] reduced into a body. Yellow arsenic also makes the same, and prepared sandarach,[red arsenic sulphide, or realgar] and well bruised cinnabar,{mercury sulfide, very easy to smelt} but quicksilver {mercury} alone makes brass shining; for nature conquers nature.

2. Sulphide of Silver is Treated with Sulphides of Lead or Antimony, and the Resulting Alloy is Coloured Golden. Treat silver marcasite, which is also called siderites, and do what is usual that it may be melted. It melts with yellow or white litharge, or in Italian antimony, and cleanse it with lead (not simply, say I, lest thou err, but with that from Scissile,[alum schist from Sicily] and our black litharge), or as thou knowest; and heat, and throw it made yellow to the material, and it becomes coloured; for nature rejoices with nature.

3. Copper Pyrites is Roasted and Treated with Salt and Alloyed with Silver or Gold to Form Gold-Coloured Alloys. Treat pyrites till it becomes incombustible, casting off darkness, but treat with brine, or fresh urine, or sea water, or oxymel, or as thou knowest, until it becomes as an incombustible shaving of gold; and as it becomes so, mix with it unfired sulphur, or yellow alum, or Attic ochre, or what thou knowest, and add to luna for sol, and to sol for auriconchylium;[sol represents gold; auriconchylium is gold in powder, coquille d’or] for nature conquers nature.

4. Claudian Metal is Rendered Yellow by Sulphur or Arsenic, and Alloyed on Gold or Silver. Taking claudianum,[a metal, named from its manufacturer. An alloy of tin and lead, with copper, zinc, &c.] thou shalt make a marble, as of custom, until it becomes yellow. Thou shalt not render the stone yellow, I say, but that which is useful of the stone. Thou shalt yellow it with alum burnt with sulphur, or with arsenic, or sandarach, or lime, or that thou knowest, and if thou apply it to luna thou makest sol,[gold] but if to sol thou makest auriconchylium; for victorious nature restrains nature.

5. Silver or Bronze are Treated with an Amalgam of Iron to Produce Gold or Electrum. Make cinnabar white by oil, or vinegar, or honey, or brine, or alum, then yellow by misy, or sory, or chalcanth,[misy: a mixture of iron and copper sulphate; sory: basic sulphate of iron; chalcanth: copperas or ferrous sulphate] or live sulphur, or that thou knowest, and add to luna and it will be sol if thou colourest golden, or to bronze for electrum. Nature rejoices with nature.

6. A Yellow Golden Varnish for Metals. Whiten, I say, copper, cadmia, or zonytes, as of custom, afterwards make it yellow. But you will yellow it with the bile of a calf, or terebinth,[the tree that serves as the source of turpentine or – most likely in this context – the resin itself] or castor oil, or radish oil, or yolks of eggs, which can render it yellow, and add to luna, for it will be gold for gold; for nature conquers nature.

7. The Treatment of Silver by Superficial Sulphidation to Render it Gold Coloured. Treat androdamas[arsenical pyrites; from its silvery lustre used with silver] with bitter wine, or sea water, or acid brine, which things can attack its nature, melt with Chalcidonian antimony, and treat it again with sea water, or brine, or acid brine; wash until the blackness of the antimony goes away, heat or roast it until it begins to grow yellow, and thou shalt treat with untouched divine water, and lay it on silver, and when thou addest live sulphur thou makest chrysosomium into golden liquid; for nature conquers nature. This is the stone called chrysites.[a mixture of silver and lead, which becomes yellow on heating]

8. An Alloy of Copper and Lead is Formed, which is turned Yellow. Taking white earth from ceruse, I say, or from the scoriæ of silver, or of Italian antimony, or of magnesia, or even of white litharge, whiten it with sea water, or acid brine, or with water from the air under the dew, I say, and the sun, that it, when dissolved, may become white as ceruse. Heat then this in the furnace, and add to it the flowers of copper,[small black scales of oxide of copper, which separate on cooling] or scraped rust of copper, worked up by art, I say, or burnt bronze sufficiently corroded, or chalcites, or cyanum;[chalcites is copper pyrites; cyanum is blue carbonate of copper or Azurite] then it becomes compact and solid, but it becomes so easily. This is molybdochalium.[an alloy of copper and lead] Test it therefore, whether it has cast off its blackness, but if not, blame not the bronze, but rather thyself, since thou hast not conducted the operation rightly; therefore thou shalt brighten it, and dissolve it, and add what is necessary to yellow it, and roast till it begins to grow yellow, and throw it into all bodies; for bronze colours every body where it is shining and yellow; for nature conquers nature.

9. Copper and Silver are made Yellow by Sulphate of Iron; with a Process of Cementation.[the process by which one solid is made to penetrate and combine with another at high temperature without liquefaction taking place] Rub up sory and chalcanth with unfired sulphur; but sory is, as leprous cyanus, always found in misy, they call it green chalcanth. Roast it, therefore, in the middle of coals for three days, until it becomes a red drug, and throw it into Venus, or Luna made by us, and it will be Sol. Place this, cut up in sheets, in vinegar, and chalcanth, and misy, and alum, and sal cappadociæ,[a variety of sal gemma or rock salt] and red nitre, or as thou knowest, for three, or five, or six days, until it becomes a rust, and it tinges; for chalcanth makes sol a rust. Nature rejoices with nature.

10. An Alloy of Gold is Heated by Superficial Cementation. Treat Macedonian chrysocolla, which is like the rust of bronze, by dissolving it in the urine of a young girl until it entirely changes; for the nature is hidden within. When, therefore, it is changed, dip it into castor oil, often heating it, and tinging it, afterwards roast with alum, first dissolving with misy or unfired sulphur; render it yellow, and colour the whole body of gold.

11. O! NATURES, Governors of natures! O! natures, how great, conquering natures with their changes! O! natures above Nature, delighting natures! Therefore these are great natures; no others are more excellent among tinctures than these natures; none are like, none are greater, all these take effect as solutions. You therefore, O! wise men, I plainly understand are not ignorant, but rather wonder, since ye know the power of nature, but the young men are much in error, and will not put faith in what is written, since they are ignorant of matter, not noticing that physicians where they wish to prepare a useful drug, do not set about making it inconsiderately, but first test it, whether it is warming, and how much cold, or humid, or other substance necessary, joined with it will make a medium temperament. They, on the other hand, boldly and inconsiderately desiring to prepare that valuable medicine and ending of all diseases, do not learn that they are running into danger. As they consider that we speak in fables and not mystically, they display no diligence in inquiring into the species of things. For example, if this is cleansing, but that unimportant; and if this is fitted to receive a colour, but that to prepare (for receiving it); and if this tinges the surface, or if the tincture gives off an odour from the surface, or vanishes from the interior of the metallic body; or if this resists fire, but that mixed with anything enables it to resist fire. For example, if salt cleanses the surface of Jove[Jove represents tin, Venus copper] it cleanses its interior parts; and if the exterior part contracts rust after the cleansing, the interior parts do so also; and if mercury whitens and cleanses the surface of Venus, it whitens also the interior; and if it leaves the exterior, it leaves the interior also. If the young men had been skilled in this kind of knowledge, applying their minds judiciously to the actions of substances, they would have suffered less loss; they know not the antipathies of nature, that one species may change ten, as a drop of oil stains much purple, and a little sulphur burns many things. Let these things be said, therefore, of medicines, and of the extent to which what is written may be relied on.

12. A Gold Varnish for Silver. Let us deal with liquids in their turn. Taking Pontic rhubarb, rub it up in bitter Aminean wine[in ancient alchemical treatises, substances frequently bear the names of their places of origin, as in the references to rhubarb and wine in this passage and the crocus of Cilicia below] to the consistency of wax, and take a thin piece of Luna to make Sol, the pieces of which may be a full nail in breadth, that thou mayest use the drug again and again; place it in an empty vessel, which, luting on all sides, gently heat from beneath until the middle (of the leaf) is reached. Then place the leaf in the remainder of the drug, and complete the action with the aforesaid wine, as long as the liquid appears thick. In this, throw at once the uncooled leaf, and allow it to absorb, then take it and place it in a crucible; and thou shalt find Sol. But if the rhubarb be dried with age, mix it with equal parts of celandine, preparing it, as of custom, for celandine has a relationship to rhubarb. Nature rejoices with nature.

13. Another Gold Varnish. Take crocus of Cilicia, and leave it with the crocus flower, and the aforesaid juice of the vine, and thou shalt have a liquor, as is accustomed to be done. Colour silver, cut into leaves, until it seems shining to thee. But if the leaf be bronze it will be better, but first cleanse the bronze, as customary. Then taking two parts of the herb aristolochia,[a type of shrub, one species of which is the Common Birthwort] and double of crocus, and celandine, make it of the consistency of wax, and anointing the sheet, do as before, and wonder, since the crocus of Cilicia has the same effect as mercury, as also cassia with cinnamon. Nature conquers nature.

14. Another Gold Varnish. Taking our lead made shining by Chian earth,[earth obtained from the Aegean island of Chios, used as “an astringent and a cosmetic”] and pyrites, and alum, burn with chaff, and melt into pyrites; and rub up crocus and cnicum, and the flower œcumenicus with the sharpest vinegar, and make a liquid, as of custom, and dip the lead into it, and allow it to absorb it, and thou shalt find Sol but let the composition have a little unburnt sulphur; for nature conquers nature.

15. This is the plan of Hepammenes, which he showed to the priests of Egypt, and it remains to the times of these philosophers, the matter of the Chrysopeia.[gold-making; the art of transmutation] Nor should ye wonder if one thing performs a mystery of this kind. Do ye not see that many drugs can with difficulty, even in the progress of time, heal up wounds produced by iron, but human excrement succeeds in no long interval of time; and many drugs employed for burns produce often no good, and most in no way diminish the pain, but lime alone, when rightly prepared, drives out the ailment; and if various cures are tried for ophthalmia,[inflammation of the eye] they generally increase it, but the plant buckthorn, used to all sickness of this kind, cures perfectly. Vain and unsuitable matter should therefore be despised, but things be used according to their natures. Now therefore learn from these also, that no one has ever been successful without the aforesaid natures. But if nothing can be done without these, why do we desire a forest of many things; what is our need of the concourse of many species for the work, when one surpasses all? Let us now see the composition of the species from which silver can be made.

THE BOOK OF SILVER

16. The Surface of a Copper Alloy is Whitened by an Arsenical Compound. Fix quicksilver from arsenic, or sandarach, or that thou knowest, as of custom, and mix Venus with iron treated with sulphur, and it will be whitened; but whitened magnesia is also excellent, and sublimed arsenic, and calcined cadmia, unfired sandarach, whitened pyrites, and ceruse roasted with sulphur. Thou dissolvest iron by throwing into magnesia, or the half of sulphur, or a little of loadstone, since that has affinity with iron. Nature rejoices with nature.

17. A Composition for Amalgamating the Surface of Alloys. Taking the aforesaid vapour, heat it with castor or radish oil, mixing with a little alum; then taking tin, purge it with sulphur, as of custom, or marchasite, or what is known to thee, and throw it into the vapour, mixing the whole. Roast, covered with coals, and thou shalt see this medicine formed, like to white lead, which whitens all (metallic) bodies, but by anointing. Mix with it Chian earth, or Asterites, or Aphroselinum,[asterites is arsenical pyrites (identical with androdamas); aphroselinum is selenite, sulphate of lime] or that thou knowest, since Aphroselinum associated with mercury whitens all (metallic) bodies. Nature conquers nature.

18. The Same Applied to Orichalium Alloy. Take white magnesia; thou shalt whiten it with brine and alum, in sea-water, or citron juice, or with the smoke of sulphur; for the fume of sulphur, when it is white, whitens all things. But others say that the fume of cobathia[arsenical fumes of furnaces] whitens it. Mix with it, after whitening, equal parts of lye, that it may become white enough. Taking of whitish bronze, of orichalium, I say, 4 ounces, place it in a crucible, placing under it little by little 1 ounce of previously purged tin, agitating until the substances unite; it will be frangible. Throw on, therefore, the half of white medicine, and it will be the chief; for whitened magnesia does not render bodies fragile, or allow the blackness of bronze to come forth. Nature restrains nature . . .

24. Another Tincture of Amalgamation. Take 1 ounce of arsenic, and half an ounce of nitre, and 2 ounces of the cortex of the tender little leaves of Persea,[“A sacred fruit-bearing tree of Egypt and Persia”] and half (an ounce) of salt, and 1 ounce of mulberry juice, and equal parts of scissile, rub with vinegar, or urine, or of unslaked lime of urine, until a liquid is formed. Immerse in this glowing leaves of Venus growing black, and thou takest away the blackness. Nature conquers nature. Thou hast all things which are required for gold and silver, nothing is left out, nothing is wanting, except the elevation of the vapour and of water.[suggesting the process of distillation] But these I have omitted of purpose, seeing that I have dealt with them freely in my other writings. In this writing farewell.

The Alchemy Reader (pp. 38-43). Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.

The phrase, used many time, "or as thou knoweth," is enlightening. It means to use whatever you know will work. And how can there be so many reagents to accomplish the process? The author must be a follower of Aristotle, where altering the properties of one substance causes it to become a different one. For example, if the manipulation of the properties by the process introduces 99.9% of the final properties, leaving but 0.1% of the original properties, why not start with anything you want?

This is not chemistry in any form, where matter is conserved beginning to end. This is the manipulation of found ores and metals to change the appearance. One would think that surely the difference could be easily seen between real gold and whatever you get using these recipes; but these are philosophers following Plato, and they know that what is reasoned out is more true than what they observe. How they communicated that to the person buying the "gold" they created I have no idea. This is probably also the beginning of charlatanism in alchemy.

Many of these materials are obtained via the trade routes, and the locations where they are mined is mentioned. We have none of these mines any more, which makes the attempt at duplicating these "experiments" difficult or impossible. Some minerals named are unknown to us; we don't know what they are.

Crysopoeia: a Greek word meaning the making of gold by transmutation. This early gold-making was a central goal of alchemy, but not why you'd think. Alchemists were not trying to get rich. They are trying to perfect a philosophy proposed by Aristotle: that Nature makes gold in the interior of the earth from fumes of differing hotness and wetness, and so can we, but with sufficient skill we can do it faster. But only by following the example set by Nature.

“Nature rejoices with Nature; Nature conquers Nature; Nature restrains Nature.” This is another central concept of alchemy. We can only follow Nature's path; forcing ingredients to make gold would be fruitless, because it could not create from them real gold.

Also here is the first discussion of the healing properties of some substances created. Medicine will be a constant in alchemy, and a central aspect of alchemy in 1600 AD.

10 Translations from the Greek

After Alexander, all trade was done in Koine Greek ("common" or "shared" Greek, pronounced "coin-ay"). It was the language of trade into the medieval times, lasting at least 900 years (the Byzantine empire used it until they were sacked by the Arabs in 1453). All the New Testament texts were first written in this language, the language used to communicate with the world. Koine Greek is not a sophisticated language, and in writing less so than in speaking. For example, "blue" and "sky" are the same word. Writing in Koine Greek takes many shortcuts, and only context can tell you the correct interpretation. But most cultural idioms are lost to us and so is the context, and we have a very difficult time making out what some passages mean. 

Papyrus 46, one of the earliest New Testament documents, 175 - 225 A.D. No punctuation, no paragraphs, no spaces; just a wall of letters:

An example is here:

Ἐνἀρχῇἦνὁλόγοςκαὶὁλόγοςἦνπρὸςτὸνθεόνκαὶθ
εὸςἦνὁλόγοςοὗτοςἦνἐνἀρχῇπρὸςτὸνθεόνπάντα
δι᾽αὐτοῦἐγένετοκαὶχωρὶςαὐτοῦἐγένετοοὐδὲἕνὃγ
έγονενἐναὐτῷζωὴἦνκαὶἡζωὴἦντὸφῶςτῶνἀνθρ
ώπωνκαὶτὸφῶςἐντῇσκοτίᾳφαίνεικαὶἡσκοτίααὐ
τὸοὐκατέλαβεν.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

So when reading these English translations from Koine, take them with a grain of salt. We are familiar with exactness in writing in English and it's easy to pass on the surety of meaning to English translations where that surety never existed in the original.

Map of where Koine Greek was spoken. Dark blue is where the Greeks lived; light blue is water:

11 Cleopatra and the Philosophers

There were three women alchemists early on, all famous. Mary Prophetess (or Maria the Jewess, among other names) was reported to be a gifted artificer of lab equipment, among them the hot water bath, or bain marie. Theosobia received letters from her brother Zosimos (whom we will meet later) on the subject of alchemy told in obfuscating allegory. 

Here we meet Cleopatra. Not the Cleopatra of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, lover of Marc Anthony, but the alchemist Cleopatra. Again, she might not have been a real person, but a representative used in a dialog.

The dialog is with a group of sycophantic philosophers, followers of Cleopatra. It comes from F. Sherwood Taylor’s The Alchemists: Founders of Modern Chemistry (London: William Heinemann, 1951), 57–9, and is based on Berthelot’s French translation in his Collection des anciens alchimistes grecs, one of the great translation efforts of science.

Then Cleopatra said to the philosophers. “Look at the nature of plants, whence they come. For some come down from the mountains and grow out of the earth, and some grow up from the valleys and some come from the plains. But look how they develop, for it is at certain seasons and days that you must gather them, and you take them from the islands of the sea, and from the most lofty place. And look at the air which ministers to them and the nourishment circling around them, that they perish not nor die. Look at the divine water which gives them drink and the air that governs them after they have been given a body in a single being.”

Ostanes and those with him answered Cleopatra. “In thee is concealed a strange and terrible mystery. Enlighten us, casting your light upon the elements. Tell us how the highest descends to the lowest and how the lowest rises to the highest, and how that which is in the midst approaches the highest and is united to it, and what is the element which accomplishes these things. And tell us how the blessed waters visit the corpses lying in Hades fettered and afflicted in darkness and how the medicine of Life reaches them and rouses them as if wakened by their possessors from sleep; and how the new waters, both brought forth on the bier and coming after the light penetrate them at the beginning of their prostration and how a cloud supports them and how the cloud supporting the waters rises from the sea.”

And the philosophers, considering what had been revealed to them, rejoyced.

Cleopatra said to them. “The waters, when they come, awake the bodies and the spirits which are imprisoned and weak. For they again undergo oppression and are enclosed in Hades, and yet in a little while they grow and rise up and put on divers glorious colors like the flowers in springtime and the spring itself rejoices and is glad at the beauty that they wear.3 For I tell this to you who are wise: when you take plants, elements, and stones from their places, they appear to you to be mature. But they are not mature until the fire has tested them. When they are clothed in the glory from the fire and shining color thereof, then rather will appear their hidden glory, their sought-for beauty, being transformed to the divine state of fusion. For they are nourished in the fire and the embryo grows little by little nourished in its mother’s womb, and when the appointed month approaches is not restrained from issuing forth. Such is the procedure of this worthy art. The waves and surges one after another in Hades wound them in the tomb where they lie. When the tomb is opened they issue from Hades as the babe from the womb.”

The Alchemy Reader (pp. 44-45). Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.

The death and resurrection motif used here are probably disguising a process which is described later by the Arabic alchemists of the spirit of a substance rising up in sublimation where it is perfected, then recombined with the "corpse" or non-sublimated substance (prima materia), so that the perfected spirit will then create a more gold-like material.

References to the womb and to birth are analogous to the creation of the philosophers stone in a flask.

References to colors will be a near-constant theme in alchemy. The changing form one color to the next was accepted as proof that the material has changed its nature and has become a different element or metal.

It surprises me how fully developed alchemy seems to be even at this very early date.

12 The Earliest Chemistry

Two papyri were discovered in Thebes, in Egypt from about 300 A.D. They were part of a trove of papyri, but two stood out: the Leyden Papyrus X ("ten"), and the Stockholm Papyrus, named for the museums housing them. Both are collections of chemical recipes.

These are written as clear, simple, and methodical. They say what the recipe will do. There are uncertainties, like measurement, and exactly what substance to use, and how long the steps are to take.

And there is clearly fraud being attempted here. Some appearances are intended to deceive by making base metals look like gold.

The Leyden Papurus X has 111 recipes, and the Stockholm Papyrus has 154, are probably written by the same author and are in koine Greek.

See Earle Radcliffe Caley, “The Leyden Papyrus X: An English Translation with Brief Notes,” Journal of Chemical Education 3,10 (Oct. 1926): 1149–66, and “The Stockholm Papyrus: An English Translation with Brief Notes,” Journal of Chemical Education 4,8 (Aug. 1927): 979–1002. My notes are in [brackets.]

From Leyden Papyrus X

8. Manufacture of Asem.[alloy to imitate gold or silver]
Take soft tin in small pieces, purified four times; take 4 parts of it and 3 parts of pure white copper and 1 part of asem. Melt, and after the casting, clean several times and make with it whatever you wish to. It will be asem of the first quality, which will deceive even the artisans.

15. The coloration of Gold.
To color gold to render it fit for usage. Misy,[iron sulfate + copper sulfate] salt, and vinegar accruing from the purification of gold; mix it all and throw in the vessel (which contains it) the gold described in the preceding preparation; let it remain some time, (and then) having drawn (the gold) from the vessel, heat it upon the coals; then again throw it in the vessel which contains the above-mentioned preparation; do this several times until it becomes fit for use.

25. Gold Polish.
For treating gold, otherwise called, purifying gold and rendering it brilliant: Misy, 4 parts; alum, 4 parts; salt, 4 parts. Pulverize with water. And having coated the gold (with it), place it in an earthenware vessel deposited in a furnace and luted with clay, (and heat) until the above-named substances have become molten, then withdraw it and scour carefully.

34. A Procedure for Writing in Letters of Gold.
To write in letters of gold, take some mercury, pour it in a suitable vessel, and add to it some gold in leaves; when the gold appears dissolved in the mercury, agitate sharply; add a little gum, 1 grain for example, and, (after) letting stand, write in the letters of gold.

38. For Giving to Objects of Copper the Appearance of Gold. And neither touch nor rubbing against the touchstone[black silica stone which shows the color of gold or silver rubbed on it] will detect them, but they can serve especially for (the manufacture of) a ring of fine appearance. Here is the preparation for this. Gold and lead are ground to a fine powder like flour, 2 parts of lead for 1 of gold, then having mixed, they are incorporated with gum, and one coats the ring with this mixture; then it is heated. One repeats this several times until the object has taken the color. It is difficult to detect (the fraud), because rubbing gives the mark of a gold object, and the heat consumes the lead but not the gold.

43. Testing of Gold.
If you wish to test the purity of gold, remelt it and heat it: if it is pure it will keep its color after heating and remain like a piece of money. If it becomes white, it contains silver; if it becomes rougher and harder some copper and tin; if it blackens and softens, lead.

87. Doubling of Gold.
For augmenting the weight of gold. Melt (it) with a fourth part of cadmia, and it will become heavier and harder.

95. The Preparation of Purple [dye].
Break into small pieces stone of Phrygia; put it to boiling, and having immersed the wool, leave it until it cools. Then throwing in the vessel a mina[unit of weight in Greece and Egypt] of seaweed, put it to boiling and throw in it (again) a mina of seaweed. Let it boil and throw the wool into it, and letting cool, wash in sea water . . . [the stone of Phrygia is roasted before being broken] . . . until the purple coloration appears.

96. Dyeing with Purple (Two Methods).
Grind lime with water and let it stand over night. Having decanted, deposit the wool in the liquid for a day; take it out (and) dry it; having sprinkled the alkanet[red dye from the root of Alkanna tinctoria] with some vinegar, put it to boiling and throw the wool in it and it will come out dyed in purple . . . alkanet boiled with water and natron produces the purple color. Then dry the wool, and dye it as follows: Boil the seaweed with water and when it has been exhausted, throw in the water an imperceptible quantity of copperas, in order to develop the purple, and then plunge the wool in it, and it will be dyed. If there is too much copperas, it becomes darker.

From the Stockholm Papyrus

1. Manufacture of Silver.
Plunge Cyprian copper, which is well worked and shingled[beaten with a hammer to expel impurities] for use, into dyer’s vinegar and alum and let soak for three days. Then for every mina of copper mix in 6 drachmas each of earth of Chios, salt of Cappadocia and lamellose alum, and cast. Cast skillfully, however, and it will prove to be regular silver. Place in it not more than 20 drachmas of good, unfalsified, proof silver, which the whole mixture retains and (this) will make it imperishable.

18. Manufacture of a Pearl.
Take and grind an easily pulverized stone such as window mica. Take gum tragacanth and let it soften for ten days in cow’s milk. When it has become soft, dissolve it until it becomes as thick as glue. Melt Tyrian wax; add to this, in addition, the white of egg. The mercury should amount to 2 parts and the stone 3 parts, but all remaining substances 1 part apiece. Mix (the ground mica and the molten wax) and knead the mixture with mercury. Soften the paste in the gum solution and the contents of the hen’s egg. Mix all of the liquids in this way with the paste. Then make the pearl that you intend to, according to a pattern. The paste very shortly turns to stone. Make deep round impressions and bore through it while it is moist. Let the pearl thus solidify and polish it highly. If managed properly it will excel the natural.

101. Cold Dyeing of Purple Which is Done in the True Way.
Keep this as a secret matter because the purple has an extremely beautiful luster. Take scum of woad[blue dye from Isatis tinctoria] from the dyer, and a sufficient portion of foreign alkanet of about the same weight as the scum – the scum is very light – and triturate it in the mortar. Thus dissolve the alkanet by grinding in the scum and it will give off its essence. Then take the brilliant color prepared by the dyer – if from kermes[red dye from the small beetle Kermes ilices] it is better, or else from kirmnos – heat, and put this liquor into half of the scum in the mortar. Then put the wool in and color it unmordanted[without the agent to fix the color to the wool] and you will find it beyond all description.

The Alchemy Reader (pp. 46-49). Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.

13 Visions of Alchemy

There were many types of alchemy. The most entertaining are the wildly-descriptive allegories, and one of the best and earliest is the vision of Zosimos of Panopolis. Writing to his sister or student  Theosebia around 300 A.D. he describes the alchemical experience from a very personal point of view, as though he is more interested in what alchemy is doing to him than what he is doing with alchemy.

Of all the early alchemists, Zosimos has the best claim to being a real person. We have other accounts of his public speaking and letters to Theosobia from Alexandria.

Zosimos provides the earliest definition of what alchemy is: "the composition of waters, movement, growth, embodying and disembodying, drawing the spirits from bodies and bonding the spirits within bodies." This is a core Platonic belief that all matter is prima materia with the Aristotelian belief that it is the properties which change that modifies matter, and that by pulling out the properties (the spirit of matter) and refining it, then putting it back into the prima materia, transmutation if effected.

He believed that the process of alchemy has a high purpose, to perfect humans. The alchemist is working with the soul of matter as a priest works with the souls of men. In his work Concerning the true Book of Sophe, the Egyptian, and of the Divine Master of the Hebrews and the Sabaoth Powers, Zosimos wrote:

There are two sciences and two wisdoms, that of the Egyptians [ie. Cleopatra] and that of the Hebrews [ie. Mary the Jewess], which latter is confirmed by divine justice. The science and wisdom of the most excellent dominate the one and the other. Both originate in olden times. Their origin is without a king, autonomous and immaterial; it is not concerned with material and corruptible bodies, it operates, without submitting to strange influences, supported by prayer and divine grace.

The symbol of chemistry is drawn from the creation by its adepts, who cleanse and save the divine soul bound in the elements, and who free the divine spirit from its mixture with the flesh.

As the sun is, so to speak, a flower of the fire and (simultaneously) the heavenly sun, the right eye of the world, so copper when it blooms—that is when it takes the color of gold, through purification—becomes a terrestrial sun, which is king of the earth, as the sun is king of heaven.

He was a Gnostic (see Alchemy 14 Interlude) and wrote (using a very modernized vocabulary of 1818): 

The ancient and divine writings say that the angels became enamoured of women; and, descending, taught them all the works of nature. From them, therefore, is the first tradition, chema, concerning these arts; for they called this book chema and hence the science of chemistry takes its name.

 

He believed that alchemy and the related arts were taught to humanity by the dark angels who came to earth and took human wives. This is one of three accounts that put these arts as god-given. The tales of Hermes Trismegistus (Alchemy 15) and of Pandora are the other two. 

We can't even begin to duplicate the process he is describing, but who cares: it's so much fun to read!

The translation from Of Virtue, Lessons 1 - 3 is from F. Sherwood Taylor, “The Visions of Zosimos,” Ambix 1,1 (May 1937): 88–92

Lesson 1.
The composition of waters, the movement, growth, removal, and restitution of corporeal nature, the separation of the spirit from the body, and the fixation of the spirit on the body are not due to foreign natures, but to one single nature reacting on itself, a single species, such as the hard bodies of metals and the moist juices of plants.

And in this system, single and of many colours, is comprised a research, multiple and varied, subordinated to lunar influences and to the measure of time, which rule the end and the increase according to which the nature transforms itself.

Saying these things I went to sleep, and I saw a sacrificing priest standing before me at the top of an altar in the form of a bowl.2 This altar had 15 steps leading up to it. Then the priest stood up and I heard a voice from above saying to me, ‘I have accomplished the descent of the 15 steps of darkness and the ascent of the steps of light and it is he who sacrifices, that renews me, casting away the coarseness of the body; and being consecrated priest by necessity, I become a spirit.’ And having heard the voice of him who stood on the bowl-shaped altar, I questioned him, wishing to find out who he was. He answered me in a weak voice, saying ‘I am Ion, the priest of the sanctuary, and I have survived intolerable violence. For one came headlong in the morning, dismembering me with a sword, and tearing me asunder according to the rigour of harmony. And flaying my head with the sword which he held fast, he mingled my bones with my flesh and burned them in the fire of the treatment, until I learnt by the transformation of the body to become a spirit.’

And while yet he spoke these words to me, and I forced him to speak of it, his eyes became as blood and he vomited up all his flesh. And I saw him as a mutilated little image of a man, tearing himself with his own teeth and falling away.

And being afraid I awoke and thought ‘Is this not the situation of the waters?’ I believed that I had understood it well, and I fell asleep anew. And I saw the same altar in the form of a bowl and at the top the water bubbling, and many people in it endlessly. And there was no one outside the altar whom I could ask. I then went up towards the altar to view the spectacle. And I saw a little man, a barber, whitened by years, who said to me ‘What are you looking at?’ I answered him that I marvelled at the boiling of the water and the men, burnt yet living. And he answered me saying ‘It is the place of the exercise called preserving (embalming). For those men who wish to obtain virtue come hither and become spirits, fleeing from the body.’ Therefore I said to him ‘Are you a spirit?’ And he answered and said ‘A spirit and a guardian of spirits.’ And while he told us these things, and while the boiling increased and the people wailed, I saw a man of copper having in his hand a writing tablet of lead. And he spoke aloud, looking at the tablet, ‘I counsel those under punishment to calm themselves, and each to take in his hand a leaden writing tablet and to write with their own hands. I counsel them to keep their faces upwards and their mouths open until your grapes be grown.’ The act followed the word and the master of the house said to me, ‘You have seen. You have stretched your neck on high and you have seen what is done.’ And I said that I saw, and I said to myself, ‘This man of copper you have seen is the sacrificing priest and the sacrifice, and he that vomited out his own flesh. And authority over this water and the men under punishment was given to him.’

And having had this vision I awoke again and I said to myself ‘What is the occasion of this vision? Is not this the white and yellow water, boiling, divine (sulphurous)?’ And I found that I understood it well. And I said that it was fair to speak and fair to listen, and fair to give and fair to receive, and fair to be poor and fair to be rich. For how does the nature learn to give and to receive? The copper man gives and the watery stone receives; the metal gives and the plant receives; the stars give and the flowers receive; the sky gives and the earth receives; the thunderclaps give the fire that darts from them.

For all things are interwoven and separate afresh, and all things are mingled and all things combine, all things are mixed and all unmixed, all things are moistened and all things dried and all things flower and blossom in the altar shaped like a bowl. For each, it is by method, by measure and weight of the 4 elements, that the interlacing and dissociation of all is accomplished. No bond can be made without method. It is a natural method, breathing in and breathing out, keeping the arrangements of the method, increasing or decreasing them. When all things, in a word, come to harmony by division and union, without the methods being neglected in any way, the nature is transformed. For the nature being turned upon itself is transformed; and it is the nature and the bond of the virtue of the whole world.

And that I may not write many things to you, my friend, build a temple of one stone, like ceruse in appearance, like alabaster, like marble of Proconnesus, having neither beginning nor end in its construction. Let it have within it a spring of pure water glittering like the sun. Notice on which side is the entry of the temple and, taking your sword in hand, so seek for the entry. For narrow is the place at which the temple opens. A serpent lies before the entry guarding the temple; seize him and sacrifice him. Skin him and, taking his flesh and bones, separate his parts; then reuniting the members with the bones at the entry of the temple, make of them a stepping stone, mount thereon, and enter. You will find there what you seek. For the priest, the man of copper, whom you see seated in the spring and gathering his colour, do not regard him as a man of copper; for he has changed the colour of his nature and become a man of silver. If you wish, after a little time you will have him as a man of gold.

Lesson 2.
Again I wished to ascend the seven steps and to look upon the seven punishments, and, as it happened, on only one of the days did I effect an ascent. Retracing my steps I then went up many times. And then on returning I could not find the way and fell into deep discouragement, not seeing how to get out, and fell asleep.

And I saw in my sleep a little man, a barber, clad in a red robe and royal dress, standing outside the place of the punishments, and he said to me ‘Man, what are you doing?’ And I said to him ‘I stand here because, having missed every road, I find myself at a loss.’ And he said to me ‘Follow me.’ And I went out and followed him. And being near to the place of the punishments, I saw the little barber who was leading me cast into the place of punishment, and all his body was consumed by fire.

On seeing this I fled and trembled with fear, and awoke and said to myself ‘What is it that I have seen?’ And again I reasoned, and perceiving that the little barber is the man of copper clothed in red raiment, I said ‘I have understood well; this is the man of copper; one must first cast him into the place of punishment.’ Again my soul desired to ascend the third step also. And again I went along the road, and as I came near to the punishment again I lost my way, losing sight of the path, wandering in despair. And again in the same way I saw a white-haired old man of such whiteness as to dazzle the eyes. His name was Agathodæmon,4 and the white old man turned and looked on me for a full hour. And I asked of him ‘Show me the right way.’ But he did not turn towards me, but hastened to follow the right route. And going and coming thence, he quickly gained the altar. As I went up to the altar, I saw the whitened old man and he was cast into the punishment. O gods of heavenly natures! Immediately he was embraced entirely by the flames. What a terrible story, my brother! For from the great strength of the punishment his eyes became full of blood. And I asked him, saying, ‘Why do you lie there?’ But he opened his mouth and said to me ‘I am the man of lead and I am undergoing intolerable violence.’ And so I awoke in great fear and I sought in me the reason of this fact. I reflected and said ‘I clearly understand that thus one must cast out the lead, and indeed the vision is one of the combination of liquids.’

Lesson 3.
And again I saw the same divine and sacred bowl-shaped altar, and I saw a priest clothed in white celebrating those fearful mysteries, and I said “Who is this?’ And, answering, he said to me ‘This is the priest of the Sanctuary. He wishes to put blood into the bodies, to make clear the eyes, and to raise up the dead.’

And so, falling again, I fell asleep another little while, and while I mounted the fourth step I saw, coming from the East, one who had in his hand a sword. And I saw another behind him, bearing a round white shining object beautiful to behold, of which the name was the meridian of the Sun, and as I drew near to the place of punishments, he that bore the sword told me ‘Cut off his head and sacrifice his meat and his muscles by parts, to the end that his flesh may first be boiled according to method and that he may then undergo the punishment.’ And so, awaking again, I said ‘Well do I understand that these things concern the liquids of the art of the metals.’ And again he that bore the sword said ‘You have fulfilled the seven steps beneath.’ And the other said at the same time as the casting out of the lead by all liquids, ‘The work is completed.’

The Alchemy Reader (pp. 50-53). Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.

Carl Jung, mid-20th-century phychologist, studied alchemy as a possible source of a universal symbolism of dreams. He was very interested in the Visions of Zosimos.

One of Zosimos' texts is about a sequence of dreams related to Alchemy, and presents the proto-science as a much more religious experience. In his dream he first comes to an altar and meets Ion, who calls himself "the priest of inner sanctuaries, and I submit myself to an unendurable torment." Ion then fights and impales Zosimos with a sword, dismembering him "in accordance with the rule of harmony" (referring to the division into four bodies, natures, or elements). He takes the pieces of Zosimos to the altar, and "burned (them) upon the fire of the art, till I perceived by the transformation of the body that I had become spirit." From there, Ion cries blood, and horribly melts into "the opposite of himself, into a mutilated anthroparion"—which Carl Jung perceived as the first concept of the homunculus in alchemical literature.

Zosimos wakes up, asks himself, "Is not this the composition of the waters?" and returns to sleep, beginning the visions again—he constantly wakes up, ponders to himself and returns to sleep during these visions. Returning to the same altar, Zosimos finds a man being boiled alive, yet still alive, who says to him, "The sight that you see is the entrance, and the exit, and the transformation ... Those who seek to obtain the art (or moral perfection) enter here, and become spirits by escaping from the body"—which can be regarded as human distillation; just as how distilled water purifies it, distilling the body purifies it as well. He then sees a Brazen Man (another homunculus, as Jung believed any man described as being metal is perceived as being a homunculus), a Leaden Man (an "agathodaemon" and also a homunculus, but see also Agathodaemon the alchemist). Zosimos also dreams of a "place of punishments" where all who enter immediately burst into flames and submit themselves to an "unendurable torment."

Jung believed these visions to be a sort of Alchemical allegory, with the tormented homunculi personifying transmutations—burning or boiling themselves to become something else. The central image of the visions are the Sacrificial Act, which each Homunculus endures. In alchemy the dyophysite nature is constantly emphasized, two principles balancing one another, active and passive, masculine and feminine, which constitute the eternal cycle of birth and death. This is also illustrated in the figure of the uroboros, the dragon that bites its own tail (and which appears earliest in the Chrysopoeia). Self-devouring is the same as self-destruction, but the unison of the dragon's tail and mouth was also thought of as self-fertilization. Hence the text of "Tractatus Avicennae" mentions "the dragon slays itself, weds itself, impregnates itself." In the visions, circular thinking appears in the sacrificial priest's identity with his victim and in the idea that the homunculus into whom Ion is changed devours himself—he spews fourth his own flesh and rends himself with his own teeth. The homunculus therefore stands for the uroboros, which devours itself and gives birth to self. Since the homonculus represents the transformation of Ion, it follows that Ion, the uroboros, and the sacrificer are essentially the same.

Wikipedia - Zosimos of Panololis

The "little man of copper" will become a rather important secret of alchemy, the generation of life in the form of a little human, the homunculus, formed from sperm only. Not until the 1600's will anyone (Paracelsus) attempt to describe the process in writing.

It might be coincidence that the priest is named "Ion," which will later be the name of the things formed in solution when a salt dissolves in water.

Another book of Zosimos, the Book of Pictures, I have never seen nor read. We don't have the original, nor even know if the original book had pictures in it; we only have Arabic versions of the text. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

This book is divided into 13 chapters, each of them being introduced by a separate image. Two chapters contain a whole series of images, which - according to Zosimos’ statements - are meant to be pondered upon in order to better understand his teaching.

The whole text gives a lively dialogue between an alchemical couple: i.e. Zosimos and his female student Theosebeia, revolving about Zosimos' teaching. It reports Theosebeia's complaining about unclear statements of Zosimos as well as Zosimos' anger about her inability to understand his statements. At first sight, the dialogue deals with question upon how to understand statements of alchemical philosophers like Agathodaimon, Democritos, Isis, Moses, Maria [the Jewess], Ostanes, as well as with questions about technical aspects of the alchemical work. But again and again, Zosimos emphasises that he does not talk about the substances and processes as such, as matter, but that they have to be understood symbolically. Zosimos describes the alchemical work by means of a series of images and says to Theosebeia: "What I wrote and told you, and with the picture I made for you with me in it, I gave you what you need to know, and this should be enough for you." He also states, that these images depict his own innerpsychic process of transformation.

Zosimos' teaching is based on the one hand on his own dream visions, reported in the text. Another source for his teaching was his suffering of a passionate love relationship to Theosebeia, being not allowed to be simply lived out physically. This led him to understand the alchemical work as psychic transformation, enabling the adept to hold and contain the fire of attraction. Correspondingly, Zosimos drew symbolic images of his own death and resurrection as explanation for Theosebeia. Following Abt, the book can be regarded as the earliest historical description of an alchemical work based on a psychic transformation.“ And it “is a testimony of the painstaking quest to understand not only the problem but also the meaning of attraction, repulsion and ultimate reconciliation between the outer male and female as well as the inner fire and water” a process that “is described […] with basic substances, mirroring the very elemental, collective character of this process.”

In this book, we find fragments of writings from „The Sulfurs“, which are ascribed to Zosimos and from his “Letters to Theosebeia”. In the course of the dialogue, those fragments seem to be interrupted by Theosebeia's questions and by further explanations. By this, Zosimos’ teaching is presented in an easier and more understandable way, as Abt holds.

With regard to content and style, there are similarities between both books, "the Book of Pictures" and the "Book of Keys".

Up to now, only one single Arabic manuscript of the "Book of Pictures" is extant. In the fourth part of the "Book of the Rank of the Sage (Rutbat al-Ḥakīm) its author Maslama al-Qurțubī (formerly wrongly assigned to Maslama al-Magriti) quotes extensively from the “Book of Pictures”. He is the first author quoting it, but using another Greek original than the one published in 2015 than the version published 2015 (CALA III, by Th. Abt) and has influenced several alchemists like the early Arabic alchemist Ibn Umail, the "Kitab al-Habib" (Book of the Friend/Lover; including a dialogue between a so-called Rusam and Theosebeia) and the alchemist "Hermes of Dendera", author of "Risalat as-Sirr" (Epistle of the Secret; including a similar dialogue between Hermes Budasir und Amnutasiya). Other traits of Latin symbolic alchemy, like the traditional division of the work in 12 parts or the representation of inner and outer relationship between adept and soror mystica (e.g. in "Rosarium Philosophorum" and in "Mutus Liber") can be traced back to this book and seem to be influcend by it. Fragments of the text of the "Book of Pictures" can be found in "Rosarium Philosophorum" and "Artis Auriferae". (e.g. titled "Tractatus Rosini ad Euticiam" (="Treatise of Rosinus to Euticia").

The Book of Pictures itself is influenced by Ancient Egyptian thinking, its iconography showing relations to pharaonic iconography and having motifs paralleling Egyptian books of the underworld like Amduat, which was known until Greek-Roman times. Regarding the inner and outer relationship between man and woman or between psychic male and female aspects, the "Book of Pictures" forms a cultural bridge between pharaonic thoughts and European medieval alchemy.

We know about Mary the Jewess only through the writings of Zosimos. We have none of her original writings.

14 Gnosticism

Gnosticism was a religious way of life, originating in Israel and Egypt just after the time of Christ. It's a blend of Christianity, platonic and Egyptian religions that could only have blended in Alexandria. It seems to have spread widely south of the Hebrew lands  into north Egypt.

Gnosticism is difficult to define because it was never a religion with fixed dogma; it was about a process, and that was ill-defined. 

There seems to be two broadly different approaches to the wisdom (the "gnosis") that is required to get back to the divine realm. But that requires an understanding of how the Alexandrians viewed the cosmos.

The cosmos of Gnosticism is very Aristotelian. Here are the shells of the universe, starting with the Divine on the outside:

All mortals descend from the divine, accepting the punishments and vices as we pass through the stars, and through each of the planets. What vices and punishments did we get? Tell your birthday to an astrologer and they can tell you which constellation you passed through, and where the planets were as you passed through each of them to get to earth. Then you'll know which vices are troubling you the most, and the astrologer can then help you time important events and tell you how to create talisman, eat foods, and pray to specific gods that will help undo the vices you inherited on your passage down. Our goal is to pass back up to gain the divine realm. How we do that depends on which of the two broad categories of Gnosticism we believe.

The two broad interpretations of Gnosticism are optimistic gnosis and pessimistic gnosis. They differ in how you go about getting back into the divine. 

Both styles of Gnosticism require reflecting on the world. Pessimistic Gnosticism requires understanding evil, optimistic Gnosticism requires understanding God. In practice each Gnostic had part of each.

In the early alchemical writings, particularly the Corpus Hermeticum, Gnostisism plays a big role. Here are my notes from Pimander, Book One of the Corpus:

The best understanding of Gnosticism I've read is Francis Yates Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition, 1964, Routledge Press.

15 Hermes Trismegistus

No name is better known in alchemy than Hermes Trismegistus. His name is Hermes. Trismegistus is a title: "thrice magnificent," skilled in alchemy, astrology and natural magic. He has been described as being the Egyptian god Thoth (god of wisdom), as the Greek god Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), as living when Moses did, as a proto-Christian, or concurrent with Atlas, Promethius, Orpheus, or Noah.

He wasn't real. He was made up, by whom and when we don't know. The early church fathers took his writings seriously and quote him.

The renaissance took him seriously when the original Greek documents came over from Constantinople in 1453.

I think this was written about 200 to 400 A.D. 

The Corpus Hermeticum, the totality of all Hermes wrote, goes into many Gnostic aspects of spiritual life: astrology, alchemy, sympatheric magic, talismans, and invocations.

Most famous of the Corpus is the Tablula Smaragdina, the Emerald Tablet. It is supposed to have been written on an emerald, and contains in concise form all one needs to know about creating the philosopher's stone. It did not come from Egypt or written in primordial times; it contains Platonic, neoplatonic, Gnostic and Stoic ideas. It was probably written in Alexandria or near a satellite library. This translation came from a twelfth-century Latin translation of an Arabic translation of the original Greek, rendered into English by Robert Steele and Dorothea Waley Singer (Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine [London] 21 (1928): 486)

True it is, without falsehood, certain and most true.

That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above, to accomplish the miracles of one thing.

And as all things were by contemplation of one, so all things arose from this one thing by a single act of adaptation.

The father thereof is the Sun, the mother the Moon.

The wind carried it in its womb, the earth is the nurse thereof.

It is the father of all works of wonder throughout the whole world.

The power thereof is perfect.

If it be cast on to earth, it will separate the element of earth from that of fire, the subtle from the gross.

With great sagacity it doth ascend gently from earth to heaven.

Again it doth descend to earth, and uniteth in itself the force from things superior and things inferior.

Thus thou wilt possess the glory of the brightness of the whole world, and all obscurity will fly far from thee.

This thing is the strong fortitude of all strength, for it overcometh every subtle thing and doth penetrate every solid substance.

Thus was this world created.

Hence will there be marvellous adaptations achieved, of which the manner is this.

For this reason I am called Hermes Trismegistus, because I hold three parts of the wisdom of the whole world.

That which I had to say about the operation of Sol is completed.

It isn't much of a recipe. Not even a good description of any process we know. But it did occupy the thoughts of most alchemists.

The other documents of the Corpus are more Gnostic. Here is a PDF,

Corpus_Hermeticum_-_Nag_Hammadi.pdf (1.33 mb)

written by G.R.S. Mead, who tried single-handedly to get Gnosticism going again, so the translation is suspect. This is the first part of the Corpus:

I. Poemandres, the Shepherd of Men

1. It chanced once on a time my mind was meditating on the things that are, my thought was raised to a great height, the senses of my body being held back - just as men who are weighed down with sleep after a fill of food, or from fatigue of body.
Methought a Being more than vast, in size beyond all bounds, called out my name and saith: What wouldst thou hear and see, and what hast thou in mind to learn and know?
2. And I do say: Who art thou?
He saith: I am Man-Shepherd (Poemandres), Mind of all-masterhood; I know what thou desirest and I'm with thee everywhere.
3. [And] I reply: I long to learn the things that are, and comprehend their nature, and know God. This is, I said, what I desire to hear.
He answered back to me: Hold in thy mind all thou wouldst know, and I will teach thee.
4. E'en with these words His aspect changed, and straightway, in the twinkling of an eye, all things were opened to me, and I see a Vision limitless, all things turned into Light - sweet, joyous [Light]. And I became transported as I gazed.
But in a little while Darkness came settling down on part [of it], awesome and gloomy, coiling in sinuous folds, so that methought it like unto a snake.
And then the Darkness changed into some sort of a Moist Nature, tossed about beyond all power of words, belching out smoke as from a fire, and groaning forth a wailing sound that beggars all description.
[And] after that an outcry inarticulate came forth from it, as though it were a Voice of Fire.
5. [Thereon] out of the Light [...] a Holy Word (Logos) descended on that Nature. And upwards to the height from the Moist Nature leaped forth pure Fire; light was it, swift and active too.
The Air, too, being light, followed after the Fire; from out of the Earth-and-Water rising up to Fire so that it seemed to hang therefrom.
But Earth-and-Water stayed so mingled with each other, that Earth from Water no one could discern. Yet were they moved to hear by reason of the Spirit-Word (Logos) pervading them.
6. Then saith to me Man-Shepherd: Didst understand this Vision what it means?
Nay; that shall I know, said I.
That Light, He said, am I, thy God, Mind, prior to Moist Nature which appeared from Darkness; the Light-Word (Logos) [that appeared] from Mind is Son of God.
What then? - say I.
Know that what sees in thee and hears is the Lord's Word (Logos); but Mind is Father-God. Not separate are they the one from other; just in their union [rather] is it Life consists.
Thanks be to Thee, I said.
So, understand the Light [He answered], and make friends with it.
7. And speaking thus He gazed for long into my eyes, so that I trembled at the look of him.
But when He raised His head, I see in Mind the Light, [but] now in Powers no man could number, and Cosmos grown beyond all bounds, and that the Fire was compassed round about by a most mighty Power, and [now] subdued had come unto a stand.
And when I saw these things I understood by reason of Man-Shepherd's Word (Logos).
8. But as I was in great astonishment, He saith to me again: Thou didst behold in Mind the Archetypal Form whose being is before beginning without end. Thus spake to me Man-Shepherd.
And I say: Whence then have Nature's elements their being?
To this He answer gives: From Will of God. [Nature] received the Word (Logos), and gazing upon the Cosmos Beautiful did copy it, making herself into a cosmos, by means of her own elements and by the births of souls.
9. And God-the-Mind, being male and female both, as Light and Life subsisting, brought forth another Mind to give things form, who, God as he was of Fire and Spirit, formed Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos that the sense perceives. Men call their ruling Fate.
10. Straightway from out the downward elements God's Reason (Logos) leaped up to Nature's pure formation, and was at-oned with the Formative Mind; for it was co-essential with it. And Nature's downward elements were thus left reason-less, so as to be pure matter.
11. Then the Formative Mind ([at-oned] with Reason), he who surrounds the spheres and spins them with his whorl, set turning his formations, and let them turn from a beginning boundless unto an endless end. For that the circulation of these [spheres] begins where it doth end, as Mind doth will.
And from the downward elements Nature brought forth lives reason-less; for He did not extend the Reason (Logos) [to them]. The Air brought forth things winged; the Water things that swim, and Earth-and-Water one from another parted, as Mind willed. And from her bosom Earth produced what lives she had, four-footed things and reptiles, beasts wild and tame.
12. But All-Father Mind, being Life and Light, did bring forth Man co-equal to Himself, with whom He fell in love, as being His own child; for he was beautiful beyond compare, the Image of his Sire. In very truth, God fell in love with his own Form; and on him did bestow all of His own formations.
13. And when he gazed upon what the Enformer had created in the Father, [Man] too wished to enform; and [so] assent was given him by the Father.
Changing his state to the formative sphere, in that he was to have his whole authority, he gazed upon his Brother's creatures. They fell in love with him, and gave him each a share of his own ordering.
And after that he had well learned their essence and had become a sharer in their nature, he had a mind to break right through the Boundary of their spheres, and to subdue the might of that which pressed upon the Fire.
14. So he who hath the whole authority o'er [all] the mortals in the cosmos and o'er its lives irrational, bent his face downwards through the Harmony,
breaking right through its strength, and showed to downward Nature God's fair form.
And when she saw that Form of beauty which can never satiate, and him who [now] possessed within himself each single energy of [all seven] Rulers as well as God's own Form, she smiled with love; for 'twas as though she'd seen the image of Man's fairest form upon her Water, his shadow on her Earth.
He in turn beholding the form like to himself, existing in her, in her Water, loved it and willed to live in it; and with the will came act, and [so] he vivified the form devoid of reason.
And Nature took the object of her love and wound herself completely around him, and they were intermingled, for they were lovers.
15. And this is why beyond all creatures on the earth man is twofold; mortal because of body, but because of the essential man immortal.
Though deathless and possessed of sway o'er all, yet doth he suffer as a mortal doth, subject to Fate.
Thus though above the Harmony, within the Harmony he hath become a slave. Though male-female, as from a Father male-female, and though he's sleepless from a sleepless [Sire], yet is he overcome [by sleep].
16. Thereon [I say: Teach on], O Mind of me, for I myself as well am amorous of the Word (Logos).
The Shepherd said: This is the mystery kept hid until this day.
Nature embraced by Man brought forth a wonder, oh so wonderful. For as he had the nature of the Concord of the Seven, who, as I said to thee, [were made] of Fire and Spirit - Nature delayed not, but immediately brought forth seven "men", in correspondence with the natures of the Seven, male-female and moving in the air.
Thereon [I said]: O Shepherd, ..., for now I'm filled with great desire and long to hear; do not run off.
The Shepherd said: Keep silence, for not as yet have I unrolled for thee the first discourse (logoi).
Lo! I am still, I said.
17. In such wise than, as I have said, the generation of these seven came to pass. Earth was as woman, her Water filled with longing; ripeness she took from Fire, spirit from Aether. Nature thus brought forth frames to suit the form of Man.
And Man from Light and Life changed into soul and mind - from Life to soul, from Light to mind.
And thus continued all the sense-world's parts until the period of their end and new beginnings.
18. Now listen to the rest of the discourse (Logos) which thou dost long to hear.
The period being ended, the bond that bound them all was loosened by God's Will. For all the animals being male-female, at the same time with Man were loosed apart; some became partly male, some in like fashion [partly] female. And straightway God spake by His Holy Word (Logos):
"Increase ye in increasing, and multiply in multitude, ye creatures and creations all; and man that hath Mind in him, let him learn to know that he himself is deathless, and that the cause of death is love, though Love is all."
19. When He said this, His Forethought did by means of Fate and Harmony effect their couplings and their generations founded. And so all things were multiplied according to their kind.
And he who thus hath learned to know himself, hath reached that Good which doth transcend abundance; but he who through a love that leads astray, expends his love upon his body - he stays in Darkness wandering, and suffering through his senses things of Death.
20. What is the so great fault, said I, the ignorant commit, that they should be deprived of deathlessness?
Thou seem'st, He said, O thou, not to have given heed to what thou heardest. Did I not bid thee think?
Yea do I think, and I remember, and therefore give Thee thanks.
If thou didst think [thereon], [said He], tell me: Why do they merit death who are in Death?
It is because the gloomy Darkness is the root and base of the material frame; from it came the Moist Nature; from this the body in the sense-world was composed; and from this [body] Death doth the Water drain.
21. Right was thy thought, O thou! But how doth "he who knows himself, go unto Him", as God's Word (Logos) hath declared?
And I reply: the Father of the universals doth consist of Light and Life, from Him Man was born.
Thou sayest well, [thus] speaking. Light and Life is Father-God, and from Him Man was born.
If then thou learnest that thou art thyself of Life and Light, and that thou [happen'st] to be out of them, thou shalt return again to Life. Thus did Man-Shepherd speak.
But tell me further, Mind of me, I cried, how shall I come to Life again...for God doth say: "The man who hath Mind in him, let him learn to know that he himself [is deathless]."
22. Have not all men then Mind?
Thou sayest well, O thou, thus speaking. I, Mind, myself am present with holy men and good, the pure and merciful, men who live piously.
[To such] my presence doth become an aid, and straightway they gain gnosis of all things, and win the Father's love by their pure lives, and give Him thanks, invoking on Him blessings, and chanting hymns, intent on Him with ardent love.
And ere they give up the body unto its proper death, they turn them with disgust from its sensations, from knowledge of what things they operate. Nay, it is I, the Mind, that will not let the operations which befall the body, work to their [natural] end. For being door-keeper I'll close up [all] the entrances, and cut the mental actions off which base and evil energies induce.
23. But to the Mind-less ones, the wicked and depraved, the envious and covetous, and those who mured do and love impiety, I am far off, yielding my place to the Avenging Daimon, who sharpening the fire, tormenteth him and addeth fire to fire upon him, and rusheth upon him through his senses, thus rendering him readier for transgressions of the law, so that he meets with greater torment; nor doth he ever cease to have desire for appetites inordinate, insatiately striving in the dark.
24. Well hast thou taught me all, as I desired, O Mind. And now, pray, tell me further of the nature of the Way Above as now it is [for me].
To this Man-Shepherd said: When the material body is to be dissolved, first thou surrenderest the body by itself unto the work of change, and thus the form thou hadst doth vanish, and thou surrenderest thy way of life, void of its energy, unto the Daimon. The body's senses next pass back into their sources, becoming separate, and resurrect as energies; and passion and desire withdraw unto that nature which is void of reason.
25. And thus it is that man doth speed his way thereafter upwards through the Harmony.
To the first zone he gives the Energy of Growth and Waning; unto the second [zone], Device of Evils [now] de-energized; unto the third, the Guile of the Desires de-energized; unto the fourth, his Domineering Arrogance, [also] de-energized; unto the fifth, unholy Daring and the Rashness of Audacity, de-
energized; unto the sixth, Striving for Wealth by evil means, deprived of its aggrandizement; and to the seventh zone, Ensnaring Falsehood, de-energized.
26. And then, with all the energisings of the harmony stript from him, clothed in his proper Power, he cometh to that Nature which belongs unto the Eighth, and there with those-that-are hymneth the Father.
They who are there welcome his coming there with joy; and he, made like to them that sojourn there, doth further hear the Powers who are above the Nature that belongs unto the Eighth, singing their songs of praise to God in language of their own.
And then they, in a band, go to the Father home; of their own selves they make surrender of themselves to Powers, and [thus] becoming Powers they are in God. This the good end for those who have gained Gnosis - to be made one with God.
Why shouldst thou then delay? Must it not be, since thou hast all received, that thou shouldst to the worthy point the way, in order that through thee the race of mortal kind may by [thy] God be saved?
27. This when He'd said, Man-Shepherd mingled with the Powers.
But I, with thanks and belssings unto the Father of the universal [Powers], was freed, full of the power he had poured into me, and full of what He'd taught me of the nature of the All and of the loftiest Vision.
And I began to preach unto men the Beauty of Devotion and of Gnosis:
O ye people, earth-born folk, ye who have given yourselves to drunkenness and sleep and ignorance of God, be sober now, cease from your surfeit, cease to be glamoured by irrational sleep!
28. And when they heard, they came with one accord. Whereon I say:
Ye earth-born folk, why have ye given yourselves up to Death, while yet ye have the power of sharing Deathlessness? Repent, O ye, who walk with Error arm in arm and make of Ignorance the sharer of your board; get ye out from the light of Darkness, and take your part in Deathlessness, forsake Destruction!
29. And some of them with jests upon their lips departed [from me], abandoning themselves unto the Way of Death; others entreated to be taught, casting themselves before my feet.
But I made them arise, and I became a leader of the Race towards home, teaching the words (logoi), how and in what way they shall be saved. I sowed in them the words (logoi) of wisdom; of Deathless Water were they given to drink.
And when even was come and all sun's beams began to set, I bade them all give thanks to God. And when they had brought to an end the giving of their thanks, each man returned to his own resting place.
30. But I recorded in my heart Man-Shepherd's benefaction, and with my every hope fulfilled more than rejoiced. For body's sleep became the soul's awakening, and closing of the eyes - true vision, pregnant with Good my silence, and the utterance of my word (logos) begetting of good things.
All this befell me from my Mind, that is Man-Shepherd, Word (Logos) of all masterhood, by whom being God-inspired I came unto the Plain of Truth. Wherefore with all my soul and strength thanksgiving give I unto Father-God.
31. Holy art Thou, O God, the universals' Father.
Holy art Thou, O God, whose Will perfects itself by means of its own Powers.
Holy art Thou, O God, who willeth to be known and art known by Thine own.
Holy art Thou,who didst by Word (Logos) make to consist the things that are.
Holy art Thou, of whom All-nature hath been made an image.
Holy art Thou, whose Form Nature hath never made.
Holy art Thou, more powerful than all power.
Holy art Thou, transcending all pre-eminence.
Holy Thou art, Thou better than all praise.
Accept my reason's offerings pure, from soul and heart for aye stretched up to Thee, O Thou unutterable, unspeakable, Whose Name naught but the Silence can express.
32. Give ear to me who pray that I may ne'er of Gnosis fail, [Gnosis] which is our common being's nature; and fill me with Thy Power, and with this Grace [of Thine], that I may give the Light to those in ignorance of the Race, my Brethren, and Thy Sons.
For this cause I believe, and I bear witness; I go to Life and Light. Blessed art Thou, O Father. Thy Man would holy be as Thou art holy, e'en as Thou gave him Thy full authority [to be].

Egyptian Religion

The Egyptian religion according to Hermes is this:

Church Fathers

Hermes is mentioned by several of the early Catholic Church fathers:

16 Stephanos of Alexandria

Stephanos of Alexandria wasn't really from nor lived in Alexandria. He was from Constantinople, in Byzantium (now Turkey). He only studied at Alexandria. He was a public speaker, and dabbled in alchemy. He taught Plato, Aristotle, mathematics, astronomy (probably based on Ptolemy's Amalgest alone) and music. The combination of mathematics and music means he was reading Pythagoras.

Stephanos' book The Great and Sacred Art of the Making of Gold is pure Hellenistic alchemy of Alexandria in it's fullness. Nine lectures, probably meant for oral delivery, is more rhapsody on the glory and beauty of Nature than instructions. Subsequent lectures are a little more practical, but stray to dying and philosophizing.

The following is F. Sherwood Taylor's translation as found in as “The Alchemical Works of Stephanos of Alexandria. Part I,” Ambix 1,1 (May 1937): 116–39. It is from 610 to 641 A.D.

Lecture 1, with the Help of God.

Having praised God the cause of all good things and the King of all, and his only begotten Son resplendent before the ages together with the Holy Spirit, and having earnestly intreated for ourselves the illumination of the knowledge of Him, we will begin to gather the fairest fruits of the work in hand, of this very treatise, and we trust to track down the truth. Now from a true theory of nature our problem must be set out. O nature superior to nature conquering the natures, O nature become superior to itself, well regulated, transcending and surpassing the natures, O nature one and the same yielding and fulfilling the All, O union completed and separation united, O identical and nowise alien nature, supplying the All from itself, O matter immaterial holding matter fast, O nature conquering and rejoicing in nature, O heavenly nature making the spiritual existence to shine forth, O bodiless body, making bodies bodiless, O course of the moon illuminating the whole order of the universe, O most generic species and most specific genus, O nature truly superior to nature conquering the natures, tell what sort of nature thou art – that which with affection receives itself from itself again, verily that which yields sulphur without fire and has the fire-resisting power, the archetype of many names and name of many forms, the experienced nature and the unfolding, the many-coloured painted rainbow, that which discloses from itself the All, O nature itself and displaying its nature from no other nature, O like bringing to light from its like a thing of like nature, O sea becoming as the ocean drawing up as vapour its many-coloured pearls, O conjunction of the tetrasomia adorned upon the surface, O inscription of the threefold triad and completion of the universal seal, body of magnesia by which the whole mystery is brought about, O golden-roofed stream of heaven, and silver-crested spirit sent forth from the sea, O thou that hast the silver-breasted garment and providest the liquid golden curls, O fair exercise of the wisest intellects, O wise all-creative power of men most holy, O sea inscrutable by uninitiated men, O ignorance seized on beforehand by vainglorious men, O smoky kindling of disdainful mankind, O uncovered light of pious men, O countenance contemplated by virtuous men, O sweetly breathing flower of practical philosophers, O perfect preparation of a single species, O work of wisdom, having a beauty composed of intellect, O thou that flashest such a beam, from a single being upon all, O moon drawing a light from the light of the sun, O single nature itself and no other nature, rejoicing and rejoiced over, mastering and mastered, saved and saviour, what have you in common with the multitude of material things, since one thing is natural and is a single nature conquering the All? Of what kind art thou, tell me, of what kind? To you who are of good understanding I dedicate this great gift, to you who are clothed with virtue, who are adorned with respect to theoretical practice and settled in practical theory. Of what kind, show us, thou who hast indicated beforehand that we should have such a gift. Of what nature, I shall tell and will not hide. I confess the grace of the giving of light from above, which is given to us by the lights of the father. Hear ye as intelligences like to the angels. Put away the material theory so that ye may be deemed worthy to see with your intellectual eyes the hidden mystery. For there is need of a single natural 〈thing〉 and of one nature conquering the all. Of such a kind, now clearly to be told you, that the nature rejoices in the nature and the nature masters the nature and the nature conquers the nature. For it rejoices on account of the nature being its own, and it masters it because it has kinship with it, and, superior to nature, it conquers the nature when the corporeal operation of the process shall fulfil the initiation into the mysteries. For when the incorruptible body shall be released from death, and when it shall transform the fulfilment which has become spiritual, then superior to nature it is as a marvellous spirit; then it masters the body moved (by it), then it rejoices as over its own habitation, then it conquers that which in disembodied fashion haunts the whole which is engendered of the whole, that is admirable above nature. Which I say to you is the comprehensive magnesia. Who will not wonder at the coral of gold perfected from thee? From thee the whole mystery is fully brought to perfection, thou alone shalt have no fear of the knowledge of the same, on thee will be spread the radiant eastern cloud; thou shalt carry in thyself as a guest the multiform images of Aphrodite, the cupbearer again serving the fire-throwing bearer of coals (then carrying such a brightness from afar, in bridal fashion you veil the same, you receive the undefiled mystery of nature). I will show moreover also the lustre of thy nature, I will begin to indicate thy multiform images. For then he, who intelligently interweaves thee that hast fire within thee, rekindles the fiery thing. For looking on thy many-coloured visions I shall be powerless as I circle round its beauties. For thy radiant pearl blinds the sight of my eye. Thy phengites rekindling astounds all my vision, thy shining radiance gladdens all my heart, O nature truly superior to nature, conquering the natures. Thou, the whole, art the one nature. The same by which the whole becomes the work. For by an odd number thy all-cosmos is systematized. For then thou shalt understand in what respects thou shalt look ahead, then thou shalt discover in what things shall be thy ambit, then thou shalt stop the struggles of the place, then thou shalt disclose the kingly purple, which also thou shalt bring with thee by the help of thy maiden. Then will not be the recent labour but a couch canopied with gold, then not a multiform ability but an all-wise sagacity, then no deprivation of virtuous men is found, but a fruition of perfect men is displayed. For such is the measure of it found in the odd number.

Thus those full of virtue will discover thee; hear ye who are lovers of wisdom and know the mighty deeds of the all-ruling God. For he it is that furnishes all wisdom, unapproachable light of houses, light which illumines each man as he comes into the world. For we are nothing apart from his Supreme Divinity; altogether nothing is the gift which is sought, in respect of his blessedness. Approach, O lovers of virtue, to that immaterial desire. Learn how sweet is the light of God. Unworthy are the things which are now wondered at, in respect of that happy lot. Alone we are made friends with him by love, and we receive from him the wisdom springing forth as an abyss from the abyss, that we may be enabled by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to gush forth rivers of living water; so that wondering at such wisdom of the demiurge we may praise his great kindness towards us. Why should we marvel at the species Chrysocorallos? We should wonder rather at the infinite Beauty. So also I will fulfil your desire, that you may be made worthy to love such a One 〈and〉 with hymnody to discourse of the more than good goodness of God.

Second Lecture of the same Stephanos with the Help of God.

The multitude of numbers compounded together has its existence from one atom and natural monad; this, which itself exerts a mutual condition, comprehends and rules over the infinite as emanating from itself. For the monad is so called from its remaining immutable and unmoved. For it displays a circular and spherical contemplation of numbers like to itself, I speak of a completion of the five numbers and of the six. For from these they come round again to themselves. And every side of a rectangle generated from the same length has kinship to its like that it may restore a perfect fulfilment. For the sixtieth part of every great quantity and of fractions, taking origin from it 〈the monad〉 and returning again to it, being contracted together, complete the natural monad. The symbol of every circular sphere is the centre, likewise of every triangle and plane and solid figure set out by lines; let this same be thought of.

Also of the musical learning, both the lowest strings and that next the first, whether of four strings or upon the third ratio, that which is before it must be the antecedent and that after it the consequent, by which we preserve the binding together of the proportions and of the whole scale of harmony as a result of such musical learning.

For they who pluck the strings say that Orpheus made melody with rhythmical sounds so that the symphony should re-echo the co-ordinated movement of the elements and the sounding melody should be harmoniously perfected. For from the one instrument the whole composition takes its origin, whence also the organization of the articulate body is ordered in the bones and joints and parts and nerves, and by the plectrum of the air, given forth in the fashion of a moving instrument, a voice is sent forth to the One which is joined to its essence and which conquers and organizes it by its own life: the very mode and blending of the air. For of two extreme qualities there is found one mediator and conciliator which preserves the qualities of both on account of its resemblance and close kinship to them. And also the movement of the pole being spherical and stable, the light of the hemisphere which is above the earth, arising from the line dividing the mundane and the diaphanous pole, also radiates forth the fires of the sunlight 〈derived〉 from that which supplies it to all things. For from it not only do the stars partake of the order of the light, but also the appearance of the moon, giving out rays derived from the light, displays its nightly allotted torchbearing. And you shall have all such things to speak of singly, as derived from one of them, and as the essence of the very first returned again; they preserve the things of the nature and fulfil the contemplation. But were there time enough to consider our discourse in the progress of a proem, (I would speak of) that which falls from the moon’s waning, how it is found, how it is treated, and how it has an unburnt nature. O wisdom of teaching of such a preparation, displaying the work, O moon clad in white and vehemently shining abroad whiteness, let us learn what is the lunar radiance that we may not miss what is doubtful. For the same is the whitening snow, the brilliant eye of whiteness, the bridal procession-robe of the management of the process, the stainless chiton, the mind-constructed beauty of fair form, the whitest composition of the perfection, the coagulated milk of fulfilment, the Moon-froth of the sea of dawn; the magnesia of Lydia, the Italian stibnite, the pyrites of Achæa, that of Albania, the many-named matter of the good work, that which lulls the All to sleep, that which bears the One which is the All, that which fulfils the wondrous work . . . Speak, tell to us the secrets of the work [of ‘the marvellous making of gold’]. ‘After the cleaning of the copper’, and how is one to clean the copper yet bearing all its ios? How? I will tell you the accurate meaning of the phrase – Aphrodite walking through a cloud. ‘After the cleaning of the copper’, that is a trituration well managed, a consideration well taught beforehand; ‘After the attenuation of the copper’, that is a finer condition of trituration, he also speaks of the blackness placed upon it and following upon these for the purpose of the later whitening; then is the solid yellowing. For when it shall spurn the blackness of the wrinkled crust, it is transformed to whiteness; then the moon of shining light shall send forth the rays; then 〈one comes〉 to the later whitening, when you shall see the white compound. For when the full of the moon appears, then the full moon discloses its light. Then solid is the yellowing. What is this? Say. The whiteness perceived. And how do you render the white yellow? Ye wisest of men, over-pass the reasoning, this answer is a secret, a mystic speech and consideration. I will tell you the hidden mystery, whence it is proclaimed above you. ‘After the cleaning of the copper and its later attenuation and the blackening for the later whitening, then is the solid yellowing.’ When you see the whitening taking place within it, recognize the concealed yellowing, then know the whitening as being yellow; then also being white, it becomes yellow by the hidden yellowness, by possessing the depths of its heart, by having the corporeal possession of the whiteness of the silver and, unutterably, the pervading whiteness in it. ‘Then is the solid yellowing.’ What is this? That which has become white, it is the yellow. For the same white appears in the colour, but the yellow nature overrules it. ‘Nothing is left remaining, nothing is left behind except the vapour and the raising of the water’. Consider the most ancient one. Do you not see what the wise man has declared? Thus he speaks in riddles as completely as possible. Thus he declares, as a teacher demonstrates everything, saying ‘nothing is left remaining, nothing is lacking, except the vapour and the raising of the water’. Having shown in this the preparation of the whole, rendering all in few words, that ye may not overwhelm the moving things with much matter, that ye may not think about saffron of Cilicia and the plant of anagallis, and the Pontic rhubarb for themselves, and of other juices, gall of quadrupeds and certain beasts, of stones and of destructive minerals, things that are dissimilar to the perfection-making, single and one nature, that men wandering shall not be led away from the truth, in order that in a natural existence they shall not seek for a non-existent tendency. What else? The most eminent man and counsellor of all virtue turns them around and draws them to the view of truth, that you may not, as I said (take note of) material furnaces and apparatus of glasses, alembics, various flasks, kerotakides and sublimates. And those who are occupied with such things in vain, the burden of weariness is declared by them. But see how the All is fulfilled in the phrase. ‘Nothing is left remaining, nothing is lacking save the vapour and the raising of the water.’ What kind of vapour? Say. What is the vapour and what is the work brought to perfection by it? Show us most clearly the way in which we may recognize the power of the word. And on this matter the philosopher says: ‘the vapour is the work of the composition of the whole’, that which shines brightly through the divine water, that which makes the trituration naturally, that which appears in the course of the method, and is apprehended intellectually. The vapour is the unfolding of the work, the level manifestation, the thread bought with silver, the air-displaying voyage, the Celtic nard, the Atlantic sea, the Britannic metal, the ocean garlanding the world, the unmeasured abyss, the sphere-shaped universe, the heavenly body, that which encompasses and embraces the all, the despised species, the longed-for contemplation, the sought-for spectacle, the one whole and whole one, the holy whitening of the whole worthy work, the whole preparation, the one work of wisdom, the conclusion of the fulfilment, that which is triturated and well managed, the perfectly fulfilled. ‘For nothing is left remaining except the vapour and the raising of the water.’ Having been wisely led on the path with respect to the way of the vapour, I will pursue my speech upon the raising of the water. What then is this which has been brought in? What is this raising of the water? Tell us, O guide: fulfil the gifts of thy grace. Enlighten our dim-sighted eyes, make plain the articulate substance of your doctrine, what is this raising of the water? And he is not silent on this matter: he says, the unmixed beauty does not receive into itself matter. The immaterial being, it is a single composition, the good thing of a myriad names. For being of a single essence, it is reduced into itself. Around it, it extinguishes the single ray. He does not wholly put in the moistening juices. For he did not perceive the loss, the life of the liquids. For he rejects the flowings of the water. For how is one to see the motion of that which does not shake off these things? Nothing is able to be filled full of it, unless first the ambient waters are drained dry from it. It is therefore needful that it should be swimming on the water, if it be not itself watery; that it may not be taught, that it may not be able, 〈to vanish〉 from us, that it may remain moist in a moist being. But we remove from it the embrace of the waters that we may see the great comeliness of its beauty. How shall we push it back from the participation with the waters? How shall we separate it, that there may easily be a raising of the water? There is need of panoply and courage. Who is man enough for this? Who is able to dry up the overflowing stream of waters? Who is to be found for the contest? Who is ready for service? There is found a purgation of the matter, so that we may clearly see the beauty of the cloud. The same is the practical gentle coction by means of sulphur. For just as the washing with water is in the mind, so also is the purification of the All by sulphur. For washing with the divine (sulphurous) waters now and managing the process fairly, we purify it again by fire and sulphur, that the body of the moon (or silver) may be revealed, that they may see the cloud the gift of the sun. O unspoken mysteries of a wise God, O rich gifts to those who have loved the Lord, O depth of wealth and wisdom and gnosis of the mysteries. If the present things are such marvels and extraordinary, from what source are everlasting things which no mi nd is able to explain? If the material work is displayed thus to us by some unspeakable discourse, from what source are thy undefiled good and unfading beauties, which no one is capable of perceiving? I hymn and adore and glorify thee, triad superior to being, more than good and more than god. Who can speak forth to hymn thy marvels, that they may be glorified? All thy works, O Lord, thou hast made in wisdom.

The Alchemy Reader (pp. 54-60). Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.

17 Can We Copy the Alchemists?

The question is always asked in discussions of alchemy with students: given what the alchemists describe, can we duplicate their experiments?

Rarely yes, mostly no.

The first hinderance is that no one says what the starting material is. Some hint at dirt, some start with copper or other base metal, some start with silver and a little gold hoping to get all gold at the end. To our ears this makes no sense, starting with different materials, using the same sequence of procedures to always get gold. But remember, these were Aristrotelians and believed that matter was transmutable. If the properties you need to change are ALL part of the procedure, why would it matter what properties were there at the beginning? This is, I think, one of the core beliefs of the alchemists, one I have never seen explicitly stated in ancient or modern sources.

The best-known lab for duplicating alchemy is that of Lawrence Principe at John Hopkins. He worked very hard to duplicate a sequence of experiments from very late alchemy, where the author was at pains to make everything plain and obvious. What Prof. Principe found was that when replicated using glassware the experiment did not go the same. But when using what we know to be the original iron pans then the experiment does go the same way as described. 

Prof. Principe found that most of the colors described in these reactions come from iron which dissolved into the reactants. The use of iron pans and implements for very high-temperature reactions was common, as glass cannot stand high temperatures and clay cracks. Now we use very thin porcelain for the job.

Lawrence M. Principe, The Secrets of Alchemy, 2013, University of Chicago Press.

18 My Alchemy Journal

I keep an Alchemy Journal. It's like a Grail Diary but more notes and less exploration. I use Livescribe to keep and digitize the journal, and I can make a PDF of it. Here is that PDF. It's big, and it isn't all alchemy; some is history of science or the history of chemistry. And my penmanship is lousy.

Wilson's Alchemy Diary.pdf (27.68 mb)

19 Roman Alchemy

What of Roman alchemy? Rome was the inheritor of Greek thinking, and Rome had a close interaction with Ptolemaic Egypt when alchemy was discovered.

Rome didn't give a hoot about alchemy. No mentions of alchemy, no documents, nothing whatever. As though it didn't exist. Why is that?

Romans were practical. They were political. But alchemy is, at it's heart, a philosophical undertaking, and the Romans just didn't go in for things like natural philosophy.

Roman culture expanded to all of the Mediterranean from 150 B.C. to 300 A.D. It became a Cristian culture and moved to Constantinople after that. Roman rule was very different from Greek/Hellenistic rule. Romans liked to organize and tax. They kept armies of Romans in the conquered states. Roman citizens were quite above all others. The Romans expanded West to Britain, but not East to Persia. The Roman armies were active taking over lands starting 500 B.C. and fought constantly through 400 A.D. The New Testament Gospels are in small part an account of the warlike nature of the Romans. This gives a culture a very practical mind: they are dealing with very practical problems of forced rule in very practical, warlike ways. Philosophy isn't an interest to a warrior.

The practical view of  the Romans lead to some remarkable things, like the use of cement in making viaducts to bring fresh spring water into the big cities, making buildings and colosseums from concrete, concrete which still holds it's firmness 2000 years later. They excelled in law, in civic organization as a republic, in housing and amenities (like indoor plumbing). They had some practical knowledge of chemistry, dying primarily, and in sweetening wine with lead acetate, but nothing so frivolous as alchemy, it seems. Schooling for boys was available to the wealthy, centering around reading, writing (in Latin and Greek) and counting. Later oratory was added. All communication skills useful in the marketplace and in law, politics, the Forum. What Roman philosophy we have is all derived from the Greek schools of thought; nothing new from Rome. Two of the four Greek Schools were those of Plato and Aristotle, so they saw the same ideas that inspired alchemy, but nothing came of the Greek philosophies. No Roman Schools of thought have been identified. Romans were far more interested in the rhetoric of a good speech by Cicero than a great idea by Aristotle.


                         Cicero

Even the science of Rome was a practical one, as Archimedes invention of water-displacement volume measurement, the heat-ray, the water screw, and even the fanciful "claw" for upsetting invading ships at the docks.

20 Chinese Alchemy

Chinese alchemy is the first documented, but they always had their own version of alchemy. I don't understand it well (yet), but alchemy in China seems to be ingrained deeply into Daoist philosophies (body/spirit relationship) and medicine.

The four elements of Empedocles, plus the ether of Aristotle, are similar to the five elements of Wuxing, the five elements of change: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. The five elements were present in Chinese philosophy perhaps as early as 800 B.C. as influencing each other but not transmuting. These five elements are so deep in Buddhist beliefs that when the Tibetans invented prayer flags, they used five colors to represent the five elements. And as in Aristotelian influences, these five elements were infused into most aspects of Chinese society and medicine; balancing and aligning the environment using these five elements is the heart of Feng Shui.

There is a possibility that the four-element theory of Empedocles was influenced by the Chinese five-element wuxing, but in ancient Greece the fifth element, æther, was not added until after 300 B.C. There is no evidence of elemental transmutation in wuxing until after 200 B.C., so to me it appears that Greek ideas influenced Chinese alchemy more than the reverse.

Of wuxing, an early 1900's Chinese historian says:

The seasons of the year were thus divided among the wu-hsing: spring, wood; summer, fire; autumn, gold; winter, water, and, in order to complete the story, they even went so far as to assign the interim between summer and autumn to earth. In a similar manner the magic quintet was correlated with the five locations east, west, north, south, and center; with the five colors: blue, red, yellow, white, and black; with the five tones kung, shang, ko, cheng, and yii; with the five tastes: sour, bitter, salty, astringent, and sweet; with the five animated species: furred, shelled, scaly, feathered, and nude; with the five worships: of wells, of furnaces, of doors, of eaves, and of sacred roadways; with the five grains; with the five domesticated animals: horse, ox, sheep, dog, and hog; with the five internal organs of the body: heart, liver, lungs, spleen, and kidneys; with the five rulers of ancient China...; and with the five gods.... Thus the thousand and one entities of the universe have been ruthlessly forced into five categories corresponding to the wu-hsing. This fantastic mood has been dominating the mind of the nation for at least two thousand years and more, and has often manifested itself in deeds.

CH'I-CH'Ao LIANG, On the Origin  and Evolution of the Doctrines of Yin- Yang and Wu-hsing (in Chinese), Eastern Miscellany, Shanghai, Vol. 20, No. 10,  pp. 70-79, 1923. 

 Here is the story of one early alchemist, Wei Po-Yang (142 AD), who 

entered the mountains to make efficacious medicines. With him were three disciples, two of whom he thought were lacking in complete faith. When the medicine was made, he tested them. He said, 'The gold medicine is made but it ought first to be tested on the dog. If no harm comes to the dog, we may then take it ourselves; but if the dog dies of it, we ought not to take it.' (Now PO-YANG had brought a white dog along with him to the mountain. If the number of the treatments of the medicine had not been sufficient or if harmonious compounding had not reached the required standard, it would contain a little poison and would cause temporary death.) PO-YANG fed the medicine to the dog, and the dog died an instantaneous death. Whereupon he said, ' The medicine is not yet done. The dog has died of it. Doesn't this show that the divine light has not been attained? If we take it ourselves, I am afraid we shall go the same way as the dog. What is to be done ? ' The disciples asked, ' Would you take it yourself, Sir? ' To this PO-YANG replied, ' I have abandoned the worldly route and forsaken my home to come here. I should be ashamed to return if I could not attain the hsien (immortal). So, to live without taking the medicine would be just the same as to die of the medicine. I must take it.' With these final words he put the medicine into his mouth and died instantly. On seeing this, one of the disciples said,' Our teacher was no common person. He took the medicine and died of it. He must have done that with especial intention.' The disciple also took the medicine and died. Then the other two disciples said to one another,' The purpose of making medicine is to attempt at attaining longevity. Now the taking of this medicine has caused deaths. It would be better not to take the medicine and so be able to live a few decades longer.' They left the mountain together without taking the rnedicine, intending to get burial supplies for their teacher and their fellow disciple. After the departure of the two disciples, PO-YANG revived. He placed some of the well-concocted medicine in the mouth of the disciple and in the mouth of the dog. In a few moments they both revived. He took the disciple, whose name was Yu, and the dog, and went the way of the immortals. By a wood-cutter whom they met, he sent a letter of thanks to the two disciples. The two disciples were filled with regret when they read the letter.
Lieh Hsien Ch'iian chuan
 

 
Wei Po-Yang, Yu, and the dog.

The Daoist medicinal alchemy, neidan, has as its goal the attainment of immortality. This is not an elixer of life that the alchemist drinks, but a lifestyle.

Here is a paper published in Ambix which contains a translation of the first-known text exclusively talking about alchemy in China: 

Ts'an T'ung Ch'i.pdf (2.49 mb)

Here is a description of the life of one having taken the Elixir of Life, or Medicine:

Chapter XXIII.
Wise men, understanding this principle, know clearly what course to follow; They practise with diligence day and night. Having eaten [the medicine] for three years, a man attains buoyancy of movement and is able to travel great distances. Stepping over a fire, he is not scorched; dipped into water, he does not get wet. He is able to appear and to disappear [at will]. He will be happy forever. Having achieved the Tao Te, he hides himself to await his time. In time, T'ai- (the Supreme One) will give the order for him to remove his residence to Chung-chou (Central Isle). Thence, upon fulfilment of the required deeds, he will be raised on high and duly ordained.

21 Indian Alchemy

Alchemy on the India subcontinent was largely about health, medicine and longevity. It was tied in early with other healthful practices, like yoga. There are several ways to refer in Sanskrit to alchemy:

The earliest alchemy, about 800 AD, was in Sanskrit, and based on mercury. The prefix "rasa" means mercury, and can be formed into rasavāda "doctrine of mercury," rasaśāstra "discipline of mercury," rasavidyā "knowledge about mercury," or rasāyana "path of mercury." Cinnabar, the source of mercury, is not found in India, so it must have been imported from China or Afghanistan. Rasashastra is still practiced as pharmacological medicine. Rasasatra is the accepted name for Indic alchemy.

A very interesting idea from Indian mythology is the way soma, the food of immortality, operates. It does one no good to swallow it; it must be offered as a sacrifice to the gods to benefit the sacrificer. The gods then offer it to each other, benefitting from the giving, not from the receiving.

It is not enough to simply possess  the soma to benefit from it. Rather, as the gods first discovered, it is by offering or surrendering the sacrifice to another (god) that its benefits accrue to the sacrificer.

The Alchemical Body by David Gordon White, 1996, p. 10

Here is a timeline of indic alchemy, from 800 AD to 1650 AD, about 100 years before the end of alchemy in Europe. We don't have any clear sense of where Indic alchemy came from; it's clearly different from Greek, Persian, Arabic and Chinese alchemy. Perhaps it was home-grown, but delayed from the others for some reason. The first alchemy book was written by a Jain monk and already combined mercurial alchemy and medicine in sophisticated ways, so it is unlikely to be a first foray into alchemy. The medical doctrine described is humorism, though the alchemy appears less Aristotelian than Greek and Arabic alchemy.

Significant progress in alchemy was made in ancient India. An 11th-century Persian chemist and physician named Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī reported "[the Indians] have a science similar to alchemy which is quite peculiar to them. They call it Rasâyana, a word composed with rasa, i.e., gold. It means an art which is restricted to certain operations, drugs, and compound medicines, most of which are taken from plants. Its principles restore the health of those who were ill beyond hope, and give back youth to fading old age..."

Wikipedia, Rasayana

9th c.

Kalyāṇakāraka

Written by the Digambara Jain monk Ugrāditya, the Kalyāṇakāraka ("The Cause of Welfare") is the earliest Sanskrit medical work with alchemical content. The work gives detailed descriptions for processing mercury and uses specific technical terminology for procedures and apparatuses, demonstrating an advanced stage of alchemical thought.

Alchemy Timeline

10th c

Rasahṛdayatantra

When taking mercury, alcohol, sour gruel, sesame oil, or buttermilk are unsuitable. An intelligent person should not oil their body with pungent oil during an elixir regimen. During an elixir regimen, unripe, non-sweet foods, hot milk and spoiled meat should not be eaten. It is also taught in this context that fruit and roots that are not fresh should not be eaten. Moreover, one should not fast, but one should not eat during the night. One should stay away from what is forbidden. This is how an intelligent person should act during the intake of the king of essences. (RHT 19.45-47)

Alchemy Timeline

11-12th c.

Rasārṇava

An important work on alchemy, the Rasārṇava ("The Ocean of Mercury") begins with a systematic discussion of the origins of mercury, attributes and initiation of the alchemist, and appliances to be used in alchemical operations, before moving onto the substances and procedures of making mercurial elixirs. It examines the purification of the body for the ingestion of elixirs to acquire an immortal body that will not become diseased or age. The text teaches that the body must be maintained to facilitate liberation, and that the preservation of the body can be achieved through using mercury and breath control. It also notes the importance of beef (gomāṃsa) as an important alchemical ingredient.

Alchemy Timeline

12th-13th c.

Ānandakanda

A dialog between Bhairava and Bhairavī, the Ānandakanda ("The Root of Joy") contains many references to Śaiva deities, mantras, maṇḍalas, and yantras. The text is divided into two parts: amṛtīkaraṇaviśrānti and kriyākaraṇaviśrānti. The first deals with the processing of mercury and the second with the processing of metals, minerals, and gems. The amṛtīkaraṇaviśrānti focuses on the purification of the body through pañcakarman, features dietary and behavioral rules, describes the seven bodily constituents (dhātu) discusses elixir regimen (rasāyana), and details the preparation of mercurial elixirs (rasāyana). The kriyākaraṇaviśrānti focuses on plants to be used in alchemical operations, and elaborates on eighty-eight medicinal plants.

Alchemy Timeline

late 15-late 16th c.

Rasendracintāmaṇi

The nine chapters of the Rasendraciṇtāmaṇi ("The Thought-Jewel of the Lord of Essences") by Ḍhuṇḍhukanātha focus on alchemy, though the last chapter describes the medicinal uses of mercurial and metallic preparations. It takes verses from a variety of sources and adds teachings based on the personal experiences of the author and his guru. The text's eighth chapter describes eighteen poisons that can be used for medicine, elixir regimen (rasāyana) and metallurgy. The poisons are divided into four categories based on the four classes of society (varṇa) and are identified by their color. It features descriptions of the medicinal use of mercury and other minerals and gives formulae for vitalisation tonics (rasāyana) and mercurial preparations (rasayoga).

Alchemy Timeline

late 15-16th c.

Rasendrasārasaṃgraha

Based on earlier texts, Gopālakṛṣṇa's Rasendrasārasaṃgraha's ("The Collection of the Essence of Mercury") five chapters focus almost entirely on medical alchemy. Major areas of focus are the treatment of various diseases, children's diseases, vitalisation therapy (rasāyana), and virility therapy (vājīkaraṇa). The text conforms and adds to the list of diseases found in the 8th-century Mādhavanidāna. Many of the prescriptions are taken from the Rasendracintāmaṇi. The text is especially popular in Bengal.

Alchemy Timeline

16th c.

Rasaprakāśasudhākara

A systematic work, the Rasaprakāśasudhākara ("The Nectar Mine Light on Mercury") cites and builds upon earlier texts and provides new information from the experiences of its author Yaśodhara and his teacher. Early chapters highlight iatrochemical procedures, including the purification of metals, gems, and minerals. Chapter eleven describes the making of silver, gold, coral, and pearls. A large part of the work is dedicated to medicine, providing formulae for mercurials (rasayoga) to cure various diseases. The text includes uncommon or variant descriptions of alchemical apparatuses (yantra) as well as chapters that contain aphrodisiac recipes and those to delay ejaculation. Yaśodhara references disorders due to opium abuse and acknowledges cinnabar originating from the West.

Alchemy Timeline

The authors of the Timeline have also worked to recreate some of the recipes from the Rasaprakāśasudhākara and made YouTube videos. For example: 

Many thanks to SHAC and Dagmar Wujastyk for her recent talk on Indic Alchemy, here on YouTube.

22 Alchemy and Greek Medicine

The four-element theory combined with transmutation from Aristotle was adopted wholesale into medicine by the Greek doctor living in Rome, Galen of Pergamon (129 - 216 A.D.), in the form of "humors."

Humors are fluids of the body: blood, phlegm, urine ("yellow bile"), and feces ("black bile"). And like the four-element theory of Plato and Aristotle, the perfect balance of the humors was a special place to be: perfect health. Medicine did not take it as far as the alchemists, to the point of extended longevity, but the physician's role was to see where the humor lie, and remove excess humors to bring the body closer to balance.

Humorism

Humors were proposed back before 450 B.C. by Alcmaeon of Croton. We don't have any of his writings, but he is referenced by many, including Plato. he is said to have proposed that sleep is a consequence of the blood withdrawing from the skin into veins deep in the body. He also seems to have proposed many more than four humors, including amniotic fluid, the humors of the eye, and the humor of the ears. Evidence is sparce that he believed plants also had humors. The word "humor" has it's origin in the Green word for "sap" or "juice," χυμός chymos.

Hippocrates simplified the humors to four around 340 B.C., just after the time of Plato, which suggests Hippocrates got the four-item idea from Plato more than from Empedocles (who first expressed the four-element theory around 450 B.C.). The idea of balancing, or having the four humors in the correct proportions (which does not mean they each have an equal amount) comes from Hippocrates, possibly based on some of Plato's writings. I really don't know if Plato or Aristotle knew and spoke with Hippocrates; they were all contemporary.

Galen embraced the four-humor theory as a central aspect of health. probably under the influence of Aristotle. What of the fifth element of Aristotle, æther? That was a celestial element, and was perhaps the chief constituent of the soul of man (and animals and plants and rocks, etc.).

Physician practice in humorism involves detecting the balance of the humors. Looking at the skin and eyes reveals the state of blood, examining the nose and mouth reveals the state of phlegm, and of course looking at the patients "water" and feces was an essential part of the job. We have a few examples in film where this was done: The Madness of King George (1994) and The Last Emperor (1987) both have scenes of physicians doing this.

Many Greek texts were written during the golden age of the theory of the four humors in Greek medicine after Galen. One of those texts was an anonymous treatise called On the Constitution of the Universe and of Man, published in the mid-19th century by J.L. Ideler. In this text the author establishes the relationship between elements of the universe (air, water, earth, fire) and elements of the man (blood, yellow bile, black bile, phlegm). He said that:

Blood

The blood was believed to be produced exclusively by the liver. It was associated with a sanguine nature (enthusiastic, active, and social).

Yellow bile

Yellow bile was associated with a choleric nature (ambitious, decisive, aggressive and short-tempered).

Black bile

Black bile was associated with a melancholy nature, the word "melancholy" itself deriving from the Greek for "black bile", μέλαινα χολή (melaina kholé). Depression was attributed to excess or unnatural black bile secreted by the spleen. Cancer was also attributed to an excess of black bile concentrated in a specific area.

Phlegm

Phlegm was associated with a phlegmatic nature, thought to be associated with reserved behavior. The phlegm of humorism is far from phlegm as it is defined today. The French physiologist and Nobel laureate Charles Richet, when describing humorism's "phlegm or pituitary secretion" in 1910, asked rhetorically, "this strange liquid, which is the cause of tumours, of chlorosis, of rheumatism, and cacochymia — where is it? Who will ever see it? Who has ever seen it? What can we say of this fanciful classification of humors into four groups, of which two are absolutely imaginary?"

Empedocles's theory suggested that there are four elements: earth, fire, water, and air; with the earth producing the natural systems. Since this theory was influential for centuries, later scholars paired qualities associated with each humor as described by Hippocrates/Galen with seasons and "basic elements" as described by Empedocles.[24]

The following table shows the four humors with their corresponding elements, seasons, sites of formation, and resulting temperaments:[25]

Humor Season Ages Element Organ Qualities Temperament
Blood spring infancy air liver warm and moist sanguine
Yellow bile summer youth fire gallbladder warm and dry choleric
Black bile autumn adulthood earth spleen cold and dry melancholic
Phlegm winter old age water brain/lungs cold and moist phlegmatic

Influence

Empedocles's theory suggested that there are four elements: earth, fire, water, and air; with the earth producing the natural systems. Since this theory was influential for centuries, later scholars paired qualities associated with each humor as described by Hippocrates/Galen with seasons and "basic elements" as described by Empedocles.

The following table shows the four humors with their corresponding elements, seasons, sites of formation, and resulting temperaments:

Humor Season Ages Element Organ Qualities Temperament
Blood spring infancy air liver warm and moist sanguine
Yellow bile summer youth fire gallbladder warm and dry choleric
Black bile autumn adulthood earth spleen cold and dry melancholic
Phlegm winter old age water brain/lungs cold and moist phlegmatic

 

Wikepedia: Humorism

Galenistic theory of medicine will last until modern medicine supplants it starting with William Harvey in the 1630's. Bloodletting will persist into the 1800's.

Bloodletting is an interesting example of how Galenistic medicine lasted so long. Draining blood, especially a significant amount, causes an adrenaline response. Adrenaline can cover a multitude of physical ailments, as I can attest by personal experience. When I teach, I'm very excited and full of natural adrenaline. If I'm sick, all symptoms disappear while I lecture, to return after I'm back in my office. Same for a hurt foot or something.

What the physician sees is that after a bloodletting, the patient's symptoms instantly heal. But after a time, when the physician has gone, the patient has a tremendous downturn and dies. The physician thinks he healed, and can blame any demise on the patient.

One wonders how many patients were killed by their Galenistic physicians.

23 ESOTERICA Another take on Alchemy

There is one YouTube channel which stands out for good alchemy discussion: ESOTERICA by Dr. Justin Sledge. He was trained as a philosopher (PhD, U Memphis) and is interested in Western Esoterica (Gnosticism, alchemy, magic, astrology, mysticism, Hermeticism, etc.). Here are a few of my favorite videos of his relating to alchemy:

 

24 The Rise of Islam and Oxyrynchus

By 600 A.D. Egypt was being run the Byzantine Roman empire (Constantine moved the seat of Roman rule to Byzantium in 330 A.D. and renamed it Constantinople). In 613, Mohammed started preaching, and the Muslim faith began to spread in Arabia. By 639 the Arabs were attacking all the lands around, to takeover and spread the religion. In 642 they entered a town on the upper Nile called Oxyrhynchus. (Incidentally, they never took down Constantinople until 1453, and important event in the development of European alchemy).

Oxyrhynchus had a library, one of the extended libraries of Alexandria. The invaders ransacked the library, and threw out anything they didn't want.

We have the documents they threw out. Many of them, anyway. Some perished or were carried off before the pile was covered over with dirt, presumably. They were discovered in 1869 and experts are still working to assemble and translate the fragments, having finished 1 - 2% of the total.

In those records, maybe half a million documents, were many civic and civil records: contracts, land deeds, legal documents, edicts, civil codes, sales and lease records, court documents, none bearing names we recognize. Only 10% is literary.

Of the literary documents we have some history, some mathematical texts, some Greek plays and poetry. Most of it's in Greek, some in Latin. There are Old Testament and New Testament verses. Sometimes even complete chapters. And there is new testament apocrypha and Gnostic texts.

Why is this extraordinary? It's what's missing that is important. The Greek philosophers are not there, particularly Aristotle and Plato. And there is no hint of alchemy. That's huge.

The absence of something is no proof of anything, but I can make some suppositions: Somebody thought they were valuable. Maybe it was the librarians who took them home for safekeeping. Maybe it was the Muslims who found them valuable. Maybe they were gone long before the Muslims arrived.

I favor the Muslims keeping them, based on the sections to come. The Muslim philosophers really got into and followed the Greek philosophy. They embraced it completely. Only after a couple hundred years did they begin to change it.

In alchemy we frequently refer to the "Arab alchemists." We don't really mean they were from Arabia, we mean they spoke Arabic. The philosophers and alchemists were from all parts of the Middle East: Syria, Babylon, Persia, Egypt. In fact, most Arabic-speaking alchemists were not from Arabia; only one or two were.

25 Khalid ibn Yazid

Of the many fascinating Arabic texts impinging on alchemy and science, I will only address a few here. All of them can be read, in my view, as commenting on Aristotle. Most extend Aristotle, some limit. In every case Aristotle is held in the highest esteem.

Khalid was from Damascus, son of the Caliph Yazid I, was one of the first Muslims to take an interest in alchemy, by about 665 A.D. He studied in Alexandria under the Christian scholar Morienus, who studied under Stephanos. Khalid directed the first translations of the Greek and Coptic philosophers.


Genealogical tree of the Sufyanids, the ruling family of the Umayyad Caliphate to which Khalid belonged. 

In this document we have Khalid's summary of the core ideas of alchemy, and these are the ideas which become the core of alchemy as it is translated to the West in 1100 A.D.

From William Salmon's Secreta Alchymiæ, taken from Kalidis Persici, Secreta Alchymiæ. Written Originally in Hebrew, and Translated thence into Arabick, and out of Arabick into Latin: Now faithfully rendred into English, printed in Salmon’s Medicina Practica (1692).

CHAPTER XXII
OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF THIS ART
I. Thanks be given to God, the Creator of all things, who hath
made us, renewed us, taught us, and given us knowledge and
understanding; for except he should keep us, preserve us, and
direct us, we should wander out of the right way, as having no
Guide or Teacher: Nor can we know any thing in this World,
unless he teach us, who is the begining of all things, and the
Wisdom it self, his power and goodness, it is with which he
over-shadows his People.
II. He directs and instructs whom he pleases, and by His longsuffering,
and tender Mercies, brings them back into the way of
Righteousness. For he has sent his Angels (or Spirit) into the
dark places, and made plain the Ways, and with his loving
kindness replenishes such as love Him.
III. Know then my Brother, that this Magistery of our Secret
Stone and this Valuable Art, is a secret of the Secrets of God,
which he has hidden with his own People; not revealing it to
any, but to such who as Sons faithfully have deserved it, who
have known his Goodness and Almighty-ness.
IV. If you would request any Earthly thing at the Hand of God,
the Secret of this Magistery is more to be desired
—1—
than anything else. For the Wise Men who have perfected the
knowledge thereof, have not been wholly plain but speaking of
it, have partly concealed it, and partly revealed it; And in
this very thing, I have found the preceeding Philosophers to
agree, in all their so much valued Books.
V. Know therefore, that Musa, my own disciple, (more valuable
to me than any other) having diligently studied their Books, and
laboured much in the Work of this Magistery, was much perplexed,
not knowing the Natures of things belonging thereto: Whereupon
he humbly begged at my Hands, my Explanation thereof, and my
Directions therein.
VI. But I gave him no other Answer, Than that he should read
over the Philosopher’s Books, and therein to seek that which he
desired of me: Going his way, he read above an hundred Books of
the Secret of the Great Philosophers: but by them he could not
attain the knowledge of that Mystery which he desired, tho’
continually studying it for the space of a Year, for which
reason he was as one astonished and much troubled in mind.
VII. If then Musa my Scholar (who has deserved to be accounted
among the Philosophers) has thus failed in the knowledge of this
Mystery; what may be supposed from the Ignorant and Unlearned,
who understand not the Natures of things, nor apprehend whereof
they consist?
—2—
VIII. Now when I saw this in my most dear and chosen Disciple,
moved with Piety and Love to him, by the Will also and
Appointment of God, I wrote this my book near the time of my
Death, in which tho’ I have pretermitted many things which the
Philosophers before me have mentioned in their Books; yet have I
handled some things which they have concealed, and could not be
prevailed withal to reveal or to discover.
IX. Yea, I have explicated, and laid open certain things which
they hid under AEnigmaticaj. and dark Expressions; and this my
Book I have Named, The Secrets of Aichymie, for that I have
revealed in it, whatsoever is necessary to the knowledge of this
Learning in a Language befitting the matter, and to your sence
and understanding.
X. I have taught four Magisteries far greater and better than
the other Philosophers have done, of which number the One is a
Mineral Elixir, another Animal; the other two are Mineral
Elixirs; but not the one Mineral whose virtue is to wash,
cleanse, or purifie those things which they call the Bodies. And
another is to make Gold of Azot Vive; whose Composition or
Generation is according to the Natural Generation in the Mines,
or in the Heart and Bowels of the Earth.
XI. And these four Magisteries or Works, the Philosophers have
discoured of, in their Books of the Composition thereof, but
they are wanting in many things, nor would they
—3—
clearly show the Operation of it in their Books: ~nd when by
chance any one found it out, yet could he not thoroughly
understand it; than which nothing was more grievous to him.
XII. I will therefore in the Work declare it, together with the
way and the manner how to make it, but if you read me, learn to
understand Geometrical proportion, that so you may rightly frame
your Fornaces, not exceeding the mean, either in greatness or
finalness; with all you must understand the proportion of your
Fire, and the form of the Vessell fit for your work.
XIII. Also you must consider, what is the ground work and
beginning of the Magistery; which is as the Seed and Womb to the
Generation of Living Creatures, which are shaped in the Womb,
and therein receive their Fabrick, Increase and Nourishment. For
if the Prima Materia of our Magistery is not conveniently
managed, the Work will be spoiled and you will not find that
which you seek after, nor shall you bring your Work to
perfection.
XIV. For where the cause of Generation is wanting, or the root of
the matter, and heat itself, your labor will be lost, and the
Work come to nothing. The same also will happen, if you mistake
in the proportion or weight; for if that not be right, to wit,
the proportion of the parts compounding, the matter compounded
missing of its just temperature will be destroyed, and so you
shall reap no fruit, the which I will show you by an Example.
—4—
XV. See you not that in Soap, (with which Cloaths are washt
clean and white) that it has its virtue and property by reason
of the just proportion of its Ingredients, which spread
themselves in length and breadth, and because of which they
agree to the same end; by which it appears, that the Compositum
was truly made, and the power and efficacy which before lay hid,
(which is called Property) is now brought to light, which is the
quality of washing and cleaning in a proper Layer?
XVI. But should the ingredients have been put together without
proportion, being either too little or too much, the virtue and
efficacy of the Soap would be destroyed, nor would it any ways
answer the end desired; for that end of effect ariseth from the
just proportion and mixion of each
Ingredient: The same you must understand, to happen in the
Composition of our Magistery.
—5—
CHAPTER XXIII
OF THE FOUR PRINCIPAL OPERATIONS, SOLUTION,
CONGELATIONS ALBIFICATION AND RUBIFICATION
I. Beginning now to speak of the Great Work,which they call
Aichymie I will open the matter without concealing ought, or
keeping back anything, save that which is not fit to be
declared: We say then, that the great work contains four
Operations, viz., to Dissolve, to Congeal, to make White and to
make Red.
II. There are four quantities partakers together; of which two
are partakers between themselves; so also have the other two a
coherence between themselves. And either of these double
quantities, has another quantity partaker with them, which is
greater than these two.
III. I understand by these quantities, the quantities of the
Natures, and weight of the Medicines, which are in order
dissolved and congealed, wherein neither addition nor diminution
have any place. But these two, viz., Solution and ConGelation
are one Operation, and make but one Work, and that before
Composition, but afer; but after Composition those Operations be
divers.
IV. And this Solution and Congelation which we have spoke of,
are the solution of the Body, and the congelation of the Spirit,
which two, have indeed but one Operation; for the Spirits are
- 6 -
not congealed, except the Bodies be dissolved; as also the
bodies are not dissolved unless the Spirit be congealed. And
when the Soul and the Body are joyned together, each of them
works its Companion into its own likeness and property.
V. As for example. When Water is put to Earth, it strives to
dissolve the Earth, by its virtue, property, and moisture,
making it softer than it was before, bringing it to be like it
self, for the Water was more thin than the Earth. And thus does
the Soul work in the Body, and after the same manner is the
Water thickened with the Earth and becomes like the Earth in
thickness, for the Earth was more thick than the Water.
VI. Know also, that between the solution of the Body and the
congelation of the Spirit, there is no distance of time, nor
diversity of work, as though the one should be without the
other; as there is no difference of time in the conjunction of
the Earth and Water, that the one might be distinguished from
the other by its operation. But they have both one instant, and
one fact, and one and the same work performs both at once,
before Composition.
VII.I say, before Composition, lest he that should read my Book,
and hear the terms of Solution and Congelation, should suppose
it to be the Composition which the Philosophers treat of, which
would be a grand Error both in Work and Judgement: Because
Composition in this Work is a Conjunction or Marriage of the
congealed Spirit with the dissolved Body, which Conjunction is
made upon the fire.
—-7—
VIII. For heat is its nourishment, and the Soul forsakes not the
Body, neither is it otherwise knit unto it, than by the
alteration of both from their own virtues and properties, after
the Conversion of their Natures: and this is the solution and
congelation which the Philosophers first speak of.
IX. Which nevertheless they have absconded by their AEnigmatical.
Discourses, with dark and obscure Words, whereby they
alienate and estrange the minds of their Followers, from understanding
the Truth: whereof I will now give you the following
Examples.
X. Besmear the Leaf with Poyson, so shall you obtain the
beginning’ of the Stone, and the Operation thereof. Again, Work
upon the strong Bodies with one solution, till either of them
are reduced to subtility. Also, Except you bring the Bodies to
such a subtility that they may be impalpable, you shall not
obtain that you seek after. And, If you have not ground them,
repeat the Work till they be sufficiently ground and made
subtil, so shall you have your desire.
With a thousand such other like unintelligible, without a
particular demonstration thereof.
XI. And in like manner have they spoken of that Composition
which is after solution and congelation, Thus: Our Composition
is not perfect without Conjunction and Putrefaction. Again, You
must dissolve, congeal, separate, conjoyn, putrefie and
compound, because Composition is the beginning and very life of
the thing. These things who can understand without teachings?
—8—
XII. But ‘tis true that unless there be a compounding, the Stone
can never be brought to light: There must be a separation of the
parts of the Compound, which separation is in order also to a
Connunction. I tell you again, that the Spirit will not dwell
with the Body, nor enter into it, nor abide in it, until the
body be made subtil and thin as the Spirit is.
XIII. But when it is attenuated and made subtil, and has caste
off its thickness and grossness, and put on that thinness, has
forsaken its Coporeity, and become Spiritual; then shall it be
conjoyned with the subtil Spirits, and imbibe them, so that both
shall become one and the same thing, nor shall they for ever be
severed, but become like water mixt with water, which no man can
separate.
—9—
CHAPTER XXIV
OF THE LATTER TWO OPERATIONS, VIZ.,
ALBIFICATION AND RUBIFICATION
I. Suppose that of two like quantities which are in solution
and congelation, the larger is the Soul and the Lesser is the
Body: Add afterwards to the quantity which is the Soul, that
quantity which is in the Body, and it shall participate with the
first quantity in virtue only. Then working them as we have
wrought them, you will have your desire, and understand Euclid his
Line or Proportion.
II. Then take this quantity, weigh it exactly, and add to it as
much moisture as it will drink up, the weight of which we have
not determined; Then Work them as before, with the same
Operations of a first imbibing and subliming it: This Operation
is called Albification, and they name it Yarit, that is Silver or
White Lead.
III. When you have made this Compound white, add to it so much of
the Spirit, as will make half of the whole, and set it to
working, till it grows red, and then it will be of the colour of
Al-Sulfur (Cinnabar) which is very red, and the Philosophers have
likened it to Gold whose effects lead to that which the
Philosopher said to his Scholar Arda.
IV. We call the clay when it is white Yarit, that is Silver:
But when it is red, we name it Temeynch, that is Gold: Whiteness
is that which tinges Copper, and makes it Yarit: And it is
redness which tinges Yarit, ie, Silver and makes it Temeynch.
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CHAPTER XXV
OF THE NATURE OF THINGS APPERTAINING TO THIS
WORK: OF DECOCTION, AND ITS EFFECTS
I. Know then that the Philosophers have called them by divers
names: Sometimes they call them Minerals, sometimes Animals,
sometimes Vegetables, sometimes Natures, for that they are
things natural: and others have called them by other names at
their Pleasures, or as they liked best.
II. But their Medicines are near to Natures, as the Philosophers
have taught in their Books; for that Nature comes nigh to
Nature, and Nature is like to Nature, Nature is joyned to
Nature, Nature is drowned in Nature, Nature makes Nature white,
and Nature makes Nature red.
III. And Corruption is in conjunction with Generation,
Generation is retained with Generation, and Generation
conquereth with Generation.
IV. Now for the performance of these things, the Philosophers
have in their Books taught us how to decoct, and how decoction
is to be made in the matter of our Magistery:
This is that which generates, and changes them from their
Substances and Colours, into other Substances and Colours.
V. If you err not in the begining you may happily attain the
end: But you ought to consider the seed of the Earth
—11—
whereon we live, how the heat of the Sun works in it, till the
Seed is impregnated with its influences and Virtues, and made to
spring, till it grows up to ripeness: This is the first change
or transmutation.
VI. After this, Men and other Creatures feed upon it; and
Nature, by the heat that is innate in Man, changes it again,
into Flesh, Blood and Bones.
VII. Now like to this is the Operation or Work of our Magistery,
the Seed whereof, (as the Philosophers say) is such, that its
progress and perfection consists in the fire, which is the cause
of its Life and Death.
VIII. Nor is there any thing which comes between the Body and
the Spirit, but the fire; nor is there any thing mingled
therewith, but the fire which brings the Magistery to its
perfection; this is the truth which I have told you, and I have
both seen and done it.
—12—
CHAPTER XXVI
OF SUBTILIZATION, SOLUTION, COAGULATION AND
COMMIXION OF THE STONE
I. Now except you subtilize the Body till it becomes water, it
will not corrupt and putrefie, nor can it congeal the Fugitive
Souls when the fire touches them; for the fire is that which by
its force and spirit congeals and unites them.
II. In like manner the Philosophers commanded to dissolve the
Bodies, to the end that the heat might enter into their Bowels,
or inward parts: So we return to dissolve these Bodies, and
congeal them after their solution, with that thing which comes
near to it, till all the things mixed together by an apt and fit
commixtion, in proportional quantities, are firmly conjoyned
together.
III. Wherefore we joyn Fire and Water, Earth and Air together,
mixing the thick with the thin, and the thin with the thick, so
as they may abide together, and their Natures may be changed the
one into the other, and made like, and one thing in the compound
which before were simple.
IV. Because that part which generates or ferments, bestows its
virtue upon the subtil and thin, which is the Air; for like
cleaves to its like, and is a part of the Generation, from
whence it receives power to move and ascend upwards.
—11—
V. Cold has power over the thick matter, because it has lost its
heat, and the water is gone out of it; and the driness appears
upon it. This moisture departs by ascending up; and the subtil
part of the Air has mingled it self with it, for that it is like
unto it, and of the same nature.
VI. Now when the thick body has lost its heat and moisture, and
that the cold and dryness has power over it; and that their
parts have mixed themselves, by being first divided, and that
there is no moisture left to joyn the parts divided, the parts
withdraw themselves.
VII. And then the part which is contrary to cold, by reason it
has continued, and sent its heat and decoction to the cold parts
of the Earth, having power over them, and exercising such
dominion over the coldness which was hidden in the said thick
Body; that, by virtue of its generative power, changes the thick
cold Body, and makes it become subtil and hot, and then strives
to dry it up again by its heat.
VIII. But afterwards, the subtil part, (which causes the Natures
to ascend) when it has lost its Occidental heat, and waxes cold,
then the Natures are changed, and become thick, and descend to the
center, where the earthly Natures are joyned together, which
were subtilized, and converted in their generation, and imbibed
in them.
—14—
IX. And so the moisture joyneth together the parts divided: But
the Earth labours to dry up that moisture, compassing it about,
and hindering it for going out; by means whereof, that which
before lay hid, does now appear; nor can the moisture be
separated, but is held fast, and firmly retained by dryness.
X. In like manner we see, that whatsoever is in the World is
held or retained by or with its contrary, as heat with cold, and
dryness with moisture: thus when each of them has besieged its
Companion, the thin is mixed with the thick, and those things
are made one substance, viz, their hot and moist Soul, and their
cold and dry Body, are united, and made one.
XI. Then it strives to dissolve and subtilize by its heat and
moisture, which is the Soul; and the Body labours to enclose,
and retain the hot and moist Soul in its cold and dry substance.
And in this manner is their Virtues and Properties altered and
changed from one thing to another.
XII. I have told you the Truth, which I have seen, and my own
self has done: And therefore I charge you to change or convert
the Natures from their Substances and Subtilties, with heat and
moisture, into their Substances and Colours. If you proceed
aright in this Work, you must not pass the bounds I have set you
in this Book.
-15-
CHAPTER XXVII
THE MANNER OF FIXATION OF THE SPIRIT, DECOCTION,
TRITURATION AND WASHING.
I. When the Body is mingled with moisture, and that the heat of
the fire meets therewith, the moisture is converted into the
Body, and dissolves it, and then the Spirit cannot go forth,
because it is imbibed with the Fire.
II. The Spirits are fugitive, so long as the Bodies are mixed
with them, and strive to resist the fire, its heat and flame,
and therefore these parts can scarcely agree without a good and
continual Operation, and a steadfast, permanent, and natural
heat.
III. For the nature of the Soul is to ascend upwards, where its
Center is; and he that is not able to joyn two or more divers
things together, whose Centers are divers, knows nothing of this
Work.
IV. But this must be done after the conversion of their
Natures, and change of their Substances, and matter, from their
natural Properties, which is difficult to find out.
V. Whoever therefore can convert or change the Soul into the
Body, and the Body into the Soul, and therewith mingle the
subtil and volatile Spirits, they shall be able to tinge any
Body.
-16-
VI. You must also understand, that Decoction, Contrition,
Cribation, Munidification, and Ablution, with Sweet Water, are
most necessary, to the Secret of our Magistery.
VII. And if you bestow pains herein, you may cleanse it purely;
for you must clear it from its blackness and darkness, which
appear in the Operation.
VIII. And you must subtilize the Body to the highest point of
Volatility and Subtility; and then mix therewith the Souls
dissolved, and the Spirits cleansed, and so digest and decoct,
to the perfection of the matter.
—17—
CHAPTER XXVIII
OF THE FIRE FIT FOR THIS WORK.
I. You must not be unacquainted with the strenght and proportion
of the fire, for the perfection or destruction of our Stone
depends thereupon: For Plato said, The fire gives profit to that
which is perfect, but brings hurt and destruction to that which
is Corrupt.
II. So that when its quantity or proportion shall be fit and
convenient, your Work will thrice prosper, and go on as it ought
to do: but if it exceed the measure, it shall without measure
corrupt and destroy it.
III. And for this cause it was requisite that the Philosophers
have instituted several proofs of the strength of their Fires;
that they might prevent and hinder their burning, and the hurt
of a violent heat.
IV. In Hermes it is said, I am afraid, Father, of the Enemy in my
house: To whom he made answer: Take the dog of CORASCENE, and
the bitch of ARMENIA, and joyn them together; so shall you have
a Dog of the colour of Heaven.
V. Dip him once in the Water of the Sea; so will he become thy
Friend, and defend thee from thine Enemy, and shall go a-long
with thee, and help thee, and defend thee where ever thou goest,
nor shall he ever forsake thee, but abide with thee forever.
-18-
VI. Now Hermes meant by the Dog and Bitch, such Powers or
Spirits as have power to preserve Bodies, from the hurt,
strength, or force of the Fire.
VII. And these things are Waters of Calces and Salts, the
Composition whereof is to be found in the Writings of the
Philosophers, who have discoursed of this Magistery; among whom,
some of them have named Sea—water, Virgins Milk, food of Birds,
and the like.
—19—
CHAPTER XXIX
OF THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS.
I. Afterwards take this precious Stone, (which the Philosophers
have named, yet hidden and concealed) put it into a Curcurbit
with its Alembick, and divide its Natures,viz. the four
Elements, the EARTH, WATER, AIR AND FIRE.
II. These are the Body and Soul, the Spirit and Tincture: when
you have divided the Water from the Earth, and the Air from the
Fire, keep each of them by themselves, and take that, which
descends to the bottom of the Glass, being the Faeces, and wash
it with a warm fire, till its blackness be gone, and its
thickness be vanished.
III. Then make it very white, causing the superfluous moisture
to fly away, for then it shall be changed and become a white
Caix, wherein there is no cloudy darkness, nor uncleanness, nor
contrariety.
IV. Afterwards return it back to the first Natures which
ascended from it, and purifie them likewise from uncleanness,
blackness and contrariety.
V. And reiterate these Works upon them so often, till they be
subtilized, purified, and made thin, which when you have done,
render up thanks and acknowledgments to the most Gracious God.
—20—
VI. Know then that this Work is but one, and it produceth one
Stone, into which Garib shall not enter, i.e.,any strange or
foreign thing. The Philosopher works with this, and therefrom
proceeds a Medicine which gives perfection.
VII. Nothing must be mingled herewith, either in part or whole:
and this Stone is to be found at all times, and in every place,
and about every Man; the search whereof is yet difficult to him
that seeks it, wheresoever he be.
VIII. This Stone is vile, black, and stinking; it costs
nothing; it must be taken alone, it is somewhat heavy, and is
called the Original of the World, because it rises up, like
things that bud forth; this is the manifestation and appearance
of it, to them that seek truly after it.
IX. Take it therefore, and work it as the Philosopher has told
you in the Book, where he speaks of it after this manner. Take
the Stone and no Stone, or that which is not a Stone, neither of
the nature of a Stone; it is a Stone whose Mine is in the top of
the Mountains.
X. By which the Philosopher understands Animals, or living
Creatures; whereupon he said, Son, go to the Mountains of India,
and to its Caves, and take thence precious Stones, which will
melt in the water, when they are put into it.
-21-
XI. This Water is that which is taken from other Mountains and
hollow places; they are Stones and no Stones, but we call them
so, for the resemblance they have to Stones.
XII. And you must know that the Roots of their Mines are in the
Air, and their Tops in the Earth; and they make a noise when
they are taken out of their places, and the noise is very great.
Make use of them very suddenly, for otherwise they will quickly
vanish away.
—22—
CHAPTER XXX
OF THE COMMIXION OF THE ELEMENTS WHICH WERE
SEPARATED.
I. Now you must begin to commix the Elements which is the
compass of the whole Work; there can be no cornmixtion without a
Marriage and putrefaction. The Marriage is to mingle the thin
with the thick: and Putrefaction is to rost, grind, water or
imbibe so long, till all be mixt together and become one, so
that there be no diversity in them, nor separation, as in water
mixed with water.
II. Then will the thick strive to retain the thin, and the Soul
shall strive with the fire, and endeavour to sustain it, then
shall the Spirit suffer it self to be swallowed up by the
Bodies, and be poured forth into them: which must needs be,
because the dissolved body, when it is cornmixed with the Soul,
is also commixed with every part thereof.
III. And other things enter into other things, according to
their similitude and likeness, and both are changed into one and
the same thing: For this cause the Soul must partake with the
conveniency, propensity, durability, hardness, corporeity and
permanency, which the body had in its commixtion.
IV. The like also must happen to the spirit in this state or
condition of the Soul and Body: For when the Spirit shall be
cornmixt with the Soul by a laborious
-23-
operation, and all its parts with all the parts of the other
two, viz, of the Soul and Body; then shall the Spirit and the
said two, be changed into an inseparable substance, whose
natures are preserved, and their Particles, agreed and conjoyned
perfectly together.
V. Whereby it comes to pass, that when this Cozupositum has met
with a body dissolved, and that heat has got hold of it, and
that the moisture which was in it is swallowed up in the
dissolved body, and has passed into it, (into its most inward
parts,) and united or conjoyned it self with that which was of
the nature of moisture, it becomes inflamed, and the fire
defends it self with it.
VI. Then when the fire would enf lame it, it will not suffer
the said fire to take hold of it, to wit, to cleave to it, i.e.
to the Spirit commixt with the water: The fire will not abide by
it until it be pure.
VII. And in like manner does the Water naturally fly from the
Fire, of which when the fire takes hold, it does by little and
little evaporate.
VIII. And thus is the Body the means to retain the Water, and
the Water to retain the Oyl, that it might not burn and consume
away, and the Oyl to retain the Tincture; which is the absolute
matter and cause, to make the colours appear in that, wherein
otherwise there would be neither light nor life.
-24-
IX. This then is the true life and perfection of this great
Work, even the work of our Magistery, which we seek after: Be
wise and understand, search diligently, and through the goodness
and permission of God, you shall find what you look for.
—25—
CHAPTER XXXI
OF THE SOLUTION OF THE STONE COMPOUNDED, AND
COAGULATION
OF THE STONE DISSOLVED.
I. The Philosophers take great pains in dissolving, that the
Body and Soul might the better be incorporated and united: for
all those things which are in Contrition, Assation, and
Rigation, have a certain affinity and Alliance between
themselves.
II. So that the fire may hurt or spoil the weaker principle in
nature, till it be utterly destroyed, and vanish away, and then
it turns it self also upon the stronger parts, till it divests
the Body of the Soul, and so spoils all.
III. But when they are this dissolved and congealed, they take
one anothers parts, striving in each others mutual defence, as
well the great as the small, and they incorporate and joyn them
well together, till they be converted and changed onto one and
the same thing.
IV. When this is done, the fire takes as much from the Soul as it
does from the Body, nor can it hurt the one more than the other,
neither more nor less, which is a cause of perfection.
V. For this reason it is necessary, in teaching the composition
of the Elixir, to afford one place for expounding the solution
of simple Bodies and Souls; because Bodies do not enter into
Souls, but do rather prevent and hinder them from
—26—
Sublimation, Fixation, Retention, Commixtion and the like
Operations, except purification go before.
VI. Now understand that Solution is done by one of these two
ways; either by extracting the inward parts of things unto their
Superficies (an Example whereof we have in Silver, which seemds
cold and dry, but being dissolved so that the inward parts
appear outward, it is hot and moist).
VII. Or else to reduce it to an accidental moisture which it had
not before, to be added to its own natural humidity; by which
means its parts are dissolved: and this is likewise called
Solution.
VII. But as to Congelation, the Philosophers have said:
Congeal in a Bath, with a good Congelation: This I tell you is
Sulphur shining in Darkness, a Red Hyacinth, a fiery and deadly
Poyson, the Elixir, the which there is nothing better, a Lyon, a
Conqueror, a Malefactor, a cutting Sword, a healing Antidote,
which cures all infirmities and Diseases.
IX. And Geber, the Son of Hayen, said: That all the OPerations
of this Magistery are comprehended under these six things:
1. To make fly, or ascend, or sublime. 2. To melt or liquify.
3. To incinerate. 4. To make white as Marble. 5. To dissolve.
6. To congeal.
—27—
X. To make fly, is to drive away and remove blackness and
foulness from the Spirit and Soul; to melt is to make the body
liquid: To incinerate, is properly to subtilize the
Body: To whiten, is to melt speedily: To dissolve is to separate
the parts: And to congeal is to mix, joyn, and fix the Body with
the Soul already prepared.
XI. Again, to fly, or to ascend, appertains to both Body and
Soul; to melt, to increase, to whiten and to dissolve, are
accidents that belong to the Body: But congelation or fixation,
only belongs to, and is the property of, the Soul:
Be wise, understand and learn.
—28—
CHAPTER XXXII
THAT OUR STONE IS BUT ONE, AND OF THE NATURE
THEREOF.
I. When it was demanded of Bauzan, a Greek Philosopher,
whether a stone may be made of a thing which buddeth?
Answereth, Yea, viz, the first two stones, to with, the
Stone Alcali, and our Stone, which is the Workmanship and
Life of him who knows and understands it.
II. But he that is ignorant of it, who has not made, nor knows
how it is generated, supposing it to be no Stone, or apprehends
not in his own mind, all the things which I have spoken of it,
and yet will attempt to compose it, spends away foolishly his
precious time, and loses his Money.
III. Except he finds out this precious Treasure, he finds indeed
nothing, there is no second thing or matter, that can rise up
and take its place, or stand it self instead thereof; there is
no other Natures that can triumph over it.
IV. Much heat is the nature thereof, but with a certain
temperature: If by this saying, you come to know it, you will
reap profit; but if yet you remain ignorant, you will lose all
your labour.
V. It has many singular Properties and Virtues in curing the
Infirmities of Bodies, and their accidental Diseases,
—29—
and preserves found Substances, so that there appears not in
them any Heterogenities, or Contrarieties: No possibility of the
dissolution of their Union.
VI. It is the sapo, or Soap of Bodies, yea, their Spirit and
Soul, which when it is incorporate with them, dissolves them
without any loss.
VII. This is the Life of the Dead, and their Resurrection; a
Medicine preserving Bodies, cleansing them, and purging away
their Superfluities.
VIII. He that understands, let him understand, and he that is
ignorant, let him be ignorant still: For this Treasure is not to
be bought with Money, and as it cannot be bought, so neither can
it be sold.
IX. Conceive therefore its Virtue and Excellency aright,
consider its value and Worth, and then begin to Work: How
excellently speaks a Learned Philosopher to this purpose?
X. God (saith he) gives thee not this Magistery for thy sole
Courage, Boldness, Strength or Wisdom, without any labour; but
thou must labour, that God may give thee success. Adore then God
Almighty the Creator of all things, who is pleased thus to
favour thee, with so great, and so precious a Treasure.
—30—
CHAPTER XXXIII
THE WAY AND MANNER HOW TO MAKE THE STONE BOTH
WHITE AND REDI
I. When you attempt to do this, take this our precious Stone
and put it into a Curcurbit, covering it with an Alembick, which
close well with Lutum Sapientiae, and set it in horse-dung, and
fixing a Receiver to it, distill the matter into the Receiver,
till all the water is come over, and the moisture dryed up, and
dryness prevail over it.
II. Then take it out dry, reserving the water that is distilled
for a future occasion; take, I say, the dry body, that remained
in the bottom of the Curcurbit, and grind it, and put in into a
Vessel answerable in magnitude to the quantity of the Medicine.
III. Bury it in as very hot Horse-dung as you can get, the
vessel being well luted with Lutum Sapientiae: And in this
manner let it digest. But when you percieve the Dung to grow
cold, get other fresh Dung which is very hot, and put your
vessel therein to digest as before.
IV. Thus shall you do for the space of forty days, renewing
your Dung so often as the occasion or reason of the Work shall
require, and the Medicine shall dissolve of it self, and become
a thick White water.
V. Which when you shall see, you shall weigh it, and put
thereto half so much by weight of the water which you reser-
- 31 -
ved; close and lute your vessel well with Lutum Sapientiae, and
put it again into hot Horse-dung(which is hot and moist) to
digest, not omitting to renew the Dung when it begins to cool,
til the course of forty days be expired.
VI. So will your Medicine be coagulated in the like number of
days, as before it was dissolved in.
VII. Again, take it, weight it justly, and according to its
quantity, add to it of the reserved water you made before, grind
the Body, and subtilize it, and put the water upon it, and set
it in hot Horse-dung for a Week and half or ten days; then take
it out, and you shall see that the Body has already drunk up the
Water.
VIII. Afterwards, grind it again, and put thereto the like
Quantity of of your reserved water as you did before; bury it in
very hot Horse—dung, and leave it therefore ten days more, take
it out again, and you shall see that the Body has already drunk
up the Water.
IX. Then (as before), grind it, putting thereto of the aforesaid
Water, the aforesaid quantity, and bury it in like manner
in hot Horse-dung, digesting it ten days longer, then taking it
forth, and this do the fourth time also.
X. Which done, take it forth and grind it, and bury it in
Horse-dung, till it be dissolved: Afterwards, take it out
—32—
and reiterate the work once more, for then the Birth will be
perfect and the Work ended.
XI. Now when this is done, and you have brought forth your
matter to this great perfection, then take of Lead or Steel 250
Drams, melt it, and caste thereon 1 Dram of Cinnabar, to wit, of
this our Medicine thus perfected, and it shall fix the Lead or
Steel that it shall not fly the fire.
XII. It shall make it white, and cleanse it from all its
dross and blackness, and convert it into a Tincture perpetually
abiding.
XIII. Then take a Dram from these 250 Drains, and project it
upon 250 Drams of Steel, or Copper, and it shall whiten it and
convert it into Silver, better than that of the Mine; which is
the greatest and last Work of the White which it performs.
XIV. To convert the said Stone into Red. And if you desire to
convert this Magistery into Sol, or Gold, take of this Medicine
thus perfected (at # 10 above), the weight of one Dram, (after
the manner of the former example), and put it into a Vessel and
bury it in Horse-dung for forty days till it be dissolved.
XIV. Then give it the Water of the dissolved Body to drink,
first as much as amounts to half its weight, afterwards
—33—
bury it in hot Horse-dung, digesting it until it is dissolved,
as aforesaid.
XVI. Then proceed in this Golden Work, as before in the
Silver, and you shall have fine Gold, even pure Hold. Keep
(my son), this most secret Book, containing the Secret of
Secrets, reserving it from Ignorant and Profane Hands, so
shall you obtain your desire. Amen.
—34—
CHAPTER XXXIV
KALID’S
SECRET OF SECRETSI OR STONE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS
EXPLICATED.
I. If you would be so happy as to obtain the Blessing of the
Philosophers, as God doth live for ever, so let this verity live
with you. Now the Philosophers say it abides in the Shell, and
contains in itself both White and Red, the one is called
Masculine, the other Feminine; and they are Animal, Vegetable,
and Mineral, the like of which is not found in the World
besides.
II. It has power both Active and Passive in it, and has also in
it a substance dead and living, Spirit and Soul, which, among
the ignorant, the Philosophers call the most vile thing: It
contains in itself the four Elements which are found in its
Skirts, and may be commonly bought for a small price.
III. It ascends by itself, it waxes black, it descends and
waxes white, increases and decreases of itself: It is a matter
which the Earth brings forth, and descends from Heaven, grows
pale and red, is born, dieth, rises again, and afterwards lives
for ever.
IV. By many ways it is brought to its end, but its proper
decoction is by a fire, soft, mean, strong, by various degrees
augmented, until you are certain it is quietly fixed with the
Red in the fire. This is the Philosophers Stone.
—35—
V. Read, and read again, so will all things become more clear to
you: But if hereby you understand not the matter, you are
withheld by the Chains of Ignorance; for you shall never
otherwise know or learn this Art.
VI. Hermes saith, The Dragon is not killed, but by his Brother
and his Sister; not by one of them alone, but by both together:
Note these things: There are three heads, yet but one Body, one
Nature, and one Mineral: This is sufficient for you if you have
a disposition to understand this Art.
VII. The Dragon is not mortified, nor made fixed but with Sol
and Luna and by no other: In the Mountains of Bodies, in the
Plains of Mercury, look for it, there this Water is created, and
by the concourse of these two, and is called by the
Philosophers, their permanent or fixed Water.
VIII. Our sublimation is to decoct the Bodies with Golden
Water, to dissolve, to liquifie, and to sublime them: Our
Calcination is to purifie and digest in four ways, and not
otherwise, by which many have been deceived in Sublimation.
IX. Know also that our Bras or Latten,is the Philosophers Gold,
is the true Gold: But you strive to expell the Greenness,
thinking that our Latten,or Bras, is a Leprous Body, because of
that Greeness, but I tell you that that Greeness is all that is
perfect therein and all that is perfect, is in that Greenness
only which is in our Latten or Bras.
—36—
X. For that Greenness by our Magistery is in a very little time
transmuted into the most fine Gold: And of this thing we have
experience, which you may try by the following directions.
XI. Take burnt, or calcined Bras, and perfectly rubified:
Grind it, and decoct it with Water, seaven times, as much every
time as it is able to drink, in all the ways of Rubifying and
Assating it again.
XII. Then make it to discend, and its green color will be made
Red, and as clear as a Hyacinth; and so much redness will
descend with it, that it wll be able to tinge Argent Vive in
some measure, with the very color of Gold; all which we have
done and perfected, and is indeed a very Great Work.
XIII. Yet, you cannot prepare the Stone by any means, with any
green and moist liquor, which is found and brought forth in our
Minerals; this blessed might, power or virtue, which generates
all things, will not yet cause a vegetation, springing, budding
forth, or fruitfulness, unless there be a Green color.
XIV. Wherefor the Philosophers call it their Bud, and their
Water of Purification or Putrefaction; and they say truth
herein; for with its water it is putrefied, and purified, and
washed from its blackness and made White.
—37—
XV. And afterwards, it is made the highest Red; whereby you may
learn and understand, that no true Tincture is made but with our
Bras of Latten.
XVI. Decoct it therefore with its Soul, till the Spirit be
joyned with its Body, and be made one, so shall you have your
desire.
XVII. The Philosophers have spoken of this under many Names, but
know certainly that it is but one matter which does cleave or
joyn itself to Argent Vive, and to Bodies, which you shall have
the true signs of: Now you must know what Arg’ent Vive will
cleave or perfectly joyn and unite itself to.
XVIII. That the Argent Vive will cleave, joyn or unite itself to
Bodies is false: And they err who think they understand that
place in Geber of Arg-ent Vive, where he saith, When in
searching among other things, you shall not find by our
Invention, any matter to be more agreeable to Nature, than
ARGENT VIVE of the Bodies.
XIX. By Argent Vive in this place is understood Argent Vive
Philosophical; and it is that Argent Vive only which sticks to,
and is fixed in, and with the Bodies: The old Philosophers could
find no other matter; nor can the Philosophers now invent any
other matter or thing, which will abide with the Bodies, but
this Philosophick Argent Vive only.
—38—
XX. That common Argent Vive does not stick or cleave to the
Bodies is evident by Experience, for if common Argent Vive be
joyned to the Bodies, it abides in its proper nature, or flys
away, not being able to transmute the Body into its own nature
and subtsance, and therefore does not cleave unto them.
XXI. For this cause, many are deceived in working with the
vulgar Quicksilver: For our Stone, that is to say, our Argent
Vive accidental, does exalt itself far above the most fine Gold,
and does overcome it, and kill it, and then makes it alive
again.
XXII. And this Argent Vive, is the father of all the Wonderful
things of this our Magistery, and is congealed, and is both
Spirit and Body: This is the Argent Vive which Geber speaks of,
the consideration of which is of moment, for that it is the very
matter which does make perfect.
XXIII. It is a chosen pure substance of Argent vive; but out of
what matter it is chiefly to be drawn, is a thing to be inquired
into. To which we say, That it can only be drawn out of that
matter in which it is: Consider therefore, my son, and see from
whence that Substance is, taking that and nothing else: By no
other Principle can you obtain this Magistery.
XXIV. Nor could the Philosophers ever find any other matter,
which would continually abide the fire, but this only, which is
of an Unctuous substance perfect and incombustible.
- 38 a -
XXV. And this matter, when it is prepared as it ought, will
transmute or change all Bodies of a Mettalick substance, which
it is rightly projected upon, into the most perfect Sol or the
most pure fine Gold; but more easily, and above all other
Bodies, Luna.
XXVI. Decoct first with Wind or Air, and afterwards without
Wind, until you have drawn forth the Venom (or Virtue) which is
called the Soul, out of your matter; this is that which you
seek, the everlasting Aqua Vitae, which cures all diseases.Now
the whole Magistery is in the Vapour.
XXVII. Let the body be put into a fire for 40 days, of Elemental
heat: and in that decoction of 40 days, the Body will rejoyce
with the Soul, and the Soul will rejoyce with the Body and
Spirit, and the Spirit will rejoyce with the Body and Soul, and
they will be fixed together, and dwell with one another, in
which Life they will be made perpetual and immortal without
separation forever.
—39—
—40—
CHAPTER XXXV
A FARTHER EXPLICATION OF THIS MATTER.
I. Our Medicine is made of 3 things, viz.of a BODY, SOUL, and
SPIRIT, There are two bodies, to wit Sol and Luria: Sol is a
Tincture, wherewith imperfect bodies are tinged into Sol; and
Luna tingeth into Luna; for nature brings forth only its like, a
Man a Man, a Horse a Horse and etc.
II. We have named the bodies which serve to this Work, which of
some are called ferment; for as a little leven levens the whole
lump so Sol and Luna, Leven Mercury as their Meal into their
Nature and Virtue.
III. If it be demanded why Sol and Luna, having a prefixed
Tincture do not yet tinge imperfect Metals? I answer: A Child
tho’ born of humane kind, acts not the Man, it must first be
nourisht and bred up till it comes to Maturity: So it is with
Metals also; they cannot show their power and force, unless they
be first reduced from their Terrestreity to a Spirituality, and
nourisht and fed in their Tinctures through heat and humidity.
IV. For the Spirit is of the same matter and nature with our
Medicine: We say our Medicines are of a fiery nature, and much
subtiler, but of themselves, they cannot be subtil nor simple,
but must be maturated, or ripened with subtil and penetrating
things.
—41—
V. Earth or it self is not subtil, but may be made so through
moist water, which is dissolving, and makes an ingress for Sol,
that it may penetrate the Earth, and with its heat make the
Earth subtile; and in this way the Earth must be subtilized so
long, till it be as subtil as a Spirit, which then is the
Mercury, more dissolving than common water, and apt to dissolve
the said Metals, and that through the heat of fire, to penetrate
and subtilize them.
VI. There are several Spirits, as Mercury, Sulphur, Orpi— ment,
Arsenick, Antimony, Nitre, Sal-armoniack, Tutia, Marchisits,
etc. but Mercury is a better Spirit than all others; for being
put into the fire they are carried away, and we know not what
becomes of them: But Mercury, as it is much subtiler, clearer,
and penetrative, so it is joyned to the Metals, and changed into
them, whereas the others burn and destroy them, making them more
gross than they were before.
VII. Now Mercury is of such a subtil nature, that it transmutes
Metals into simple and pure substances as it self is, and
attracts them to its self: But no Metal can be transmuted by any
of the other Spirits, but they burn it to Earth and Ashes: which
Mercury it becomes impalpable, and therefore is called Argent
Vive.
VIII. We take nothing else to subtilize Metals, to make them
penetrative, or to tinge other Metals: Some call it
—42—
Argent Vive, or a Water, an Acetum, a Poyson, because it
destroys imperfect Bodies, dividing them into several parts and
forms; our Medicine is made of two things, viz, of Body and
Spirit: And this is true, that all Metals have but one Root and
Original.
IX. But why cannot this Medicine be made of two compounded
together? I Answer: It may be made of all these together; but
they must be reduced into a Mercury, which would be difficult of
the shortness of Man’s Life: Therefore we take the next matter,
which are the two aforesaid things, viz. Body and Spirit.
X. Some Philosophers say, our Medicine is made of four things,
and so it is: For in Metals, and their Spirits are the four
Elements. Others say true also, That Metals must be turned into
Argent Vive: Here many Learned and Wise Men err, and loose
themselves in this path. Thus far of the matter of which our
Medicine is made, or with which it is joyned: Now of the
Vessels.
XI. The Vessel ought to resemble the Firmament, to enclose and
encompass the whole Work: For our Medicine is nothing else but a
change of Elements one into another, which is done by the motion
of the Firmament; for which reason it must needs be round and
circular.
—43—
XII. The other, or second Vessel, must also be round, and be
less than the outward Vessel: 6 or 7 Inches high, called a
containing Cucurbit; on which you must place an Aleinbick or
Head, through which the Vapors may ascend, which must be well
luted, with Lute made of Meal, sifted Ashes, Whites of Eggs,
etc. Or of Meal, Caix Vive, ana j. part tempered with Whites of
Eggs which you must immediately use: Lute it so well, that no
Spirits may fly away; the loss of which will prejudice your Work
extreamly; therefore be wary.
XIII. The Fornace or Oven must be round, 12 or 14 Inches high,
and 6 or 7 Inches broad, and 3 or 4 Inches in thickness to keep
in the heat the better.
XIV. Our matter is generated through, or by help of the heat of
the fire, through the Vapour of the Water, and also of the
Mercury, which must be nourished; be wise and consider, and
meditate well upon the matter.
XV. Now in order to this Work, there is 1. Dissolution.
2.Separation. 3. Sublimation. 4. Fixation,or Congelation.
5.Calcination. 6. Ingression.
XVI. DISSOLUTION is the changing of a dry thing into a moist
one, and belongs only to Bodies, as to Sd and Luna, which serve
for our Art: For a Spirit needs not to be dissolved, being a
liquid thing of it self; but Metals are
—44—
gross and dry, and of a gross nature, and therefore must be
subtilized.
XVII. First, Because unless they be subtilized through
dissolution, they cannot be reduced into water, and made to
ascend through the Alembick, to be converted into Spirit, whose
remaining foeces are reserved for a farther use.
XVIII. Secondly, Because the Body and Spirit must be made
indivisible and one: For no gross matter joyns or mixes with a
Spirit, unless it be first subtilized and reduced into Argent
Vive, then the one embraces the other inseparably. For Argent
Vive meeting with a thing like it self, rejoyceth in it; and the
dissolved Body embraces the Spirit, and suffers it not to fly
away, making it to endure the fire; and it rejoyces because it
has found an equal, viz, one like it self, and of the same
nature.
XIX. Dissolution is thus done: Take Leaves of Sol, or Luna, to
which add a good quantity of pure Mercury; putting in the Leaves
by little and little, into a Vessel placed in so gentle a heat,
that the Mercury may not fume: when all is dissolved, and the
Mass seems to be one Homogene body, you have done well: If there
be any foeces, or matter undissolved, add more Mercury, till all
seems to be melted together.
XX. Take the matter thus dissolved, set it in B.M. for 7 days,
then let it cool: and strain all through a Cloth
—45—
or Skin; if all goes through, the dissolution is perfect; if
not, you must begin again, and add more Mercury, so long till
all be dissolved.
XXI. SEPARATION is the dividing of a thing into parts, as of
pure from impure. We take our dissolved matter, and put it into
the smaller Vessel which stands in the Cucurbite, well luting to
the Aleinbick, and seting it in Ashes, continuing the fire for a
Week: One part of the Spirit sub-limes, which we call the Spirit
or Water, and is the subtilest part; the other which is not yet
subtil, sticks about the Cucurbite, and some of it falls as it
were to the bottom, which is warm and moist, this we call the
Air. And a third part remaining in the bottom of the inner
Vessel, which is yet grosser, may be called the Earth.
XXII. Each of these we put into a Vessel apart; but to the third
we put more Mercury, and proceed as before, reserving always
each principle or Element apart by it self, and thus proceeding,
till nothing remains in the inner Vessel, but a black pouder,
which we call the black Earth, and is the dregs of Metals, and
the thing causing the obstruction, that the Metals cannot be
united with the Spirit; this black pouder is of no use.
XXIII. Having thus separated the four Elements from the Metals,
or divided them, you may demand, What then is the fire, which is
one of these four? To which I Answer: That
-46-
the Fire and Air are of one nature, and are mixed together, and
changed the one into the other; and in the dividing of the
Elements, they have their natural force and power, as in the
whole, so in the parts.
XXIV. We call that Air which remained in the bigger Vessel,
because it is more hot than moist, cold, or dry: The same
understand of the other Elements. Hence Plato saith, We
turned the moist into dry, and the dry we made moist, and we
turned the Body into Water and Air.
XXV. SUBLIMATION is the ascending from below upwards, the
subtil matter arising, leaving the gross matter still below, as
he said before in the changing of the Elements: Thus the matter
must be subtilized, which is not subtil enough, all which must
be done through heat and moisture, viz, through Fire and Water.
XXVI. You must then take the thing which remained in the
greater Vessel, and put it to other fresh Mercury, that it may
be well dissolved and subtilized: set it in B.M. for three days
as before. We mention not the quantity of Mercury, but leave
that to your discretion, taking as much as you need, that you
may make it susible, and clear like a Spirit. But you must not
take too much of the Mercury, lest it become a Sea; then you
must set it again to sublime, as formerly, and do this Work so
often, till you have brought it through the Alembick, and it be
very subtil, one united thing, clear, pure, and susible.
—47—
XXVII. Then we put it again into the inner Vessel, and
let it go once more through the Alembick, to see whether
any thing be left behind; which if so, to the same we add
more Mercury, till it becomes all one thing; and leaves no
more sediment, and be separated from all its Impurity and
Superfluity.
XXVIII. Thus have we made out of two, one only thing,
viz. out of Body and Spirit, one only congenerous
substance, which is a Spirit and light; the Body, which
before was heavy and fixed, ascending upwards, is become
light and volatile, and a mere Spirit: Thus have we made a
Spirit out of a Body, we must now make a Body out of a
Spirit, which is the one thing.
XXIX. FIXATION or CONGELATION’ is the making the flowing and
volatile matter fixt, and able to endure the fire; and this is
the changing of the Spirit into a Body: We before turned the
dryness and the Body, into moistness and a Spirit; now we must
turn the Spirit into a Body, making that which ascenc?d to stay
below; that is, we must make it a thing fixed, according to the
Sayings of the Philosophers, reducing each Element into its
contrary, you will find what you seek after, viz, making a fixt
thing to be volatile, and a volatile fixt; this can only be done
through Congelation, by which we turn the Spirit into a Body.
—48—
XXX. But how is this done? We take a little of the ferment,
which is made of our Medicine be it Luna or Sol; as if you have
10 Ounces of the Medicine, you take but 1 Ounce of the ferment,
which must be soliated; and this ferment we amalgamate with the
matter which you had before prepared, the same we put into the
Glass Vial with a long Neck, and set it in warm Ashes: Then to
the said ferment, add the said Spirit which you drew through the
Alembick, so much as may overtop it the height of 2 or 3 Inches;
put to it a good fire for 3 days, then will the dissolved Body
find its Companion, and they will embrace each other.
XXXI. Then the gross ferment, laying hold of the subtil
ferment, attracts the same, joyns it self with it, and will not
let it go; and the dissolved Body, which is now subtil, keeps
the Spirit, for that they are of equal subtilty, and like one to
another; and are become so one and the same thing, that the fire
can never be able to separate them any more.
XXXII. By this means you come to make one thing like another;
the ferment becomes the abiding place of the subtil
body, and the subtil body the habitation of the Spirit,
that it may not fly away. Then we make a Fire for a Week,
more or less, till we see the matter congealed: which time
is longer or shorter, according to the condition of the
Vessel, Furnaces, and Fires you make use of.
—49—
XXXIII. When you see the Matter Coag~1ated, put of the above
said Matter or Spirit to it, to over top it two or three inches,
which digest as before, till it be coagulated also, and thus
proceed, till all the Matter or Spirit be congealed. This Secret
of the Congelation, the Philosophers have consealed in their
Books, none of them that we know of having disclosed it, except
only Larkalix, who composed it in many Chapters; and also
revealed it unto me, without any Reservation or Deceipt.
XXXIV. CALCINATION, We take the known Matter, and put it into
a Vesica, setting a Head upon it, and luting it well, put it
into a Sand Furnace, making a continued great Fire for a Week:
then the Volatile ascends into the Alembeck which we call Avis
Hermeti~ that which remains in the bottome of the Glass, is like
Ashes or sifted Earth, called, the Philosophers Earth, out of
which they make their Foundation, and out of which they make
their increase or augmentation, through heat and moisture.
XXXV. This Earth is composed of four Elements, but are not
contrary one to another, for their contrariety is changed to an
agreement, unto an homogene and uniform nature: Then we take the
moist part, and reserve it a part to a farther use. This Earth,
or Ashes, (which is a very fixed thing) we put into a very
strong Earthen Pot or Crucible, to which we lute its Cover, and
set it in a calcining Fornace, or Reverberatory, for 3 days, so
that it
—50—
always red hot: Thus we make of a Stone, a white Caix; and of
things of an earthy and watery nature, a fiery nature:
For every Calx is of a fiery nature, which is hot and dry.
XXXVI. We have brought things to the nature of fire; we must
now further subtilize the four Elements; we take apart, a small
quantity of this Caix, viz, a fourth part:
The other we set to dissolve with a good quantity of fresh
Mercury, even as we had done formerly (in all the Processes of
the aforegoing Paragraphs) and so proceed on from time to time,
till it is wholly dissolved.
XXXVII. Now that you may change the fixt into a Volatile, that
is, Fire into Water, know, that the which was of the nature of
Fire, is now become the nature of Water; and the fixt thereby is
made volatile and very subtil. Take of this water one part, put
it to the reserved Caix; and add to it as much of the water, as
may over top the Caix 2 or 3 Inches, making a fire under it for
3 days; thus it congeals sooner than at first, for Caix is hot
and dry, and drinks up the humidity greedily.
XXXVIII. This Congelation must be continued till all be quite
congealed; afterwards you must calcine it as formerly; being
quite calcined, it is called the quintessence, because it is of
a more subtil nature than fire, and because of the Transmutation
formerly made. All this being done
—50 a—
our Medicine is finished, and nothing but Ingression is wanting,
viz, that the matter may have an Ingress into Imperfect Metals.
XXXIX. Plato, and many other Philosophers, began this Work
again, with dissolving, subliming, or subtilizing, congealing,
and calcining, as at first. But this our Medicine, which we call
a ferment, transmutes Mercury into its own nature, in which it
is dissolved and sublimed. They say also, our Medicine
transmutes infinitely imperfect Metals, and that he who attains
once to the perfection of it, shall never have any need to make
more, all which is Philosophically to be understood, as to the
first Original Work.
XL. Seeing then that our Medicine transmutes imperfect Metals
into Sol and Luna, according to the nature and form of the
matter out of which it is made; therefore we now a second time
say, That this our Medicine is of that nature, that it
transmutes or changes, converts, divides asunder like fire, and
is of a more subtil nature than fire, being of the nature of a
quintessence as aforesaid, converting Mercury, which is an
imperfect substance, into its own nature, turning the grossness
of Metal into Dust and Ashes, as you see fire, which does not
turn all things into its nature, but that which is homogene with
it, turning the heterogene matter into Ashes.
—51—
XLI. We have taught how a Body is to be changed into a Spirit;
and again how the Spirit is to be turned into a Body, viz, how
the fixed is made volatile, and the volatile fixed again: How
the Earth is turned into Water and Air, and the Air into Fire,
and the Fire into Earth again: Then the Earth into Fire, and the
Fire into Air, and the Air into Water; and the Water again into
Earth. Now the Earth which was of the nature of Fire, is brought
to the nature of a quintessence.
XLII. Thus we have taught the ways of transmuting, performed
through heat and moisture; making out of a dry a moist thing,
and out of a moist a dry one: otherwise Natures which are of
several Properties, or Families, could not be brought to one
uniform thing, if the one should be turned into the others
nature.
XLIII. And this is the perfection of the matter according to the
advice of the Philosopher: Ascend from the Earth in Heaven and
descend from the Heaven to the Earth; to the intent to make the
body which is Earth, into a Spirit which is subtil, and then to
reduce that Spirit into a Body again which is gross, changing
one Element into another, as Earth into Water, Water into Air,
Air into Fire; and Fire again into Water, and Water into Fire:
and that into a more subtil Nature and quintescence. Thus have
you accomplished the Treasure of the whole World.
—52—
XLIV. INGRESSION . Take Sulphur Vive, Melt it in an Earthen
Vessel well glazed, and put to it a strong Lye made of Calx vive
and Pot Ashes: Boyl gentle together, so will an Oyl swim on the
top, which take and keep: Having enough of it, mix it with Sand,
distil it through an Alembick or Retort, so long till it becomes
incombustible. With this Oyl we imbibe Our Medicine, which will
be like Soap, then we distil by an Aleinbick, and cohobate 3 or
4 times, adding more Oyl to it, if it be not imbibed enough.
XLV. Being thus imbibed, put fire under it, that the moisture
may Vanish, and the Medicine be fit and fusible, as the body of
Glass. Then take the Avis Hermetis before reserved, and put it
to it Gradatim, till it all becomes perfectly fixt.
XLVI. Now according to Avlcen, it is not possible to convert or
transmute Metals, unless they be reduced to their first Matter;
then by the help of Art they are transmuted into another Metal.
The Aichymist does like the Physitian, who first Purges off the
Corrupt or Morbisick Matter, the Enemy to Mans Health, and then
administers a Cordial to restore the Vital Powers: So we first
Purge the Mercury and Sulphur in Metals, and then strengthen the
Heavenly Elements in them, according to their various
Preparations.
—53—
XLVII. This Nature works farther by the help of Art, as her
Instrument; and really makes the most pure and fine Sol and
Luna: for as the heavenly Elemental Virtues work in natural
Vessels; even so do the artifical, being made uniform, agreeable
with nature; and as nature works by means of the heats of Fire
and of the Bodies, so also Art worketh by a like temperate and
proportionate fire, by the moving and living virtue in the
matter.
XLVIII. For the heavenly virtue, mixed with it at first, and
inclinable to this or that is furthered by Art: Heavenly Virtues
are communicated to their Subjects, as it is in all natural
things, chiefly in things generated by putrefaction, where the
Astral Influences are apparent according to the capacity of the
matter.
XLIX. The Aichymist imitates the same thing, destroying one form
to beget another, and his Operations are best when they are
according to nature, as by purifying the Sulphur, by digesting,
subliming and purging Argent Vive, by an exact mixtion, with a
Metalick matter; and thus out of their Principles, the form of
every Metal is produced.
L. The power and virtue of the converting Element must prevail,
that the parts of it may appear in the converted Element; and
being thus mixed with the Elementated thing, then that Element
will have that matter which made it an Element, and the virtue
of the other converting Element will be predominant and remain;
this is the great Arcanum of the whole Art.
-54-
CHAPTER XXXV I
THE KEY WHICH OPENS THE MYSTERY OF THIS GRAND
ELIXIR.
I. This is the true Copy of a Writing found in a Coffin
upon the Breast of a Religious Man, by a Soldier making a
Grave at Ostend, to bury some slain Soldiers, Anno 1450.
II. My Dear Brother, if you intend to follow or study the Art of
Aichymie, and work in it, let me give you warning, that you
follow not the literal prescripts of Arnoldus nor Raymundus, nor
indeed of most other Philosophers, for in all their Books they
have delivered nothing but figuratively; so that Men not only
loose their time, but their Money also.
III. I my self have studied in these Books for more than 30
Years, and never could find out the Secret or Mistery by them:
But at length, through the goodness of God, I have found out one
Tincture, which is good, true, and absolutely certain, and has
restored to me my Credit and Reputation.
IV. Now knowing (as I do) how much time you have lost, and what
Wealth you have consumed being touched with it, as a Friend; and
in regard of our faithful promise to each other in our
beginning, to participate each of others Fortunes, I have
thought it fit, here to perswade you, not to loose your self any
longer in the Books of the Philosophers, but to put you in the
right way, which after long Wanderings I
—55—
have found out, and now at this present, I on my Death Bed
bequeath you.
V. I advise you to take nothing from it, nor add any thing to
it; but to do just as I have set it down, and observe these
following directions; so will you succeed and prosper in the
work.
VI. First, Never work with a great Man, lest your life come into
danger. 2. Let your Earthen Vessels be well made and strong lest
you lost your Medicine. 3. Learn to know all your Materials,
that you be not cheated with that which is sophisticate and
nothing worth. 4. Let your Fire be neither stronger nor softer,
but what is fit, and just as I have here directed. 5. Let the
Bellows and all the other Materials be your own. 6. Let no man
come where you Work, and seem Ignorant to all such as shall
enquire any thing of you touching the Secret. 7. Learn to know
Metals well, especially Gold and Silver; and put them not into
the Work till they be first purified by your own hands, as fine
as may be. 8. Reveal not this Secret to any one, but let this
Writing be Buried with you, giving a confirmed charge concerning
the same to him you Trust. 9. Get a Servant that may be Trusty
and Secret, and of a good Spirit, to attend you, but never leave
him alone. 10. Lastly, when you have ended the Work, be Kind and
Generous, Charitable to the Poor, publick Spirited, and return
your Tribute of Thanks to the Great and most Merciful God, the
Giver of all good Things.
—56—
VII. Take mineral Quick Silver three pounds (made neither of
Lead nor Tin) and cause an Earthen Pot to be made, well burned
the first time: glaze it all over except the bottom, the which
anoint with hogs Grease, and it will not Glaze. This is done,
that the Earth of the Quick Silver may sink to the bottom of the
Pot, which it would not do, being glazed, nor become Earth
again.
VIII. The Pot must be made a good foot long, of the Fashion of
an Urinal, with a Pipe in the midst of it: The Fornace must be
made on purpose, that the Pot may go in close to the sides of
the Mouth of the Furnace: Set on the Pot a good great Cap or
Head, with its Receiver, without Luting of it, give it a good
fire of Coals, till the Pot be all on fire and very red; then
take the fire out quickly, and put in the Quick Silver at the
Pipe, and then with as much hast as you can, stop it close with
Lute.
IX. Then will the Quick Silver by the heat and force it finds,
both Break and Work; a part thereof you shall see in the Water,
as it were a few drops; and a part will stick to the bottom of
the Pot in black Earth: Now let the Pot cool within the Fornace,
as it is, then open it, and you shall find the Quick Silver in
it all Black, which you must take out, and wash very clean, and
the Pot also.
—57—
X. As for the Water which does distil out, put it a side, or
cast it away, for it is nothing worth, because it is all Flegm.
Set the Pot into the Fornace again, and make it red hot; put in
the Quick Silver lute well the Pipe, and do as you did the first
time, and do this so often, until the Mercury becomes no more
black, which will be in ten or eleven times.
XI. Then take it out, and you shall find the Mercury to be
without Flegm, but joyned with Earth, of which two Qualities it
must be freed, being Enemies to Nature; thus the Quick Silver
will remain pure, in color Caelestial like to Azure, which you
may know by this sign, viz. Take a piece of Iron, heat it red
hot, and quench it in this Mercury, and it will become soft and
white, like Luna.
XII. Then put the Mercury into a Retort of Glass, between two
Cups, so that it touches neither bottom nor sides of the Cups,
and make a good fire under it, and lay Embers on the top, the
better to keep the heat of the fire; and in Forty hours the
Mercury will Distil into a slimy Water (hanging together) which
will neither wet your Hands, nor any other thing, but Metals
only.
XIII. This is the true Aqua Vitae of the Philosophers; the true
Spirit so many have sought for, and which has been desired of
all Wise Men, which is called the Essence.
—58—
quintessence, Powers, Spirit, Substance, Water~and Mixture of
Mercury, and by many other the like Names, without strange
things, and without offence to any Man.
XIV. Save well this precious Liquor or Water, obscured by all
Philosophers, for without it you can do no good or perfect Work:
Let all other things go, and keep this only; for any one that
sees this Water, if he has any Practice or Knowledge, will hold
to it, for it is Precious and worth a Treasure.
XV. Now resteth to make the Soul, which is the perfection of the
Red~, without which you can neither make Sol. nor Luna, which
shall be Pure and Perfect: With this Spirit you may make things
Apparent and Fair, yea, most True and Perfect; all Philosophers
affirm that the Soul is the substance, which sustains and
preserves the Body, making it Perfect as long as it is in it.
XVI. Our Body must have a Soul, otherwise it would neither move
nor work; for which reason you must consider and understand,
that all Metals are compounded of Mercury and Sulphur, Matter
and Form; Mercury is the Matter, and Sulphur is the Form.
According to the pureness of Mercury and Sulphur, such is the
Influence they assume.
—59—
XVII. Thus Sol is engendred of most pure fine Mercury, and a
pure red Sulphur, by the Influence of the Sun; and Luna is made
of a pure fine Mercury, and a pure white Sulphur by the
Influence of the Moon.
XVIII. Thence it is that Luna is more pure than the other
five Metals, which have need of cleansing; being cleansed, they
need but onely the pure Sulphur, with the help of Sol and Luna,
Sulphur is the Form of SOl and L.una, and the other Metals; their
other parts are gross matters of Sulphur and Mercury.
XIX. Husband—Men know many times more than we do: They when
they reap their Corn growing on the Earth, gather it with the
Straw and Ears. The Straw and Ears are the Matter, but the Corn
or Grain is the Form or Soul.
XX. Now when they sow their Corn, when they sow not the
Matter, which is the Straw and the Chaff, but the Corn or
Grain, which is the Form or Soul: So if we will reap Sol or
Luna, we must use their Form or Soul, and not the
Matter.
XXI. The Form or Soul is made by Gods help, after this
manner. You must make a good Sublimate, that is seven times
sublimed, the last time of the seven you must sublime it with
Cinnaber without Vitriol, and it will be a certain Quintessence
of the Sulphur of that Antimony.
—60—
XXII. When this is done, take of the finest Sol one Ounce,
or of the finest Luna as much, file it very fine, or else take
leaf Gold or Silver; then take of the aforesaid Sublimate four
Ounces; sublime them together for the space of Sixteen hours;
then let it cool again, and mix them all together, and sublime
again: Do this four times, and the fourth time, it will have a
certain Rundle, like unto the Matter of the White Rose,
transparent and most clear as any Orient Pearl, weighing about
five Ounces.
XXIII. The sublimate will stick to the brims and sides of the
Vessel, and in the bottom it will be like good black Pitch,
which is the Corruption of Sol and Luna.
XXIV. Take the Rundle aforesaid, and dissolve it in most
strong Spirit of Vinegar, two or three times, by puting it into
an Urinal, and seting it in B.M. for the space of three daies,
every time pouring it into new Spirit of Vinegar, as at the
first, till it be quite dissolved: Then distill it by a filter,
and save that which remains in the Pot, for it is good to whiten
Brass.
XXV. That which passed the filter with the Vinegar, set upon
hot Ashes, and evaporate the Moisture and Spirit of Vinegar with
a soft fire, and set it in the Sun, and it will become most
White, like unto White Starch; or Red if you work with Sd; which
are the Form, or Soul or Sulphur of Luna and Sol, and will weigh
a quarter of an Ounce, rather more than less, save that well.
-61-
XXVI. Take an Urinal half a foot high, and take of the firm
body five Ounces; of the Soul or Sulphur of Sol or Luna, a
quarter of an Ounce; and of the Spirit four Ounces: Put all of
them into the Urinal, and put on its head or Cover, with its
Receiver well closed or Luted. Distil the Water from it, with a
most soft Fire, and there will come off the first time, almost
three Ounces.
XXVII. Put the Water on again, without moving the Urinal, and
distil it again, until no more liquor will distil, which do 6 or
7 times, and then every thing will be firm. Then set the same
Urinal in Horse—dung seven days, and by the virtue and subtilty
of the heat, it will be converted into water.
XXVIII. Distil or filter this water, with stripes or shreds of
Woolen—cloth: a gross part will remain in the bottom, which is
nothing worth: All that which is passed the filter congeal,
which will be about 4 or 5 Ounces, and save it. When you have
congealed it three times, melt ten ounces of the most fine Sol
or Luna, and when it is red hot, put upon it 4 Ounces (one Coppy
said 13 Ounces) of this Medicine, and it will be all true and
good Medicine.
XXIX. Likewise melt Borax and Wax, ana, one ounce, to which
put of the former Medicine 1 ounce: Put all these upon Mercury,
or any other Metal 3 pound, and it will be
—62—
ost fine Sol or Luna, to all Judgments and Assays. Thus have I
ended this process, in which, if you have any practice or
judgment, and know how to follow the Work, you may finish it, or
compleat in in 40 days.
XXX. An Appendix teaching how to make Aurum Potable. Take
Sal Armonjack, Sal Nitre, ana 1 pound: beat them together, and
make thereof an AR: Then take of the most fine Sol q.v. in thin
leaves, and cut into very small pieces, which roul into very
thin Rowls, and put them into an Urinal, or like Glass, to which
put the AR, so much as to overtop it the depth of an inch.
XXXI. Then nip up the Glass, and put it to putrefie in Sand,
with a gentle heat, like that of the Sun for 3 or 4 days, in
which time it will come to dissolution; then break the Glass off
at the Neck, and pouring off the AR easily and leisurely, leave
the dissolved Sol in the bottom, and repeat this work with fresh
AR, 3 or 4 times, and keep the first water, then put on a Helme
with Lute, and distil off in Sand: Being cold break the Glass,
and take the Sol, and wash it 3 or 4 times in pure warm water.
XXXII. When the Sol is clean from the AR, take of it, and put
it into the like Glasses, with rectified S. V. 2 or 3 inches
above it; put it into putrefaction as before in Sand, stoping
the mouth thereof very close for 3 or 4 days; then put the S.V.
out, which will be all blood red. If any thing
—63—
remains in the Glass undissolved, put in more S V and let it
stand as before. Do this as long as you find any Tincture
therein. This is Aurum Potabile.
XXXIII. But if you would have the Tincture alone, distil off the
S. V. with a very gentle fire, and you shall find the Tincture
at the bottom of the Glass, which you may project upon Luna.
FINIS

26 Jabir ibn Hayyan

Jabir ibn Hayyan is a central figure in Arabic alchemy. Working from about 750 AD he also preserves the Greek alchemical thought but adds to it in several transforming ways.

But there is a problem: he was so popular later in Europe that so many European alchemists write under his name (which transliterated as "Geber") it becomes difficult for us to distinguish the genuine from the later fakes. The real Jabir was interested in much more than alchemy: he was a Pythagorean mathematician, which means he has a definite sense of the divinity of numbers, which makes him a numerologist. When in doubt of authorship, look for numerology; the original Jabir will speak of them often.

As I have studied alchemy, no real effort is made to differentiate the original from the fake: they all get lumped together, and Jabir gets the credit. Geber gets his own page. I've had trouble finding good English translations of the real Jabir.

New ideas attributed to Jabir are these: the mercury-sulfur theory, the variable "degrees" of a furnace heat, he defines the major processes of alchemy (sublimation, descension, calcination, solution, coagulation, fixation, and ceration). We writes concisely and clearly, like Aristotle, which makes him a fan favorite.

I don't have any good translations of the original Arabic, but here is a download of the Arabic version of Selected Treatises.

 Here is an early Arabic catalog of Jabir's work compiled by an-Nadim (987 AD):

§ 10. The Life of JABIR IBN ~YYAN A$-~OFI
and the titles of his works.
He is ABO 'ABDALLAH JABIR IBN ~ YYAN B.'ABDALLAH AL-KOFI,
known as A$-$OFI. People differ about him, for the Shi'ites say that he
is one of their great men and one of the I Gates', and they assert that he was
the companion of ]A'FAR A$-$ADIQ-Peace be upon him!, and that he
was a Kufan. Some philosophers, however, maintain that he was one of
themselves, and that he composed books on logic and philosophy, whereas the
seekers after the Philosopher's Stone assert, that the leading position (in this
Art) in his days was held by him, but that he lived in concealment. They
maintain that he kept roaming about the countries without settling in a place
because he feared the government would attempt his life. It is also said,
however, that he belonged to the circle:of the Barmacides, was devoted to
them and showed respect (especially) to JA'FAR B. YAljYA; for those who
maintain this, say that he means, by 'his master JA'FAR', this very Barmacide,
whilst the Shi'ites assert that he means by this (phrase) JA'FAR A~-~ADIQ
Peace be upon him !t A reliable man who practised the Art. told me that he
(the narrator) used to live in the street of the Syrian Gate, in a lane known as
t Gold Lane '. Now this man"told me that JABIR for the most part lived at Kufa
and, owing to the city's good air, prepared there the elixir. When, at Kufa,
the cellar was discovered in which .a golden mortar weighing 200 rill 36 was
found,·the place-said "thisnian-where they had found it"(the mortar) was the
actual house of JABIR B.'l:IAYYAN, but they found nothing else in the cellar
except the mortar and a place for carrying out (the processes of) Solution and
Fixation. This happened in the days of 'IZZ AD-DAULA IBN MU'IZZ
AD-DAULA (r.356/967.:..367/977). The Chamberlain ABO SABUKTAGIN
told me that he himself went to receive this (treasure).
Many scholars and elders of the Booksellers' Corporation say that this man,
I mean JABIR, did not exist at all, whilst some of them say that, if he really'
did exist, he composed nothing but the Book of Mercy (Kitab ar-Raft.ma) 37,
and that those books (supposed to have been composed by him) were written
by other people and then ascribed to him. But t say that for an eminent man
to sit down, and weary himself out with the composition of a book comprising
2000 folios, fatiguing his talents and thoughts in composing it and (tiring) his
hand and' body in writing it down, and then to assign it to another person,
either real or imaginary-this, I say, is a kind of foolishness. Such a thing
no one w6uld endure; nor would anyone who ·has busied himself with science,
even for a moment embark on it; for what kind of profit would there be in it
and what sort of advantage? (No,) the man (JABIR) really existed.: his
circumstances are too clear and well known and his writings too important and
numerous (for his authorship of them to be doubted).
This man has written books on the tenets (madhahib) of the Shi'ites, which
I shall mention in their (proper) place , and books on various topics of the
sciences which I have already mentioned in their (respective) place in this
book.
t K and 5 have here, according to the custom of the Sh'ites, the formula ' Peace' be
upon him I', whilst Fli1gel's' May Allah be pleased with him ! in his own
books on the Art introduced him as follows t Saith our Master, ABO' MOSA
JABIR IBN I:IAYYAN'.

§ 11. The names of his Pupils 42.
1. AL-KHIRAQI, after whom the Khiraqi Street in Medina is named.
2. IBN cIYAD AL-MISRI.
3. AL-IKHMIMI. .

§ 12. The names of his Books on the Art.
A big catalogue by him exists, which comprises everything he has written
on Alchemy and the other subjects, and there exists also a small catalogue by
him, which comprises only what he has written on the Art; and we shall mention
a number of his books which either we have seen, or which reliable people
have seen and mentioned to us.
1. The First Book of the Ele1nent of the Foundation (ustuquss aI-ass),for
the Barmacides.·
2. The Second Book of the Element of the Foundation, for the same.
3. The Book of Perfection (al-kamal), and this is the third (book addressed)
to the same.
4. The <;reatBook of the One (al-wa1).id).
5. The Small Book of the One.
6. The Book of the Piliar (ar-rukn).
7. The Book of Explanation (al-bayan).
8. The Book of Arrangement (at-tartib).
~. The Book .of Light (an-nur).
10. The Book of the Red Tincture (a~-~ibgh al-~mar).
11. The Great Book oj Ferments (al-khami'ir).
12. The Small Book of Ferments.
13. The Book of Processes based on Reasoning (at-tadibir ar-ra'yiya).
14. The Book known as t The Third'.
15. The Book of the Spirit (ar-ru1).).
16. The Book of Mercy (az-zi'hak).
17. The Book of the Interior Amalga1ns (al-malaghim al-jauwiniya).
18. The Book of the Exterior Amalgams (al-malaghim al-barraniya).
19. The Great Book of the Amalekites.
20. The Small Book (356) of the Amalekites.
21. The Book of the Raging Sea (al-ba1}.raz-zakhir).
22. The Book of the Eggs (al-bai~).
23. The Book of the Blood (ad-dam).
24. The Book of Hair (ash-sha(r).
25. The Book of Plants (an-nabat).
26. The Book 01Completion (al-istifi').
27. The Book of Well-Guarded Wisdom (al-Qikma al-ma$iina) ..
28. The Book of Division into Chapters (at-tabwib).
29. The Book of Salts (al-amlal}.).
30. The Book of Stones (al-a);ljar).
31. The Book of the Chameleon (abi qalamiin).
32. The Book of Construction of the Circle (at-tadwir).
33.. The Book of the Splendid (al-bahir).
34. The Book of Repetition (at-takrir).
35. The Book of the Hidden Pearl (ad-durra al-makniina).
36. The Book of Gradual Progress (at-tadarruj) " .
.37. The Book of the Pure (al-khali~).
38. The Book of the Encompassing (al-lJawi).
39. The Book of the Moon.
40. The Book of the Sun.
41. The Book of Combination (at-tarkib).
42. The Book of Understanding. (al-fiqh).
43. The Book of the Element (al-ustuquss).
44. The Boo.k of Animals (aI-1}.ayawan).
45. The Book of Urine (al-baul).
46. The Book of Processes, II.
47. The Book of Secrets (al-asrar).
48. The Book of Hiding Mines or Minerals (kitman al-maradin) ".
49. The Book of Quality (al-kaifiya).
50. The Book of the Sky (as-sarna'), i-vii.
51. The Book of the Eart/j (al-arsf), i-vii.
52. The Book of Extracts (al-mujarradat).
53. The Book of Eggs, II.
54. The Book of Animals. II.
55. The Book of Salts, II.
56. The Book of Plants, II w.
57. The Book of Stones, II.
58. The Book of the Perfect (al-kamil).
59. The Book of Praise (al-madl)) X.
60. The Book of Remainders (or Surpluses) of the Ferments (fa~alat aIkhama'ir) 
61. The Book of the Element (al-'un~ur).
62. The Book of Combination, II.
63. The Book of Specific Properties (al-khawa~~).
64. The Book of Reminder II: (at-tadhkir).
65. The Book of the Garden (al-bustan) ZZ.
66. The Book of Torrents (as-suyiiI).
67. The Book of the Spirituality of Mercury (riiQ.aniyat'Utarid).
68. The Book of Completion (al-istitmam).
69. The Book of Species (al-anwat).
70. The Book of the Proof (al-burhan).
71. The Great Book of Substances (al-jawahir).
72. The Book of Tinctures (al-a~bagh).
73. The Great Book of the Perfume (at-ra'i:Qa).
74. The Elegant Book of the Perfume.
75. The Book of the Sperm (al-mani).
76. The Book of Clay (at-tin) a.
77. The Book of Salt (al-mill).) b.
78. The Book of the True (and) Most High Stone (al-~ajar al-l].aqqal-a'~am).
79. The Book of Milks (al-alban).
80. The Book of Nature (at-tabi'a).
81. The Book of Metaphysics (rna ba'd at-tabi'a).
82. The Book of Reflexion (of Light, at-talmi').
83. The Book of the Froud (al-fakhir).
84. The Book of the Submissive (a<;l-9-ari') C.
85. The Book of the Lustre of the Sword (al-ifrind) d•
86. The Book of the Truthful One (a~-~adiq).
87. The Book of the Luxuriant Garden (ar-rauQ.a).
88. The Book of the Flowering One (az-zahir).
89. The Book of the Crown (at-taj).
90. The Book of the Mountains (al-jibal) e.
91. The Book of Preface to Knowledge (taqdimat al-ma'rifa).
92. The Eooks of the Arsenics (az-zaranikh).
93. The Book Ilahi.
94. The Book for Kha#f.
95. The Book for] umhur al-QariJJ,i'.
96. The Book for 'Ali Ibn Yaq#in.
97. The Book of the Sown Fields of the Art (mazari' a~-~ina.'a).
98.. TJu.-,BoDk-frw..'AlU.b.1:LI.slJilq.Ill-Barmaki.
99. The Book of Transmutation (at-ta~rif).
100. The Book of Guidance (al-huda) a. .
101. The Book of the Softening of Stones (talyin al-~ijara) for M an~ur ibn.
A~mad al-Barmaki.
102. The Book of the Aims of the Art (aghrad a~-~an'a) for Jajar ibn YaJJya
al-BarmalH. . - .
103. The Book of the Faint Colour (al-bahit).
104. The Book of the Aim of Aims (gharad al-aghrad) ..
105-12. (Desunt.) - . - .
. These are One Hundred and Twelve Books: and by him thereafter are
Seventy Books, namely:
113. The Book of Divinity (al-lahut).
114. The Book of the Gate (al-bab} h. . .
115. The Book of the Thirty Words (ath-thalatliin kalima).
116. The Book. of the Sperm (al-mani).
117. The Book of Guidance (aJ.-huda).
118. The Book of Attributes (a:;-~ifat).
119. The Book of the Ten (al-'ashara).
120. The Book of the Epithets (an-nu'iit).
121. The Book of the Bond (al-'ahd).
122. The Book of the Seven (as-sab'a).
123. The Book of the Living (al-~ayy).
124. The Book of Government (al-l)ukiima).
125. The Book ~f Eloquence (al-balagha).
126. The Book of Likeness (al-mushakala).
127. The Book of the Fifteen (khamsat tashar).
128. The Book of the Equal (al-kaf).
129. The Book of Comprehensive Knowledge (al-~ata).
130. The Book of the Filter (ar-rawiiq).
131. The Book of the Cupola (al-qubba) i.
132. The Book of Regulation (aq.-9-abi).
133. The Book of Trees (al-ashjar).
134. The Book of Gifts (al-mawahib).
135. The Book of the Necklace (al-mikhnaqa).
136. The Book of the Crown (al-iklil):-
137. The Book of Refined Metal (al-khila~).
138. The Book of the Worthy (al-wajih).
139. The Book of Desire (ar-~aghpa).
140. The Book of Creation (al~khilqa).
141. The Book of the Gift (al-hiba) k.
142. The Book of the "Luxuriant Garden (ar-rau~a).
143. The Book of the Pure (an-na~i').
144. The Book of Criticism (an-naqd)."
145. The Book a/the Pure (at-tahir).
146. The Book of the Night (al-lalla)' .
147. The Book of Advantages (al-manafi').
148. The Book of the Game (al-Iu'ba).
149. The Book of Origins (aI-m~adir).
150. The Book of Collection (aI-jam').
151-2. (Desunt.)
These make Forty out of the Seventy Books, then follow:
15~2. (41-50) Epistles on Stones, I-X, without special nalnes.
Thereafter are by him :
163-72. (51-60) Ten Epistles on Plants, I-X, and further
173-82. (61-70) Ten Epistles on Stones, I-X.
That makes Seventy Epistles .
.Then follow Ten Books as Supplement at the' Seventy', namely:
183. The Book of Emendation (at-ta~Q.iJ;l).
184. The Book of the Meaning (al-ma'na).
185. The Book of E/;UCidation (al-ig~).
186. The Book of Intention (al-himma) (357).
i87. The Book o/the Balance (al-mizan).
188. The Book of Harmony (al-ittifaq).
189. The Book of the Condition (ash-shart).
190. The Book of the Remainder (al-fa<}.la).
191. The Book of the End (at-tamam) m.
192. The Book of the Aims (al-aghrag).

Thereafter are by him, following the former books, Ten Discourses; Namely:
193. Emendations of PYTHAGORAS.
194. Emendations of SOCRATES.
195. Emendations of PLATO.
196. Emendations of ARISTOTLE.
197. Emendations of A.RCHIGENES (Arshighanis).
198. Emendations of ARCHIGENES (Arkaghanis).
199. Emendations of HOMER.
200. Emendations of DEMOKRITOS.
201. Emendations of /JARB! n.
202. Emendations of ours (i.e., of JABIR's own writings).

Then follow Twenty Books with special titles, namely:
203. The Book of the Emerald (az-zumurrud).
204. 'TheBook of the Pattern (al-anmiidhaj).
205. The Book of the Blood of the Heart (Life-Blood or Soul), (al-nluhja).
206. The Book of Secrets (aI-asrar). .
207. The Book of the Distant (al-ba'id).
208. The Book of the Exquisite (al-fadil).
209. The Book of the Cornelian (al-'aqiqCL;.
210. The Book of the Crystal (aI-billaura).
211. The Book of the Resplendent (as-sati').
212. The Book of Illumination (al-ishraq).
213. The Book of Symptoms (al-m.akhayil).
214. The Book of Rivalry (at-tafagul).
216. The Book of Ambiguity (at-tashabuh).
217. The Book of Interpretation (at-tafsir).
218. The Book of Dist~nction (at-tamyiz).
219. The Book of Perfection and Completion (al-kaulaI wa t-tatnatn).
220-2. (Desunt.) .

Then there follow Three Books:
223. The Book of the Secret Thought (a~-eJ.amir).
224. The Book of Purity (at-tahara).
225. The Book of the Aims (al-aghra<J.)Q.

And thereafter Seventeen Books, the first of which is :.
226. The Book of the Beginning of the Perjormance (al-nlubtada' bi r-riyaga).
227. The Book of the Introduction to the Art (al-madkhal iIi ~-!?ina'a).
228. The Book of Suspension of Judgment (at-tawaqquf).
229. The Book of Confidence in the Truth of Science (ath-thiqa bi-~iQ1}.at
aI-'ilm).
230. The Book of Mediation in the Art· (at-tawassut fi ~-~ina'a).
231. The Book of the Test (al-miQna).
232. The Book of Reality (al-1}.aqiqa).
233. The Book of Harmony and Discord (al-ittifaq wa l-ikhtilaf).
234. The Book of Evidence and Perplexity (at-tabyinP wa 1-1}.aira).
235. The Book of the Balances (al-mawazin).
236. The Book of the ObscureSecret (as-sirr al-ghami~).
237. The Book of the Furthest' At~inable End (al-mablagh al-aq~a).
238. The Book of Disagreement (al-mukhalafa).
239. The Book of Commentary (ash-shari}.).
240. The Book of the Aims concerning the Ultim,ate End (al-aghrad fi q
, n-nihaYa).
241. The Book of Thorough Examination (al-istiq~a') .
. 242. (Deest.)

Then follow Three Books:
243. The Book of Purity (at-ta4ara), other than that ment~oned above.
244. The Book of Confidence (ath-thiqa) r.
245. The Book of the Aims (al-ahgra9) B.

Says MUIJAMMAD IBN ISJ:iAQ: JABIR says in his Catalogue: I After
these books, I composed Thirty Epistles with special titles (246-75). .Then
I co~p,osed Four Discourses, namely:
276. TheBook of the First Active (aI-fa-'ila) MobileN ature (at-tabi/a), i.e., Fire.
277. The Book 0/ the Second Active Immobile Nature, i.e., Water.
278. The Book of the Third Passive Dry Nature, i.e., Earth.
279. The Book a/the Fourth Passive Moist Nature, i.e., Air.

Says JABIR: To these books belong Two (other) Books containing the
commentary thereof, namely:
280. The Book 0/ Purity.
281. The Book of Aims (al·aghrad) '.

Thereafter I composed Four Books, namely:
282. The Book of Venus (az-Zuhara).
283. The Book of Comfort (as-salwa).
284. The Book of the Perfect (al-kamil).
285. The Book of Life (al-:Q.ayat).

Thereafter I composed Ten Books according to the opinion (ray) of '
APOLLONIUS (Balinus), Master of Talismans, namely,:
286. The Book of Saturn (Zu1;lal).
287. The Book of Mars (al-Mimkh).
288. The Greater Book of the Sun.
289. The S~r Book of the Sun.
290. The Book of Venus (Zuhara).
291. The Book of Mercury ('Uta-rid).
292. The Greater Book of the Moon.
293. The Book of the Aims (al-aghrad) U.
294. A book known as The Book of 1~herent Virt-ue, of its Essence (kha~~iya t
nafsihi).
295. The Book of'Jupiter (al-Mushtari) 1'.
To him (JABIR, also) belong Four Books on the Hidden Treasures:
296. The Book of the Result (al-1}.a~il)~
297. The Book of the Racecourse of the Mind (In aid an al-'aql).
298. The Book of the Quintessence (aI-'ain).
299. The Book of the Pleiads (or Arrangement) (an-na~m).

Says ABO MOSA (i.e., ]ABIR): I composed 300 books on Philosophy and
1300 books on Automata (a~-!tiyal) after the way of the Book of Taqa#ur W·
'and 1300 epistles on % Crafts (a~-~ana'i(), and War-Engines (alat al-J;,arb\. Then
I compo.sed on Medicine an important book 4& and cOlnposed (other) books
small and large, and I co~posed on Medicine (altogether) about 500 books
as, e.g.:
300. The Book of the Pulse and Anatomy.

Then I composed :
301. The Book on Logic according to the opinion (ra'y) of ARISTOTLE.
Then I composed :
302. The Elegant Book of Astronomical Tables, about 300 folios.
303. The Book of Commentary on EUCLID.
304. The Book of Commentary on the Almagest.
305. The Book on Mirrors.'
306. The Book of. the Greedy (al-jariif), against· which the Theologians
(al-mutakallimftn) wrote refutations. It is also said to' be by Abii
Sa'id al-Mi~ri.

Then I composed. books on AsceticislU (az-zuhd) and sermons (al-mawa'iz),
and I composed books on Niranjiit, and I composed (358) many books ~n
matters that act by their specific properties. Then I composed 500 books to
refute the philosophers; then I composed a book on the Art, known a~ the
Book of the Kingdom (al-mulk), and another book, known as the Book of the
Luxuriant Gardens (ar-riyaq.)

27 What Jabir Said

Okay, I know it's hard to read so much. Here's the short version, as told by me:

Mercury-Sulfur Theory

Plato described the four elements in pairs, Fire/Earth and Air/Water. Aristotle changed the opposing pairs to Dry/Wet and Hot/Cold properties.

Now, draw a line from Wet to Dry. Wet is mercury (argent vive, quicksilver) and Dry is sulfur. On that line is where you find all the metals. At the very center of the diagram is the most perfect substance, gold. The alchemist has one thing to do: start with some metal, and find out where it is on the line, and then create the al-iksir, a substance that, when combined with the metal, brings it back to perfect balance, and thus become gold.

How do you find out where your metal is on that line? Numerology. Take the letters in "iron" and turn them into numbers (any way you want, it doesn't matter how) which express how much sulfur and how much mercury is there. Iron is harder than gold, so it probably has more sulfur than mercury. Calculate the difference to get to 50/50, and make a sample of that material. Mix that material with iron, heat it up, and presto, gold!

Oh, it didn't work? Did you really have the philosopher's stone, or did you fake something up quickly.

In the Jabirian corpus, these qualities came to be called "natures" (ṭabāʾiʿ), and elements are said to be composed of these 'natures', plus an underlying "substance" (jawhar). In metals two of these 'natures' were interior and two were exterior. For example, lead was cold and dry and gold was hot and moist. Thus, Jabir theorized, by rearranging the natures of one metal, a different metal would result. Like Zosimos, Jabir believed this would require a catalyst, an al-iksir, the elusive elixir that would make this transformation possible – which in European alchemy became known as the philosopher's stone.

Wikipedia: Jabir ibn Hayyan

The mercury-sulfur theory is a pretty direct descendent from Aristotle's Meteorology as Aristotle describes the actions of sulfur and mercury in the subterranean generation of metals.

Procedures

The methods and steps of alchemy were defined in Alexandria. Jabir makes it clear what those steps and processes really are, so you can't get it wrong.

Furnaces

Jabir is the first to identify that a furnace can have different temperatures. He called the "degrees" of heat, and there aren't very many of them. First degree heat is the coolest, then second degree heat which is about three times as hot, then third degree heat, which is five times as hot, then fourth degree heat, eight times as hot. Why 1, 3, 5, 8? Numerology!

4

9

2

3

5

7

8

1

6

In this magic square, all rows, columns, and diagonals add to 14. The bolded digits add to 28, and the remaining digits are 1, 3, 5 and 8. Jabir says all things in the world are governed by the number 17, the sum of 1+3+5+8.

One way in which Jabir used these numbers was in the application of alphabetical numerology to elucidate the constitution of the metals. Each of the four elementary qualities or ‘natures’ was supposed by him to have four degrees and seven subdivisions, giving a total of 28 × 4, i.e., 112, ‘positions’. The letters of the Arabic alphabet, 28 in all, were assigned to the subdivisions of heat, coldness, dryness, and humidity, and the scheme was extended to the values of the four degrees according to the series 1, 3, 5, 8. The degrees and subdivisions were equated to weights on the Arabic system of 2 qirats = 1 danaq, 6 danaqs = 1 dirham, and a table was constructed in which, for example, the letter b denoted, in the second degree of coldness, a weight of 3 1/2 dirhams; in the fourth degree b corresponded to a weight of 9 1/2 dirhams. The remaining letters were similarly calibrated.

It was mentioned earlier that Jabir distinguished between the external and the internal composition of a metal. One reason for this distinction can be found in the figures just elicited. Metals are composed of heat, coldness, dryness, and humidity, but there is a limiting condition: opposing ‘natures’ are in the ratio of either 1 : 3 or 5 : 8 or vice versa. The figures for lead, however, do not agree with these ratios, and the difficulty is even greater with fidda, silver, when analysed in the same way — it proves to consist merely of heat and coldness in equal proportions. Jabir was therefore forced to use a further hypothesis, namely that the analysis reveals only the peripheral constitution; the balance must be restored by the constitution of the interior. Hence for silver the total composition, external and internal together, must be arrived at by calculation.

The transmutation of one metal into another is thus an adjustment of the ratio of the manifest and latent constitutions of the first to those of the second, an adjustment to be brought about by an elixir. According to Jabir there are various elixirs suitable for specific transmutations, but transmutations of every kind can be brought about by a grand or master elixir. This grand elixir was itself of two grades, differing only in power, a point illustrated by the story related by an alchemist called Dubais ibn Malik and published by Stapleton. Dubais said,

"I was living at Antioch, where I had settled, and there I had a friend who was a jeweller by profession, to whose shop I often resorted. Now, as we were talking together one day, a man came in, and, having saluted, took his seat. After a while he removed from his arm an armlet which he handed to my friend. It was set with four jewels, and an amulet of red gold was fitted into it. On the amulet was inlaid a clear inscription in green emerald, which read as follows: Al-Hakim bi-amrillah puts his trust in God [Al-Hakim bi-amrillah was ruler of Egypt 996-1020]. I was astounded at the fineness of the jewels, the like of which I had never before seen, nor had I ever thought to see the like in the world, and it occurred to me that this amulet must have been stolen from the treasury of Al-Hakim, or it might have fallen from his arm, and this man had picked it up, since such jewels are to be found only in the treasuries of kings, or among their heirlooms."

It was finally purchased by Dubais for 3000 dinars. Inside the amulet was found a manuscript, pronounced by Dubais, who was acquainted with the shaky handwriting of Al-Hakim, to be in the holograph of that king, containing an account of two ways of making the Red Elixir, according to the method of Moses and the rest of the Prophets as handed down by the Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq. Dubais was successful in carrying out the operations, both of the Lesser Way, whereby an Elixir was made capable of converting 500 times its own weight of base metal into gold, and of the Greater Way, whereby an Elixir was prepared of which only one dirham was required for the conversion of 3000 dirhams of base metal.

Holmyard, E. J. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (p. 77-79). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

Balance

There is an idea which comes out of Arabic mathematics, balance. It's not well-defined by Jabir, but later Arabic mathematicians do a good job describing the balance of expressions, like 1/3 and 2/6 having the same balance. Later, in the 1400's Descartes reads the Arabic writers on balance and creates algebra. Jabir is one of the earliest expressors of the idea of balance. 

In Jabir's ʿilm al-mīzān, The Secrets of the Balance, he attempts to reduce all observations of matter to measurements and proportions. This attempt at empiricism (the idea that the only truths we know are observed directly and measurable) did not catch on.

Organic Synthesis

Jabir describes the first example of making a substance thought to be made only by organisms using lab techniques. The substance in question is ammonium chloride, sal ammoniac. This will remain the only organic synthesis until the 1800's when urea is made in the lab.

Inorganic Synthesis

Jabir is the first to describe the manufacture of nitric acid, the blue-green colors of copper in a flame, the use of manganese oxide in glassmaking, the preparation of steel, dyeing of cloth and leather mordanting with alum (which probably had been known for a millenium, but never described in writing), and the use of varnish to protect both cloth from water and metal from rusting.

28 ibn Umayl

Muḥammad ibn Umayl al-Tamīmī is thought to have written a very important Arabic text, known in Latin as Turba Philosophorum. The title refers to an assembly of the philosophers, mostly the Miletian School philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, Archelaus, Leucippus, Ecphantus, Pythagoras and Xenophanes (most misspelled). Scholarship has this written about 900 A.D.

The Turba Philosophorum

The Epistle of Arisleus, prefixed to the Words of the Sages, concerning the Purport of this Book, for the Benefit of Posterity, and the same being as here follows:

Arisleus, begotten of Pythagoras, a disciple of the disciples by the grace of thrice great Hermes, learning from the seat of knowledge, unto all who come after wisheth health and mercy. I testify that my master, Pythagoras, the Italian, master of the wise and chief of the Prophets, had a greater gift of God and of Wisdom than was granted to any one after Hermes. Therefore he had a mind to assemble his disciples, who were now greatly increased, and had been constituted the chief persons throughout all regions for the discussion of this most precious Art, that their words might be a foundation for posterity. He then commanded Iximidrus, of highest council, to be the first speaker, who said:

The First Dictum.

Iximidrus Saith: I testify that the beginning of all things is a Certain Nature, which is perpetual, coequalling all things, and that the visible natures, with their births and decay, are times wherein the ends to which that nature brings them are beheld and summoned. Now, I instruct you that the stars are igneous, and are kept within bounds by the air. If the humidity and density of the air did not exist to separate the flames of the sun from living things, then the Sun would consume all creatures. But God has provided the separating air, lest that which He has created should be burnt up. Do you not: observe that the Sun when it rises in the heaven overcomes the air by its heat, and that the warmth penetrates from the upper to the lower parts of the air? If, then, the air did not presently breathe forth those winds whereby creatures are generated, the Sun by its heat would certainly destroy all that lives. But the Sun is kept in check by the air, which thus conquers because it unites the heat of the Sun to its own heat, and the humidity of water to its own humidity. Have you not remarked how tenuous water is drawn up into the air by the action of the heat of the Sun, which thus helps the water against itself? If the water did not nourish the air by such tenuous moisture, assuredly the Sun would overcome the air. The fire, therefore, extracts moisture from the water, by means of which the air conquers the fire itself. Thus, fire and water are enemies between which there is no consanguinity, for the fire is hot and dry, but the water is cold and moist. The air, which is warm and moist, joins these together by its concording medium; between the humidity of water and the heat of fire the air is thus placed to establish peace. rind look ye all how there shall arise a spirit from the tenuous vapour of the air, because the heat being joined to the humour, there necessarily issues something tenuous, which will become a wind. For the heat of the Sun extracts something tenuous out of the air, which also becomes spirit and life to all creatures. All this, however, is disposed in such manner by the will of God, and a coruscation appears when the heat of the Sun touches and breaks up a cloud.

The Turba saith: Well hast thou described the fire, even as thou knowest concerning it, and thou hast believed the word of thy brother.

 

The Second Dictum.

Exumedrus saith: I do magnify the air according to the mighty speech of Iximidrus, for the work is improved thereby. The air is inspissated, and it is also made thin; it grows warm and becomes cold. The inspissation thereof takes place when it is divided in heaven by the elongation of the Sun; its rarefaction is when, by the exaltation of the Sun in heaven, the air becomes warm and is rarefied. It is comparable with the complexion of Spring, in the distinction of time, which is neither warm nor cold. For according to the mutation of the constituted disposition with the altering distinctions of the soul, so is Winter altered. The air, therefore, is inspissated when the Sun is removed from it, and then cold supervenes upon men.

Whereat the Turba said: Excellently hast thou described the air, and given account of what thou knowest to be therein.

The Third Dictum.

Anaxagoras saith: I make known that the beginning of all those things which God hath created is weight and proportion, for weight rules all things, and the weight and spissitude of the earth is manifest in proportion; but weight is not found except in body. And know, all ye Turba, that the spissitude of the four elements reposes in the earth; for the spissitude of fire falls into air, the spissitude of air, together with the spissitude received from the fire, falls into water; the spissitude also of water, increased by the spissitude of fire and air, reposes in earth. Have you not observed how the spissitude of the four elements is conjoined in earth! The same, therefore, is more inspissated than all.

Then saith the Turba: Thou hast well spoken. Verily the earth is more inspissated than are the rest. Which, therefore, is the most rare of the four elements and is most worthy to possess the rarity of these four?

He answereth: Fire is the most rare among all, and thereunto cometh what is rare of these four. But air is less rare than fire, because it is warm and moist, while fire is warm and dry; now that which is warm and dry is more rare than the warm and moist.

They say unto him: The which element is of less rarity than air!

He answereth: Water, since cold and moisture inhere therein, and every cold humid is of less rarity than a warm humid.

Then do they say unto him: Thou hast spoken truly. What, therefore, is of less rarity than water?

He answereth: Earth, because it is cold and dry, and that which is cold and dry is of less rarity than that which is cold and moist.

Pythagoras saith: Well have ye provided, O Sons of the Doctrine, the description of these four natures, out of which God hath created all things. Blessed, therefore, is he who comprehends what ye have declared, for from the apex of the world he shall not find an intention greater than his own! Let us, therefore, make perfect our discourse.

They reply: Direct every one to take up our speech in turn. Speak thou, O Pandolfus!

The Fourth Dictum.

But Pandolfus saith: I signify to posterity that air is a tenuous matter of water, and that it is not: separated from it. It remains above the dry earth, to wit, the air hidden in the water, which is under the earth. If this air did not exist, the earth would not remain above the humid water.

They answer: Thou hast said well; complete, therefore, thy speech.

But he continueth: The air which is hidden in the water under the earth is that which sustains the earth, lest it should be plunged into the said water; and it, moreover, prevents the earth from being overflowed by that water. The province of the air is, therefore, to fill up and to make separation between diverse things, that is to say, water and earth, and it is constituted a peacemaker between hostile things, namely, water and fire, dividing these, lest they destroy one another.

The Turba saith: If you gave an illustration hereof, it would be clearer to those who do not understand.

He answereth: An egg is an illustration, for therein four things are conjoined; the visible cortex or shell represents the earth, and the albumen, for white part, is the water. But a very thin inner cortex is joined to the outer cortex, representing, as I have signified to you, the separating medium between earth and water, namely, that air which divides the earth from the water. The yolk also of the egg represents fire; the cortex which contains the yolk corresponds to that other air which separates the water from the fire. But they are both one and the same air, namely, that which separates things frigid, the earth from the water, and that which separates the water from the fire. But the lower air is thicker than the upper air, and the upper air is more rare and subtle, being nearer to the fire than the lower air. In the egg, therefore, are four things- earth, water, air, and fire. But the point of the Sun, these four excepted, is in the centre of the yolk, and this is the chicken. Consequently, all philosophers in this most excellent art have described the egg as an example, which same thing they have set over their work.

The Fifth Dictum.

Arisleus saith: Know that the earth is a hill and not a plain, for which reason the Sun does not ascend over all the zones of the earth in a single hour; but if it were flat, the sun would rise in a moment over the whole earth.

Parmenides saith: Thou hast spoken briefly, O Arisleus!

He answereth: Is there anything the Master has left us which bears witness otherwise? Yet I testify that God is one, having never engendered or been begotten, and that the head of all things after Him is earth and fire, because fire is tenuous and light, and it rules all things on earth, but the earth, being ponderous and gross, sustains all things which are ruled by fire.

The Sixth Dictum.

Lucas saith: You speak only about four natures; and each one of you observes something concerning these. Now, I testify unto you that all things which God hath created are from these four natures, and the things which have been created out of them return into them, In these living creatures are generated and die, and all things take place as God hath predestinated.

Democritus, the disciple of Lucas, answereth: Thou hast well spoken, O Lucas, when dealing with the four natures!

Then saith Arisleus: O Democritus, since thy knowledge was derived from Lucas, it is presumption to speak among those who are well acquainted with thy master!

Lucas answereth: albeit Democritus received from me the science of natural things, that knowledge was derived from the philosophers of the Indies and from the Babylonians; I think he surpasses those of his own age in this learning.

The Turba answereth: When he attains to that age he will give no small satisfaction, but being in his youth he should keep silence.

The Seventh Dictum.

Lucusta saith: All those creatures which have been described by Lucas are two only, of which one is neither known nor expressed, except by piety, for it is not seen or felt.

Pythagoras saith: Thou hast entered upon a subject which, if completed, thou wilt describe subtly. State, therefore, what is this thing which is neither felt, seen, nor known.

Then he: It is that which is not known, because in this world it is discerned by reason without the clients thereof, which are sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. O Crowd of the Philosophers, know you not that it Is only sight which can distinguish white from black, and hearing only which can discriminate between a good and bad word! Similarly, a wholesome odour cannot be separated by reason from one which is fetid, except through the sense of smell, nor can sweetness be discriminated from bitterness save by means of taste, nor smooth from rough unless by touch.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast well spoken, yet hast thou omitted to treat of that particular thing which is not known, or described, except by reason and piety.

Saith he: Are ye then in such haste! Know that the creature which is cognised in none of these five ways is a sublime creature, and, as such, is neither seen nor felt, but is perceived by reason alone, of which reason Nature confesses that God is a partaker.

They answer: Thou hast spoken truly and excellently.

And he: I will now give a further explanation. Know that this creature, that is to say, the world, hath a light, which is the Sun, and the same is more subtle than all other natures, which light is so ordered that living beings may attain to vision. But if this subtle light were removed, they would become darkened, seeing nothing, except the light of the moon, or of the stars, or of fire, all which are derived from the light of the Sun, which causes all creatures to give light. For this God has appointed the Sun to be the light of the world, by reason of the attenuated nature of the Sun. And know that the sublime creature before mentioned has no need of the light of this Sun, because the Sun is beneath that creature, which is more subtle and more lucid. This light, which is more lucid than the light of the Sun, they have taken from the light of God, which is more subtle than their light. Know also that the created world is composed of two dense things and two rare things, but nothing of the dense is in the sublime creature. Consequently the Sun is rarer than all inferior creatures.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast excellently described what thou hast related. And if, good Master, thou shalt utter anything whereby our hearts may be vivified, which now are mortified by folly, thou wilt confer upon us a great boon!

The Eighth Dictum.

Pythagoras saith: I affirm that God existed before all things, and with Him was nothing, as He was at first. But know, all ye Philosophers, that I declare this in order that I may fortify your opinion concerning these four elements and arcana, as well as in the sciences thereof, at which no one can arrive save by the will of God. Understand, that when God was alone, He created four things- fire, air, water, and earth, out of which things He afterwards created all others, both the sublime and the inferior, because He predestinated from the beginning that all creatures extracted from water should multiply and increase, that they might dwell in the world and perform His judgments therein. Consequently, before all, He created the four elements, out of which He afterwards created what He willed, that is to say, diverse creatures, some of which were produced from a single element.

The Turba saith: Which are these, O Master!

And he: They are the angels, whom He created out of fire.

But the Turba: Which, then, are created out of two?

And he: Out of the elements of fire and air are the sun, moon, and stars composed. Hence the angels are more lucid than the sun, moon, and stars, because they are created from one substance, which is less dense than two, while the sun and the stars are created from a composition of fire and air.

The Turba saith: And what concerning the creation of Heaven?

Then he: God created the Heaven out of water and air, whence this is also composed of two, namely, the second of the rarer things, which is air, and the second of the denser things, which is water.

And they: Master, continue thy discourse concerning these three, and rejoice our hearts with thy sayings, which are life to the dead.

But the other answereth: I notify to you that God hath further made creatures out of three and out of four; out of three are created flying things, beasts, and vegetables; some of these are created out of water, air, and earth, some out of fire, air, and earth.

But the Turba saith: Distinguish these divers creatures one from another.

And he: Beasts are created out of fire, air, and earth; dying things out of fire, air, and water, because flying things, and all among vegetables which have a spirit, are created out of water, while all brute animals are from earth, air, and fire. Yet in vegetables there is no fire, for they are created out of earth, water, and air.

Whereat the Turba saith: Let us assume that a fire, with your reverence's pardon, does reside in vegetables.

And he: Ye have spoken the truth, and I affirm that they contain fire.

And they: Whence is that fire?

He answereth: Out of the heat of the air which is concealed therein; for I have signified that a thin fire is present in the air, but the elementary fire concerning which you were in doubt is not produced, except in things which have spirit and soul. But out of four elements our father Adam and his sons were created, that is, of fire, air, water, and likewise earth. Understand, all ye that are wise, how everything which God hath created out of one essence dies not until the Day of Judgment. The definition of death is the disjunction of the composite, but there is no disjunction of that which is simple, for it is one. Death consists in the separation of the soul from the body, because anything formed out of two, three, or four components must disintegrate, and this is death. Understand, further, that no complex substance which lacks fire eats, drinks, or sleeps, because in all things which have a spirit fire is that which eats.

The Turba answereth: How is it, Master, that the angels, being created of fire, do not eat, seeing thou assertest that fire is that which eats!

And he: Hence ye doubt, each having his opinion, and ye are become opponents, but if ye truly knew the elements, ye would not deny these things. I agree with all whose judgment it is that simple fire eats not, but thick fire. The angels, therefore, are not created out of thick fire, but out of the thinnest of very thin fire; being created, then, of that which is most simple and exceedingly thin, they neither eat, drink, nor sleep.

And the Turba: Master, our faculties are able to perceive, for by God's assistance we have exhausted thy sayings, but our faculties of hearing and of sight are unable to carry such great things. May God reward thee for the sake of thy disciples, since it is with the object of instructing future generations that thou hast summoned us together from our countries, the recompense of which thou wilt not fail to receive from the Judge to come.

Arisleus saith: Seeing that thou hast gathered us together for the advantage of posterity, I think that no explanations will be more useful than definitions of those four elements which thou hast taught us to attain.

And he: None of you are, I suppose, ignorant that all the Wise have propounded definitions in God.

The Turba answereth: Should your disciples pass over anything, it becomes you, O Master, to avoid omissions for the sake of future generations.

And he: If it please you, I will begin the disposition here, since envious men in their books have separated that, or otherwise I will put it at the end of the book.

Whereat the Turba saith: Place it where you think it will be dearest for future generations.

And he: I will place it where it will not be recognised by the foolish, nor ignored by the Sons of the Doctrine, for it is the key, the perfection and the end.

The Ninth Dictum.

Eximenus saith: God hath created all things by his word, having said unto them: Be, and they were made, with the four other elements, earth, water, air, and tire, which He coagulated, and things contrary were commingled, for we see that fire is hostile to water, water hostile to fire, and both are hostile to earth and air. Yet God hath united them peacefully, so that they love one another. Out of these four elements, therefore, are all things created- heaven and the throne thereof; the angels; the sun, moon. and stars; earth and sea, with all things that are in the sea, which indeed are various, and not alike, for their natures have been made diverse by God, and also the creations. But the diversity is more than I have stated; each of these natures is of diverse nature, and by a legion of diversities is the nature of each diverse. Now this diversity subsists in all creatures, because they were created out of diverse elements. Had they been created out of one element, they would have been agreeing natures. But diverse elements being here mingled, they lose their own natures, because the dry being mixed with the humid and the cold combined with the hot, become neither cold nor hot; so also the humid being mixed with the dry becomes neither dry nor humid. But when the four elements are commingled, they agree, and thence proceed creatures which never attain to perfection, except they be left by night to putrefy and become visibly corrupt. God further completed his creation by means of increase, food, life, and government. Sons of the Doctrine, not without purpose have I described to you the disposition of these four elements, for in them is a secret arcanum; two of them are perceptible to the sense of touch and vision, and of these the operation and virtue are well known. These are earth and water. But there are two other elements which are neither visible nor tangible, which yield naught, whereof the place is never seen, nor are their operations and force known, save in the former elements, namely, earth and water; now when the four elements are not commingled, no desire of men is accomplished. But being mixed, departing from their own natures, they become another thing. Over these let us meditate very carefully.

And the Turba: Master, if you speak, we will give heed to Your words.

Then he: I have now discoursed, and that well. I will speak only useful words which ye will follow as spoken. Know, all present, that no true tincture is made except from our copper. Do not therefore, exhaust your brains and your money, lest ye fill your hearts with sorrow. I will give you a fundamental axiom, that unless you turn the aforesaid copper into white, and make visible coins and then afterwards again turn it into redness, until a Tincture: results, verily, ye accomplish nothing. Burn therefore the copper, break it up, deprive it of its blackness by cooking, imbuing, and washing, until the same becomes white. Then rule it.

The Tenth Dictum.

Arisleus saith: Know that the key of this work is the art of Coins. Take, therefore, the body which I have shewn to you and reduce it to thin tablets. Next immerse the said tablets in the Water of our Sea, which is permanent Water, and, after it is covered, set it over a gentle fire until the tablets are melted and become waters or Etheliae, which are one and the same thing. Mix, cook, and simmer in a gentle fire until Brodium is produced, like to Saginatum. Then stir in its water of Etheliae until it be coagulated, and the coins become variegated, which we call the Flower of Salt. Cook it, therefore, until it be deprived of blackness, and the whiteness appear. Then rub it, mix with the Gum of Gold, and cook until it becomes red Etheliae. Use patience in pounding lest you become weary. Imbue the Ethelia with its own water, which has preceded from it, which also is Permanent Water, until the same becomes red. This, then, is Burnt Copper, which is the Leaven of Gold and the Flower thereof. Cook the same with Permanent Water, which is always with it, until the water be dried up. Continue the operation until all the water is consumed, and it becomes a most subtle powder.

The Eleventh Dictum.

Parmenides saith: Ye must know that envious men have dealt voluminously with several waters, brodiums, stones, and metals, seeking to deceive all you who aspire after knowledge. Leave, therefore, all these, and make the white red, out of this our copper, taking copper and lead, letting these stand for the grease, or blackness, and tin for the liquefaction. Know ye, further, that unless ye rule the Nature of Truth, and harmonize well together its complexions and compositions, the consanguineous with the consanguineous, and the first with the first, ye act improperly and effect nothing, because natures will meet their natures, follow them, and rejoice. For in them they putrefy and are generated, because Nature is ruled by Nature, which destroys it, turns it into dust, reduces to nothing, and finally herself renews it, repeats, and frequently produces the same. Therefore look in books, that ye may know the Nature of Truth, what putrefies it and what renews, what savour it possesses, what neighbours it naturally has, and how they love each other, how also after love enmity and corruption intervene, and how these natures should be united one to another and made at peace, until they become gentle in the fire in similar fashion. Having, therefore, noticed the facts in this Art, set your hands to the work. If indeed, ye know not the Natures of Truth, do not approach the work, since there will follow nothing but harm, disaster, and sadness. Consider, therefore, the teaching of the Wise, how they have declared the whole work in this saying: Nature rejoices in Nature, and Nature contains Nature. In these words there is shewn forth unto you the whole work. Leave, therefore, manifold and superfluous things, and take quicksilver, coagulate in the body of Magnesia, in Kuhul, or in Sulphur which does not burn; make the same nature white, and place it upon our Copper, when it becomes white. And if ye cook still more, it becomes red, when if ye proceed to coction, it becomes gold. I tell you that it turns the sea itself into red and the colour of gold. Know ye also that gold is not turned into redness save by Permanent Water, because Nature rejoices in Nature.: Reduce, therefore, the same by means of cooking into a humour, until the hidden nature appear. If, therefore, it be manifested externally, seven times imbue the same with water, cooking, imbuing, and washing, until it become red. O those celestial natures, multiplying the natures of truth by the will of God! O that potent Nature, which overcame and conquered natures, and caused its natures to rejoice and be glad! This, therefore, is that special and spiritual nature to which the God thereof can give what fire cannot. Consequently, we glorify and magnify that [species], than which nothing is more precious in the true tincture, or the like in the smallest degree to be found. This is that truth which those investigating wisdom love. For when it is liquefied with bodies, the highest operation is effected. If ye knew the truth, what great thanks ye would give me! Learn, therefore, that while you are tingeing the cinders, you must destroy those that are mixed. For it overcomes those which are mixed, and changes them to its own colour. And as it visibly overcame the surface, even so it mastered the interior. And if one be volatile but the other endure the fire, either joined to the other endures the fire. Know also, that if the vapours have whitened the surfaces, they will certainly whiten the interiors. Know further, all ye seekers after Wisdom, that one matter overcomes four, and our Sulphur alone consumes all things.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast spoken excellently well, O Parmenides, but thou hast not demonstrated the disposition of the smoke to posterity, nor how the same is whitened!

The Twelfth Dictum.

Lucas saith: I will speak at this time, following the steps of the ancients. Know, therefore, all ye seekers after Wisdom, that this treatise is not from the beginning of the ruling! Take quicksilver, which is from the male, and coagulate according to custom. Observe that I am speaking to you in accordance with custom, because it has been already coagulated. Here, therefore, is not the beginning of the ruling, but I prescribe this method, namely, that you shall take the quicksilver from the male, and shall either impose upon iron, tin, or governed copper, and it will be whitened. White Magnesia is made in the same way, and the male is converted with it. But forasmuch as there is a certain affinity between the magnet and the iron, therefore our nature rejoices.) Take, then, the vapour which the Ancients commanded you to take, and cook the same with its own body until tin is produced. Wash away its blackness according to custom, and cleanse and roast at an equable fire until it be whitened. But every body is whitened with governed quicksilver, for Nature converts Nature. Take, therefore, Magnesia, Water of Alum, Water of Nitre, Water of the Sea, and Water of Iron; whiten with smoke.: Whatsoever ye desire to be whitened is whitened with this smoke, because it is itself white, and whitens all things. Mix, therefore, the said smoke with its faeces until it be coagulated and become excessively white. Roast this white copper till it germinates of itself, since the Magnesia when whitened does not suffer the spirits to escape, or the shadow of copper to appear, because Nature contains Nature. Take, therefore, all ye Sons of the Doctrine, the white sulphureous nature, whiten with salt and dew, or with the Flower of White Salt, until it become excessively white. And know ye, that the Flower of White Salt is Ether from Ethelia. The same must be boiled for seven days, till it shall become like gleaming marble, for when it has reached this condition it is a very great Arcanum, seeing that Sulphur is mixed with Sulphur, whence an excellent work is accomplished, by reason of the affinity between them, because natures rejoice in meeting their own natures. Take, therefore, Mardek and whiten the same with Gadenbe, that is, wine and vinegar, and Permanent Water. Roast and coagulate until the whole does not liquefy in a fire stronger than its own, namely, the former fire. Cover the mouth of the vessel securely, but let it be associated with its neighbour, that it may kindle the whiteness thereof, and beware lest the fire blaze up, for in this case it becomes red prematurely, and this will profit you nothing, because in the beginning of the ruling you require the white. Afterwards coagulate the same until you attain the red. Let your fire be gentle in the whitening, until coagulation take place. Know that when it is coagulated we call it the Soul, and it is more quickly converted from nature into nature. This, therefore, is sufficient for those who deal with the Art of Coins, because one thing makes it but many operate therein. For ye need not a number of things, but one thing only, which in each and every grade of your work is changed into another nature.

The Turba saith: Master, if you speak as the Wise have spoken, and that briefly, they will follow you who do not wish to be wholly shut in with darkness.

The Thirteenth Dictum.

Pythagoras saith: We posit another government which is not from another root, but it differs in name. And know, all ye seekers after this Science and Wisdom, that whatsoever the envious may have enjoined in their books concerning the composition of natures which agree together, in savour there is only one, albeit to sight they are as diverse as possible. Know, also, that the thing which they have described in so many ways follows and attains its companion without fire, even as the magnet follows the iron, to which the said thing is not vainly compared, nor to a seed, nor to a matrix, for it is also like unto these. And this same thing, which follows its companion without fire, causes many colours to appear when embracing it, for this reason, that the said one thing enters into every regimen, and is found everywhere, being a stone, and also not a stone; common and precious; hidden and concealed, yet known by everyone; of one name and of many names, which is the Spume of the Moon. This stone, therefore, is not a stone, because it is more precious; without it Nature never operates anything; its name is one, yet we have called it by many names on account of the excellence of its nature.

The Turba answereth: O! Master! wilt thou not mention some of those names for the guidance of seekers?

And he: It is called White Ethelia, White Copper, and that which flies from the fire and alone whitens copper. Break up, therefore, the White Stone, and afterwards coagulate it with milk. Then pound the calx in the mortar, taking care that the humidity does not escape from the vessel; but coagulate it in the vessel until it shall become a cinder. Cook also with Spume of Luna and regulate. For ye shall find the stone broken, and already imbued with its own water. This, therefore, is the stone which we call by all names, which assimilates the work and drinks it, and is the stone out of which also all colours appear. Take, therefore, that same gum, which is from the scoriae, and mix with cinder of calx, which you have ruled, and with the faeces which you know, moistening with permanent water. Then look and see whether it has become a powder, but if not, roast in a fire stronger than the first fire, until it be pounded. Then imbue with permanent water, and the more the colours vary all the more suffer them to be heated. Know, moreover, that if you take white quicksilver, or the Spume of Luna, and do as ye are bidden, breaking up with a gentle fire, the same is coagulated, and becomes a stone. Out of this stone, therefore, when it is broken up, many colours will appear to you. But herein, if any ambiguity occur to you in our discourse, do as ye are bidden, ruling the same until a white and coruscating stone shall be produced, and so ye find your purpose.

The Fourteenth Dictum.

Acsubofen saith: Master, thou hast spoken without envy, even as became thee, and for the same may God reward thee!

Pythagoras saith: May God also deliver thee, Acsubofen, from envy!

Then he: Ye must know, O Assembly of the Wise, that sulphurs are contained in sulphurs, and humidity in humidity.

The Turba answereth: The envious, O Acsubofen, have uttered something like unto this! Tell us, therefore, what is this humidity?

And he: Humidity is a venom, and when venom penetrates a body, it tinges it with an invariable colour, and in no wise permits the soul to be separated from the body, because it is equal thereto. Concerning this, the envious have said: When one flies and the other pursues, then one seizes upon the other, and afterwards they no longer flee, because Nature has laid hold of its equal, after the manner of an enemy, and they destroy one another. For this reason, out of the sulphureous mixed sulphur is produced a most precious colour, which varies not, nor flees from the fire, when the soul enters into the interior of the body and holds the body together and tinges it. I will repeat my words in Tyrian dye. Take the Animal which is called Kenckel, since all its water is a Tyrian colour, and rule the same with a gentle fire, as is customary, until it shall become earth, in which there will be a little colour. But if you wish to obtain the Tyrian tincture, take the humidity which that thing has ejected, and place it therewith gradually in a vessel, adding that tincture whereof the colour was disagreeable to you. Then cook with that same marine water until it shall become dry. Afterwards moisten with that humour, dry gradually, and cease not to imbue it, to cook, and to dry, until it be imbued with all its humour. Then leave it for several days in its own vessel, Until the most precious Tyrian colour shall come out from it to the surface. Observe how I describe the regimen to you! Prepare it with the urine of boys, with water of the sea, and with permanent clean water, so that it may be tinged, and decoct with a gentle fire, until the blackness altogether shall depart from it, and it be easily pounded. Decoct, therefore, in its own humour until it clothe itself with a red colour. But if ye wish to bring it to the Tyrian colour, imbue the same with continual water, and mix, as ye know to be sufficient, according to the rule of sight; mix the same with permanent water sufficiently, and decoct until rust absorb the water. Then wash with the water of the sea which thou hast prepared, which is water of desiccated calx; cook until it imbibe its own moisture; and do this day by day. I tell you that a colour will thence appear to you the like of which the Tyrians have never made. And if ye wish that it should be a still more exalted colour, place the gum in the permanent water, with which ye shall dye it alternately, and afterwards desiccate in the sun. Then restore to the aforesaid water and the black Tyrian colour is intensified. But know that ye do not tinge the purple colour except by cold. Take, therefore, water which is of the nature of cold, and steep wool therein until it extract the force of the tincture from the water. Know also that the Philosophers have called the force which proceeds from that water the Flower. Seek, therefore, your intent in the said water; therein place what is in the vessel for days and nights, until it be clothed with a most precious Tyrian colour.

The Fifteenth Dictum.

Frictes saith: O all ye seekers after Wisdom, know that the foundation of this Art, on account of which many have perished, is one only. There is one thing which is stronger than all natures, and more sublime in the opinion of philosophers, whereas with fools it is more common than anything. But for us it is a thing which we reverence. Woe unto all ye fools! How ignorant are ye of this Art, for which ye would die if ye knew it! I swear to you that if kings were familiar with it, none of us would ever attain this thing. O how this nature changeth body into spirit! O how admirable is Nature, how she presides over all, and overcomes all!

Pythagoras saith: Name this Nature, O Frictes!

And he: It is a very sharp vinegar, which makes gold into sheer spirit, without which vinegar, neither whiteness, nor blackness, nor redness, nor rust can be made. And know ye that when it is mixed with the body, it is contained therein, and becomes one therewith; it turns the same into a spirit, and tinges with a spiritual and invariable tincture, which is indelible. Know, also, that if ye place the body over the fire without vinegar, it will be burnt and corrupted. And know, further, that the first humour is cold. Be careful, therefore, of the fire, which is inimical to cold. Accordingly, the Wise have said: "Rule gently until the sulphur becomes incombustible." The Wise men have already shewn to those who possess reason the disposition of this Art, and the best point of their Art, which they mentioned, is, that a little of this sulphur burns a strong body. Accordingly they venerate it and name it in the beginning of their book, and the son of Adam thus described it. For this vinegar burns the body, converts it into a cinder, and also whitens the body, which, if ye cook well and deprive of blackness, is changed into a stone, so that it becomes a coin of most intense whiteness. Cook, therefore, the stone until it be disintegrated, and then dissolve and temper with water of the sea. Know also, that the beginning of the whole work is the whitening, to which succeeds the redness, finally the perfection of the work; but after this, by means of vinegar, and by the will of Gcd, there follows a complete perfection, Now, I have shewn to you, O disciples of this Turba, the disposition of the one thing, which is more perfect, more precious, and more honourable, than all natures, and I swear to you by God that I have searched for a long time in books so that I might arrive at the knowledge of this one thing, while I prayed also to God that he would teach me what it is. My prayer was heard, He shewed me clean water, whereby I knew pure vinegar, and the more I did read books, the more was I illuminated.

The Sixteenth Dictum.

Socrates saith: Know, O crowd of those that still remain of the Sons of the Doctrine, that no tincture can be produced without Lead, which possesses the required virtue. Have ye not seen how thrice-great Hermes infused the red into the body, and it was changed into an invariable colour? Know, therefore, that the first virtue is vinegar, and the second is the Lead of which the Wise have spoken, which if it be infused into all bodies, renders all unchangeable, and tinges them with an invariable colour. Take, therefore, Lead which is made out of the stone called Kuhul; let it be of the best quality, and let it be cooked till it becomes black. Then pound the same with Water of Nitre until it is thick like grease, and cook again in a very bright fire until the spissitude of the body is destroyed, the water being rejected. Kindle, therefore, above it until the stone becomes clean, abounding in precious metal, and exceedingly white. Pound it afterwards with dew and the sun, and with sea and rain water for 31 days, for 10 days with salt water, and 10 days with fresh water, when ye shall find the same like to a metallic stone. Cook the same once more with water of nitre until it become tin by liquefaction. Again cook until it be deprived of moisture, and become dry. But know that when it becomes dry it drinks up what remains of its humour swiftly, because it is burnt lead. Take care, however, lest it be burnt. Thus we call it incombustible sulphur. Pound the same with the sharpest vinegar, and cook till it becomes thick, taking care lest the vinegar be changed into smoke and perish; continue this coction for 150 days. Now, therefore, I have demonstrated the disposition of the white lead, all which afterwards follows being no more than women's work and child's play. Know, also, that the arcanum of the work of gold proceeds out of the male and the female, but I have shewn you the male in the lead, while, in like manner, I have discovered for you the female in orpiment. Mix, therefore, the orpiment with the lead, for the female rejoices in receiving the strength of the male, because she is assisted by the male. But the male receives a tingeing spirit from the female. Mix them, therefore, together, place in a glass vessel, and pound with Ethelia and very sharp vinegar; cook for seven days, taking care lest the arcanum smoke away, and leave throughout the night. But if ye wish it to put on mud (colour), seeing that it is already dry, again imbue with vinegar. Now, therefore, I have notified to you the power of orpiment, which is the woman by whom is accomplished the most great arcanum. Do not shew these unto the evil, for they will laugh. It is the Ethelia of vinegar which is placed in the preparation, by which things God perfects the work, whereby also spirits take possession of bodies, and they become spiritual.

The Seventeenth Dictum.

Zimon saith: O Turba of Philosophers and disciples, now hast thou spoken about making into white, but it yet remains to treat concerning the reddening! Know, all ye seekers after this Art, that unless ye whiten, ye cannot make red, because the two natures are nothing other than red and white. Whiten, therefore, the red, and redden the white! Know, also, that the year is divided into four seasons; the first season is of a frigid complexion, and this is Winter; the second is of the complexion of air, and this is Spring; then follows the third, which is summer, and is of the complexion of fire; lastly, there is the fourth, wherein fruits are matured, which is Autumn. In this manner, therefore, ye are to rule your natures, namely, to dissolve ill winter, to cook in spring, to coagulate in summer, and to gather and tinge the fruit in autumn. Having, therefore, given this example, rule the tingeing natures, but if ye err, blame no one save yourselves.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast treated the matter extremely well; add, therefore, another teaching of this kind for the sake of posterity.

And he: I will speak of making lead red. Take the copper which the Master ordered you to take at the beginning of his book, combine lead therewith, and cook it until it becomes thick; congeal also and desiccate until it becomes red. Here certainly is the Red Lead of which the wise spake; copper and lead become a precious stone; mix them equally, let gold be roasted with them, for this, if ye rule well, becomes a tingeing spirit in spirits. So when the male and the female are conjoined there is not produced a volatile wife, but a spiritual composite. From the composite turned into a red spirit is produced the beginning of the world. Behold this is the lead which we have called Red Lead, which is of our work, and without which nothing is effected!

The Eighteenth Dictum.

Mundus saith to the Turba: The seekers after this Art must know that the Philosophers in their books have described gum in many ways, but it is none other than permanent water, out of which our precious stone is generated. O how many are the seekers after this gum, and how few there are who find it! Know that this gum is not ameliorated except by gold alone. For there be very many who investigate these applications, and they find certain things, yet they cannot sustain the labours because they are diminished. But the applications which are made out of the gum and out of the honourable stone, which has already held the tincture, they sustain the labours, and are never diminished. Understand, therefore, my words, for I will explain unto you the applications of this gum, and the arcanum existing therein. Know ye that our gum is stronger than gold, and all those who know it do hold it more honourable than gold, yet gold we also honour, for without it the gum cannot be improved. Our gum, therefore, is for Philosophers more precious and more sublime than pearls, because out of gum with a little gold we buy much. Consequently, the Philosophers, when committing these things to writing that the same might not perish, have not set forth in their books the manifest disposition, lest every one should become acquainted therewith, and having become familiar to fools, the same would not sell it at a small price. Take, therefore, one part of the most intense white gum; one part of the urine of a white calf; one part of the gall of a fish; and one part of the body of gum, without which it cannot be improved; mix these portions and cook for forty days. When these things have been done, congeal by the heat of the sun till they are dried. Then cook the same, mixed with milk of ferment, until the milk fail; afterwards extract it, and until it become dry evaporate the moisture by heat. Then mix it with milk of the fig, and cook it till that moisture be dried up in the composite, which afterwards mix with milk of the root of grass, and again cook until it be dry. Then moisten it with rainwater, then sprinkle with water of dew, and cook until it be dried. Also imbue with permanent water, and desiccate until it become of the most intense dryness. Having done these things: mix the same with the gum which is equipped with all manner of colours, and cook strongly until the whole force of the water perish; and the entire body be deprived of its humidity, while ye imbue the same by cooking, until the dryness thereof be kindled. Then dismiss for forty days. Let it remain in that trituration or decocting until the spirit penetrate the body. For by this regimen the spirit is made corporeal, and the body is changed into a spirit. Observe the vessel, therefore, lest the composition fly and pass off in fumes. These things being accomplished, open the vessel, and ye will find that which ye purposed. This, therefore, is the arcanum of gum, which the Philosophers have concealed in their books.

The Nineteenth Dictum.

Dardaris saith: It is common knowledge that the Masters before us have described Permanent Water. Now, it behoves one who is introduced to this Art to attempt nothing till he is familiar with the power of this Permanent Water, and in commixture, contrition, and the whole regimen, it behoves us to use invariably this famous Permanent Water. He, therefore, who does not understand Permanent Water, and its indispensable regimen, may not enter into this Art, because nothing is effected without the Permanent Water. The force thereof is a spiritual blood, whence the Philosophers have called it Permanent Water, for, having pounded it with the body, as the Masters before me have explained to you, by the will of God it turns that body into spirit. For these, being mixed together and reduced to one, transform each other; the body incorporates the spirit, and the spirit incorporates the body into tinged spirit, like blood. And know ye, that whatsoever hath spirit the same hath blood also as well. Remember, therefore, this arcanum!

 

The Twentieth Dictum.

Belus saith: O disciples, ye have discoursed excellently!

Pythagoras answers: Seeing that they are philosophers, O Belus, why hast thou called them disciples?

He answereth: It is in honour of their Master, lest I should make them equal with him.

Then Pythagoras saith: Those who, in conjunction with us, have composed this book which is called the Turba, ought not to be termed disciples.

Then he: Master, they have frequently described Permanent Water, and the making of the White and the Red in many ways, albeit under many names; but in the modes after which they have conjoined weights, compositions, and regimens, they agree with the hidden truth. Behold, what is said concerning this despised thing! A report has gone abroad that the Hidden Glory of the Philosophers is a stone and not a stone, and that it is called by many names, lest the foolish should recognise it, Certain wise men have designated it after one fashion, namely, according to the place where it is generated; others have adopted another, founded upon its colour, some of whom have termed it the Green Stone; by other some it is called the Stone of the most intense Spirit of Brass, not to be mixed with bodies; by yet others its description has been further varied, because it is sold for coins by lapidaries who are called saven; some have named it Spume of Luna; some have distinguished it astronomically or arithmetically; it has already received a thousand titles, of which the best is: "That which is produced out of metals." So also others have called it the Heart of the Sun, and yet others have declared it to be that which is brought forth out of quicksilver with the milk of volatile things.

 

The Twenty-first Dictum.

Pandolfus saith: O Belus, thou hast said so much concerning the despised stone that thou hast left nothing to be added by thy brethren! Howsoever, I teach posterity that this despised stone is a permanent water, and know, all ye seekers after Wisdom, that permanent water is water of mundane life, because, verily, Philosophers have stated that Nature rejoices in Nature, Nature contains Nature, and Nature overcomes Nature. The Philosophers have constituted this short dictum the principle of the work for reasonable persons. And know ye that no body is more precious or purer than the Sun, and that no tingeing venom: is generated without the Sun and its shadow. He, therefore, who attempts to make the venom of the Philosophers without these, already errs, and has fallen into that pit wherein his sadness remains. But he who has tinged the venom of the wise out of the Sun and its shadow has arrived at the highest Arcanum. Know also that our coin when it becomes red, is called gold; he, therefore, who knows the hidden Cambar of the Philosophers, to him is the Arcanum already revealed.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast even now intelligibly described this stone, yet thou hast not narrated its regimen nor its composition. Return, therefore, to the description.

He saith: I direct you to take an occult and honourable arcanum, which is White Magnesia, and the same is mixed and pounded with wine, but take care not to make use of this except it be pure and clean; finally place it in its vessel, and pray God that He may grant you the sight of this very great stone. Then cook gradually, and, extracting, see if it has become a black stone, in which case ye have ruled excellently well. But rule it thus for the white, which is a great arcanum, until it becomes Kuhul, closed up with blackness, which blackness see that it does not remain longer than forty days. Pound the same, therefore, with its confections, which are the said flower of copper, gold of the Indies whose root is one, and a certain extract of an unguent, that is, of a crocus, that is, fixed exalted alum; cook the four, therefore, permanently for 40 or 42 days. After these days God will show you the principle(or beginning) of this stone, which is the stone Atitos, of which favoured sight of God there are many accounts. Cook strongly, and imbue with the gum that remains. And know ye that so often as ye imbue the cinder, so often must it be desiccated and again humectated, until its colour turns into that which ye desire. Now, therefore, will I complete that which I have begun, if God will look kindly on us. Know also that the perfection of the work of this precious stone is to rule it with the residue of the third part of the medicine, and to preserve the two other parts for imbuing and cooking alternately till the required colour appears. Let the fire be more intense than the former; let the matter be cerated, and when it is desiccated it coheres. Cook, therefore, the wax until it imbibes the gluten of gold, which being desiccated, imbue the rest of the work seven times until the other two thirds be finished, and true earth imbibe them all. Finally, place the same on a hot fire until the earth extract its flower and be satisfactory. Blessed are ye if ye understand! But, if not, I will repeat to you the perfection of the work. Take the clean white, which is a most great arcanum, wherein is the true tincture; imbue sand therewith, which sand is made out of the stone seven times imbued, until it drink up the whole, and close the mouth of the vessel effectually, as you have often been told. For that which ye seek of it by the favour of God, will appear to you, which is the stone of Tyrian colour. Now, therefore, I have fulfilled the truth, so do I conjure you by God and your sure Master, that you show not this great arcanum, and beware of the wicked!

 

The Twenty-Second Dictum.

Theophilus saith: Thou hast spoken intelligently and elegantly, and art held free from envy.

Saith the Turba: Let your discretion, therefore, explain to us what the instructing Pandolfus has stated, and be not envious.

Then he: O all ye seekers after this science, the arcanum of gold and the art of the coin is a dark vestment, and no one knows what the Philosophers have narrated in their books without frequent reading, experiments, and questionings of the Wise. For that which they have concealed is more sublime and obscure than it is possible to make known in words, and albeit some have dealt with it intelligibly and well, certain others have treated it obscurely; thus some are more lucid than others.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast truly spoken.

And he: I announce to posterity that between boritis and copper there is an affinity, because the boritis of the Wise liquefies; the copper, and it changes as a fluxible water. Divide, therefore, the venom into two equal parts, with one of which liquefy the copper, but preserve the other to Pound and imbue the same, until it is drawn out into plates; cook again with the former part of the venom, cook two to seven in two; cook to seven in its own water for 42 days; finally, open the vessel, and ye shall find copper turned into quicksilver; wash the same by cooking until it be deprived of its blackness, and become as copper without a shadow. Lastly, cook it continuously until it be congealed. For when it is congealed it becomes a very great arcanum. Accordingly, the Philosophers have called this stone Boritis; cook, therefore, that coagulated stone until it becomes a matter like mucra. Then imbue it with the Permanent water which I directed you to reserve, that is to say, with the other portion, and cook it many times until its colours manifest. This, therefore, is the very great putrefaction which extracts (or contains in itself) the very great arcanum.

Saith the Turba: Return to thine exposition, O Theophilus!

And he: It is to be known that the same affinity which exists between the magnet and iron, also exists assuredly between copper and permanent water. If, therefore, ye rule copper and permanent water as I have directed, there will thence result the very great arcanum in the following fashion. Take white Magnesia and quicksilver, mix with the male, and pound strongly by cooking, not with the hands, until the water become thin. But dividing this water into two parts, in the one part of the water cook it for eleven, otherwise, forty days, until there be a white flower, as the flower of salt in its splendour and coruscation: but strongly close the mouth of the vessel, and cook for forty days, when ye will find it water whiter than milk; deprive it of all blackness by cooking; continue the cooking until its whole nature be disintegrated, until the defilement perish, until it be found clean, and is wholly broken up (or becomes wholly clean). But if ye wish that the whole arcanum, which I have given you, be accomplished, wash the same with water, that is to say, the other part which I counselled you to preserve, until there appear a crocus, and leave in its own vessel. For the Iksir pounds (or contains) itself; imbue also with the residue of the water, until by decoction and by water it be pounded and become like a syrup of pomegranates; imbue it, therefore, and cook, until the weight of the humidity shall fail, and the colour which the Philosophers have magnified shall truly appear.

 

The Twenty-third Dictum.

Cerus saith: Understand, all ye Sons of the Doctrine, that which Theophilus hath told you, namely, that there exists an affinity between the magnet and the iron, by the alliance of composite existing between the magnet and the iron, while the copper is fitly ruled for one hundred days: what statement can be more useful to you than that there is no affinity between tin and quicksilver!

The Turba answereth: Thou hast ill spoken, having disparaged the true disposition.

And he: I testify that I say nothing but what is true why are you incensed against me Fear the Lord, all ye Turba, that you Master may believe you!

The Turba answereth: Say what you will.

And he: I direct you to take quicksilver, in which is the male potency or strength; cook the same with its body until it becomes a fluxible water; cook the masculine together with the vapour, until each shall be coagulated and become a stone. Then take the water which you had divided into two parts, of which one is for liquefying and cooking the body, but the second is for cleansing that which is already burnt, and its companion, which [two] are made one. Imbue the stone seven times, and cleanse, until it be disintegrated, and its body be purged from all defilement, and become earth. Know also that in the time of forty-two days the whole is changed into earth; by cooking, therefore, liquefy the same until it become as true water, which is quicksilver. Then wash with water of nitre until it become as a liquefied coin. Then cook until it be congealed and become like to tin, when it is a most great arcanum; that is to say, the stone which is out of two things. Rule the same by cooking and pounding, until it becomes a most excellent crocus. Know also that unto water desiccated with its companion we have given the name of crocus. Cook it, therefore, and imbue with the residual water reserved by you until you attain your purpose.

 

The Twenty-fourth Dictum.

Bocascus saith: Thou hast spoken well, O Belus, and therefore I follow thy steps!

He answereth: As it may please you, but do not become envious, for that is not the part of the Wise.

And Bocascus: Thou speakest the truth, and thus, therefore, I direct the Sons of the Doctrine. Take lead, and, as the Philosophers have ordained, imbue, liquefy, and afterwards congeal, until a stone is produced; then rule the stone with gluten of gold and syrup of pomegranates until it be broken up. But you have already divided the water into two parts, with one of which you have liquefied the lead, and it has become as water; cook, therefore, the same until it be dried and have become earth; then pound with the water reserved until it acquire a red colour, as you have been frequently ordered.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast done nothing but pile up ambiguous words. Return, therefore, to the subject.

And he: Ye who wish to coagulate quicksilver, must mix it with its equal. Afterwards cook it diligently until both become permanent water, and, again, cook this water until it be coagulated. But let this be desiccated with its own equal vapour, because ye have found the whole quicksilver to be coagulated by itself. If ye understand, and place in your vessel what is necessary, cook it until it be coagulated, and then pound until it becomes a crocus like to the colour of gold.

 

The Twenty-fifth Dictum.

Menabdus saith: May God reward thee for the regimen, since thou speakest the truth! For thou hast illuminated thy words.

And they: It is said because thou praisest him for his sayings, do not be inferior to him.

And he: I know that I can utter nothing but that which he hath uttered; however, I counsel posterity to make bodies not bodies, but these incorporeal things bodies. For by this regimen the composite is prepared, and the hidden part of its nature is extracted. With these bodies accordingly join quicksilver and the body of Magnesia, the woman also with the man, and by means of this there is extracted our secret Ethelia, through which bodies are coloured; assuredly, if I understand this regimen, bodies become not bodies, and incorporeal things become bodies. If ye diligently pound the things in the fire and digest (or join to) the Ethelias, they become clean and fixed things. And know ye that quicksilver is a fire burning the bodies, mortifying and breaking up, with one regimen, and the more it is mixed and pounded with the body, the more the body is disintegrated, while the quicksilver is attenuated and becomes living. For when ye shall diligently pound fiery quicksilver and cook it as required, ye will possess Ethel, a fixed nature and colour, subject to every tincture, which also overcomes, breaks, and constrains the fire. For this reason it does not colour things unless it be coloured, and being coloured it colours. And know that no body can tinge itself unless its spirit be extracted from the secret belly thereof, when it becomes a body and soul without the spirit, which is a spiritual tincture, out of which colours have manifested, seeing that a dense thing does not tinge a tenuous, but a tenuous nature colours that which enters into a body. When, however, ye have ruled the body of copper, and have extracted from it a most tenuous (subject), then the latter is changed into a tincture by which it is coloured. Hence has the wise man said, that copper does not tinge unless first it be tinged. And know that those four bodies which you are directed to rule are this copper, and that the tinctures which I have signified unto you are the condensed and the humid, but the condensed is a conjoined vapour, and the humid is the water of sulphur, for sulphurs are contained by sulphurs, and rightly by these things Nature rejoices in Nature, and overcomes, and constrains.

 

The Twenty-Sixth Dictum.

Zenon saith: I perceive that you, O crowd of the Wise, have conjoined two bodies, which your Master by no means ordered you to do!

The Turba answereth: Inform us according to your own opinion, O Zenon, in this matter, and beware of envy! Then he: Know that the colours which shall appear to you out of it are these. Know, O Sons of the Doctrine, that it behoves you to allow the composition to putrefy for forty days, and then to sublimate five times in a vessel. Next join to a fire of dung, and cook, when these colours shall appear to you: On the first day black citrine, on the second black red, on the third like unto a dry crocus, finally, the purple colour will appear to you; the ferment and the coin of the vulgar shall be imposed; then is the Ixir composed out of the humid and the dry, and then it tinges with an invariable tincture. Know also that it is called a body wherein there is gold. But when ye are composing the Ixir, beware lest you extract the same hastily, for it lingers. Extract, therefore, the same as an Ixir. For this venom is, as it were, birth and life, because it is a soul extracted out of many things, and imposed upon coins: its tincture, therefore, is life to those things with which it is joined, from which it removes evil, but it is death to the bodies from which it is extracted. Accordingly, the Masters have said that between them there exists the same desire as between male and female, and if any one, being introduced to this Art, should know these natures, he would sustain the tediousness of cooking until he gained his purpose according to the will of God.

The Twenty-Seventh Dictum.

Gregorius saith: O all ye Turba, it is to be observed that the envious have called the venerable stone Efflucidinus, and they have ordered it to be ruled until it coruscates like marble in its splendour.

And they: Show, therefore, what it is to posterity.

Then he: Willingly; you must know that the copper is commingled with vinegar, and ruled until it becomes water. Finally, let it be congealed, and it remains a coruscating stone with a brilliancy like marble, which, when ye see thus, I direct you to rule until it becomes red, because when it is cooked till it is disintegrated and becomes earth, it is turned into a red colour. When ye see it thus, repeatedly cook and imbue it until it assume the aforesaid colour, and it shall become hidden gold. Then repeat the process, when it will become gold of a Tyrian colour. It behoves you, therefore, O all ye investigators of this Art, when ye have observed that this Stone is coruscating, to pound and turn it into earth, until it acquires some degree of redness; then take the remainder of the water which the envious ordered you to divide into two parts, and ye shall imbibe them several times until the colours which are hidden by no body appear unto you. Know also that if ye rule it ignorantly, ye shall see nothing of those colours. I knew a certain person who commenced this work, and operated the natures of truth, who, when the redness was somewhat slow in appearing, imagined that he had made a mistake, and so relinquished the work. Observe, therefore, how ye make the conjunction, for the punic dye, having embraced his spouse, passes swiftly into her body, liquefies, congeals, breaks up, and disintegrates the same. Finally, the redness does not delay in coming, and if ye effect it without the weight, death will take place, whereupon it will be thought to be bad. Hence, I order that the fire should be gentle in liquefaction, but when it is turned to earth make the same intense, and imbue it until God shall extract the colours for us and they appear.

The Twenty-Eighth Dictum.

Custos saith: I am surprised, O all ye Turba! at the very great force and nature of this water, for when it has entered into the said body, it turns it first into earth, and next into powder, to test the perfection of which take in the hand, and if ye find it impalpable as water, it is then most excellent; otherwise, repeat the cooking until it is brought to the required condition. And know that if ye use any substance other than our copper, and rule with our water, it will profit you nothing. If, on the other hand, ye rule our copper with our water, ye shall find all that has been promised by us.

But the Turba answereth: Father, the envious created no little obscurity when they commanded us to take lead and white quicksilver, and to rule the same with dew and the sun till it becomes a coin-like stone.

Then he: They meant our copper and our permanent water, when they thus directed you to cook in a gentle fire, and affirmed that there should be produced the said coin-like stone, concerning which the Wise have also observed, that Nature rejoices in Nature, by reason of the affinity which they know to exist between the two bodies, that is to say, copper and permanent water. Therefore, the nature of these two is one, for between them there is a mixed affinity, without which they would not so swiftly unite, and be held together so that they may become one.

Saith the Turba: Why do the envious direct us to take the copper which we have now made, and roasted until it has become gold!

The Twenty-Ninth Dictum.

Diamedes saith: Thou hast spoken already, O Moses [Custos], in an ungrudging manner, as became thee; I will also confirm thy words, passing over the hardness of the elements which the wise desire to remove, this disposition being most precious in their eyes. Know, O ye seekers after this doctrine, that man does not proceed except from a man; that only which is like unto themselves is begotten from brute animals; and so also with flying creatures.

I have treated these matters in compendious fashion, exalting you towards the truth, who yourselves omit prolixity, for Nature is truly not improved by Nature, save with her own nature, seeing that thou thyself art not improved except in thy son, that is to say, man in man. See, therefore, that ye do not neglect the precepts concerning her, but make use of venerable Nature, for out of her Art cometh, and out of no other. Know also that unless you seize hold of this Nature and rule it, ye will obtain nothing. Join, therefore, that male, who is son to the red slave, in marriage with his fragrant wife, which having been done, Art is produced between them; add no foreign matter unto these things, neither powder nor anything else; that conception is sufficient for us, for it is near, yet the son is nearer still. How exceeding precious is the nature of that red slave, without which the regimen cannot endure!

Bacsen saith: O Diomedes, thou hast publicly revealed this disposition!

He answereth: I will even shed more light upon it. Woe unto you who fear not God, for He may deprive you of this art! Why, therefore, are you envious towards your brethren?

They answer: We do not flee except from fools; tell us, therefore, what is thy will?

And he: Place Citrine with his wife after the conjunction into the bath; do not kindle the bath excessively, lest they be deprived of sense and motion; cause them to remain in the bath until their body, and the colour thereof, shall become a certain unity, whereupon restore unto it the sweat thereof; again suffer it to die; then give it rest, and beware lest ye evaporate them by burning them in too strong a fire. Venerate the king and his wife, and do not burn them, since you know not when you may have need of these things, which improve the king and his wife. Cook them, therefore, until they become black, then white, afterwards red, and finally until a tingeing venom is produced. O seekers after this Science, happy are ye, if ye understand, but if not, I have still performed my duty, and that briefly, so that if ye, remain ignorant, it is God who hath concealed the truth from you! Blame not, therefore, the Wise, but yourselves, for if God knew that ye possessed a faithful mind, most certainly he would reveal unto you the truth. Behold, I have established you therein, and have extricated you from error!

The Thirtieth Dictum.

Bacsen saith: Thou hast spoken well, O Diomedes, but I do not see that thou hast demonstrated the disposition of Corsufle to posterity! Of this same Corsufle the envious have spoken in many ways, and have confused it with all manner of names.

Then he: Tell me, therefore, O Bacsen, according to thy opinion in these matters, and I swear by thy father that this is the head of the work, for the true beginning hereof cometh after the completion.

Bacsen saith: I give notice, therefore, to future seekers after this Art, that Corsufle is a composite, and that it must be roasted seven times, because when it arrives at perfection it tinges the whole body.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast spoken the truth, O Bacsen!

The Thirty-First Dictum.

Pythagoras Saith: How does the discourse of Bacsen appear to you, since he has omitted to name the substance by its artificial names?

And they: Name it, therefore, oh Pythagoras!

And he: Corsufle being its composition, they have applied to it all the names of bodies in the world, as, for example, those of coin, copper, tin, gold, iron, and also the name of lead, until it be deprived of that colour and become Ixir.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast spoken well, O Pythagoras!

And he: Ye have also spoken well, and some among the others may discourse concerning the residual matters.

The Thirty-Second Dictum.

Bonellus saith: According to thee, O Pythagoras, all things die and live by the will of God, because that nature from which the humidity is removed, that nature which is left by nights, does indeed seem like unto something that is dead; it is then turned and (again) left for certain nights, as a man is left in his tomb, when it becomes a powder. These things being done, God will restore unto it both the soul and the spirit thereof, and the weakness being taken away, that matter will be made strong, and after corruption will be improved, even as a man becomes stronger after resurrection and younger than he was in this world. Therefore it behoves you, O ye Sons of the Doctrine, to consume that matter with fire boldly until it shall become a cinder, when know that ye have mixed it excellently well, for that cinder receives the spirit, and is imbued with the humour until it assumes a fairer colour than it previously possessed. Consider, therefore, O ye Sons of the Doctrine, that artists are unable to paint with their own tinctures until they convert them into a powder; similarly, the philosophers cannot combine medicines for the sick slaves until they also turn them into powder, cooking some of them to a cinder, while others they grind with their hands. The case is the same with those who compose the images of the ancients. But if ye understand what has already been said, ye will know that I speak the truth, and hence I have ordered you to burn up the body and turn it into a cinder, for if ye rule it subtly many things will proceed from it, even as much proceeds from the smallest things in the world. It is thus because copper like man, has a body and a soul, for the inspiration of men cometh from the air, which after God is their life, and similarly the copper is inspired by the humour from which that same copper receiving strength is multiplied and augmented like other things. Hence, the philosophers add, that when copper is consumed with fire and iterated several times, it becomes better than it was.

The Turba answereth: Show, therefore, O Bonellus, to future generations after what manner it becometh better than it was!

And he: I will do so willingly; it is because it is augmented and multiplied, and because God extracts many things out of one thing, since He hath created nothing which wants its own regimen, and those qualities by which its healing must be effected. Similarly, our copper, when it is first cooked, becomes water; then the more it is cooked, the more is it thickened until it becomes a stone, as the envious have termed it, but it is really an egg tending to become a metal. It is afterwards broken and imbued, when ye must roast it in a fire more intense than the former, until it shall be coloured and shall become like blood in combustion, when it is placed on coins and changes them into gold, according to the Divine pleasure. Do you not see that sperm is not produced from the blood unless it be diligently cooked in the liver till it has acquired an intense red colour, after which no change takes place in that sperm? It is the same with our work, for unless it be cooked diligently until it shall become a powder, and afterwards be putrefied until it shall become a spiritual sperm, there will in no wise proceed from it that colour which ye desire. But if ye arrive at the conclusion of this regimen, and so obtain your purpose, ye shall be princes among the People of your time.

The Thirty-Third Dictum.

Nicarus saith: Now ye have made this arcanum public.

The Turba answereth: Thus did the Master order.

And he: Not the whole, nevertheless.

But they: He ordered us to clear away the darkness therefrom; do thou, therefore, tell us.

And he: I counsel posterity to take the gold which they wish to multiply and renovate, then to divide the water into two parts.

And they: Distinguish, therefore, when they divide the water.

But he: It behoves them to burn up our copper with one part. For the said copper, dissolved in that water, is called the ferment of Gold, if ye rule well. For the same in like manner are cooked and liquefy as water; finally, by cooking they are congealed, crumble, and the red appears. But then it behoves you to imbue seven times with the residual water, until they absorb all the water, and, all the moisture being dried up, they are turned into dry earth; then kindle a fire and place therein for forty days until the whole shall putrefy, and its colours appear.

The Thirty-Fourth Dictum.

Bacsen saith: On account of thy dicta the Philosophers said beware. Take the regal Corsufle, which is like to the redness of copper, and pound in the urine of a calf until the nature of the Corsufle is converted, for the true nature has been hidden in the belly of the Corsufle.

The Turba saith: Explain to posterity what the nature is.

And he: A tingeing spirit which it hath from permanent water, which is coin-like, and coruscates.

And they: Shew, therefore, how it is extracted.

And he: It is pounded, and water is poured upon it seven times until it absorbs the whole humour, and receives a force which is equal to the hostility of the fire; then it is called rust. Putrefy the same diligently until it becomes a spiritual powder, of a colour like burnt blood, which the fire overcoming hath introduced into the receptive belly of Nature, and hath coloured with an indelible colour. This, therefore, have kings sought, but not found, save only to whom God has granted it.

But the Turba saith: Finish your speech, O Bacsen.

And he: I direct them to whiten copper with white water, by which also they make red. Be careful not to introduce any foreign matter.

And the Turba: Well hast thou spoken, O Bacsen, and Nictimerus also has spoken well!

Then he: If I have spoken well, do one of you continue.

The Thirty-Fifth Dictum.

But Zimon saith: Hast thou left anything to be said by another?

And the Turba: Since the words of Nicarus and Bacsen are of little good to those who seek after this Art, tell us, therefore, what thou knowest, according as we have said.

And he: Ye speak the truth, O all ye seekers after this Art! Nothing else has led you into error but the sayings of the envious, because what ye seek is sold at the smallest possible price. If men knew this, and how great was the thing they held in their hands, they would in no wise sell it. Therefore, the Philosophers have glorified that venom, have treated of it variously, and in many ways, have taken and applied to it all manner of names, wherefore, certain envious persons have said: It is a stone and not a stone, but a gum of Ascotia, consequently, the Philosophers have concealed the power thereof. For this spirit which ye seek, that ye may tinge therewith, is concealed in the body, and hidden away from sight, even as the soul in the human body. But ye seekers after the Art, unless ye disintegrate this body, imbue and pound both cautiously and diligently, until ye extract it from its grossness (or grease), and turn it into a tenuous and impalpable spirit, have your labour in vain. Wherefore the Philosophers have said: Except ye turn bodies into not bodies, and incorporeal things into bodies, ye have not yet discovered the rule of operation.

But the Turba saith: Tell, therefore, posterity how bodies are turned into not-bodies.

And he: They are pounded with fire and Ethelia till they become a powder. And know that this does not take place except by an exceedingly strong decoction, and continuous contrition, performed with a moderate fire, not with hands, with imbibition and putrefaction, with exposure to the sun and to Ethelia. The envious caused the vulgar to err in this Art when they stated that the thing is common in its nature and is sold at a small price. They further said that the nature was more precious than all natures, wherefore they deceived those who had recourse to their books. At the same time they spoke the truth, and therefore doubt not these things.

But the Turba answereth: Seeing that thou believest the sayings of the envious, explain, therefore, to posterity the disposition of the two natures.

And he: I testify to you that Art requires two natures, for the precious is not produced without the common, nor the common without the precious. It behoves you, therefore, O all ye Investigators of this Art, to follow the sayings of Victimerus, when he said to his disciples: Nothing else helps you save to sublimate water and vapour.

And the Turba: The whole work is in the vapour and the sublimation of water. Demonstrate, therefore, to them the disposition of the vapour.

And he: When ye shall perceive that the natures have become water by reason of the heat of the fire, and that they have been purified, and that the whole body of Magnesia is liquefied as water; then all things have been made vapour, and rightly, for then the vapour contains its own equal, wherefore the envious call either vapour, because both are joined in decoctions, and one contains the other. Thus our stag finds no path to escape, although flight be essential to it. The one keeps back the other, so that it has no opportunity to fly, and it finds no place to escape; hence all are made permanent, for when the one falls, being hidden in the body, it is congealed with it, and its colour varies, and it extracts its nature from the properties which God has infused into His elect, and it alienates it, lest it flee. But the blackness and redness appear, and it falls into sickness, and dies by rust and putrefaction; properly speaking, then, it has not a flight, although it is desirous to escape servitude; then when it is free it follows its spouse, that a favourable colour may befall itself and its spouse; its beauty is not as it was, but when it is placed with coins, it makes them gold. For this reason, therefore, the Philosophers have called the spirit and the soul vapour. They have also called it the black humid wanting perlution; and forasmuch as in man there are both humidity and dryness, thus our work, which the envious have concealed, is nothing else but vapour and water.

The Turba answereth: Demonstrate vapour and water!

And he: I say that the work is out of two; the envious have called it composed out of two, because these two become four, wherein are dryness and humidity, spirit and vapour.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast spoken excellently, and without envy. Let Zimon next follow.

The Thirty-Sixth Dictum.

Afflontus, the Philosopher, saith: I notify to you all, O ye investigators of this Art, that unless ye sublime the substances at the commencement by cooking, without contrition of hands, until the whole become water, ye have not yet found the work. And know ye, that the copper was formerly called sand, but by others stone, and, indeed, the names vary in every regimen. Know further, that the nature and humidity become water, then a stone, if ye cause them to be well complexionated, and if ye are acquainted with the natures, because the part which is light and spiritual rises to the top, but that which is thick and heavy remains below in the vessel. Now this is the contrition of the Philosophers, namely, that which is not sublimated sinks down, but that which becomes a spiritual powder rises to the top of the vessel, and this is the contrition of decoction, not of hands. Know also, that unless ye have turned all into powder, ye have not yet pounded them completely. Cook them, therefore, successively until they become converted, and a powder. Wherefore Agadaimon saith: Cook the copper until it become a gentle and impalpable body, and impose in its own vessel; then sublimate the same six or seven times until the water shall descend. And know that when the water has become powder then has it been ground diligently. But if ye ask, how is the water made a powder? note that the intention of the Philosophers is that the body before which before it falls into the water is not water may become water; the said water is mixed with the other water, and they become one water. It is to be stated, therefore, that unless ye turn the thing mentioned into water, ye shall not attain to the work. It is, therefore, necessary for the body to be so possessed by the flame of the fire that it is disintegrated and becomes weak with the water, when the water has been added to the water, until the whole becomes water. But fools, hearing of water, think that this is water of the clouds. Had they read our books they would know that it is permanent water, which cannot become permanent without its companion, wherewith it is made one. But this is the water which the Philosophers have called Water of Gold, the Igneous, Good Venom, and that Sand of Many Names which Hermes ordered to be washed frequently, so that the blackness of the Sun might be removed, which he introduced in the solution of the body. And know, all ye seekers after this Art, that unless ye take this pure body, that is, our copper without the spirit, ye will by no means see what ye desire, because no foreign thing enters therein, nor does anything enter unless it be pure. Therefore, all ye seekers after this Art, dismiss the multitude of obscure names, for the nature is one water; if anyone err, he draws nigh to destruction, and loses his life. Therefore, keep this one nature, but dismiss what is foreign.

The Thirty-Seventh Dictum.

Bonellus saith: I will speak a little concerning Magnesia.

The Turba answereth: Speak.

And he: O all ye Sons of the Doctrine, when mixing Magnesia, place it in its vessel, the mouth of which close carefully, and cook with a gentle fire until it liquefy, and all become water therein! For the heat of the water acting thereupon, it becomes water by the will of God. When ye see that the said water is about to become black, ye know that the body is already liquefied. Place again in its vessel, and cook for forty days, until it drink up the moisture of the vinegar and honey. But certain persons uncover it, say, once in each week, or once in every ten nights; in either case, the ultimate perfection of pure water appears at the end of forty days, for then it completely absorbs the humour of the decoction. Therefore, wash the same, and deprive of its blackness, until, the blackness being removed, the stone becomes dry to the touch. Hence the envious have said: Wash the Magnesia with soft water, and cook diligently, until it become earth, and the humour perish. Then it is called copper. Subsequently, pour very sharp vinegar upon it, and leave it to be soaked therein. But this is our copper, which the Philosophers have ordained should be washed with permanent water, wherefore they have said: Let the venom be divided into two parts, with one of which burn up the body, and with the other putrefy. And know, all ye seekers after this Science, that the whole work and regimen does not take place except by water, wherefore, they say that the thing which ye seek is one, and, unless that which improves it be present in the said thing, what ye look for shall in no wise take place. Therefore, it behoves you to add those .things which are needful, that ye may thereby obtain that which you purpose.

The Turba answereth: Thou has spoken excellently, O Bonellus! If it please thee, therefore, finish that which thou art saying; otherwise repeat it a second time.

But he: Shall I indeed repeat these and like things? O all ye investigators of this Art, take our copper; place with the first part of the water in the vessel; cook for forty days; purify from all uncleanliness; cook further until its days be accomplished, and it become a stone having no moisture. Then cook until nothing remains except faeces. This done, cleanse seven times, wash with water, and when the water is used up leave it to putrefy in its vessel, so long as may seem desirable to your purpose. But the envious called this composition when it is turned into blackness that which is sufficiently black, and have said: Rule the same with vinegar and nitre. But that which remained when it had been whitened they called sufficiently white, and ordained that it should be ruled with permanent water. Again, when they called the same sufficiently red, they ordained that it should be ruled with water and fire until it became red.

The Turba answereth: Show forth unto posterity what they intended by these things.

And he: They called it Ixir satis, by reason of the variation of its colours. In the work, however, there is neither variety, multiplicity, nor opposition of substances; it is necessary only to make the black copper white and then red. However, the truth-speaking Philosophers had no other intention than that of liquefying, pounding, and cooking Ixir until the stone should become like unto marble in its splendour. Accordingly, the envious again said: Cook the same with vapour until the stone becomes coruscating by reason of its brilliancy. But when ye see it thus, it is, indeed, the most great Arcanum. Notwithstanding, ye must then pound and wash it seven times with permanent water; finally, again pound and congeal in its own water, until ye extract its own concealed nature. Wherefore, saith Maria, sulphurs are contained in sulphurs, but humour in like humour, and out of sulphur mixed with sulphur, there comes forth a great work. But I ordain that you rule the same with dew and the sun, until your purpose appear to you. For I signify unto you that there are two kinds of whitening and of making red, of which one consists in rust and the other in contrition and decoction. But ye do not need any contrition of hands. Beware, however, of making a separation from the waters lest the poisons get at You, and the body perish with the other things which are in the vessel.

The Thirty-Eighth Dictum.

Effistus saith: Thou hast spoken most excellently, O Bonellus, and I bear witness to all thy words!

The Turba saith: Tell us if there be any service in the speech of Bonellus, so that those initiated in this disposition may be more bold and certain.

Effistus saith: Consider, all ye investigators of this Art, how Hermes, chief of the Philosophers, spoke and demonstrated when he wished to mix the natures. Take, he tells us, the stone of gold, combine with humour which is permanent water, set in its vessel, over a gentle fire until liquefaction takes place. Then leave it until the water dries, and the sand and water are combined, one with another; then let the fire be more intense than before, until it again becomes dry, and is made earth. When this is done, understand that here is the beginning of the arcanum; but do this many times, until two-thirds of the water perish, and colours manifest unto you.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast spoken excellently, O Effistus! Yet, briefly inform us further.

And he: I testify to Posterity that the dealbation doth not take place save by decoction. Consequently, Agadaimon has very properly treated of cooking, of pounding, and of imbuing, ethelia. Yet I direct you not to pour on the whole of the water at one time, lest the Ixir be submerged, but pour it in gradually, pound and dessicate, and do this several times until the water be exhausted. Now concerning this the envious have said: Leave the water when it has all been poured in, and it will sink to the bottom. But their intention is this, that while the humour is drying, and when it has been turned into powder, leave it in its glass vessel for forty days, until it passes through various colours, which the Philosophers have described. By this method of cooking the bodies put on their spirits and spiritual tinctures, and become warm.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast given light to us, O Effistus, and hast done excellently! Truly art thou cleared from envy; wherefore, let one of you others speak as he pleases.

The Thirty-Ninth Dictum.

Bacsen saith: O all ye seekers after this Art, ye can reach no useful result without a patient, laborious, and solicitous soul, persevering courage, and continuous regimen. He, therefore, who is willing to Persevere in this disposition, and would enjoy the result, may enter upon it, but he who desires to learn over speedily, must not have recourse to our books, for they impose great labour before they are read in their higher sense, once, twice, or thrice. Therefore, the Master saith: Whosoever bends his back over the study of our books, devoting his leisure thereto, is not occupied with vain thoughts, but fears God, and shall reign in the Kingdom without fail until he die. For what ye seek is not of small price. Woe unto you who seek the very great and compensating treasure of God! Know ye not that for the smallest Purpose in the world, earthly men will give themselves to death, and what, therefore, ought they to do for this most excellent and almost impossible offering? Now, the regimen is greater than is perceived by reason, except through divine inspiration. I once met with a person who was as well acquainted with the elements as I myself, but when he proceeded to rule this disposition, he attained not to the joy thereof by reason of his sadness and ignorance in ruling, and excessive eagerness, desire, and haste concerning the purpose. Woe unto you, sons of the Doctrine! For one who plants trees does not look for fruit, save in due season; he also who sows seeds does not expect to reap, except at harvest time. How, then, should ye desire to attain this offering when ye have read but a single book, or have adventured only the first regimen? But the Philosophers have plainly stated that the truth is not to be discerned except after error, and nothing creates greater pain at heart than error in this Art, while each imagines that he has almost the whole world, and yet finds nothing in his hands. Woe unto you! Understand the dictum of the Philosopher, and how he divided the work when he said- pound, cook, reiterate, and be thou not weary. But when thus he divided the work, he signified commingling, cooking, assimilating, roasting, heating, whitening, pounding, cooking Ethelia, making rust or redness, and tingeing. Here, therefore, are there many names, and yet there is one regimen. And if men knew that one decoction and one contrition would suffice them, they would not so often repeat their words, as they have done, and in order that the mixed body may be pounded and cooked diligently, have admonished you not to be weary thereof. Having darkened the matter to you with their words, it suffices me to speak in this manner. It is needful to complexionate the venom rightly, then cook many times, and do not grow tired of the decoction. Imbue and cook it until it shall become as I have ordained that it should be ruled by you- namely, impalpable spirits, and until ye perceive that the Ixir is clad in the garment of the Kingdom. For when ye behold the Ixir turned into Tyrian colour, then have ye found that which the Philosophers discovered before you. If ye understand my words (and although my words be dead, yet is there life therein for those who understand themselves), they will forthwith explain any ambiguity occurring herein. Read, therefore, repeatedly, for reading is a dead speech, but that which is uttered with the lips the same is living speech. Hence we have ordered you to read frequently, and, moreover, ponder diligently over the things which we have narrated.

The Fortieth Dictum.

Jargus saith: Thou hast left obscure a part of thy discourse, O Bacsen!

And he: Do thou, therefore, Jargus, in thy clemency shew forth the same!

And he answereth: The copper of which thou hast before spoken is not copper, nor is it the tin of the vulgar; it is our true work (or body) which must be combined with the body of Magnesia, that it may be cooked and pounded without wearying until the stone is made. Afterwards, that stone must be pounded in its vessel with the water of nitre, and, subsequently, placed in liquefaction until it is destroyed. But, all ye investigators of this art, it is necessary to have a water by which the more you cook, so much the more you sprinkle, until the said copper shall put on rust, which is the foundation of our work. Cook, therefore, and pound with Egyptian vinegar.

The Forty-First Dictum.

Zimon saith: Whatsoever thou hast uttered, O Jargos, is true, yet I do not see that the whole Turba hath spoken concerning the rotundum.

Then he: Speak, therefore, thine opinion concerning it, O Zimon!

Zimon saith: I notify to Posterity that the rotundum turns into four elements, and is derived out of one thing.

The Turba answereth: Inasmuch as thou art speaking, explain for future generations the method of ruling.

And he: Willingly: it is necessary to take one part of our copper, but of Permanent Water three parts; then let them be mixed and cooked until they be thickened and become one stone, concerning which the envious have said: Take one part of the pure body, but three parts of copper of Magnesia; then commingle with rectified vinegar, mixed with male of earth; close the vessel, observe what is in it, and cook continuously until it becomes earth.

The Forty-Second Dictum.

Ascanius saith: Too much talking, O all ye Sons of the Doctrine, leads this subject further into error! But when ye read in the books of the Philosophers that Nature is one only, and that she overcomes all things: Know that they are one thing and one composite. Do ye not see that the complexion of a man is formed out of a soul and body; thus, also, must ye conjoin these, because the Philosophers, when they prepared the matters and conjoined spouses mutually in love with each other, behold there ascended from them a golden water!

The Turba answereth: When thou wast treating of the first work, lo! thou didst turn unto the second! How ambiguous hast thou made thy book, and how obscure are thy words!

Then he: I will perform the disposition of the first work.

The Turba answereth: Do this.

And he: Stir up war between copper and quicksilver, until they go to destruction and are corrupted, because when the copper conceives the quicksilver it coagulates it, but when the quicksilver conceives the copper, the copper is congealed into earth; stir up, therefore, a fight between them; destroy the body of the copper until it becomes a powder. But conjoin the male to the female, which are vapour and quicksilver, until the male and the female become Ethel, for he who changes them into spirit by means of Ethel, and next makes them red, tinges every body, because, when by diligent cooking ye pound the body, ye extract a pure, spiritual, and sublime soul therefrom, which tinges every body.

The Turba answereth: Inform, therefore, posterity what is that body.

And he: It is a natural sulphureous thing which is called by the names of all bodies.

The Forty-Third Dictum.

Dardaris saith: Ye have frequently treated of the regimen, and have introduced the conjunction, yet I proclaim to posterity that they cannot extract the now hidden soul except by Ethelia, by which bodies become not bodies through continual cooking, and by sublimation of Ethelia. Know also that quicksilver is fiery, burning every body more than does fire, also mortifying bodies, and that every body which is mingled with it is ground and delivered over to be destroyed. When, therefore, ye have diligently pounded the bodies, and have exalted them as required, therefrom is produced that Ethel nature, and a colour which is tingeing and not volatile, and it tinges the copper which the Turba said did not tinge until it is tinged, because that which is tinged tinges. Know also that the body of the copper is ruled by Magnesia, and that quicksilver is four bodies, also that the matter has no being except by humidity, because it is the water of sulphur, for sulphurs are contained in sulphurs.

The Turba saith: O Dardaris, inform posterity what sulphurs are!

And he: Sulphurs are souls which are hidden in four bodies, and, extracted by themselves, do contain one another, and are naturally conjoined. For if ye rule that which is hidden in the belly of sulphur with water, and cleanse well that which is hidden, then nature rejoices, meeting with nature, and water similarly with its equal. Know ye also that the four bodies are not tinged but tinge.

And the Turba: Why dost thou not say like the ancients that when they are tinged, they tinge?

And he: I state that the four coins of the vulgar populace are not tinged, but they tinge copper, and when that copper is tinged, it tinges the coins of the populace.

The Forty-Fourth Dictum.

Moyses saith: This one thing of which thou hast told us, O Dardaris, the Philosophers have called by many names, sometimes by two and sometimes by three names!

Dardaris answereth: Name it, therefore, for posterity, setting aside envy.

And he: The one is that which is fiery, the two is the

body composed in it, the three is the water of sulphur, with which also it is washed and ruled until it be perfected. Do ye not see what the Philosopher affirms, that the quicksilver which tinges gold is quicksilver out of Cambar?

Dardaris answereth: What dost thou mean by this? For the Philosopher says: sometimes from Cambar and sometimes from Orpiment.

And he: Quicksilver of orpiment is Cambar of Magnesia, but quicksilver is sulphur ascending from the mixed composite. Ye must, therefore, mix that thick thing with fiery venom, putrefy, and diligently pound until a spirit be produced, which is hidden in that other spirit; then is made the tincture which is desired of you all.

The Forty-Fifth Dictum.

But Plato saith: It behoves you all, O Masters, when those bodies are being dissolved, to take care lest they be burnt up, as also to wash them with sea water, until all their salt be turned into sweetness, clarifies, tinges, becomes tincture of copper, and then goes off in flight! Because it was necessary that one should become tingeing, and that the other should be tinged, for the spirit being separated from the body and hidden in the other spirit, both become volatile. Therefore the Wise have said that the gate of flight must not be opened for that which would flee, (or that which does not flee), by whose flight death is occasioned, for by the conversion of the sulphureous thing into a spirit like unto itself, either becomes volatile, since they are made aeriform spirits prone to ascend in the air. But the Philosophers seeing that which was not volatile made volatile with the volatiles, iterated these to a body like to the non-volatiles, and put them into that from which they could not escape. They iterated them to a body like unto the bodies from which they were extracted, and the same were then digested. But as for the statement of the Philosopher that the tingeing agent and that which is to be tinged are made one tincture, it refers to a spirit concealed in another humid spirit. Know also that one of the humid spirits is cold, but the other is hot, and although the cold humid is not adapted to the warm humid, nevertheless they are made one. Therefore, we prefer these two bodies, because by them we rule the whole work, namely, bodies by not-bodies, until incorporeals become bodies, steadfast in the fire, because they are conjoined with volatiles, which is not possible in any body, these excepted. For spirits in every wise avoid bodies, but fugitives are restrained by incorporeals. Incorporeals, therefore, similarly flee from bodies; those, consequently, which do not flee are better and more precious than all bodies. These things, therefore, being done, take those which are not volatile and join them; wash the body with the incorporeal until the incorporeal receives a non-volatile body; convert the earth into water, water into fire, fire into air, and conceal the fire in the depths of the water, but the earth in the belly of the air, mingling the hot with the humid, and the cold with the dry. Know, also, that Nature overcomes Nature, Nature rejoices in Nature, Nature contains Nature.

The Forty-Sixth Dictum.

Attamus saith: It is to be noted that the whole assembly of the Philosophers have frequently treated concerning

Rubigo. Rubigo, however, is a fictitious and not a true name.

The Turba answereth: Name, therefore, Rubigo by its true name, for by this it is not calumniated.

And he: Rubigo is according to the work, because it is from gold alone.

The Turba answereth: Why, then, have the Philosophers referred it to the leech?

He answereth: Because water is hidden in sulphureous gold as the leech is in water; rubigo, therefore, is rubefaction in the second work, but to make rubigo is to whiten in the former work, in which the Philosophers ordained that the flower of gold should be taken and a proportion of gold equally.

The Forty-Seventh Dictum.

Mundus saith: Thou hast already treated sufficiently of Rubigo, O Attamus! I will speak, therefore, of venom, and will instruct future generations that venom is not a body, because subtle spirits have made it into a tenuous spirit, have tinged the body and burned it with venom, which venom the Philosopher asserts will tinge every body. But the Ancient Philosophers thought that he who turned gold into venom had arrived at the purpose, but he who can do not this profiteth nothing. Now I say unto you, all ye Sons of the Doctrine, that unless ye reduce the thing by fire until those things ascend like a spirit, ye effect nought. This, therefore, is a spirit avoiding the fire and a ponderous smoke, which when it enters the body penetrates it entirely, and makes the body rejoice. The Philosophers have all said: Take a black and conjoining spirit; therewith break up the bodies and torture them till they be altered.

The Forty-Eighth Dictum.

Pythagoras saith: We must affirm unto all you seekers after this Art that the Philosophers have treated of conjunction (or continuation) in various ways. But I enjoin upon you to make quicksilver con strain the body of Magnesia, or the body Kuhul, or the Spume of Luna, or incombustible sulphur, or roasted calx, or alum which is out of apples, as ye know. But if there was any singular regimen for any of these, a Philosopher would not say so, as ye know. Understand, therefore, that sulphur, calx, and alum which is from apples, and Kuhul, are all nothing else but water of sulphur. Know ye also that Magnesia, being mixed with quicksilver and sulphur, they pursue one another. Hence you must not dismiss that Magnesia without the quicksilver, for when it is composed it is called an exceeding strong composition, which is one of the ten regimens established by the Philosophers. Know, also, that when Magnesia is whitened with quicksilver, you must congeal white water therein, but when it is reddened you must congeal red water, for, as the Philosophers have observed in their books, the regimen is not one. Accordingly, the first congelation is of tin, copper, and lead. But the second is composed with water of sulphur. Some, however, reading this book, think that the composition can be bought. It must be known for certain that nothing of the work can be bought, and that the science of this Art is nothing else than vapour and the sublimation of water, with the conjunction, also, of quicksilver in the body of Magnesia; but, heretofore, the Philosophers have demonstrated in their books that the impure water of sulphur is from sulphur only, and no sulphur is produced without the water of its calx, and of quicksilver, and of sulphur.

The Forty-Ninth Dictum.

Belus saith: O all ye Philosophers, ye have not dealt sparingly concerning composition and contact, but cornposition, contact, and congelation are one thing! Take, therefore, a part From the one composition and a part out of ferment of gold, and on these impose pure water of sulphur. This, then, is the potent (or revealed) arcanum which tinges every body.

Pythagoras answereth: O Belus, why hast thou called it a potent arcanum, yet hast not shown its work!

And he: In our books, O Master, we have found the same which thou hast received from the ancients!

And Pythagoras: Therefore have I assembled you together, that you might remove any obscurities which are in any books.

And he: Willingly, O Master! It is to be noted that pure water which is from sulphur is not composed of sulphur alone, but is composed of several things, for the one sulphur is made out of several sulphurs. How, therefore, O Master, shall I compose these things that they may become one!

And he: Mix, O Belus, that which strives with the fire with that which does not strive, for things which are conjoined in a fire suitable to the same contend, because the warm venoms of the physician are cooked in a gentle, incomburent fire! Surely ye perceive what the Philosophers have stated concerning decoction, that a little sulphur burns many strong things, and the humour which remains is called humid pitch, balsam of gum, and other like things. Therefore our Philosophers are made like to the physicians, notwithstanding that the tests of the physicians are more intense than those of the Philosophers.

The Turba answereth: I wish, O Belus, that you would also shew the disposition of this potent arcanum!

And he: I proclaim to future generations that this arcanum proceeds from two compositions, that is to say, sulphur and magnesia. But after it is reduced and conjoined into one, the Philosophers have called it water, spume of Boletus (i.e., a species of fungus), and the thickness of gold. When, however, it has been reduced into quicksilver, they call it sulphur of water; sulphur also, when it contains sulphur, they term a fiery venom, because it is a potent (or open) arcanum which ascends from those things ye know.

The Fiftieth Dictum.

Pandolphus saith: If, O Belus, thou dost describe the sublimation of sulphur for future generations, thou wilt accomplish an excellent thing!

And the Turba: Do thou show it forth, therefore, O Pandolphus!

And he: The philosophers have ordered that quicksilver should be taken out of Cambar, and albeit they spoke truly, yet in these words there is a little ambiguity, the obscurity of which I will remove. See then that the quicksilver is sublimed in tabernacles, and extract the same from Cambar, but there is another Cambar in sulphur which Belus hath demonstrated to you, for out of sulphur mixed with sulphur, many works proceed. When the same has been sublimed, there proceeds from the Cambar that quicksilver which is called Ethelia, Orpiment, Zendrio, or Sanderich, Ebsemich, Magnesia, Kuhul, or Chuhul, and many other names. Concerning this, philosophers have said that, being ruled by its regimen (for ten is the perfection of all things), its white nature appears, nor is there any shadow therein. Then the envious have called it lead from Ebmich, Magnesia, Marteck, White Copper. For, when truly whitened, it is devoid of shadow and blackness, it has left its thickened ponderous bodies, and therewith a clean humid spirit has ascended, which spirit is tincture. Accordingly, the wise have said that copper has a soul and a body. Now, its soul is spirit, and its body is thick. Therefore, it behoves you to destroy the thick body until ye extract a tingeing spirit from the same. Mix, also, the spirit extracted therefrom with light sulphur until you, investigators, find your design accomplished.

The Fifty-First Dictum.

Horfolcos saith: Thou hast narrated nothing, O Pandolphus, save the last regimen of this body! Thou hast, therefore, composed an ambiguous description for readers. But if its regimen were commenced from the beginning, you would destroy this obscurity.

Saith the Turba: Speak, therefore, concerning this to posterity, so far as it may please you.

And he: It behoves you, investigators of this Art, first to burn copper in a gentle fire, like that required in the hatching of eggs. For it behoves you to burn it with its humidity lest its spirit be burnt, and let the vessel be closed on all sides, so that its colour [heat] may be increased, the body of copper be destroyed, and its tingeing spirit be extracted, concerning which the envious have said: Take quicksilver out of the Flower of Copper, which also they have called the water of our copper, a fiery venom, and a substance extracted from all things, which further they have termed Ethelia, extracted out of many things. Again, some have said that when all things become one, bodies are made not-bodies, but not-bodies bodies. And know, all ye investigators of this Art, that every body is dissolved with the spirit with which it is mixed, with which without doubt it becomes a similar spiritual thing, and that every spirit which has a tingeing colour of spirits, and is constant against fire, is altered and coloured by bodies. Blessed then be the name of Him who hath inspired the Wise with the idea of turning a body into a spirit having strength and colour, unalterable and incorruptible, so that what formerly was volatile sulphur is now made sulphur not-volatile, and incombustible! Know, also, all ye sons of learning, that he who is able to make your fugitive spirit red by the body mixed with it, and then from that body and that spirit can extract the tenuous nature hidden in the belly thereof, by a most subtle regimen, tinges every body, if only he is patient in spite of the tedium of extracting. Wherefore the envious have said: Know that out of copper, after it is humectated by the moisture thereof, is pounded in its water, and is cooked in sulphur, if ye extract a body having Ethelia, ye will find that which is suitable as a tincture for anything. Therefore the envious have said: Things that are diligently pounded in the fire, with sublimation of the Ethelia, become fixed tinctures. For whatsoever words ye find in any man's book signify quicksilver, which we call water of sulphur, which also we sometimes say is lead and copper and copulated coin.

The Fifty-Second Dictum.

Ixumdrus saith: You will have treated most excellently, O Horfolcus, concerning the regimen of copper and the humid spirit, provided you proceed therewith.

And he: Perfect, therefore, what I have omitted, O Ixumdrus!

Ixumdrus saith: You must know that this Ethelia which you have previously mentioned and notified, which also the envious have called by many names, doth whiten, and tinge when it is whitened; then truly the Philosophers have called it the Flower of Gold, because it is a certain natural thing. Do you not remember what the Philosophers have said, that before it arrives at this terminus, copper does not tinge? But when it is tinged it tinges, because quicksilver tinges when it is combined with its tincture. But when it is mixed with those ten things which the Philosophers have denominated fermented urines, then have they called all these things Multiplication. But some have termed their mixed bodies Corsufle and Gum of Gold. Therefore, those names which are found in the books of the Philosophers, and are thought superfluous and vain, are true and yet are fictitious, because they are one thing, one opinion, and one way. This is the quicksilver which is indeed extracted from all things, out of which all things are produced, which also is pure water that destroys the shade of copper. And know ye that this quicksilver, when it is whitened, becomes a sulphur which contains sulphur, and is a venom that has a brilliance like marble; this the envious call Ethelia, orpiment and sandarac, out of which a tincture and pure spirit ascends with a mild fire, and the whole pure flower is sublimated, which flower becomes wholly quicksilver. It is, therefore, a most great arcanum which the Philosophers have thus described, because sulphur alone whitens copper. Ye, O investigators of this Art, must know that the said sulphur cannot whiten copper until it is whitened in the work! And know ye also that it is the habit of this sulphur to escape. When, therefore, it flees from its own thick bodies, and is sublimated as a vapour, then it behoves you to retain it otherwise with quicksilver of its own kind, lest it vanish altogether. Wherefore the Philosophers have said, that sulphurs are contained by sulphurs. Know, further, that sulphurs tinge, and then are they certain to escape unless they are united to quicksilver of its own kind. Do not, therefore, think that because it tinges and afterwards escapes, it is the coin of the Vulgar, for what the Philosophers are seeking is the coin of the Philosophers, which, unless it be mixed with white or red, which is quicksilver of its own kind, would doubtless escape. I direct you, therefore, to mix quicksilver with quicksilver (of its kind) until together they become one clean water composed out of two. This is, therefore, the great arcanum, the confection of which is with its own gum; it is cooked with flowers in a gentle fire and with earth; it is made red with mucra and with vinegar, salt, and nitre, and with mutal is turned into rubigo, or by any of the select tingeing agents existing in our coin.

The Fifty-Third Dictum.

Exumenus saith: The envious have laid waste the whole Art with the multiplicity of names, but the entire work must be the Art of the Coin. For the Philosophers have ordered the doctors of this art to make coin-like gold, which also the same Philosophers have called by all manner of names.

The Turba answereth: Inform, therefore, posterity, O Exumenus, concerning a few of these names, that they may take warning!

And he: They have named it salting, sublimating, washing, and pounding Ethelias, whitening in the fire, frequently cooking vapour and coagulating, turning into rubigo, the confection of Ethel, the art of the water of sulphur and coagula. By all these names is that operation called which has pounded and whitened copper. And know ye, that quicksilver is white to the sight, but when it is possessed by the smoke of sulphur, it reddens and becomes Cambar. Therefore, when quicksilver is cooked with its confections it is turned into red, and hence the Philosopher saith that the nature of lead is swiftly converted. Do you not see that the Philosophers have spoken without envy! Hence we deal in many ways with pounding and reiteration, that ye may extract the spirits existing in the vessel, which the fire did not cease to burn continuously. But the water placed with those things prevents the fire from burning, and it befalls those things that the more they are possessed by the flame of fire, the more they are hidden in the depths of the water, lest they should be injured by the heat of the fire; but the water receives them in its belly and repels the flame of fire from them.

The Turba answereth: Unless ye make bodies not-bodies ye achieve nothing. But concerning the sublimation of water the Philosophers have treated not a little. And know that unless ye diligently pound the thing in the fire, the Ethelia does not ascend, but when that does not ascend ye achieve nothing. When, however, it ascends it is an instrument for the intended tincture with which ye tinge, and concerning this Ethelia Hermes saith: Sift the things which ye know; but another: Liquefy the things. Therefore, Arras saith: Unless ye pound the thing diligently in the fire, Ethelia does not ascend. The Master hath put forth a view which I shall now explain to the reasoners. Know ye that a very great wind of the south, when it is stirred up, sublimates clouds and elevates the vapours of the sea.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast dealt obscurely.

And he: I will explain the testa, and the vessel wherein is incombustible sulphur. But I order you to congeal fluxible quicksilver out of many things, that two may be made three, and four one, and two one.

The Fifty-Fourth Dictum.

Anaxagoras saith: Take the volatile burnt thing which lacks a body, and incorporate it. Then take the ponderous thing, having smoke, and thirsting to imbibe.

The Turba answereth: Explain, O Anaxagoras, what is this obscurity which you expound, and beware of being envious!

And he: I testify to you that this volatile burnt thing, and this other which thirsts, are Ethelia, which has been conjoined with sulphur. Therefore, place these in a glass vessel over the fire, and cook until the whole becomes Cambar. Then God will accomplish the arcanum ye seek. But I direct you to cook continuously, and not to grow tired of repeating the process. And know ye that the perfection of this work is the confection of water of sulphur with tabula; finally, it is cooked until it becomes Rubigo, for all the Philosophers have said: He who is able to turn Rubigo into golden venom has already achieved the desired work, but otherwise his labour is vain.

The Fifty-Fifth Dictum.

Zenon saith: Pythagoras hath treated concerning the water, which the envious have called by all names. Finally, at the end of his book he has treated of the ferment of gold, ordaining that thereon should be imposed clean water of sulphur, and a small quantity of its gum. I am astonished, O all ye Turba, how the envious have in this work discoursed of the perfection rather than the commencement of the same!

The Turba answereth: Why, therefore, have you left it to putrefy?

And he: Thou hast spoken truly; putrefaction does not take place without the dry and the humid. But the vulgar putrefy with the humid. Thus the humid is merely coagulated with the dry. But out of both is the beginning of the work. Notwithstanding, the envious have divided this work into three parts, asserting that one quickly flees, but the other is fixed and immovable.

The Fifty-Sixth Dictum.

Constans saith: What have you to do with the treatises of the envious, for it is necessary that this work should deal with four things?

They answer: Demonstrate, therefore, what are those four?

And he: Earth, water, air, and fire. Ye have then those four elements without which nothing is ever generated, nor is anything absolved in the Art. Mix, therefore, the dry with the humid, which are earth and water, and cook in the fire and in the air, whence the spirit and the soul are dessicated. And know ye that the tenuous tingeing agent takes its power out of the tenuous part of the earth, out of the tenuous part of the fire and of the air, while out of the tenuous part of the water, a tenuous spirit has been dessicated. This, therefore, is the process of our work, namely, that everything may be turned into earth when the tenuous parts of these things are extracted, because a body is then composed which is a kind of atmospheric thing, and thereafter tinges the imposed body of coins. Beware, however, O all ye investigators of this art, lest ye multiply things, for the envious have multiplied and destroyed for you! They have also described various regimens that they might deceive; they have further called it (or have likened it to) the humid with all the humid, and the dry with all the dry, by the name of every stone and metal, gall of animals of the sea, the winged things of heaven and reptiles of the earth. But do ye who would tinge observe that bodies are tinged with bodies. For I say to you what the Philosopher said briefly and truly at the beginning of his book. In the art of gold is the quicksilver from Cambar, and in coins is the quicksilver from the Male. In nothing, however, look beyond this, since the two quicksilvers are also one.

The Fifty-Seventh Dictum.

Acratus saith: I signify to posterity that I make philosophy near to the Sun and Moon. He, therefore, that will attain to the truth let him take the moisture of the Sun and the Spume of the Moon.

The Turba answereth: Why are you made an adversary to your brethren?

And he: I have spoken nothing but the truth.

But they: Take what the Turba hath taken.

And he: I was so intending, yet, if you are willing, I direct posterity to take a part of the coins which the Philosophers have ordered, which also Hermes has adapted to the true tingeing, and a part of the copper of the Philosophers, to mix the same with the coins, and place all the four bodies in the vessel, the mouth of which must be carefully closed, lest the water escape. Cooking must proceed for seven days, when the copper, already pounded with the coins, is found turned into water. Let both be again slowly cooked, and fear nothing. Then let the vessel be opened, and a blackness will appear above. Repeat the process, cook continually until the blackness of Kuhul, which is from the blackness of coins, be consumed. For when that is consumed a precious whiteness will appear on them; finally, being returned to their place, they are cooked until the whole is dried and is turned into stone. Also repeatedly and continuously cook that stone born of copper and coins with a fire sharper than the former, until the stone is destroyed, broken up, and turned into cinder, which is a precious cinder. Alas, O ye sons of the Doctrine, how precious is that which is produced from it! Mixing, therefore, the cinder with water, cook again, until that cinder liquefy therewith, and then cook and imbue with permanent water, until the composition becomes sweet and mild and red. Imbue until it becomes humid. Cook in a still hotter fire, and carefully close the mouth of the vessel, for by this regimen fugitive bodies become not-fugitive, spirits are turned into bodies, bodies into spirits, and both are connected together. Then are spirits made bodies having a tingeing and germinating soul.

The Turba answereth: Now hast thou notified to posterity that Rubigo attaches itself to copper after the blackness is washed off with permanent water. Then it is congealed and becomes a body of Magnesia. Finally, it is cooked until the whole body is broken up. Afterwards the volatile is turned into a cinder and becomes copper without its shadow. Attrition also truly takes place. Concerning, therefore, the work of the Philosophers, what hast thou delivered to posterity, seeing that thou hast by no means called things by their proper names!

And he: Following your own footsteps, I have discoursed even as have you.

Bonellus answereth: You speak truly, for if you did otherwise we should not order your sayings to be written in our books.

The Fifty-Eighth Dictum.

Balgus saith: The whole Turba, O Acratus, has already spoken, as you have seen, but a benefactor sometimes deceives, though his intention is to do good.

And they: Thou speakest truly. Proceed, therefore, according to thy opinion, and beware of envy!

Then he: You must know that the envious have described this arcanum in the shade; in physical reasoning and astronomy, and the art of images; they have also likened it to trees; they have ambiguously concealed it by the names of metals, vapours, and reptiles; as is generally perceived in all their work. I, nevertheless, direct you, investigators of this science, to take iron and draw it into plates; finally, mix (or sprinkle) it with venom, and place it in its vessel, the mouth of which must be closed most carefully, and beware lest ye too much increase the humour, or, on the other hand, lest it be too dry, but stir it vigorously as a mass, because, if the water be in excess, it will not be contained in the chimney, while, if it be too dry, it will neither be conjoined nor cooked in the chimney; hence I direct you to confect it diligently; finally, place it in its vessel, the mouth of which must be closed internally and externally with clay, and, having kindled coals above it, after some days ye shall open it, and there shall ye find the iron plates already liquefied; while on the lid of the vessel ye shall find globules. For when the fire is kindled the vinegar ascends, because its spiritual nature passes into the air, wherefore, I direct you to keep that part separately. Ye must also know that by multiplied decoctions and attritions it is congealed and coloured by the fire, and its nature is changed. By a similar decoction and liquefaction Cambar is not disjoined. I notify to you that by the said frequent decoction the weight of a third part of the water is consumed, but the residue becomes a wind in the Cambar of the second spirit. And know ye that nothing is more precious or more excellent than the red sand of the sea, for the Sputum of Luna is united with the light of the Sun's rays. Luna is perfected by the coming on of night, and by the heat of the Sun the dew is congealed. Then, that being wounded, the dew of the death dealer is joined, and the more the days pass on the more intensely is it congealed, and is not burned. For he who cooks with the Sun is himself congealed, and that signal whiteness causes it to overcome the terrene fire.

Then saith Bonites: Do you not know, O Balgus, that the Spume of Luna tinges nothing except our copper?

And Balgus: Thou speakest truly.

And he: Why, therefore, hast thou omitted to describe that tree, of the fruit whereof whosoever eateth shall hunger nevermore?

And Balgus: A certain person, who has followed science, has notified to me after what manner he discovered this same tree, and appropriately operating, did extract the fruit and eat of it. But when I inquired of him concerning the growth and the increment, he described that pure whiteness, thinking that the same is found without any laborious disposition. Then its Perfection is the fruit thereof. But when I further asked how it is nourished with food until it fructifies, he said: Take that tree, and build a house about it, which shall wholly surround the same, which shall also be circular, dark, encircled by dew, and shall have placed on it a man of a hundred years; shut and secure the door lest dust or wind should reach them. Then in the time of 180 days send them away to their homes. I say that man shall not cease to eat of the fruit of that tree to the perfection of the number [of the days] until the old man shall become young. O what marvellous natures, which have transformed the soul of that old man into a juvenile body, and the father is made into the son! Blessed be thou, O most excellent God!

The Fifty-Ninth Dictum.

Theophilus saith: I propose to speak further concerning those things which Bonites hath narrated.

And the Turba: Speak, Brother, for thy brother hath discoursed elegantly.

And he: Following in the steps of Bonites I will make perfect his sayings. It should be known that all the Philosophers, while they have concealed this disposition, yet spoke the truth in their treatises when they named water of life, for this reason, that whatsoever is mixed with the said water first dies, then lives and becomes young. And know, all ye disciples, that iron does not become rusty except by reason of this water, because it tinges the plates; it is then placed in the sun till it liquefies and is imbued, after which it is congealed. In these days it becomes rusty, but silence is better than this illumination.

The Turba answereth: O Theophilus, beware of becoming envious, and complete thy speech!

And he: Would that I might repeat the like thing!

And they: What is thy will?

Then he: Certain fruits, which proceed first from that perfect tree, do flourish in the beginning of the summer, and the more they are multiplied the more are they adorned, until they are perfected, and being mature become sweet. In the same way that woman, fleeing from her own children, with whom she lives, although partly angry, yet does not brook being overcome, nor that her husband should possess her beauty, who furiously loves her, and keeps awake contending with her, till he shall have carnal intercourse with her, and God make perfect the foetus, when he multiplies children to himself according to his pleasure. His beauty, therefore, is consumed by fire who does not approach his wife except by reason of lust. For when the term is finished he turns to her. I also make known to you that the dragon never dies, but the Philosophers have put to death the woman who slays her spouses. For the belly of that woman is full of weapons and venom. Let, therefore, a sepulchre be dug for the dragon, and let that woman be buried with him, who being strongly joined with that woman, the more he clasps her and is entwined with her, the more his body, by the creation of female weapons in the body of the woman, is cut up into parts. For perceiving him mixed with the limbs of a woman he becomes secure from death, and the whole is turned into blood. But the Philosophers, beholding him turned into blood, leave him in the sun for certain days, until the lenitude is consumed, the blood dries up, and they find that venom which now is manifest. Then the wind is hidden.

The Sixtieth Dictum.

Bonellus saith: Know, all ye disciples, that out of the elect things nothing becomes useful without conjunction and regimen, because sperma is generated out of blood and desire. For the man mingling with the woman, the sperm is nourished by the humour of the womb, and by the moistening blood, and by heat, and when forty nights have elapsed the sperm is formed. But if the humidity of the blood and of the womb were not heat, the sperm would not be dissolved, nor the foetus be procreated. But God has constituted that heat and blood for the nourishment of the sperm until the foetus is brought forth, after which it is not nourished, save by milk and fire, sparingly and gradually, while it is dust, and the more it burns the more, the bones being strengthened, it is led towards youth, arriving at which it is independent. Thus it behoves you also to act in this Art. Know ye that without heat nothing is ever generated, and that the bath causes the matter to perish by means of intense heat. If, indeed, it be frigid, it puts to flight and disperses, but if it have been tempered, it is convenient and sweet to the body, wherefore the veins become smooth and the flesh is augmented. Behold it has been demonstrated to you, all ye disciples! Understand, therefore, and in all things which ye attempt to rule, fear God.

The Sixty-First Dictum.

Moses saith: It is to be observed that the envious have named lead of copper instruments of formation, simulating, deceiving posterity, to whom I give notice that there are no instruments except from our own white, strong, and splendid powder, and from our concave stone and marble, to the whole work whereof there is no more suitable powder, nor one more conjoined to our composition, than the powder of Alociae, out of which are produced instruments of formation. Further, the Philosophers have already said: Take instruments out of the egg. Yet they have not said what the egg is, nor of what bird. And know ye that the regimen of these things is more difficult than the entire work, because, if the composition be ruled more than it should be, its light is taken and extinguished by the sea. Wherefore the Philosophers have ordered that it should be ruled with profound judgment. The moon, therefore, being at the full, take this and place in sand till it be dissolved. And know ye that while ye are placing the same in sand and repeating the process, unless ye have patience, ye err in ruling, and corrupt the work. Cook, therefore, the same in a gentle fire until ye see that it is dissolved. Then extinguish with vinegar, and ye shall find one thing separated from three companions. And know ye that the first, Ixir, commingles, the second burns, while the third liquefies. In the first place, therefore, impose nine ounces of vinegar twice - first while the vessel is being made hot, and second when it is heated.

The Sixty-Second Dictum.

Mundus saith: It behoves you, O all ye seekers after this Art, to know that whatsoever the Philosophers have narrated or ordained, Kenckel, herbs, geldum, and carmen, are one thing! Do not, therefore, trouble about a plurality of things, for there is one Tyrian tincture of the Philosophers to which they have given names at will, and having abolished the proper name, they have called it black, because it has been extracted from our sea. And know that the ancient priests did not condescend to wear artificial garments, whence, for purifying altars, and lest they should introduce into them anything sordid or impure, they tinged Kenckel with a Tyrian colour; but our Tyrian colour, which they placed in their altars and treasuries, was more clean and fragrant than can be described by me, which also has been extracted from our red and most pure sea, which is sweet and of a pleasant odour, and is neither sordid nor impure in putrefaction. And know ye that we have given many names to it. which are all true - an example of which, for those that possess understanding, is to be traced in corn that is being ground. For after grinding it is called by another name, and after it has been passed through the sieve, and the various substances have been separated one from another, each of these has its own name, and yet fundamentally there is but one name, to wit, corn, from which many names are distinguished. Thus we call the purple in each grade of its regimen by the name of its own colour.

The Sixty-Third Dictum.

Philosophus saith: I notify to posterity that the nature is male and female, wherefore the envious have called it the body of Magnesia, because therein is the most great arcanum! Accordingly, O all ye seekers after this Art, place Magnesia in its vessel, and cook diligently! Then, opening it after some days, ye shall find the whole changed into water. Cook further until it be coagulated, and contain itself. But, when ye hear of the sea in the books of the envious, know that they signify humour, while by the basket they signify the vessel, and by the medicines they mean Nature, because it germinates

and flowers. But when the envious say: Wash until the blackness of the copper passes away, certain people name this blackness coins. But Agadimon has clearly demonstrated when he boldly put forth these words: It is to be noted, O all ye demonstrators of this art, that the things [or the copper] being first mixed and cooked once, ye shall find the prescribed blackness! That is to say, they all become black. This, therefore, is the lead of the Wise, concerning which they have treated very frequently in their books. Some also call it [the lead] of our black coins.

The Sixty-Fourth Dictum.

Pythagoras saith: How marvellous is the diversity of the Philosophers in those things which they formerly asserted, and in their coming together [or agreement], in respect of this small and most common thing, wherein the precious thing is concealed! And if the vulgar knew, O all ye investigators of this art, the same small and vile thing, they would deem it a lie! Yet, if they knew its efficacy, they would not vilify it, but God hath concealed this from the crowd lest the world should be devastated.

The Sixty-Fifth Dictum.

Horfolcus saith: You must know, O all ye who love wisdom, that whereas Mundus hath been teaching this Art, and placing before you most lucid syllogisms, he that does not understand what he has said is a brute animal! But I will explain the regimen of this small thing, in order that any one, being introduced into this Art, may become bolder, may, more assuredly consider it, and although it be small, may compose the common with that which is dear, and the dear with that which is common. Know ye that in the beginning of the mixing, it behoves you to commingle elements which are crude, gentle, sincere, and not cooked or governed, over a gentle fire. Beware of intensifying the fire until the elements are conjoined, for these should follow one another, and be embraced in a complexion, whereby they are gradually burnt, until they be dessicated in the said gentle fire. And know that one spirit burns one thing and destroys one thing, and one body strengthens one spirit, and teaches the same to contend with the fire. But, after the first combustion, it is necessary that it should be washed, cleansed, and dealbated on the fire until all things become one colour; with which, afterwards, it behoves you to mix the residuum of the whole humour, and then its colour will be exalted. For the elements, being diligently cooked in the fire, rejoice, and are changed into different natures, because the liquefied, which is the lead, becomes not-liquefied, the humid becomes dry, the thick body becomes a spirit, and the fleeing spirit becomes strong and fit to do battle against the fire. Whence the Philosopher saith: Convert the elements and thou shalt find what thou seekest. But to convert the elements is to make the moist dry and the fugitive fixed. These things being accomplished by the disposition, let the operator leave it in the fire until the gross be made subtle, and the subtle remain as a tingeing spirit. Know ye, also, that the death and life of the elements proceed from fire, and that the composite germinates itself, and produces that which ye desire, God favouring. But when the colours begin ye shall behold the miracles of the wisdom of God, until the Tyrian colour be accomplished. O wonder-working Nature, tingeing other natures! O heavenly Nature, separating and converting the elements by regimen! Nothing, therefore, is more precious than these Natures in that Nature which multiplies the composite, and makes fixed and scarlet.

The Sixty-Sixth Dictum.

Exemiganus saith: Thou hast already treated, O Lucas, concerning living and concealed silver, which is Magnesia, as it behoves thee, and thou hast commanded posterity to prove [or to experiment] and to read the books, knowing what the Philosophers have said: Search the latent spirit and disesteem it not, seeing that when it remains it is a great arcanum and effects many good things.

The Sixty-Seventh Dictum.

Lucas saith: I testify to posterity, and what I set forth is more lucid than are your words, that the Philosopher saith: Burn the copper, burn the silver, burn the gold.

Hermiganus replies: Behold something more dark than ever!

The Turba answereth: Illumine, therefore, that which is dark.

And he: As to that which he said - Burn, burn, burn, the diversity is only in the names, for they are one and the same thing.

And they: Woe unto you! how shortly hast thou dealt with it! why art thou Poisoned with jealousy!

And he: Is it desirable that I should speak more clearly?

And they: Do so.

And he: I signify that to whiten is to burn, but to make red is life. For the envious have multiplied many names that they might lead posterity astray, to whom I testify that the definition of this Art is the liquefaction of the body and the separation of the soul from the body, seeing that copper, like a man, has a soul and a body. Therefore, it behoves you, 0 all ye Sons of the Doctrine, to destroy the body and extract the soul therefrom! Wherefore the Philosophers said that the body does not penetrate the body, but that there is a subtle nature, which is the soul, and it is this which tinges and penetrates the body. In nature, therefore, there is a body and there is a soul.

The Turba answereth: Despite your desire to explain, you have put forth dark words.

And he: I signify that the envious have narrated and said that the splendour of Saturn does not appear unless it perchance be dark when it ascends in the air, that Mercury is hidden by the rays of the Sun, that quicksilver vivifies the body by its fiery strength, and thus the work is accomplished. But Venus, when she becomes oriental, precedes the Sun.

The Sixty-Eighth Dictum.

Attamus saith: Know, O all ye investigators of this Art, that our work, of which ye have been inquiring, is produced by the generation of the sea, by which and with which, after God, the work is completed! Take, therefore, Halsut and old sea stones, and boil with coals until they become white. Then extinguish in white vinegar. If 24 ounces thereof have been boiled, let the heat be extinguished with a third part of the vinegar, that is, 8 ounces; pound with white vinegar, and cook in the sun and black earth for 42 days. But the second work is performed from the tenth day of the month of September to the tenth day [or grade] of Libra. Do not impose the vinegar a second time in this work, but leave the same to be cooked until all its vinegar be dried up and it becomes a fixed earth, like Egyptian earth. And the fact that one work is congealed more quickly and another more slowly, arises from the diversity of cooking. But if the place where it is cooked be humid and dewy it is congealed more quickly, while if it be dry it is congealed more slowly.

The Sixty-Ninth Dictum.

Florus saith: I am thinking of perfecting thy treatise, O Mundus, for thou has not accomplished the disposition of the cooking!

And he: Proceed, O Philosopher!

And Florus: I teach you, O Sons of the Doctrine, that the sign of the goodness of the first decoction is the extraction of its redness!

And he: Describe what is redness.

And Florus: When ye see that the matter is entirely black, know that whiteness has been hidden in the belly of that blackness. Then it behoves you to extract that whiteness most subtly from that blackness, for ye know how to discern between them. But in the second decoction let that whiteness be placed in a vessel with its instruments, and let it be cooked gently until it become completely white. But when, O all ye seekers after this Art, ye shall perceive that whiteness appear and flowing over all, be certain that redness is hid in that whiteness! However, it does not behove you to extract it, but rather to cook it until the whole become a most deep red, with which nothing can compare. Know also that the first blackness is produced out of the nature of Marteck, and that redness is extracted from that blackness, which red has improved the black, and has made peace between the fugitive and the non-fugitive, reducing the two into one.

The Turba answereth: And why was this?

And he: Because the cruciated matter when it is submerged in the body, changes it into an unalterable and indelible nature. It behoves you, therefore, to know this sulphur which blackens the body. And know ye that the same sulphur cannot be handled, but it cruciates and tinges. And the sulphur which blackens is that which does not open the door to the fugitive and turns into the fugitive with the fugitive. Do you not see that the cruciating does not cruciate with harm or corruption, but by co-adunation and utility of things? For if its victim were noxious and inconvenient, it would not be embraced thereby until its colours were extracted from it unalterable and indelible. This we have called water of sulphur, which water we have prepared for the red tinctures; for the rest it does not blacken; but that which does blacken, and this does not come to pass without blackness, I have testified to be the key of the work.

 

The Seventieth Dictum.

Mundus saith: Know, all ye investigators of this Art, that the head is all things, which if it hath not, all that it imposes profits nothing. Accordingly, the Masters have said that what is perfected is one, and a diversity of natures does not improve that thing, but one and a suitable nature, which it behoves you to rule carefully, for by ignorance of ruling some have erred. Do not heed, therefore, the plurality of these compositions, nor those things which the philosophers have enumerated in their books. For the nature of truth is one, and the followers of Nature have termed it that one thing in the belly whereof is concealed the natural arcanum. This arcanum is neither seen nor known except by the Wise. He, therefore, who knows how to extract its complexion and rules equably, for him shall a nature rise forth therefrom which shall conquer all natures, and then shall that word be fulfilled which was written by the Masters, namely, that Nature rejoices in Nature, Nature overcomes Nature, and Nature contains Nature; at the same time there are not many or diverse Natures, but one having in itself its own natures and properties, by which it prevails over other things. Do you not see that the Master has begun with one and finished one? Hence has he called those unities Sulphureous Water, conquering all Nature.

The Seventy-First Dictum.

Bracus saith: How elegantly Mundus hath described this sulphureous water! For unless solid bodies are destroyed by a nature wanting a body, until the bodies become not-bodies, and even as a most tenuous spirit, ye cannot [attain] that most tenuous and tingeing soul, which is hidden in the natural belly. And know that unless the body be withered up and so destroyed that it dies, and unless ye extract from it its soul, which is a tingeing spirit, ye are unable to tinge a body therewith.

The Seventy-Second Dictum.

Philosophus saith: The first composition, that is, the body of Magnesia, is made out of several things, although they become one, and are called by one name, which the ancients have termed Albar of copper. But when it is ruled it is called by ten names, taken from the colours which appear in the regimen of the body of this Magnesia. It is necessary, therefore, that the lead be turned into blackness; then the ten aforesaid shall appear in the ferment of gold, with sericon, which is a composition called by ten names. When all these things have been said, we mean nothing more by these names than Albar of copper, because it tinges every body which has entered into the composition. But composition is twofold - one is humid, the other is dry. When they are cooked prudently they become one, and are called the good thing of several names. But when it becomes red it is called Flower of Gold, Ferment of Gold, Gold of Coral, Gold of the Beak. It is also called redundant red sulphur and red orpiment. But while it remains crude lead of copper, it is called bars and plates of metal. Behold I have revealed its names when it is raw, which also we should distinguish from the names when it has been cooked. Let it therefore be pondered over. It behoves me now to exhibit to you the quantity of the fire, and the numbers of its days, and the diversity of intensity thereof in every grade, so that he who shall possess this book may belong unto himself, and be freed from poverty, so that he shall remain secure in that middle way which is closed to those who are deficient in this most precious art. I have seen, therefore, many kinds of fire. One is made out of straw and cinder, coals and flame, but one without flame. Experiment shows that there are intermediate grades between these kinds. But lead is lead of copper, in which is the whole arcanum. Now, concerning the days of the night in which will be the perfection of the most great arcanum, I will treat in its Proper place in what follows. And know most assuredly that if a little gold be placed in the composition, there will result a patent and white tincture. Wherefore also a sublime gold and a patent gold is found in the treasuries of the former philosophers. Wherefore those things are unequal which they introduce into their composition. Inasmuch as the elements are commingled and are turned into lead of copper, coming out of their own former natures, they are turned into a new nature. Then they are called one nature and one genus. These things being accomplished, it is placed in a glass vessel, unless in a certain way the composition drinks the water and is altered in its colours. In every grade it is beheld, when it is coloured by a venerable redness. Although concerning this elixir we read in the sayings of the philosophers: Take gold, occurring frequently, it is only needful to do so once. Wishing, therefore, to know the certitude of the adversary, consider what Democritus saith, how he begins speaking from bottom to top, then reversing matters he proceeds from top to bottom. For, he said: Take iron, lead, and albar for copper, which reversing, he again says: And our copper for coins, lead for gold, gold for gold of coral, and gold of coral for gold of crocus. Again, in the second place, when he begins from the top to the bottom, he saith: Take gold, coin, copper, lead, and iron; he shews, therefore, by his sayings that only semi-gold is taken. And without doubt gold is not changed into rust without lead and copper, and unless it be imbued with vinegar known by the wise, until, being cooked, it is turned into redness. This, therefore, is the redness which all the Philosophers signified, because, how ever they said: Take gold and it becomes gold of coral; Take gold of coral and it becomes purple gold - all these things are only names of those colours, for it behoves them that vinegar be placed in it, because these colours come from it. But by these things which the Philosophers have mentioned under various names, they have signified stronger bodies and forces. It is taken, therefore, once, that it may become rubigo and then vinegar is imposed on it. For when the said colours appear, it is necessary that each be decocted in forty days, so that it may be desiccated, the water being consumed; finally being imbued and placed in the vessel, it is cooked until its utility appear. Its first grade becomes as a citrine mucra, the second as red, the third as the dry pounded crocus of the vulgar. So is it imposed upon coin.

Conclusion.

Agmon saith: I will add the following by way of a corollary. Whosoever does not liquefy and coagulate errs greatly. Therefore, make the earth black; separate the soul and the water thereof, afterwards whiten; so shall ye find what ye seek. I say unto you that whoso makes earth black and then dissolves with fire, till it becomes even like unto a naked sword, who also fixes the whole with consuming fire, deserves to be called happy, and shall be exalted above the circle of the world. This much concerning the revelation of our stone, is, we doubt not, enough for the Sons of the Doctrine. The strength thereof, shall never become corrupted, but the same, when it is placed in the fire, shall be increased. If you seek to dissolve, it shall be dissolved; but if you would coagulate, it shall be coagulated. Behold, no one is without it, and yet all do need it! There are many names given to it, and yet it is called by one only, while, if need be, it is concealed. It is also a stone and not a stone, spirit, soul, and body; it is white, volatile, concave, hairless, cold, and yet no one can apply the tongue with impunity to its surface. If you wish that it should fly, it flies; if you say that it is water, you Speak the truth; if you say that it is not water, you speak falsely. Do not then be deceived by the multiplicity of names, but rest assured that it is one thing, unto which nothing alien is added. Investigate the place thereof, and add nothing that is foreign. Unless the names were multiplied, so that the vulgar might be deceived, many would deride our wisdom.

 

-Finis-

29 al-Rāzī

Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakariyyāʾ al-Rāzī worked about 900 A.D. as a physician and alchemist. His primary work and fame comes from his work as a physician in describing diseases using the humor theory of Galen, pediatrics, and ophthalmology. He is from Iran, a city called Rey (al-Rāzī, ancient Rhagae) near Tehran.


al-Razi examining a patient (miniature painting by Hossein Behzad, 1894–1968)

He wrote extensively on medicine, some in philosophy, and 20 books (some no longer than pamphlets) on alchemy.

Wikipedia provides a good summary of his alchemical ideas:

Al-Razi's works present the first systematic classification of carefully observed and verified facts regarding chemical substances, reactions and apparatus, described in a language almost entirely free from mysticism and ambiguity.

This book was written in response to a request from al-Razi's close friend, colleague, and former student, Abu Muhammad ibn Yunis al-Bukhari, a Muslim mathematician, philosopher, and natural scientist.
This is al-Razi's most famous book. Here he gives systematic attention to basic chemical operations important to the history of pharmacy.
In his book Sirr al-Asrar, al-Razi divides the subject of "matter' into three categories, as in his previous book Al-Asrar.
  1. Knowledge and identification of the medical components within substances derived from plants, animals, and minerals, and descriptions of the best types for medical treatments.
  2. Knowledge of equipment and tools of interest to and used by either alchemists or apothecaries.
  3. Knowledge of seven alchemical procedures and techniques: sublimation and condensation of mercury, precipitation of sulfur, and arsenic calcination of minerals (gold, silver, copper, lead, and iron), salts, glass, talc, shells, and waxing.
This last category contains additional descriptions of other methods and applications used in transmutation:
  • The added mixture and use of solvent vehicles.
  • The amount of heat (fire) used, 'bodies and stones', (al-ajsad and al-ahjar) that can or cannot be transmuted into corporal substances such of metals and salts (al-amlah).
  • The use of a liquid mordant which quickly and permanently colors lesser metals for more lucrative sale and profit.
Similar to the commentary on the 8th century text on amalgams ascribed to Jabir ibn Hayyan, al-Razi gives methods and procedures of coloring a silver object to imitate gold (gold leafing) and the reverse technique of removing its color back to silver. Gilding and silvering of other metals (alum, calcium salts, iron, copper, and tutty) are also described, as well as how colors will last for years without tarnishing or changing.
Al-Razi classified minerals into six divisions:
  1. Four spirits (al-arwah): mercury, sal ammoniac, sulphur, and arsenic sulphide (orpiment and realgar).
  2. Seven bodies (al-ajsad): silver, gold, copper, iron, black lead (plumbago), zinc (kharsind), and tin.
  3. Thirteen stones (al-ahjar): Marcasite (marqashita), magnesia, malachite, tutty (tutiya, zinc oxide), talcum, lapis lazuli, gypsum, azurite, haematite (iron oxide), arsenic oxide[which?], mica, asbestos, and glass (then identified as made of sand and alkali of which the transparent crystal damascene is considered the best).
  4. Seven vitriols (al-zajat): alum (al-shabb الشب), and white (qalqadis القلقديس), black, red (suri السوري), and yellow (qulqutar القلقطار) vitriols (the impure sulfates of iron, copper, etc.), green (qalqand القلقند).
  5. Seven borates: natron, and impure sodium borate.
  6. Eleven salts (al-amlah): including brine, common salt, ashes, naphtha, live lime, and urine, rock, and sea salts. Then he separately defines and describes each of these substances, the best forms and colours of each, and the qualities of various adulterations.
Al-Razi gives also a list of apparatus used in alchemy. This consists of 2 classes:
  1. Instruments used for the dissolving and melting of metals such as the blacksmith's hearth, bellows, crucible, thongs (tongue or ladle), macerator, stirring rod, cutter, grinder (pestle), file, shears, descensory, and semi-cylindrical iron mould.
  2. Utensils used to carry out the process of transmutation and various parts of the distilling apparatus: the retort, alembic, shallow iron pan, potters kiln and blowers, large oven, cylindrical stove, glass cups, flasks, phials, beakers, glass funnel, crucible, aludel, heating lamps, mortar, cauldron, hair-cloth, sand- and water-bath, sieve, flat stone mortar and chafing-dish.

Wikipedia: Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi

Razi did not accept Jabir's theory of Balance but did believe in the four elements and that they were transmutable using elixirs. He thought that glass and quartz could similarly be improved to rare gems. His book 'The Book of the Secret of Secrets' shows he is much more interested in practical alchemy than philosophical alchemy and reads almost like an laboratory manual.

30 ibn Sīnā (Avicenna)

Abu Ali ibn Sīnā, 'Avicenna' in Europe, was the greatest of the Golden Age of Islam intellectuals. He wrote, probably, 450 books, of which 250 survive, most on philosophy and medicine. He worked from about 1000 to 1037 A.D.

His pharmacology was extensive, listing 760 drugs, including aromatherapy and most natural narcotics.

In alchemy he stood out for his disbelief in transmutation. His statement is clear:

Those of the chemical craft know well that no change can be effected in the different species of substances, though they can produce the appearance of such change.

ibn Sina, Book of the Remedy

This statement will be moved to the bottom of Aristotle's Meteorology it was thought to be so important, but the impact of the confidence will be undone by medieval alchemists.

Below is a (very) poor version of two alchemical texts by ibn Sina from Stapleton, et al., Ambix, 1962, p. 41

THE TREATISEOFTHE MOSTEXCELLENTOFTHEMODERNS,AL-SHAYKHAL-RA'is

ABU 'ALI AL-l:IUSAYNIBN 'ABDULLAHIBN SiNAAL-BuKHARI-GOD GIVEPEACE

TO HIS TOMB AND SANCTIFYHIS SOULI-FOR THE IMAMABU 'ABDALLAHALBARAQi-

GOD'S MERCYONHIM!-ON THE SUBLIMEART.

IN the nanle of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate! Vouchsafe Thine aid,

o Gracious One!

May Allah incline you to pious deeds, besto\v on you the Elixir of His

approval, and protect you from being led astray by evil spirits, both in affairs

of the world, and in matters of religion!

 

You have asked-May you never cease to investigate the truth of things!

-that I should explain to you the truth regarding the Elixir! made from

Yellow Sulphur.· I have therefore answered as one who has your pleasure at

heart, and who is ever zealous to comply with your desires.

I say then that the chief aim of the process is to extract the Red Tincture

from the YellowSulphur by a ctStrongWater". After separating it from that

water, you treat the Tincture in such a way that it shall not becomecorrupt and

burnt. The Residue in a similar manner should be whitened to the highest

degree, so that it may melt without combustion.

Next, you calcine the Gold or the Copper-but preferably Gold-and

(separately) dissolve Reddened Mercury and the Whitened Sulphur.

(Finally) the Tincture will be compoundedwith the dissolved Mercury, and,

after all these dissolved substances are mixed together, coagulation will be

brought about. The product willbe an Elixir, which will impart the properties

of Gold, colouring and conferring density, and which is recovered (unchanged)

\vhen the work is accomplished.

The preliminaries are as follows:-

I

THE PREPARATIOK OF A CERTAIN WATER WHICH IS EMPLOYED IN

THIS ART

You pour on to two parts of Alkali Soda (al-Qily) and one part of unslaked

Lime, ten parts of hot water. After being left to settle for a day and a night,

it (the mixture) is heated until one-third of it has disappeared. After it (the

liquor) has been strained off, al-Qily and Lime in exactly the same proportion

(as before) are thrown into it. This is repeated nine times. Then the water is

thoroughly strained and placed on one side (for future use)2.

II

THE PREPARATION OF A WATER CALLED Zid al-Raghwa

Two parts of unslaked Lime and one part of Yellow Sulphur are digested

with four times their weight of pure water, until the water turns red. This

(water) is (then) poured off and preserved. A fresh supply of water is poured

on to it (i.e. the undissolved residue) and the process repeated until the water

that you add does not becomered. Finally, you mix all these waters and apply

heat until one half (of their volume) has disappeared. The fire must not be

too intense3.

III

THE METHOD OF COAGULATING MERCURY FOR THE RED

It (the Mercury)is placed in a pit in the ground and its surface rubbed with

a piece of wool saturated with oil. Then there is sprinkled over it YelIow

Sulphur and Golden Marqashitha (Pyrites). Next, Tin (ra§a$) or Lead (anuk)

is melted, and after being put aside until it has almost resolidified,it is poured

on to the surface of the Mercury. Notice if the latter has solidified;if not, the

processis repeated as many times as is necessary, until it (the mixture) coagulates

into a Stone4•

IV

THE METHOD (OF CARRYING OUT THE PROCESS) OF Takhniq (CONSTRICTION) WITH

THE COAGULATED MERCURY THAT IS EMPLOYED IN MAKING THE RED

After having been coagulated as explained above, it is well pounded with an

equal quantity of Vitriol (Zilj), and moistened (from time to time) with some

. Zild al-Raghwa until it is tckilled". Then it is sublimed in the Aludel (uthiil).

The sublimate is put back on to the dregs, moistened (again) with Ziid al-

Raghw.'a, and gently heated. It is sublimed (in this way) 6 times and the

7th (time) it is subjected to (the process of) Takhniq in a short-necked phial

(qinnina) by means of which it coagulates like BerylS.

v

THE CALCINATION OF GOLD AND COPPER

Having fused whichever of the two it may be, add Sulphur until calcination

is complete. Then it (the resulting compound) is ground up and moistened

with a solution of Zaj6.

VI

THE DISSOLUTION OF VITRIOL (Ziij) AND OTHER SALTS

The salt having been placed in a jar (kuz), the mouth is closed, and the jar

plunged in a tub (dann) filled with vinegar.

An alternative method is to place it (the salt) in the bladder or intestines of

an ox, and, the end (of this) having been tied, it is thrown into a cauldron

(mirjal) containing boiling water for then the salt will dissolve. A similar'

result follows if it be thrown into vinegar 7•

VII

EXTRACTION OF THE TINCTURE OF SULPHUR

Finely powdered YellowSulphur is placed in a loose rag and hung from the

cover of a large lamp-bowl. It is then covered to a depth of four fingers with

the water first mentioned, after which it (i.e. the closed vessel)is exposed to the

sun, or (buried) in dung.

Another method is to place under it a lamp with a small flame so that the

liquid may not boil and the Sulphur bum. With either method the red colour

passes out into the water; but it (the mixture) should be shaken several times

each day. After the red water is drained off, fresh water is poured on to the

Sulphur (and the process repeated), until it no longer turns red. Then all these

waters are mixed together and distilled in a narrow alembic, when the Tincture

will (finally)remain in the cucurbit (qar'a) close to the anbiq8. If any trace of

redness remains in the water (that passes over), the distillation is repeated until

the tincture has been completely separated.

VIII

THE MANIPULATION OF THE TINCTURE

It is repeatedly digested as slowly as possible with cooling water9, such as

the juice of unripe grapes or the Water of Sorrel (tz.ummad), or Barley Water,

until, if the Tincture be thrown on to Silver, it turns yellow or slightly black1o,

and it will slough away, leaving the Silver white.

IX

THE TREATMENT OF THE DREGS

The Sulphur is whitened by digestion first in the above-mentioned Water,

viz the Sharp Water. There is poured over it seven times its quantity in the

fire of a lamp, and it is shaken over it for three hours till the water turns black.

The water is then thrown away and the process repeated until it (the residue)

has become exceedingly white. Next you digest it in the cooling waters9,

shaking it every three hours until it becomes white without any admixture of

blackness. It will then be non-combustible and will melt (to a) white (liquid

when placed) on a (metal) sheet which is heated by fire. Each time that its

coction is renewed, the residue must first be dried and pounded.

x

THE PROCESS OF DISSOLUTION

..~ tub (dann) is taken of the capacity of 30 dawraqsll, and two-thirds of it

filled with strong Vinegar. The calx, or whatever has to be dissolved, is placed

in a linen bag suspended from the iron cover of the tub above a lamp bowl,

which is also suspended from the cover, with a hand's breadth between the bag

and the bowl and about two fingers' breadth between the bowl and the Vinegar.

The joint is then luted and the tub is buried in a mixture of animal dung and

pigeons' excrement kneaded together with the Water of Carrots. Hot water is

poured over it twice a day until the substance is dissolved and falls in drops from

the bag into the lamp-bow112.

XI

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF COAGULATION

The substance (in Solution) that has to be coagulated is placed in a phial

(qinnina) which is closed with Clay of Wisdom13 and buried in a hole of suitable

dimensions that has been dug for it. After the earth has been levelled by stamping

it down with the foot, about two basketfuls of dry dung are thrown on top

of the earth and stamped level. Then a moderate fire is lit in the dung so that

the contents of the phial are subjected to coction. This is continued until

Coagulation occurs.

Alternatively, the substance is placed in a lamp-bowl and suspended over a

lighted lamp until coagulation is complete14. Care should be taken that the

heat of the lamp does not become so intense that ebullition occurs.

XII

How THE WORK IS FINISHED

The calx is dissolved, after having been cerated with the Water of Sal-

Ammoniac. Similarly, the Mercury which was sublimed by Constriction15 is

also dissolved, as well as the whitened dregs, each separately.

Next the Tincture is mixed with the dissolved Mercury and buried in dung

for a month and a half. Then it is removed, and, after being mixed with equal

amounts of the other solutions, it is again buried in dung for some time, until

union is complete.

Finally the mixture is coagulated. If these dissolved substances are filtered

before being combined, the greater will be the potency of the Elixir for the

Work. This is the Elixir prepared from Sulphur.

* * *

IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MERCIFpL, THE COMPASSIONATE! THIS IS A

TREATISE ON THE OCCULT WISDOM, WRITTEN BY THE SHAYKH ABU 'ALI SINAI

-GOD'S MERCY ON HIM!-FOR THE SHAYKH A.BU L-IJASAN SAHL IBN MUl:fAMMAD

AL-SAHLI

He (Ibn Sina) said: A discussion having taken place between the Shaykh

and myself on a certain subject which he knows, he asked me to record my

views in a treatise which might keep them fresh in his memory, and to guide

him to the Art by the path which I myself had reached after deep study and

meditation.

I

ON THE GENERAL SUBJECT OF THIS ART

It was my wont-May God preserve"the Shaykh!-to make a careful study

of Natural Philosophy; and one of the things that I investigated was the

hypothesis of the alchemists. The majority of learned and erudite men being

opposed to the views of these people and declaring their hypotheses to be without

foundation, as a philosopher I had no alternative but to investigate the

arguments of both parties, so I examined the writings of most of those who lay

claim to this art. I found these writings devoid of the logical reasoning that

is the basis.of every science, while the greater part of their contents was most

like to nonsense2•

On the other hand, when I consulted the works of their opponents, I found

nothing but a feeble refutation, supported by such puerile reasoning that no

science could be disproved thereby.

After thinking the matter over for a long time by myself, I said "If this

thing is possible,what makes it so? And if it is a thing that cannot be, why is

this the case?" Now I knew that if it were possible for us to impart the colour

of Gold to Silver, and of Silver to Copper we should require a red Tincture,

capable of imparting redness, and a white Tincture, capable of imparting

whiteness. We also know that the mingling of Tinctures with hard stone-like

bodies is out of the question unless the latter be first softened and converted

into the fluid state. This softening and conversion into the fluid state is manifestly

impossible so long as they do not melt, while, if they do melt, not every

red or white Tincture will enable us to attain our object.

In any of the followingcases the Tincture will be useless:-

(a) If it undergoes combustion on fire and is thus spoilt: or

(b) If, although it does not bum, it volatilizes and escapes,owingto its inability

to remain on fire: or

(c) If, though it neither bums nor escapes, it possessesno power of penetration

or admixture: or

(d) If, though it possesses powers of penetration and admixture, it does not

remain in permanent union, but in some way or other separates out: or

(e) If, though it does not separate, it fails to prevent Silver from being affected

by these substances-like Sulphur and the other things by vlhich Gold is

purified from Silver:L-which leave Gold unaffected, but burn Silver.

Similarly, if it does not make Copper unaffected by those substances, such

as Lead, Tin and other things, \\thich leave Silver unaffected4 but alter

Copper.

Under these circumstances we require some Tincture

(a) which is capable of imparting either a yellow or white colour;

(b) which can mix with metals (ajsad)5 in a state of fusion;

(c). which shall not be consumedwhen it comesinto contact with sharp burning

things;

(d) which does not (afterwards) separate out and depart, even though substances

that induce combustion separate the (constituent) parts of the

bodies (ajsam)6.

I therefore consideredwhether among simple medicinesthere is any medicine

which possesses a combination of all these virtues, but found no single one

having these effectsamong the drugs and medicines that have comedown to us,

except indeed for the stories of the existence of a plant? with these characteristics

and of a Red Sulphur8-other than that found in Farghana-and a

White Arsenic (zarnikh), both possessing these properties. I incline to the

opinion that all these are mere descriptions, and that nothing corresponding

to them has ever fallen into the hands of any man of understanding.

We have, therefore, to discoversomemeans of making this medicine for ourselves.

The objects of our quest are:

(a) a tincture that will not be damaged by fire;

(b) a substance (jawhar) that will enter into combination with fused (metals);

(c) a substance that will give rise to homogeneity;

(d) a substance that willboth facilitate coagulation9 and remain stable over fire.

We must also discover the method of mixing these things in such a way that

a single essence is produced which cannot be decomposedby fire. Then it (i.e.

this complex medicine) will colour by virtue of the tincture that is in it; it \\;11

combine by virtue of that essence in it which possessesthe power of combination;

it will induce homogeneity by virtue of that essence in it which possesses

this property; and it will remain stable by virtue of the essenceof stability that

is in it.

If we could accomplish these four things our object would be attained.

II

ON THE QUEST FOR THIS TINCTURE

As regards the White Tincture, we see that J\iercurylOwhitens, while in

addition to its whitening power we see that it clings to metals and penetrates

into them. For example when Copper is made into thin plates and Mercury is

vigorously rubbed on it for some time, after digestion with the Mercury in

Vinegar and other medicines, whiteness will soon penetrate to such an extent

into the interior of the Copper that both its exterior and interior, its visible and

its inward part, will become as white as Silver. One can thus imagine that if

it were to undergo still further treatment with Mercury, the effect and action

of the latter would be even greater. However, we find that Mercury flees

from fire, and refuses to enter into combination, nor will it ever be conjoined

with all the things with which we may desire to mix it. It possesses,however,

one virtue, viz that it does not suffer the least damage from fire, but simply

passes off in the state of vapour. Hence we are spared the trouble of removing

any combustible property from it. We are furthermore aware that if Mercury

be treated in such a way as to bring about its combination with fused substances,

it will remain in them with its natural whiteness unaffected. We therefore see

that the first process that is necessary is to desiccate it and remove its watery

property, thus reducing it to the state of ashes or fragments. It is then pounded,

so that when we wish to pound it with any substance, or mix it with any

substance, it will no longer be alive11 and will be capable of absorbing liquids

that are added to it; for we may have occasion to use these (processes)when

conducting the necessary operations for combination and admixture.

The method of drying it is to digest it over fire in such a way that its fluid

particles are separated from it, and its dry particles remain. It is not, however,

possible for the fluid portion to evaporate and the dry to be precipitated, seeing

that the nature of the whole, or of the greater part of it12, is to fly, especially as

we are required to mix it with medicines which we are not able to separate from

it and which, in the event of its volatilizing, will volatilize with it. The (correct)

method is therefore to sublime both the moist and the dry portions, until the

moist part volatilizes and the dry is confined in a (suitable) receptacle.l3 We

repeat this several times until there is no possibility of the Mercury's coming to

life again14, and until, if there is any portion of it that is capable of being burnt

(such as Lead or Tin), combustion will occur at the bottom of the instrument,

while that portion of it that is devoid of the essence of aqueous humidity and

that cannot be burnt, will be separated from it and will volatilize either as a

dry white powder without the least power of combustion, or as a white mass

similarly devoid of all power of being burnt.

\Ve therefore stand in need of an instrument of volatilization. For this

purpose we take a long pot (qidr) with a rounded bottom and place the lesser

part of the pot in the fire so that the greater part projects above the brazier

(kanun)15 that has been prepared for it. We fit on to its top a round disc

(#abaq) from which sufficient of the centre has been removed for the top of the

pot to pass into it, and over this disc we fit a rounded c:over (mikabba)l6 in

order that the fumes of the Mercury that rise up may be retained therein. In

the centre of thel? cover there is also a hole through which passes a properly

fashioned stick, which can be taken out whenever we think that the fumes have

ceased to be evolved. We can thus see whether they have really stopped or

whether they are still rising up.

When therefore we wish to sublime Mercury, we first kill it with the aid of

suitable substances18 so that it may be in fit state for trituration, and then

bruise it with things that are absorbent19 and desiccating, such as Salt, Vitriol,

Lime20, and the like.

In the event of our desiring that the admixture with these things should be

very intimate we heat it over a gentle fire. The Mercury (after being killed)

is bruised 21. 22 and placed in an earthenware pot. After luting the pot with

Clay of Wisdom23, it is dried, and then placed in the furnace (tannur) 24. When

this roasting is complete, the mercury is bruised with the burning, absorbent,

desiccating substances 25, and thrown for sublimation into the pot which is

called the Uthiil. We sublime it in this pot several times, remixing it after

each sublimation or giving it back to the same residue. This is done several

times until the Mercury dies and becomes white, a result which may be attained

after seven sublimations, though under certain conditions we may have to wait

until the twelfth, which is the limit26• Sometimes, at the end, we place it in a

phial (qinnina) 27, carefully luted with Clay of Wisdom, and seal up the neck

after the moisture has been withdrawn in the way that we shall afterwards

describe28. Then we sublime the medicine in such a way that it rises up and is

confined in the neck29, sometimes like Tin (ra§tl§), sometimes like Crystal, and

sometimes like Rock-salt, according to the substance from which it is being

sublimed30.

These things have been tested both by experiments and by verified analogies

in accordance with (our) previous knowledge. The object throughout is the

drying up and desiccation of the Mercury. Having done this we obtain a

tincturing and penetrating virtue, a Tincture indeed of unsurpassed power and

penetration, so much so that its colour differs in no respect from that of pure

Silver, nay more, its colour is deeper and its whiteness more vivid. This is a

thing that was known to us even before experiment1 by long, intense and subtle

cogitation.

Thus we obtain the \Vhite Tincture, free from those things that are not

required.

Passing on to deal with the Red Tincture1 we do not find any natural

substance which at once imparts a red colour; we actually find that all things

which penetrate into Silver and other metals and impart a colour to them, have

a tendency to tum them black. In the case of Sulphur1 when a small quantity

of it is passed over Silver3! we see that it turns it yellow, but if it remains in

contact with the Silver, the Silver is blackened. The !citter happens if the

Sulphur be added in large quantity; while if it be thrown on to the Silver at the

time of fusion1 it burns and destroys it. We know from well-ascertained

principles that ·in the case of anything that turns black on being burnt, the

change (of colours) that it passes through from whiteness (to blackness) is not

through greenness1 but through yellownessand redness.32

Thus smoke, when it is dissolved in water, which is turned, will render the

water not green but red 33. From this we conclude that it is possible for us to

extract by somesubtle process from the things that tum Silver black a Tincture

that can tum it yellow. We also know that when a thing that possesses combustive

power is heated, the first thing that separates from it is the fiery virtue

that is in it, as this is lighter and nlore liable to evaporate and pass away than

the virtues of the other constituent elements34• Accordingly we strive by

suitable means to separate the fiery virtue35 from Sulphur and Arsenic Sulphide,

or from any of the oils, or from anything that blackens Silver. Sulphur, howe,

We find that the best method of effectingthis is to cook the Sulphur in Sharp

\Vater over a gentle fire in such a way that the fiery virtue in it is quickened

and removed without any of the essenceof the Sulphur being burnt, or any of its

oiliness passing away. We do this in order that the tincture alone may be

extracted for subsequent treatment in the proper way, and in order that the

Sulphur itself may be purified by the method that we shall mention afterward36•

Vvecannot do this with the requisite gentleness37 except by cooking it in a

double vessel without the water's being allowed to boil, or in dung, or in the

sun, or on hot ashes; and the greater the gentleness (of the process) the further

will the Sulphur be from damage. Moreover, it is not every water that can

quicken the Tincture and remove it, but the water should have some sharpness

in it, although if one confines oneself to pure water it will suffi.ce~ The water,

however, that has sharpness in it is preferable. We shall state subsequently

how this water ought to be made according to the method that we have dis-

covered by reasoning and experiment38. We cook the Sulphur repeatedly

\vith the water, and as the water becomesred weremove it and renew the water

until absolutely none of the Tincture remains. 'Whenthis is the case we mix

the waters together and distil them by kindling a fire under them until the

Tincture that is in the water has all volatilized. If the product be red, then we

have performed our task with gentleness and skill, but if it be black we have

burnt it during the process of coction39•

If the product be red, we take it and continue to cookit in coldwaters, such

as distilled vinegar and the whey made from skimmed milk that has turned sour

-from which, mixed with barley flour, sour beer40 is made-or in the acid

extract of citron, and similar things41• We do this time after time, until its

fieriness is conquered and its power weakened. In this' way its blackening

property is diminished to such an extent that only a power of conferring

yellownessremains, inasmuch as it no longer possessesthe power of combustion

and only a little of the blackening virtue remains in it, namely that which turns

things yellow. This coloration, however, is not fast and permanent, since it

disappears when heat is applied.

By this method we obtain the Tincture; .but we further need to compound

it ,vith something humid in order to facilitate its commingling with whatever

we wish to mix it with. For this we find reddened Mercury to be the most

suitable thing, especially for the conferring of lustre and brilliancy, since it is

capable of imparting a red colour like that of Mercury Sulphide (zunjujr)42, and

can be so manipulated that it does not bum. For reddened Mercury, that is,

zunjujr, if cerated and dissolved with what we shall afterwards mention43,

becomes a red liquid which will itself possess the property of colouring. How

much more so, if we place in it a Tincture with which it naturally and intimately

associates as is the case with zunjujr, except that the former zunjujr is combustible

while the latter, which has been reddened, is incombustible. What has

guided us to this is the preparation of (artificial) zunjujr and our knowledge of

how intimately Sulphur and Mercury unite together and how both of them

assume a red colour when conjoined. We therefore compound and bruise this

Tincture with this (reddened) Mercury in equal quantities-or a lesser quantity

ofthe Tincture may be used-and webury them in dung until they are thoroughly

commingled. The dissolved Mercury need not necessarily be reddened, since

it becomesred when it is combinedwith the Tincture, as (happens) in the making

of zunjujr, though it is better and preferable for it to be reddened, if possible.

Thus we have both the Albifacient and Rubifacient Tinctures, and this is the

most illustrious of the Five and of the Four Pillars (of the Art)44.

III

ON THE ELEMENTS THAT ENTER INTO COMBINATION WITH FUSED

SUBSTANCES

As for the Second Pillar, which is the element that combines with fused

substances, it must necessarily be a white or red element which can itself fuse.

After a searching investigation we have not found anything which, when cast

on to a fused mass, clings to it, mixes with it, and permeates it, without in any

way damaging it, except the mineral Sulphur, and also Arsenic Sulphide. 45

.Both of these, however, flee from fire and refuse to remain on it except for the

very short while that they take to evaporate, after which they at once disappear.

We did indeed find in them the power to cling to bodies, but we did not find

a means to consolidate them, so that they might associate and yet their property

of combustion be destroyed.

We found that combustion was due to the conversion into fire of that which

evaporates quickly, while we found the cause of clinging to be the affinity of

minerals for that which in nature approximates to them.

We studied the principles of nature and found that the cause of fusion was

the presence of a liquid humidity, mixed with the earthy dry particles in such a

way that when fire resolved them, the humidity flowed amongst them. The

intimacy of the union is so great that no actual separation can occur.

[We found the cause of evaporation to be the presence of a feeble humidity

in a body] which may rise up from it and pass away. 46

In addition, we find that the cause of combustion is the existence of a matured

humidity in a body, mixed with a dryness, which, by the accidental heat that it

acquires, gives it the virtue of resembling fire, changing the particles of the body

into the substance of fire either before or during evaporation. It will thus

separate as pure fire, the residue being the ashes, which is the portion of the

body that is burnt. This (phenomenon) occurs when the humidity has become

vapour, and has undergone the change and thus it becomes a flaming mass.47

The accidental and essential causes of this phenomenon lie outside the scope of

this treatise, but experience bears witness to one thing, namely that humidity

alone does not burn, for, as soon as heat comes in contact with it, it volatilizes

without burning.

On the other hand, if the humidity be mingled with something, it is in its

nature to evaporate, so as to leave the dry part in the state of ashes, whereby

the thing will burn. An example is the case of liquified bodies which neither

burn nor turn into ashes.48 If the humidity remains mingled, it will be matured

in the dry, becoming viscous and turning into oil, after which it will blaze up

and burn away. Combustionwill alsooccur if it doesnot becomeoil but simply

unites intimately with the dry. Even in this case,however, it ,villnot be without

a little oiliness, and 'wetherefore need to remove from the body this combustive

unctuous power and completely to annihilate its oiliness, in such a way

that there will remain in it a humidity which can become fluid and which can

cling to other bodies. The method (of doing this) we shall mention below.

"Vehave adopted as the most likely hypothesis that the humidity in such

bodies must be intimately combined with some dryness, so that when fire

excites it to evaporation, and the dryness and residue are predominant, the

humidity will permeate the residue, fusing or becoming soft in the same way as

Glass does. If, however, it is the humidity that is dominant, the dryness will

be enriched and will itself be evaporated in such a way that the vapour will

tunl into smoke. By experimenting with volatilization in order to ascertain

how the vapour changes into smoke, we came to know that the aqueous CODstituent49

of bodies is intimately united with dryness, and in addition that it

cannot be separated in a pure state inasmuch as the dryness also diminishes

during volatilization50. So we regard it as proved that a body will not be

spoilt by evaporation, that it will not totally diminish and that its humidity is

mixed with dryness. Moreover, if we make the fire gentle, we destroy the

combustive property of a body while its power of clinging is not destroyed.

When we considered how to destroy its property of combustion, \\'e saw

that there were various methods of effecting this51. One is to roast the body

with combustive and absorbant substances, and then to volatilize it, for at the

time of volatilization that portion of it that is combustible will necessarily be

burnt away while that which does not bum will pass off unaffected52• If,

perchance, anything combustible remains in the body, \ve repeat the process

of volatilization. The final product should be white, free from all trace of

combustibility and, when thrown on to Silver, should not bum or damage it.

It had further become known to us by natural analogies, ,vhich it would be

tedious to mention, that this treatment (ofa body) willnot deprive its substance

of the property of permeating and clinging; for this permeation and clinging are

caused by a humidity which unites with substances53., As for the humidity

by which combustion is brought about, it bums and spoilsthe essentialhumidity

of a substance \vhen it comes in contact with it. This combustive humidity,

however, we have already got rid of (i.e. by the process of volatilization). In

addition, this process also sets free much of the superfluous combustible

humidity, while the hUlnidity that is combined with the dryness remains owing

to its being a solid humidity. This is also why the product melts into an oil

when placed over fire.

When we had realized this and put it to the test, we found (a) that the

substance (when thus purified) possesses the power of cliI!gingand (b) that it

whitens whatever is not white, provided that it sinks into the fused mass and is

not separated from it. This will be the case if the two unite together, or if we

close the head of the crucible54 so that the substance cannot find a \vay of

escape. The fact that every white substance that mixes with others causes

whitening we knew, indeed, by analogy, and have proved by experiment.

Moreover,wehave found that the white product above mentioned also possesses

the power of clinging. Hence we have obtained the thing that we desired.

We may even dispense ,vith the volatilization of the substance, but in that

case we must cook it in oil or water, in such a way that the fierinessis set free

from it, and much of the foreign humidity that is in excess of the dryness is

evaporated. Someportion, however,ofthe essentialhumidity in the dryness will

remain, and cannot be separated from it. When this begins to move in the

substance, it will cause it to fuse and quickly collect as a homogeneousmass in

the oil or 'water in which we are cooking it.

Having become acquainted with this' method, we found that Sulphur is

suitable and applicable both for the Red and the White, although it is better

for the Red; and we found by experiment that Arsenic Sulphide is particularly

adapted for the production of the White, although each is suitable for either55•

Furthermore, we may subject the substance that is for the Red to another

process. This is to redden it by means of those things that are reddened by

Fire, viz. the Waters of Vitriol56 so that it may become a colouring agent for

the Yellow.

The final result is that (the Tincture) for the White, having realized its

allotted task, willgive rise to Whiteness, whilethat for the Red having (similarly)

realized its allotted task, will give rise to Redness.

IV

ON THE SUBSTANCE THAT PRODUCES HOMOGENEITY

This is a solid humidity which fire cannot dissociate. From this we obtain

a subtle oilinesswhich is sufficient.

V

ON THE FIXED SUBSTANCE

Having pondered over and searched for the fixed substance, we found that

everything that does not flee from fire contains the fixed substance. These

are either bodies that fuse or bodies that do not fuse, and all of them have been

found of use to US57, but those that fuse are more convenient and better.

However, so long as they remain as bodies,with their essences united, nothing

can combine with them, while if their parts are made sma1l58 something can

combine with them. We can bum and calcine them, but if it be possible to

calcine them without burning them59 we should do so, until they become

reduced .to such fine powder that it is almost impossible to divide them any

further 60. A specific form61 is thus lost to them, for, as Aristotle has shown in

his al-Santit al-rabi' i, subdivision destroys specificform62.

If, therefore, substances are thus subdivided, it will be possible for us to employ

them in realizing our object63•

For these reasons we decided that for Silver a calx that is made either from

Silver or Tin64 should be used, the former being preferable; and for Gold, a

calx either from Gold-which is preferable-or from Copper (It is said that

Lapis Lazuli produces a better calx than Copper.) We can also prepare a

calx for Silver from white Isjidaj which thus becomes a whitening agent, and

a calx for Gold from a red powder like zunjujr6 8. .

VI

ON THE }IETHOD OF COMPOUNDING

Now that we have obtained for the White a tincture, an oil, and a calx, all

possessing the property of whitening, and for the Red a tincture, an oil, and a

calx, all possessing the property of reddening, it is necessary for us (to consider

how) to compound and solidify them into a single essential substance inasmuch

as their combination and admixture are not readily accomplished. We have

noticed in our experiments that when fluids, after combining and coming into

intimate admixture with one another, are desiccated and solidified, they adhere

to each other to such an extent that if that which flies prevails over the fixed,

the latter will fly with it, while if it does not prevail it will remain fixed in

company with the fixed. We have also seen that many things dissolve and

then coagulate without their virtue's being affected, among these being Salammoniac

and Vitriol69• In addition we learn from many principles of physical

science that those fhings70 of which the original substance is earth and water,

can dissolve and flo\v, while we know from other laws that the dissolution of

the Elixirs referred to will not at all prevent them from exercising their evident

original functions, indeed they will retain· intact as much of their virtue as we

may require. ...t\nalogyand experiment confirms us in these beliefs. 'Ve

decided therefore (upon dissolution)71and then coagulation, so that the essences

of the fundamental substances72 (from which the Elixir is formed) may unite

and become a single substance, which will have the power of colouring, permeating,

and conferring homogeneity, and will be stable and permanent over

fire. Moreover, we concluded that if we were to employ trituration, and the

constant addition of solvent waters that possess the power of commingling

and combining, that process would serve a a substitute for solution. We

tested this with several substances, and found that our experiments were sometimes

successful and sometimes not, the latter being either on account of the

weakness of the instruments, or because ,ve fell short of perfection in our \\~ork.

As for the essential causes, they are many, and some of them cannot be

comprehended.

Hence we have relied on these two processes73 (i.e. Dissolution and Coagulation),

whereby the making of the Elixir will be brought to completion by the

praise and help of God, and the desired object will be attained. The fundamental

constituents for the White are therefore sublimated Mercury, sublimated

Sulphur74, sublimated or whitened Arsenic Sulphide, and I sftdaj, or some other

thing, all in combination with one another. This is the Perfect Elixir for the

White. For the Yellow, Tincture of Sulphur, sublimated Sulphur, sublimated

Mercury, and good Calx (are necessary). It is best that all of them should be

reddening agents, compounded together, to form the Perfect Elixir for the

Red.

VII

ON THE OBTAINING OF AN ELIXIR FROM THINGS OTHER THAN

MINERALS

Know that it is possible to prepare Elixir from Hair, Eggs, Blood, and many

of the parts of animals, and this is the reason why we devised experiments to

see whether animal substances affect molten bodies in the same way (as inorganic

substances do) and whether they cling to them. We found that in

bulk they have no effect, but that their smoke clings to bodies in such a way that

it is able (for example) to impart a yellow colour to Silver. Similarly when

heated Silver is brought in contact with them it acquires a colour. We conclude

from this that animal substances possess the power of tingeing and clinging,

while we know that the waters of Hair, Blood, and all cooked salty substances

coagulate. We also know that if we wish to separate their tincture and power

of clinging, it is not possible except by fire and volatilization (as this is the only

method) by which nothing of the tincture is lost75• Moreover, we are aware

that the first thing that distils from these animal substances is water, and then

oil76 because the latter is more resistent to fire. We therefore distil them

over a gentle fire in a cucurbit and alembic. After the water had distilled, the

oil begins to pass over, and (the process of) distillation is carried on until both

have been removed, and nothing but the dregs remain. The latter are repeatedly

heated in the fire76, until they are converted into a calx which is pernlanent

over fire.

Furthermore, we know that the tincture is in the oil, so we coagulate77 the

oil, and extract its tincture by subjecting it to gentle coction in nothing but its

own water, seeing that its water is sharp, and salty, and in addition coagulates

into Sal-ammoniac. Then we take the (coagulated) oil, and cook it in water of

moderate sharpness, until the water has purified and whitened it,·and removed

its combustible property. 78 In this way it acquires the property of fusing79

whileits powerof combustion is destroyed. Asfor the calx, wehave (already so)

purified it that it has become a very fine white powder.

We find the water of these substances corresponds to Mercury among the

minerals, their oil corresponds to Sulphur· or Arsenic Sulphide among the

minerals, and their calx to the calces among the minerals.80 The Elixir that is

formed from these (three) is equal to the Elixir made from the minerals-nay, it

is even better, more noble and more powerful.

VIII

ON THE PROCESSES

In the case of Mercury,you take it and solidifyit with the Vapour of Sulphur

and Tin8!, if it be for the \Vhite, and with the \Tapour of Lead if it be for the

Red82• The method of doing this is to place the Mercury in a pit83 and

sprinkle on it, for the White, ashes, or Silvery Marqashithii; while for the Red,

Golden Marqashithii, or Sulphur, or White Ashes84 must be used. You then

pour on to its surface fused Tin or Lead85 in such a way that no admixture

occurs. This is done several times until the Mercury solidifiesinto a stone.

An alternative method is to place the Mercury in a piece of rag and after

making a depression with the pestle of the mortar in the semi-solid Tin, to

put the Mercury in this hole. We repeat this several times until the Mercury

solidifies86.

In the event of our not wishing to solidify it87, we triturate the Mercury

with mustard, previously triturated with water, until it dies in the mixture.

The Mercury after this treatment is mixed with Salt and Vitriol and volatilized

from these substances several times. If it be for the Red, after subjecting

it seven times to the processes of assation (tashwiya) and volatilization (ta$'id),

we give it to drink of the Red Water of Sulphur88, and finally volatilize it in

such a \vay that it coagulates in the neck of the phial89 • Each sublimation

(t(l$'id), as well as the process of Takhniq90, must be preceded by distillation

(taq/ir). Mark this well.

ARSENIC SULPHIDE AND SULPHUR

Arsenic Sulphide and Sulphur must be well triturated with filings of iron,

and after being subjected to coction in Vinegar they are left to dry. Then

they are roasted and sublimed with Salt, Vitriol, talq, Quicklime91, and calx of

bones92• If the substance be (finally)subjected to the process of Takhniq with

Vitriol93 and Copper Oxide94, either separately 01 together, it will coagulate

like Salt or Crystal. Sublimation is repeated several times until they acquire

(the power of) melting and becoming mobile.

OIL OF HAIR, ETC.

This is coagulated by a moderate heat applied continuously until it thickens.

After the removal of its tincture the oil is heated in a solution of Mild Alkali95

until its blackness is extracted and it becomes white.

THE CORRECT METHOD OF CALCINING "BODIES"

Sometimes the metal is burnt by means of burning substances such as Salt,

Sal-ammoniac, and Sulphur, in order that it may become fit for trituration.

Sometimes it is turned into Zinjiir by means of Sal-ammoniac96; while a third

way is to amalgamate it97 with Mercury, which is then volatilized from it several

times until the metal remains in the form of a white powder.

[If it be for the White]98 it is given to drink of the decanted water of salt,

and after trituration 99,the substance is placed in a furnace (attun). From this

it is not removed, until it becomes a thing that cannot be further dividedlOO•

In the case of a substance that is required for the Yellow, it is given to drink

of a solution of the Vitriols, either separately or together, or the Redness of

Suiphur101 etc.; or the Oil of EggsI02. It is then roasted continuously until it

becomes red, and is converted into a powder that cannot be further divided.

DISSOL UTION

The easiest way of carrying out the process of Dissolution that we have

observed is to change the nature of substancesl03 (by converting them) into

those things which are of themselvesl04 capable of dissolving, such as the Salts

and the Vitriols. Wehave also seen that the strongest of these is Sal-ammoniac.

We therefore dissolve it, and proceed to water and triturate the substance

(with the solution), afte~ards subjecting it to the processof coction by means of

heat, until the whole coagulates into Sal-ammoniac. The method of doing

this is to pour over the substance sufficient of the dissolved Sal-ammoniac to

moisten it, and then to place it in hot air, or in the sun, until it dries. Afterwards

it is placed in a dishl05 and fused over a gentle fire. When it begins to

emit fumes we remove it and after trituration (with a fresh quantity of the salammoniac

solution) we repeat the fusion. We do this ten times; and then we

repeat the addition of water and trituration from the very beginning until the

substance is cerated, that is, it melts on a piece of heated iron, and dissolves

in water without leaving any residuel06. This result is obtained after from

10 to 30 additions of water, the higher number being necessary only if we wish

to effect the compounding by means of trituration and the addition of water

(alone).

It is best for the Elixir of the Red that the dissolved Sal-ammoniac should

have been previously given to drink of the Water of Vitriol, sublimed until it is

red, and then (again) liquefiedlo7•

In the case of animals, their efficacyresidesin their oils, although their waters

are also helpful as means whereby ceration is accomplished.lOS

When ceration is complete they109 are dissolved in whichever way we may

desire, either by placing them in a phial, the mouth of which is closed, and

carefully burying them in dung which is continuously renewed; or by suspending

them in a jar of Vinegar110; or by any other means, such as burying in damp

earth, or hanging them in wells, or they may be dissolved in the Blind Cucurbit

by means of the vapour of Sharp Waters111. The latter are waters in which

qily and quicklime112 have been repeatedly warmed until the liquid burns a

feather immersed in it, or waters into which Sal-ammoniac has been thrown113.

If our desire is for the Red, Sulphur and the Vitriols are added. If we

follow this path, dissolution is effected in from 40 days to 3 months.

When dissolution is complete, we mix (all) the waters and bury them in the

ground until combination has occurred. Then we place them in a pot (qidr)114

and bury them continuously in hot cinders, until they are thickened,115 dried,

and coagulated. This is the Elixir116.

An alternative method is to agitate them with Sharp Waters. Combination

is thus brought about, each substance dissolving in the others. Then the

mixture is heated to drynessl!? This process is repeated 30 times, .more or

less, until either no evaporation at all occurs, or the "'hole mixture evaporates

without leaving any ashes.

If the whole of the mixture evaporates, know that you have been right in

the compounding, but \vrong as regards the weight of the calx. In this case

you should correct the proportion by the addition of a little more calx, which

will prevent the whole from evaporating. This 'will also increase the tincturing

and clinging power (of the Elixir), unless indeed too much has been added.

And God is our Guide!

IX

Ho\v THE WORK IS FINISHED

This Elixir colours by virtue of its Tincture, penetrates by virtue of its Oil,

and remains fixed by virtue of its Calx. The Oil is the agent which unites the

Tincture, which is very subtle, and the Calx, which is very gross. The \Vater

of Mercury serves as the medium for the Tincture. When the Oil, \vhich

confers stability on the Calx that has been coloured by the Tincture, begins to

penetrate, they both (i.e. the Tincture and Calx) v{ill penetrate \vith it. And

because the Calx remains in a state of fixity, they both (i.e. the Tincture and

Oil) will remain fixed with it on account of the intimacy of the union (that

exists between them).

}\mong the elements, the analogue of the Tincture is Fire, the analogue of the

Oil is Air; .the analogue of the Mercury is Water, and the analogue of the Calx

is Earth. The vVhite is formed from three (of these) things, fire being excludedl!

8, the Yellow fronl all four. And God knows best what is right!

31 Andalusian Spain and the Transfer of Philosophical Thought

In 200 AD, the land of Spain was occupied and controlled by Rome. When Rome began to decline in 400 AD, the Huns, in the steppes of Mongolia into Europe, and the peoples there in Germany, known as the Alans, the Sueves and the Vandals, began to migrate south into France and Spain (I'm using modern names for these places; they were not named that at the time).

As the year 400 AD approached, the Visigoths began to move southwest from their homes north of the Black sea across Europe, and by 450 had reaches Spain and stopped there. Rome was unable to control or expel them, so they stayed there. The Christian Spanish, who were there, learned to get along because they were too weak to expel any of the invaders, even though the invaders were less than 2% of the population.

In 630 AD the Muslim expansion began into northern Africa, and into Europe. They took Jerusalem, which the Christians didn't like, and the Crusades were born. They took most of Turkey, which the Byzantine Orthodox Church didn't like and they fought their land back. They dashed through Egypt, through the Vandals who had moved across the Strait of Gibralter into northern Africa, and by 711 AD the Muslims had begun to cross the Strait into Spain. By 732 AD the Muslims were mostly in charge of Spain, which they called Al-Andalus. The Umayyan caliph Uthman wanted Constantinople, and fighting for it directly didn't work, so this was his next-best plan. [If you recall the family tree of Khalild, he was of a different family branch of the same family].

By 750 there was a Muslim civil war under way for power and land, mostly between the Umayyid and the Abbasid caliphates. The Abbisids invited all the Ummayans to a feast in 750 and murdered all but one prince, Abd al-Rahman. He fled to northern Africa, to the Berber people of his mother, but wasn't safe there. He crossed the Strait and soon became the ruler of the Muslims in Al-Andalus.

For the original inhabitants it was a tough place to live. They had built beautiful cathedrals, which the Visigoths "borrowed" for their own worship, then the Muslims came in and turned them into mosques. Once the Emirate of Cordoba was established (under the caliphate of Baghdad), it wasn't run like the other caliphates. They welcomed intellectuals, books, Jewish and Christian scholars. "Kingdom of Light" was one name for the emirate (given to themselves, no doubt). The emirate was stable until about 929 AD when the Fatimids of northern Africa, one of the more extreme groups of Muslims, visited and were appalled when they saw the Emir being friendly with other religions, dining well, and drinking alcohol. To defend against them the Emir at the time, Abd al-Rahman, declared himself Caliph and the Caliphate of Cordoba was born. And it was now at war with the Fatimids. The scholars high tailed it north, to the more peaceful Christian areas at the north extremes of Spain. The little civil war to the south diminished the power of the Muslims immensely, and over the next 150 years the Muslim rule shrunk to one city in the south, Granada. 

Alhambra, in Granada, begun in 1238, home of the Caliphate of Cordoba.

About this time, the Christians, buoyed by money for the Crusades, built an army under El Cid and began to wage the crusades at home to drive the rest of the Muslims out. The Muslims were gone by 1492, and with the spare money, the Queen of Spain funded the journey of Columbus to find more trade routes, the old Muslim routes now being closed to them.

It is the exodus of the scholars that interest us here. They went north with their books. These are the Arabic translations of the Greek works the Muslims had found in the great libraries. When the Bishop of Toledo saw the books coming up from the south he set up a school of translators in Toledo. This school drew in Arabic and Latin translators, often working across from each other, to translate all the best books they could find. Many were the Arabic translations of the original Greek philosophical works, like Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoreas. And others were the alchemical works developed at Alexandria, and added to by the Arabic alchemists.

Robert of Clement (in Britain) was one of the greatest translators at the School. He began translating in 1140. He translated many alchemical works, and also some important mathematical ones (by Al-Khwarizmi) that go on to influence the development of mathematics in Europe, especially for Descartes.

Another great translator is Adelard of Bath, comments on what he's learned from translating the Arabic:

I learned from my Arabian masters under the leading of reason; you, however, captivated by the appearance of authority, follow your halter. Since what else should authority be called than a halter? For just as brutes are led where one wills by a halter, so the authority of past writers leads not a few of you into danger, held and bound as you are by bestial credulity. Consequently some, usurping to themselves the name of authority, have used excessive license in writing, so that they have not hesitated to teach bestial men falsehood in place of truth. For why shouldn’t you fill rolls of parchment and write on both sides, when in this age you generally have auditors who demand no rational judgement but trust simply in the mention of an old title? ... Wherefore, if you want to hear anything more from me, give and take reason. For I’m not the sort of man that can be fed on the picture of a beefsteak.

Holmyard, E. J.. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (pp. 107-108). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

Gerard of Cremona was the best of them. He translated 76 books, and he was able after a time to translate masterfully from Arabic into Latin, unaided, when neither was his native tongue.

Beholding the abundance of books in every field in Arabic [translates Lynn Thorndike] and the poverty of the Latins in this respect, he devoted his life to the labour of translation, scorning the desires of the flesh, although he was rich in wordly goods, and adhering to the things of the spirit alone. He toiled for the advantage of all both present and future, not unmindful of the injunction of Ptolemy to work good increasingly as you near your end. Now, that his name may not be hidden in silence and darkness, and that no alien name may be inscribed by presumptuous thievery in his translations, the more so since he (like Galen) never signed his own name to any of them, they have drawn up a list of all the works translated by him whether in dialectic or geometry, in astrology or philosophy, in medicine or in the other sciences.

Holmyard, E. J.. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (p. 109). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

Gerard translated Avicenna, Jabir, Al Razi, Aristotle's Meteorology, and the Amalgahest of Ptolemy (the book on astronomy and astronomical calculations).

As these texts moved into Europe, they sparked the Renaissance, the return to the golden age of Greece. The renaissance would not fully develop until 1453 when Constantinople finally falls to Muslim conquest, and the scholars there flee to Italy with their original Greek texts.

There was great interest in Europe when these Greek texts from Spain were known to exist. A large number of people wanted to read them to hear about them, to study them, and the the Universities begin to form, first informally where students bargain with their teachers for tuition, then later when the administration takes care of that. It is in the University of Paris that the next chapter of alchemy plays out.

 It is more or less here that a few pages of the dictionary enter the Latin (and subsequent) language:

Abicum (anbiq), alembic
Abric (al-kibrit), sulphur
Alcalai (al-qali), alkali
Alchemy (al-kimia), alchemy
Alcazdir (al-qasdir), tin; cf. cassiterite
Alchitram (al-qitran), pitch
Alcohol (al-kuhl), kohl or black eye-paint
Almagest (al-majisti), almagest
Almizadir (al-nushadhur), sal ammoniac
Anticar (al-tinkar), tincal, borax
Athanor (al-tannur), furnace
Azarnet (al-zarnikh), arsenic [sulphides]
Azoth (al-zauq), mercury
Carboy (qarabah), carboy
Elixir (al-iksir), elixir
Heautarit (utarid), mercury
Jargon (jargun), jargon, a kind of zircon
Luban (luban), gum, resin; luban jawai, or Javanese resin, was corrupted into benzoin, whence our word benzene
Mattress (matrah), heap, cushion
Naphtha (naft), naphtha
Natron (natrun), natron, whence our symbol Na for sodium
Noas (nuhas), copper
Ocob (uqab), eagle, sal ammoniac
Tutty (tutiya), tutty, zinc oxide
Zaibar (zaibaq), mercury
Ziniar (zinjar), verdigris.

Holmyard, E. J.. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (pp. 110-111). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

Also entering into English, jiberish, after the unreadable (to most eyes) Arabic texts of the then-popular Jabir.

Some of the earliest European alchemists were reading these newly-translated texts and commenting on them, or just retelling what they learned from them. Bartholomew the Englishman in 1230 was lecturing at the University of Paris when he was called by his Order (he was a monk) to teach from his book, On the Properties of Things, a summary of the new alchemy. He relies largely on Avicenna as his source, and doesn't seem to be doing any lab work to confirm the properties of which he speaks. Speaking of mercury and glass, 

Quicksilver is a watery substance medlied strongly with subtle earthly things, and may not be dissolved and that is for great dryness of earth that melteth not on a plain thing. Therefore it cleaveth not to the thing that it toucheth, as doth the thing that is watery. The substance thereof is white: and that is for clearness of clear water, and for the whiteness of subtle earth that is well digested. Also it hath whiteness of medlying of air with the aforesaid things. Also quicksilver hath the property that it curdeth not by itself kindly without brimstone: but with brimstone, and with substance of lead it is congealed and fastened together. And therefore it is said, that quicksilver and brimstone is the element, that is to wit matter, of which all melting metal is made. Quicksilver is matter of all metal, and therefore in respect of them it is a simple element. Isidore saith it is fleeting, for it runneth and is specially found in silver forges as it were drops of silver molten. And it is oft found in old dirt of sinks, and in slime of pits. And also it is made of minium [cinnabar] done in caverns [retorts] of iron, and a patent or a shell done thereunder; and the vessel that is annointed therewith, shall be beclipped with burning coals, and then the quicksilver shall drop. Without this silver nor gold nor latten [brass] nor copper may be over-gilt. And it is of so great virtue and strength, that though thou do a stone of an hundred pound weight upon quicksilver of the weight of two pounds, the quicksilver anon withstandeth the weight. And if thou doest thereon a scruple of gold, it ravisheth unto itself the lightness thereof. And so it appeareth it is not weight, but nature to which it obeyeth. It is best kept in glass vessels, for it pierceth, boreth, and fretteth other matters.

Holmyard, E. J.. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (pp. 112-113). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

 These properties are pretty accurate. When I was young, when there was a mercury spill in school, they didn't close the school and redo the interior as they do now. They just spread sulfur over the spill and brushed it around until all the mercury had be "curdled" by the sulfur and the result swept up.

But when speaking of glass, Bartholemew displays a sort of alchemical gullibility, believing anything he has heard:

Glass, as Avicen saith, is among stones as a fool among men, for it taketh all manner of colour and painting. Glass was first found beside Ptolomeida in the cliff beside the river that is called Vellus, that springeth out of the foot of Mount Carmel, at which shipmen arrived. For upon the gravel of that river shipmen made fire of clods medlied with bright gravel, and thereof ran streams of new liquor, that was the beginning of glass. It is so pliant that it taketh anon divers and contrary shapes by blast of the glazier, and is sometimes beaten, and sometimes graven as silver. And no matter is more apt to make mirrors than is glass, or to receive painting; and if it be broken it may not be amended without melting again. But long time past, there was one that made glass pliant, which might be amended and wrought with an hammer, and brought a vial made of such glass before Tiberius the Emperor, and threw it down on the ground, and it was not broken but bent and folded. And he made it right and amended it with a hammer. Then the Emperor commanded to smite off his head anon, lest that his craft were known. For then gold should be no better than fen [clay], and all other metal should be of little worth, for certain if glass vessels were not brittle, they should be accounted of more value than vessels of gold.

Holmyard, E. J.. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (p. 113). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

 Vincent of Beauvais (1190 - 1264) is more alchemical than Bartholomew. Bright and energetic, he was the tutor to King Louis IX's two sons, as well as the King's librarian and chaplain. But like Bartholomew, he is quoting and not doing alchemy. He is rewriting Avecenna, Razi, Averroes, and someone named Al-Bitruji. Like Bartholomew, not an original thinker.

Original thought comes from the University of Paris in the form of a German and an Englishman.

31.2 Artephius

We don't know the identity of Artephius, but he is very early for European alchemy, right at the forefront, 1160 A.D., when the Arabic alchemy is being translated. His Book of Secrets does not appear to be a retelling of an Arabic alchemical text (though one of his other books has been shown to be just that). This will have a great influence on alchemists right through the end, as both Roger Bacon and Robert Boyle speak often of this book. He authored several books: Ars sintrillia, Clavis sapientiae or Clavis maioris sapientiae, and Liber secretus.

 

The Secret Book
Artephius

(1) Antimony is a mineral participating of saturnine parts, and has in all respects the nature thereof. This saturnine antimony agrees with sol, and contains in itself argent vive, in which no metal is swallowed up, except gold, and gold is truly swallowed up by this antimonial argent vive. Without this argent vive no metal whatsoever can be whitened; it whitens laton, i.e. gold; reduceth a perfect body into its prima materia, or first matter, viz. into sulphur and argent vive, of a white color, and outshining a looking glass. It dissolves, I say the perfect body, which is so in its own nature; for this water is friendly and agreeable with the metals, whitening sol, because it contains in itself white or pure argent vive.

(2) And from both these you may draw a great arcanum, viz. a water of saturnine antimony, mercurial and white; to the end that it may whiten sol, not burning, but dissolving, and afterwards congealing to the consistence or likeness of white cream. Therefore, saith the philosopher, this water makes the body to be volatile; because after it has dissolved in it, and infrigidated, it ascends above and swims upon the surface of the water. Take, saith he, crude leaf gold, or calcined with mercury, and put it into our vinegre, made of saturnine antimony, mercurial, and sal ammoniac, in a broad glass vessel, and four inches high or more; put it into a gentle heat, and in a short time you will see elevated a liquor, as it were oil swimming atop, much like a scum. Gather this with a spoon or feather dipping it in; and in doing so often times a day until nothing more arises; evaporate the water with a gentle heat, i.e., the superfluous humidity of the vinegre, and there will remain the quintessence, potestates or powers of gold in the form of a white oil incombustible. In this oil the philosophers have placed their greatest secrets; it is exceeding sweet, and of great virtue for easing the pains of wounds.

(3) The whole, then, of this antimonial secret is, that we know how by it to extract or draw forth argent vive, out of the body of Magnesia, not burning, and this is antimony, and a mercurial sublimate. That is, you must extract a living and incombustible water, and then congeal, or coagulate it with the perfect body of sol, i.e. fine gold, without alloy; which is done by dissolving it into a nature [sic? mature?] white substance of the consistency of cream, and made thoroughly white. But first this sol by putrefaction and resolution in this water, loseth all its light and brightness, and will grow dark and black; afterwards it will ascend above the water, and by little and little will swim upon it, in a substance of a white color. And this is the whitening of red laton to sublimate it philosophically, and to reduce it into its first matter; viz. into a white incombustible sulphur, and into a fixed argent vive. Thus the perfect body of sol, resumeth life in this water; it is revived, inspired, grows, and is multiplied in its kind, as all other things are. For in this water, it so happens, that the body compounded of two bodies, viz. sol and luna, is puffed up, swells, putrefies, is raised up, and does increase by the receiving from the vegetable and animated nature and substance.

(4) Our water also, or vinegar aforesaid, is the vinegar of the mountains, i.e. of sol and luna; and therefore it is mixed with gold and silver, and sticks close to them perpetually; and the body receiveth from this water a white tincture, and shines with inestimable brightness. Who so knows how to convert, or change the body into a medicinal white gold, may easily by the same white gold change all imperfect metals into the best or finest silver. And this white gold is called by the philosophers "luna alba philosophorum, argentum vivum album fixum, aurum alchymiae, and fumus albus" [white philosophical silver, white fixed mercury, alchemical gold and white (something)]: and therefore without this our antimonial vinegar, the aurum album of the philosophers cannot be made. And because in our vinegar there is a double substance of argentum vivum, the one from antimony, and the other from mercury sublimated, it does give a double weight and substance of fixed argent vive, and also augments therein the native color, weight, substance and tincture thereof.

(5) Our dissolving water therefore carries with it a great tincture, and a great melting or dissolving; because that when it feels the vulgar fire, if there be in it the pure and fine bodies of sol or luna, it immediately melts them, and converts them into its white substance such as itself is, and gives to the body color, weight, and tincture. In it also is a power of liquefying or melting all things that can be melted or dissolved; it is a water ponderous, viscous, precious, and worthy to be esteemed, resolving all crude bodies into their prima materia, or first matter, viz. earth and a viscous powder; that is into sulphur, and argentum vivum. If therefore you put into this water, leaves, filings, or calx of any metal, and set it in a gentle heat for a time, the whole will be dissolved, and converted into a viscous water, or white oil as aforesaid. Thus it mollifies the body, and prepares for liquefaction; yea, it makes all things fusible, viz. stones and metals, and after gives them spirit and life. And it dissolves all things with an admirable solution, transmuting the perfect body into a fusible medicine, melting, or liquefying, moreover fixing, and augmenting the weight and color.

(6) Work therefore with it, and you shall obtain from it what you desire, for it is the spirit and soul of sol and luna; it is the oil, the dissolving water, the fountain, the Balneum Mariae, the praeternatural fire, the moist fire, the secret, hidden and invisible fire. It is also the most acrid vinegar, concerning which an ancient philosopher saith, I besought the Lord, and he showed me a pure clear water, which I knew to be the pure vinegar, altering, penetrating, and digesting. I say a penetrating vinegar, and the moving instrument for putrefying, resolving and reducing gold or silver into their prima materia or first matter. And it is the only agent in the universe, which in this art is able to reincrudate metallic bodies with the conservation of their species. It is therefore the only apt and natural medium, by which we ought to resolve the perfect bodies of sol and luna, by a wonderful and solemn dissolution, with the conservation of the species, and without any destruction, unless it be to a new, more noble, and better form or generation, viz. into the perfect philosopher's stone, which is their wonderful secret or arcanum.

(7) Now this water is a certain middle substance, clear as fine silver, which ought to receive the tinctures of sol and luna, so as they may be congealed, and changed into a white and living earth. For this water needs the perfect bodies, that with them after the dissolution, it may be congealed, fixed, and coagulated into a white earth. But if this solution is also their coagulation, for they have one and the same operation, because one is not dissolved, but the other is congealed, nor is there any other water which can dissolve the bodies, but that which abideth with them in the matter and the form. It cannot be permanent unless it be of the nature of other bodies, that they may be made one. When therefore you see the water coagulate itself with the bodies that be dissolved therein; be assured that thy knowledge, way of working, and the work itself are true and philosophic, and that you have done rightly according to art.

(8) Thus you see that nature has to be amended by its own like nature; that is, gold and silver are to be exalted in our water, as our water also with these bodies; which water is called the medium of the soul, without which nothing has to be done in this art. It is a vegetable, mineral and animal fire, which conserves the fixed spirits of sol and luna, but destroys and conquers their bodies; for it destroys, overturns, and changes bodies and metallic forms, making them to be no bodies but a fixed spirit. And it turns them into a humid substance, soft and fluid, which hath ingression and power to enter into other imperfect bodies, and to mix with them in their smallest parts, and to tinge and make them perfect. But this they could not do while they remained in their metallic forms or bodies, which were dry and hard, whereby they could have no entrance into other things, so to tinge and make perfect, what was before imperfect.

(9) It is necessary therefore to convert the bodies of metals into a fluid substance; for that every tincture will tinge a thousand times more in a soft and liquid substance, than when it is in a dry one, as is plainly apparent in saffron. Therefore the transmutation of imperfect metals is impossible to be done by perfect bodies, while they are dry and hard; for which cause sake they must be brought back into their first matter, which is soft and fluid. It appears therefore that the moisture must be reverted that the hidden treasure may be revealed. And this is called the reincrudation of bodies, which is the decocting and softening them, till they lose their hard and dry substance or form; because that which is dry doth not enter into, nor tinge anything except its own body, nor can it be tinged except it be tinged; because, as I said before, a thick dry earthy matter does not penetrate nor tinge, and therefore, because it cannot enter or penetrate, it can make no alteration in the matter to be altered. For this reason it is, that gold coloreth not, until its internal or hidden spirit is drawn forth out of its bowels by this, our white water, and that it may be made altogether a spiritual substance, a white vapor, a white spirit, and a wonderful soul.

(10) It behoves us therefore by this our water to attenuate, alter and soften the perfect bodies, to wit sol and luna, that so they may be mixed other perfect bodies. From whence, if we had no other benefit by this our antimonial water, than that it rendered bodies soft, more subtile, and fluid, according to its own nature, it would be sufficient. But more than that, it brings back bodies to their original of sulphur and mercury, that of them we may afterwards in a little time, in less than an hour's time do that above ground which nature was a thousand years doing underground, in the mines of the earth, which is a work almost miraculous.

(11) And therefore our ultimate, or highest secret is, by this our water, to make bodies volatile, spiritual, and a tincture, or tinging water, which may have ingress or entrance into bodies; for it makes bodies to be merely spirit, because it reduces hard and dry bodies, and prepares them for fusion, melting and dissolving; that is, it converts them into a permanent or fixed water. And so it makes of bodies a most precious and desirable oil, which is the true tincture, and the permanent fixed white water, by nature hot and moist, or rather temperate, subtile, fusible as wax, which does penetrate, sink, tinge, and make perfect the work. And this our water immediately dissolves bodies (as sol and luna) and makes them into an incombustible oil, which then may be mixed with other imperfect bodies. It also converts other bodies into the nature of a fusible salt which the philosophers call "sal alebrot philosophorum", better and more noble than any other salt, being in its own nature fixed and not subject to vanish in fire. It is an oil indeed by nature hot, subtile, penetrating, sinking through and entering into other bodies; it is called the perfect or great elixir, and the hidden secret of the wise searchers of nature. He therefore that knows this salt of sol and luna, and its generation and perfection, and afterwards how go commix it, and make it homogene with other perfect bodies, he in truth knows one of the greatest secrets of nature, and the only way that leads to perfection.

(12) These bodies thus dissolved by our water are called argent vive, which is not without its sulphur, nor sulphur without the fixedness of sol and luna; because sol and luna are the particular means, or medium in the form through which nature passes in the perfecting or completing thereof. And this argent vive is called our esteemed and valuable salt, being animated and pregnant, and our fire, for that is nothing but fire; yet not fire, but sulphur; and not sulphur only, but also quicksilver drawn from sol and luna by our water, and reduced to a stone of great price. That is to say it is a matter or substance of sol and luna, or silver and gold, altered from vileness to nobility. Now you must note that this white sulphur is the father and mother of the metals; it is our mercury, and the mineral of gold; also the soul, and the ferment; yea, the mineral virtue, and the living body; our sulphur, and our quicksilver; that is, sulphur of sulphur, quicksilver of quicksilver, and mercury of mercury.

(13) The property therefore of our water is, that it melts or dissolves gold and silver, and increases their native tincture or color. For it changes their bodies from being corporeal, into a spirituality; and it is in this water which turns the bodies, or corporeal substance into a white vapor, which is a soul which is whiteness itself, subtile, hot and full of fire. This water also called the tinging or blood-color-making stone, being the virtue of the spiritual tincture, without which nothing can be done; and is the subject of all things that can be melted, and of liquefaction itself, which agrees perfectly and unites closely with sol and luna from which it can never be separated. For it joined [joins?] in affinity to the gold and silver, but more immediately to the gold than to the silver; which you are to take special notice of. It is also called the medium of conjoining the tinctures of sol and luna with the inferior or imperfect metals; for it turns the bodies into the true tincture, to tinge the said imperfect metals, also it is the water that whiteneth, as it is whiteness itself, which quickeneth, as it is a soul; and therefore as the philosopher saith, quickly entereth into its body.

(14) For it is a living water which comes to moisten the earth, that it may spring out, and in its due season bring forth much fruit; for all things springing from the earth, are endued through dew and moisture. The earth therefore springeth not forth without watering and moisture; it is the water proceeding from May dew that cleanseth the body; and like rain it penetrates them, and makes one body of two bodies. This aqua vite or water of life, being rightly ordered and disposed with the body, it whitens it, and converts or changes it into its white color, for this water is a white vapor, and there- fore the body is whitened with it. It behoves you therefore to whiten the body, and open its unfoldings, for between these two, that is between the body and the water, there is desire and friendship, like as between male and female, because of the propinquity and likeness of their natures.

(15) Now this our second and living water is called "Azoth", the water washing the laton viz. the body compounded of sol and luna by our first water; it is also called the soul of the dissolved bodies, which souls we have even now tied together, for the use of the wise philosopher. How precious then, and how great a thing is this water; for without it, the work could never be done or perfected; it is also called the "vase naturae", the belly, the womb, the receptacle of the tincture, the earth, the nurse. It is the royal fountain in which the king and queen bathe themselves; and the mother must be put into and sealed up within the belly of her infant; and that is sol himself, who proceeded from her, and whom she brought forth; and therefore they have loved one another as mother and son, and are conjoined together, because they come from one and the same root, and are of the same substance and nature. And because this water is the water of the vegetable life, it causes the dead body to vegetate, increase and spring forth, and to rise from death to life, by being dissolved first and then sublimed. And in doing this the body is converted into a spirit, and the spirit afterwards into a body; and then is made the amity, the peace, the concord, and the union of contraries, to wit, between the body and the spirit, which reciprocally, or mutually change their natures which they receive, and communicate one to another through their most minute parts, so that that which is hot is mixed with that which is cold, the dry with the moist, and the hard with the soft; by which means, there is a mixture made of contrary natures, viz. of cold and hot, and moist with dry, even most admirable unity between enemies.

(16) Our dissolution then of bodies, which is made such in this first water, is nothing else, but a destroying or overcoming of the moist with the dry, for the moist is coagulated with the dry. For the moisture is contained under, terminated with, and coagulated in the dry body, to wit, in that which is earthy. Let therefore the hard and the dry bodies be put into our first water in a vessel, which close well, and let them there abide till they be dissolved, and ascend to the top; then may they be called a new body, the white gold made by art, the white stone, the white sulphur, not inflammable, the paradisical stone, viz. the stone transmuting imperfect metals into white silver. Then we have also the body, soul and spirit altogether; of which spirit and soul it is said, that they cannot be extracted from the perfect bodies, but by the help or conjunction of our dissolving water. Because it is certain, that the things fixed cannot be lifted up, or made to ascend, but by the conjunction or help of that which is volatile.

(17) The spirit, therefore, by help of the water and the soul, is drawn forth from the bodies themselves, and the body is thereby made spiritual; for that at the same instant of time, the spirit, with the soul of the bodies, ascends on high to the superior part, which is the perfection of the stone and is called sublimation. This sublimation, is made by things acid, spiritual, volatile, and which are in their own nature sulphureous and viscous, which dissolves bodies and makes them to ascend, and be changed into air and spirit. And in this sublimation, a certain part of our said first water ascends with the bodies, joining itself with them, ascending and subliming into one neutral and complex substance, which contains the nature of the two, viz. the nature of the two bodies and the water. and therefore it is called the corporeal and spiritual compositum, corjufle, cambar, ethelia, zandarith, duenech, the good; but properly it is called the permanent or fixed water only, because it flies not in the fire. But it perpetually adheres to the commixed or compound bodies, that is, the sol and luna, and communicates to them the living tincture, incombustible and most fixed, much more noble and precious than the former which these bodies had. Because from henceforth this tincture runs like oil, running through and penetrating bodies, and giving to them its wonderful fixity; and this tincture is the spirit, and the spirit is the soul, and the soul is the body. For in this operation, the body is made a spirit of a most subtile nature; and again, the spirit is corporified and changed into the nature of the body, with the bodies, whereby our stone consists of a body, a soul, and a spirit.

(18) O God, how through nature, doth thou change a body into a spirit: which could not be done, if the spirit were not incorporated with the bodies, and the bodies made volatile with the spirit, and afterwards permanent and fixed. For this cause sake, they have passed over into one another, and by the influence of wisdom, are converted into one another. O Wisdom: how thou makest the most fixed gold to be volatile and fugitive, yeah, though by nature it is the most fixed of all things in the world. It is necessary therefore, to dissolve and liquefy these bodies by our water, and to make them a permanent or fixed water, a pure, golden water leaving in the bottom the gross, earthy, superfluous and dry matter. And in this subliming, making thin and pure, the fire ought to be gentle; but if in this subliming with soft fire, the bodies be not purified, and the gross and earthy parts thereof (note this well) be not separated from the impurities of the dead, you shall not be able to perfect the work. For thou needest nothing but the thin and subtile part of the dissolved bodies, which our water will give thee, if thou proceedest with a slow or gentle fire, by separating the things heterogene from the things homogene. (19) This compositum then has its mundification or cleaning, by our moist fire, which by dissolving and subliming that which is pure and white, it cast forth its feces or filth like a voluntary vomit, for in such a dissolution and natural sublimation or lifting up, there is a loosening or untying of the elements, and a cleansing and separating of the pure from the impure. So that the pure and white substance ascends upwards and the impure and earthy remains fixed in the bottom of the water and the vessel. This must be taken away and removed, because it is of no value, taking only the middle white substance, flowing and melted or dissolved, rejecting the feculent earth, which remains below in the bottom. These feces were separated partly by the water, and are the dross and terra damnata, which is of no value, nor can do any such service as the clear, white, pure and clear matter, which is wholly and only to be taken and made use of.

(20) And against this capharean rock, the ship of knowledge, or art of the young philosopher is often, as it happened also to me sometimes, dashed together in pieces, or destroyed, because the philosophers for the most part speak by the contraries. That is to say that nothing must be removed or taken away, except the moisture, which is the blackness; which notwithstanding they speak and write only to the unwary, who, without a master, indefatigable reading, or humble supplications to God Almighty, would ravish away the golden fleece. It is therefore to be observed, that this separation, division, and sublimation, is without a doubt the key to the whole work.

[the first 20 chapters of this treatise were presented under the heading 'the secret book' (chapter 3 of 'in pursuit of gold'). at this point is begun chapter 4, 'the wisdom of artephius', which contains the balance of the treatise. I feel the division is significant, though I couldn't quite say why]

(21) After the putrefaction, then, and dissolution of these bodies, our bodies also ascend to the top, even to the surface of the dissolving water, in a whiteness of color, which whiteness is life. And in this whiteness, the antimonial and mercurial soul, is by natural compact infused into, and joined with the spirits of sol and luna, which separate the thin from the thick, and the pure from the impure. That is, by lifting up, by little and little, the thin and the pure part of the body, from the feces and impurity, until all the pure parts are separated and ascended. And in this work is out natural and philosophical sublimation work completed. Now in this whiteness is the soul infused into the body, to wit, the mineral virtue, which is more subtile than fire, being indeed the true quintessence and life, which desires or hungers to be born again, and to put off the defilements and be spoiled of its gross and earthy feces, which it has taken from its monstrous womb, and corrupt place of its original. And in this our philosophical sublimation, not in the impure, corrupt, vulgar mercury, which has no qualities or properties like to those, with which our mercury, drawn from its vitriolic caverns is adorned. But let us return to our sublimation.

(22) It is most certain therefore in this art, that this soul extracted from the bodies, cannot be made to ascend, but by adding to it a volatile matter, which is of its own kind. By which the bodies will be made volatile and spiritual, lifting themselves up, subtilizing and subliming themselves, contrary to their own proper nature, which is corporeal, heavy and ponderous. And by this means they are unbodied, or made no bodies, to wit, incorporeal, and a quintessence of the nature of a spirit, which is called, "avis hermetis", and "mercurius extractus", drawn from a red subject or matter. And so the terrene or earthy parts remain below, or rather the grosser parts of the bodies, which can by no industry or ingenuity of man be brought to a perfect dissolution. (23) And this white vapor, this white gold, to wit, this quintessence, is called also the compound magnesia, which like a man does contain, or like a man is composed of a body, soul and spirit. Now the body is the fixed solar earth, exceeding the most subtile matter, which by the help of our divine water is with difficulty lifted up or separated. The soul is the tincture of sol and luna, proceeding from the conjunction, or communication of these two, to wit, the bodies of sol and luna, and our water, and the spirit is the mineral power, or virtue of the bodies, and also out of the bodies like as the tinctures or colors in dying cloth are by the water put upon, and diffused in and through the cloth. And this mercurial spirit is the chain or band of the solar soul; and the solar body is that body which contains the spirit and soul, having the power of fixing in itself, being joined with luna. The spirit therefore penetrates, the body fixes, and the soul joins together, tinges and whitens. From these three bodies united together is our stone made: to wit, sol, luna and mercury.

(24) Therefore with this our golden water, a natural substance is extracted, exceeding all natural substances; and so, except the bodies be broken and destroyed, imbibed, made subtile and fine, thriftily, and diligently managed, till they are abstracted from, or lose their grossness or solid substance, and be changed into a subtile spirit, all our labor will be in vain. And unless the bodies be made no bodies or incorporeal, that is converted into the philosophers mercury, there is no rule of art yet found out to work by. The reason is, because it is impossible to draw out of the bodies all that most thin and subtile spirit, which has in itself the tincture, except it first be resolved in our water. Dissolve then the bodies in this our golden water, and boil them until all the tincture is brought forth by the water, in a white color and a white oil; and when you see this whiteness upon the water, then know that the bodies are melted, liquified or dissolved. Continue then this boiling, till the dark, black, and white cloud is brought forth, which they have conceived.

(25) Put therefore the perfect bodies of metals, to wit, sol and luna, into our water in a vessel, hermetically sealed, upon a gentle fire, and digest continually, till they are perfectly resolved into a most precious oil. Saith Adfar, digest with a gentle fire, as it were for the hatching of chickens, so long till the bodies are dissolved, and their perfectly conjoined tincture is extracted, mark this well. But it is not extracted all at once, but it is drawn out by little and little, day by day, and hour by hour, till after a long time, the solution thereof is completed, and that which is dissolved always swims atop. And while this dissolution is in hand, let the fire be gentle and continual, till the bodies are dissolved into a viscous and most subtile water, and the whole tincture be educed, in color first black, which is the sign of a true dissolution.

(26) Then continue the digestion, till it become a white fixed water, for being digested in balneo, it will afterwards become clear, and in the end become like common argent vive, ascending by the spirit above the first water. When there you see bodies dissolved in the first viscous water, then know, that they are turned into a vapor, and the soul is separated from the dead body, and by sublimation, turned into the order of spirits. Whence both of them, with a part of our water, are made spirits flying up in the air; and there the compounded body, made of the male and female, viz. of sol and luna, and of that most subtile nature, cleansed by sublimation, taketh life, and is made spiritual by its own humidity. That is by its own water; like as a man is sustained by the air, whereby from thenceforth it is multiplied, and increases in its own kind, as do all other things. In such an ascention therefore, and philosophical sublimation, all are joined one with another, and the new body subtilized, or made living by the spirit, miraculously liveth or springs like a vegetable.

(27) Wherefore, unless the bodies be attenuated, or made thin, by the fire and water, till they ascend in a spirit, and are made or do become like water and vapor or mercury, you labor wholly in vain. But when they arise or ascend, they are born or brought forth in the air or spirit, and in the same they are changed, and made life with life, so as they can never be separated, but are as water mixed with water. And therefore, it is wisely said, that the stone is born of the spirit, because it is altogether spiritual. For the vulture himself flying without wings cries upon the top of the mountain, saying, I am the white brought forth from the black, and the red brought forth from the white, the citrine son of the red; I speak the truth and lie not.

(28) It sufficeth thee then to put the bodies in the vessel, and into the water once and for all, and to close the vessel well, until a true separation is made. This the obscure artist calls conjunction, sublimation, assation, extraction, putrefaction, ligation, desponsation, subtilization, generation, etc.

(29) Now the whole magistery may be perfected, work, as in the generation of man, and of every vegetable; put the seed once into the womb, and shut it up well. Thus you may see that you need not many things, and that this our work requires no great charges, for that there is but one stone, there is but one medicine, one vessel, one order of working, and one successive disposition to the white and to the red. And although we say in many places, take this, and take that, yet we understand, that it behoves us to take but one thing, and put it once into the vessel, until the work be perfected. But these things are so set down by obscure philosophers to deceive the unwary, as we have before spoken; for is not this "ars cabalistica" or a secret and a hidden art? Is it not an art full of secrets? And believest thou O fool that we plainly teach this secret of secrets, taking our words according to their literal signification? Truly, I tell thee, that as for myself, I am no ways self seeking, or envious as others are; but he that takes the words of the other philosophers according to their common signification, he even already, having lost Ariadne's clue of thread, wanders in the midst of the labyrinth, multiplies errors, and casts away his money for naught.

(30) And I, Artephius, after I became an adept, and had attained to the true and complete wisdom, by studying the books of the most faithful Hermes, the speaker of truth, was sometimes obscure also as others were. But when I had for the space of a thousand years, or thereabouts, which has now passed over my head, since the time I was born to this day, through the alone goodness of God Almighty, by the use of this wonderful quintessence. When I say for so very long a time, I found no man had found out or obtained this hermetic secret, because of the obscurity of the philosophers words. Being moved with a generous mind, and the integrity of a good man, I have determined in these latter days of my life, to declare all things truly and sincerely, that you may not want anything for the perfecting of this stone of the philosophers. Excepting one certain thing, which is not lawful for me to discover to any, because it is either revealed or made known by God himself, or taught by some master, which notwithstanding he that can bend himself to the search thereof, by the help of a little experience, may easily learn in this book.

(31) In this book I have therefore written the naked truth, though clothed or disguised with few colors; yet so that every good and wise man may happily have those desirable apples of the Hesperides from this our philosophers tree. Wherefore praises be given to the most high God, who has poured into our soul of his goodness; and through a good old age, even an almost infinite number of years, has truly filled our hearts with his love, in which, methinks, I embrace, cherish, and truly love all mankind together. But to return to out business. Truly our work is perfectly performed; for that which the heat of sun is a hundred years in doing, for the generation of one metal in the bowels of the earth; our secret fire, that is, our fiery and sulphureous water, which is called Balneum Mariae, doth as I have often seen in a very short time.

(32) Now this operation or work is a thing of no great labor to him who knows and understands it; nor is the matter so dear, consideration [sic, considering?] how small a quantity does suffice, that it may cause any man to withdraw his hand from it. It is indeed, a work so short and easy, that it may well be called woman's work, and the play of children. Go to it then,, my son, put up thy supplications to God almighty; be diligent in searching the books of the learned in this science; for one book openeth another; think and meditate of these things profoundly; and avoid all things which vanish in or will not endure the fire, because from these adjustible, perishing or consuming things, you can never attain to the perfect matter, which is only found in the digesting of your water, extracted from sol and luna. For by this water, color, and ponderosity or weight, are infinitely given to the matter; and this water is a white vapor, which like a soul flows through the perfect bodies, taking wholly from them their blackness, and impurities, uniting the two bodies in one, and increasing their water. Nor is there any other thing than Azoth, to wit, this our water, which can take from the perfect bodies of sol and luna, their natural color, making the red body white, according to the disposition thereof.

(33) Now let us speak of the fire. Our fire is mineral, equal, continuous; it fumes not, unless it be too much stirred up, participates of sulphur, and is taken from other things than from the matter; it overturns all things, dissolves, congeals, and calcines, and is to be found out by art, or after an artificial manner. It is a compendious thing, got without cost or charge, or at least without any great purchase; it is humid, vaporous, digestive, altering, penetrating, subtile, spiritous, not violent, incombustible, circumspective, continent, and one only thing. It is also a fountain of living water, which circumvolveth and contains the place, in which the king and queen bathe themselves; through the whole work this moist fire is sufficient; in the beginning, middle and end, because in it, the whole of the art does consist. This is the natural fire, which is yet against nature, not natural and which burns not; lastly, this fire is hot, cold, dry, moist; meditate on these things and proceed directly without anything of a foreign nature. If you understand not these fires, give ear to what I have yet to say, never as yet written in any book, but drawn from the more abstruse and occult riddles of the ancients.

(34) We have properly three fires, without which our art cannot be perfected; and whosoever works without them takes a great deal of labor in vain. The first fire is that of the lamp, which is continuous, humid, vaporous, spiritous, and found out by art. This lamp ought to be proportioned to the enclosure; wherein you must use great judgement, which none can attain to, but he that can bend to the search thereof. For if this fire of the lamp be not measured, or duly proportioned or fitted to the furnace, it will be, that either for the want of heat you will not see the expected signs, in their limited times, whereby you will lose your hopes and expectation by a too long delay; or else, by reason of too much heat, you will burn the "flores auri", the golden flowers, and so foolishly bewail your lost expense.

(35) The second fire is ignis cinerum, an ash heat, in which the vessel hermetically sealed is recluded, or buried; or rather it is that most sweet and gentle heat, which proceeding from the temperate vapors of the lamp, does equally surround your vessel. This fire is not violent or forcing, except it be too much excited or stirred up; it is a fire digestive; alterative, and taken from another body than the matter; being but one only, moist also, and not natural. (36) The third fire, is the natural fire of water, which is also called the fire against nature, because it is water; and yet nevertheless, it makes a mere spirit of gold, which common fire is not able to do. This fire is mineral, equal, and participates of sulphur; it overturns or destroys, congeals, dissolves, and calcines; it is penetrating, subtile, incombustible and not burning, and is the fountain of living water, wherein the king and queen bathe themselves, whose help we stand in need of through the whole work, through the beginning, middle, and end. But the other two above mentioned, we have not always occasion for, but only at sometimes. In reading therefore the books of the philosophers, conjoin these three fires in your judgement, and without doubt, you will understand whatever they have written of them.

(37) Now as to the colors, that which does not make black cannot make white, because blackness is the beginning of whiteness, and a sign of putrefaction and alteration, and that the body is now penetrated and mortified. From the putrefaction therefore in this water, there first appears blackness, like unto broth wherein some bloody thing is boiled. Secondly, the black earth by continual digestion is whitened, because the soul of the two bodies swims above upon the water, like white cream; and in this only whiteness, all the spirits are so united, that they can never fly one from another. And therefore the laton must be whitened, and its leaves unfolded, i.e., its body broken or opened, lest we labor in vain; for this whiteness is the perfect stone for the white work, and a body ennobled to that end; even a tincture of a most exuberant glory, and shining brightness, which never departs from the body it is once joined with. Therefore you must note here, that the spirits are not fixed but in the white color, which is more noble than the other colors, and is more vehemently to be desired, for that as it were the complement or perfection of the whole work.

(38) For our earth putrefies and becomes black, then it is putrefied in lifting up or separation; afterwards being dried, its blackness goes away from it, and then it is whitened, and the feminine dominion of the darkness and humidity perisheth; then also the white vapor penetrates through the new body, and the spirits are bound up or fixed in the dryness. And that which is corrupting, deformed and black through the moisture, vanishes away; so the new body rises again clear, pure, white and immortal, obtaining the victory over all its enemies. And as heat working upon that which is moist, causeth or generates blackness, which is the prime or first color, so always by decoction more and more heat working upon that which is dry begets whiteness, which is the second color; and then working upon that which is purely and perfectly dry, it produces citrinity and redness, thus much for colors. WE must know therefore, that thing which has its head red and white, but its feet white and afterwards red; and its eyes beforehand black, that this thing, I say, is the only matter of our magistery.

(39) Dissolve then sol and luna in our dissolving water, which is familiar and friendly, and next in nature to them; and is also sweet and pleasant to them, and as it were a womb, a mother, an original, the beginning and the end of their life. That is the reason why they are meliorated or amended in this water, because like nature, rejoices in like nature, and like nature retains like nature, being joined the one to the other, in a true marriage, by which they are made one nature, one new body, raised again from the dead, and immortal. Thus it behoves you to join consanguinity, or sameness of kind, by which these natures, will meet and follow one another, purify themselves and generate, and make one another rejoice; for that like nature now is disposed by like nature, even that which is nearest, and most friendly to it.

(40) Our water then is the most beautiful, lovely, and clear fountain, prepared only for the king, and queen whom it knows very well, and they it. For it attracts them to itself, and they abide therein for two or three days, to wit, two or three months, to wash themselves therewith, whereby they are made young again and beautiful. And because sol and luna have their original from this water their mother; it is necessary therefore that they enter into it again, to wit, into their mothers womb, that they may be regenerated and born again, and made more healthy, more noble and more strong. If therefore these do not die and be converted to water, they remain alone or as they were and without fruit; but if they die, and are resolved in our water, they bring forth fruit of a hundred fold; and from that very place in which they seem to perish, from thence shall they appear to be that which they were not before.

(41) Let therefore the spirit of our living water be, with all care and industry, fixed with sol and luna; for they being converted into the nature of water become dead, and appear like to the dead; from thence afterwards being revived, they increase and multiply, even as do all sorts of vegetable substances; it suffices then to dispose the matter sufficiently without, because that within, it sufficiently disposes itself for the perfection of its work. For it has in itself a certain and inherent motion, according to the true way and method, and a much better order than it is possible for any man to invent or think of. For this cause it is that you need only prepare the matter, nature herself will perfect it; and if she be not hindered by some contrary thing, she will not overpass her own certain motion, neither in conceiving or generating, nor in bringing forth.

(42) Wherefore, after the preparation of the matter, beware only lest by too much heat or fire, you inflame the bath, or make it too hot; secondly, take heed lest the spirit should exhale, lest it hurt the operator, to wit, lest it destroy the work, and induce many informities, as trouble, sadness, vexation, and discontent. From these things which have been spoken, this axiom is manifest, to wit, that he can never know the necessary course of nature, in the making or generating of metals, who is ignorant of the way of destroying them. You must therefore join them together that are of one consanguinity or kindred; for like natures do find out and join with their like natures, and by putrifying themselves, and mix together and mortify themselves. It is needful therefore to know this corruption and generation, and the natures themselves do embrace one another, and are brought to a fixity in a slow and gentle fire; how like natures rejoiceth with like natures; and how they retain one another and are converted into a white consistency.

(43) This white substance, if you will make it red, you must continually decoct it in a dry fire till it be rubified, or become red as blood, which is nothing but water, fire, and true tincture. And so by a continual dry fire, the whiteness is changed, removed, perfected, made citrine, and still digested till it become to a true red and fixed color. And consequently by how much more it is heightened in color, and made a true tincture of perfect redness. Wherefore with a dry fire, and a dry calcination, without any moisture, you must decoct this compositum, till it be invested with a most perfect red color, and then it will be the true and perfect elixir.

(44) Now if afterwards you would multiply your tincture, you must again resolve that red, in new and fresh dissolving water, and then by decoctions first whiten, and then rubify it again, by the degrees of fire, reiterating the first method of operating in this work. Dissolve, coagulate, and reiterate the closing up, the opening and multiplying in quantity and quality at your own pleasure. For by a new corruption and generation, there is introduced a new motion. Thus we can never find an end if we do always work by reiterating the same thing over and over again, viz. by solution and coagulation, by the help of our dissolving water, by which we dissolve and congeal, as we have formerly said, in the beginning of the work. Thus also is the virtue thereof increased, and multiplied both in quantity and quality; so that if after the first course of the operation you obtain a hundred fold; by the second fold you will have a thousand fold; and by the third; ten thousand fold increase. And by pursuing your work, your projection will come to infinity, tinging truly and perfectly, and fixing the greatest quantity how much soever. Thus by a thing of small and easy price, you have both color, goodness, and weight.

(45) Our fire then and azoth are sufficient for you: decoct, reiterate, dissolve, congeal, and continue this course, according as you please, multiplying it as you think good, until your medicine is made fusible as wax, and has attained the quantity and goodness or fixity and color you desire. This then is the compleating of the whole work of our second stone (observe it well) that you take the perfect body, and put it into our water in a glass vesica or body well closed, lest the air get in or the enclosed humidity get out. Keep it in digestion in a gentle heat, as it were of a balneum, and assiduously continue the operation or work upon the fire, till the decoction and digestion is perfect. And keep it in this digestion of a gentle heat, until it be purified and re-solved into blackness, and be drawn up and sublimed by the water, and is thereby cleaned from all blackness and impurity, that it may be white and subtile. Until it comes to the ultimate or highest purity of sublimation, and utmost volatility, and be made white both within and without: for the vulture flying in the air without wings, cries out that it might get up upon the mountain, that is upon the waters, upon which the "spiritus albus" or spirit of whiteness is born. Continue still a fitting fire, and that spirit, which is the subtile being of the body, and of the mercury will ascend upon the top of the water, which quintessence is more white than the driven snow. Continue yet still, and towards the end, increase the fire, till the whole spiritual substance ascend to the top. And know well, that whatsoever is clear, white-pure and spiritual, ascends in the air to the top of the water in the substance of a white vapor, which the philosophers call their virgin milk.

(46) It ought to be, therefore, as one of the Sybills said, that the son of the virgin be exalted from the earth, and that the white quintessence after its rising out of the dead earth, be raised up towards heaven; the gross and thick remaining in the bottom, of the vessel and the water. Afterwards, the vessel being cooled, you will find in the bottom the black feces, scorched and burnt, which separate from the spirit and quintessence of whiteness, and cast them away. Then will the argent vive fall down from our air and spirit, upon the new earth, which is called argent vive sublimed by the air or spirit, whereof is made a viscous water, pure and white. This water is the true tincture separated from all its black feces, and our brass or latten is prepared with our water, purified and brought to a white color. Which white color is not obtained but by decoction and coagulation of the water; decoct, therefore, continually, wash away the blackness from the latten, not with your hands, but with the stone, or the fire, or our second mercurial water which is the true tincture. This separation of the pure from the impure is not done with hands, but nature herself does it, and brings it to perfection by a circular operation.

(47) It appears then, that this composition is not a work of hands, but a change of the natures; because nature dissolves and joins itself, sublimes and lifts itself up, and grows white, being separated from the feces. And in such a sublimation the more subtile, pure, and essential parts are conjoined; for that with the fiery nature or property lifts up the subtile parts, it separates always the more pure, leaving the grosser at the bottom. Wherefore your fire ought to be gentle and a continual vapor, with which you sublime, that the matter may be filled with spirit from the air, and live. For naturally all things take life from the inbreathing of the air; and so also our magistery receives in the vapor or spirit, by the sublimation of the water. (48) Our brass or latten then, is to be made to ascend by the degrees of fire, but of its own accord, freely, and without violence; except the body therefore be by the fire and water broken, or dissolved, and attenuated, until it ascends as a spirit, or climbs like argent vive, or rather as the white soul, separated from the body, and by sublimation diluted or brought into a spirit, nothing is or can be done. But when it ascends on high, it is born in the air or spirit, and is changed into spirit; and becomes life with life, being only spiritual and incorruptible. And by such an operation it is that the body is made spirit, of a subtile nature, and the spirit is incorporated with the body, and made one with it; and by such a sublimation, conjunction, and raising up, the whole, both body and spirit are made white.

(49) This philosophical and natural sublimation therefore is necessary which makes peace between, or fixes the body and spirit, which is impossible to be done otherwise, than in the separation of these parts. Therefore it behoves you to sublime both, that the pure may ascend, and the impure may descend, or be left at the bottom, in the perplexity of a troubled sea. And for this reason it must be continually decocted, that it may be brought to a subtile property, and the body may assume, and draw to itself the white mercurial soul, which it naturally holds, and suffers not to be separated from it, because it is like to it in the nearness of the first pure and simple nature. From these things it is necessary, to make a separation by decoction, till no more remains of the purity of the soul, which is not ascended and exalted to the higher part, whereby they will both be reduced to an equality of properties, and a simple pure whiteness.

(50) The vulture flying through the air, and the toad creeping upon the ground, are the emblems of our magistery. When therefore gently and with much care, you separate the earth from the water, that is from the fire, and the thin from the thick, then that which is pure will separate itself from the earth, and ascend to the upper part, as it were into heaven, and the impure will descend beneath, as to the earth. And the more subtile part in the superior place will take upon it the nature of a spirit, and that in the lower place, the nature of an earthy body. Wherefore, let the white property with the more subtile part of the body, be by this operation, made to ascend leaving the feces behind, which is done in a short time. For the soul is aided by her associate and fellow, and perfected by it. My mother, saith the body, has begotten me, and by me she herself is begotten; now after I have taken from her, her flying she after an admirable manner becomes kind and nourishing, and cherishing the son whom she has begotten till he come to a ripe or perfect age.

(51) Hear now this secret: keep the body in our mercurial water, till it ascends with the white soul, and the earthy part descends to the bottom, which is called the residing earth. Then you shall see the water coagulate itself with the body, and be assured the art is true; because the body coagulates the moisture into dryness, like as the rennet of a lamb or calf turns milk into cheese. In the same manner the spirit penetrates the body, and is perfectly comixed with it in its smallest atoms, and the body draws to itself his moisture, to wit, its white soul, like as the loadstone draws iron, because of the nearness and likeness of its nature; and then one contains the other. And this is the sublimation and coagulation, which retaineth every volatile thing, making it fixed for ever.

(52) This compositum then is not a mechanical thing, or a work of the hands, but as I said, a changing of natures; and a wonderful connection of their cold with hot, and the moist with the dry; the hot is mixed with the cold, and the dry with the moist: By this means is made the mixture and conjunction of body and spirit, which is called a conversion of contrary spirits and natures, because by such a dissolution and sublimation, the spirit is converted into a body and body in a spirit. So that the natures being mixed together, and reduced into one, do change one another: and as the body corporifies the spirit, or changes it into a body, so also does the spirit convert the body into a tinging and white spirit.

(53) Wherefore as the last time I say, decoct the body in our white water, viz. mercury, till it is dissolved into blackness, and then by continual decoction, let it be deprived of the same blackness, and the body so dissolved, will at length ascend or rise with a white soul. And then the one will be mixed with the other, and so embrace one another that it shall not be possible any more to separate them, but the spirit, with a real agreement, will be unified with the body, and make one permanent or fixed substance. And this is the solution of the body, and coagulation of the spirit which have one and the same operation. Who therefore knows how to conjoin the principles, or direct the work, to impregnate, to mortify, to putrefy, to generate, to quicken the species, to make white, to cleanse the culture from its blackness and darkness, till he is purged by the fire and tinged, and purified from all his spots, shall be the possessor of a treasure so great that even kings themselves shall venerate him.

(54) Wherefore, let our body remain in the water till it is dissolved into a subtile powder in the bottom of the vessel and the water, which is called the black ashes; this is the corruption of the body which is called by the philosophers or wise men, "Saturnus plumbum philosophorum", and pulvis discontinuatus, viz. saturn, latten or brass, the lead of the philosophers the disguised powder. And in this putrefaction and resolution of the body, three signs appear, viz., a black color, a discontinuity of parts, and a stinking smell, not much unlike to the smell of a vault where dead bodies are buried. These ashes then are those of which the philosophers have spoken so much which remained in the lower part of the vessel, which we ought not to undervalue or despise; in them is the royal diadem, and the black and unclean argent vive, which ought to be cleansed from its blackness, by a continual digestion in our water, till it be elevated above in a white color, which is called the gander, and the bird of Hermes. He therefore that maketh the red earth black, and then renders it white, has obtained the magistery. So also he who kills the living, and revives the dead. Therefore make the black white, and the white black, and you perfect the work.

(55) And when you see the true whiteness appear, which shineth like a bright sword, or polished silver, know that in that whiteness there is redness hidden. But then beware that you take not that whiteness out of the vessel, but only digest it to the end, that with heat and dryness, it may assume a citron color, and a most beautiful redness. Which when you see, render praises and thanksgiving to the most great and good God, who gives wisdom and riches to whomsoever He pleases, and takes them away according to the wickedness of a person. To Him, I say, the most wise and almighty God, be glory for ages and ages. AMEN.

32 Albertus Magnus

Albertus Magnus, "Albert the Great", was a German who became a monk then a university lecturer, at the University of Paris, 1240. He stayed only five years, as he moved a lot during his lifetime. He was a lifelong learner and complete fan of Aristotle, and, following Aristotle's plan for learning, studied physics, psychology, celestial phenomena, geography, botany, zoology, minerals, medicine, optics, and theology. He was the master of Thomas Aquinas, who single-handedly introduced Aristotle as being in line with Catholicism so convincingly that the Church, by 1500, had adopted Aristotelianism into it's doctrine.

At the University of Paris he taught theology, but considered himself the "New Aristotle."

He read and commented extensively on all of Aristotle's writings. He was also reading Avicenna and Averoes (ibn Rushd, an Islamic fan of Aristotle who lived in Grenada during the Golden Age of Islam, essentially an Islamic version of Albertus; another contemporary was a Jewish fan of Aristotle, also in Spain, Maimonides).

The new Universities were largely set up after the Greek books were had in Europe, to spread the information found there. For all the diversity of thought taught at the early universities, it never developed beyond the curriculum of Aristotle, who himself had written on a huge range of topics:

Albertus wanted to master all of these, and a couple more. Aristotle had a book on minerals, but it was lost. As part of his work, Albertus traveled to mining districts to learn what he could of minerals and ores, and how metals are made from them.

By age 30 he was a Dominican monk, and had the reputation of a prodigious learner, earning the nickname Doctor Universalis ("Teacher of Everything") by those who liked him, and the "Ape of Aristotle" by those who didn't. He jumped teaching positions often, and was only three years at the University of Paris. He even jumped church leadership positions in two or three years.

Did any of this make him a critical examiner of past natural philosophy? It did not. He relates, for example, as truth the story of boiling a crow's egg and putting it back in the nest, so that the bird will fly to the Red Sea and return with a stone that will refresh the eggs to rawness when put into the nest. If a man puts that stone into his mouth he can understand the chirping of the birds.

An emerald was recently seen among us, small in size but marvellous in beauty. When its virtue was to be tested, someone stepped forth and said that, if a circle was made about a toad with the emerald and then the stone was set before the toad’s eyes, one of two things would happen. Either the stone, if of weak virtue, would be broken by the gaze of the toad; or the toad would burst, if the stone was possessed of full natural vigour. Without delay things were arranged as he bade; and after a short lapse of time, during which the toad kept its eye unswervingly upon the gem, the latter began to crack like a nut and a portion of it flew from the ring. Then the toad, which had stood immovable hitherto, withdrew as if it had been freed from the influence of the gem.

Holmyard, E. J.. Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering) (p. 116). Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.

This does rather go against the promise Albertus made (along with most alchemists) that he will relate nothing but what he has seen with his own eyes.

Albertus was reading Avicenna and Averroes, and other Muslim scholars, and in his own writing (particularly his Book of Minerals) he followed the example of Avicenna.

Albertus does commit one rather glaring mistake concerning transmutation. The Greek alchemists (Alexandrian alchemists) were either supporting the idea that one can create gold from lesser materials using Aristotle as the authority for the idea, or they had recipes for "dying" metals to merely look like gold. Most Mulslim alchemists supported transmutation but Avicenna did not. Avicenna was firmly against transmutation. Albertus seems to be of a mind to agree with both as ultimate authorities. So what does he make of the bold quote below which shows up in Aristotle's Meteorology? From his Libellus de Alchimia:

1. On Various Errors.

Now, in this little work of mine, I shall describe for you, briefly and simply, how you should undertake the practice of such a great art. I shall first point out, however, all the deviations, errors, and stumbling blocks of this art, into which many and, [indeed], nearly all [are inclined to] fall.

For I have seen some who, with great diligence, were performing certain sublimations and were incapable of carrying them out, because they failed to grasp the fundamentals.

I have seen others making a good beginning, but who, because of excessive drinking and other follies, were unable to carry on the work. I have seen others who made a good decoction, distillation, or sublimation, but because of the excessive length of the work, they left it uncompleted.

I have seen others who possessed the true art and who performed their operations with skill and diligence, but who lost spirits in sublimations because of porous vessels, and for this reason doubted, and cultivated the art no further.

I have seen still others who, desiring to pursue the art, but incapable of waiting the required time, performed too rapid sublimations, distillations, and solutions, because of which they found the spirits contaminated and decomposed, and the aqueous solutions and distillates turbid; and therefore they too lost faith.

I have seen many who were carrying forward the work with diligence and yet at length failed because they did not have the necessary means of support.

Hence the verse:

When the work is in danger, mortal need increases:
You may know many things, [yet] without money, you will be nought.

Hence this art is of no value to paupers, because one must have enough for expenses for at least two years. Thus, if one should happen to err in one’s work or prolong it, one need not be reduced to penury, as I have seen occur many times.

I have seen some who made pure and good sublimations as many as five times, but then were unable to make any more and became deceitful; they whitened Copper, adding five or six parts of Silver, and thus cheated both themselves and others. I have seen others who sublimed spirits and fixed them wishing with them to color Copper and Tin, and when they made no impression or penetration, they became doubtful [about the art].

I have seen also those who fixed spirits, covering them with a penetrating oil, until they made a penetration into the bodies, adding yet another part of Silver, and thus they whitened Copper – which is similar to Silver in malleation and testing and in whiteness – which withstood even a second and a third testing, and yet had not been perfected, for the Copper had not been calcined nor purged of its impurity. Hence Aristotle says: “I do not believe metals can be transmuted unless they are reduced to prime matter, that is, reduced to a calx by roasting in the fire, then [transmutation] is possible.”

Yet I saw other wise men who finished sublimations and fixations of powders and spirits, prepared solutions and distillations from the powders, then coagulated them and calcined the metals, whitened the bodies to white, and reddened the bodies to red, after which they reduced them to a solid mass and colored them to produce Gold and Silver, which were better than the natural in every testing and malleation.

Since seeing so many who have erred, I resolved that I would write of the true and tested works and of the better [ones] of all Philosophers, among whom I have labored and have had experience; nothing else shall I write beyond what I have seen with my own eyes.

The bold quote is actually from Avicenna, but someone has appended it to the bottom of Aristotle, so firm up the authority behind it. The actual quote from Avicenna is "Those of the chemical craft know well that no change can be effected in the different species of substances, though they can produce the appearance of such change." But look what Albertus has done with it. He qualified it, saying, essentially, that transmutation isn't possible unless you can make the material pure enough. This is Albertus' great sin. We had a chance to kill alchemy half-way through it's existence as a stumbling block to humanity, but Albertus magnus messed it up. All he had to do was shut up. But he never shuts up.

There is a lesson here: listen closely to those who are not always talking.

One observation: he writes remarkably clearly. Refreshingly so. I've added my own comments below in [bracketed italics]

2. How do Metals Arise?

Alchemy is an art invented by [the] Alchemist: the name is derived from the Greek archymo, which in Latin is massa. Through this art, corrupted metals in minerals are restored and the imperfect made perfect.

It should be noted that metals differ from one another only in their accidental form, not in their essential form; therefore the stripping of accidents in metals is possible. Hence, it is also possible, through this art, to bring about a new body, since all species of metals are produced in the earth from a commixture of sulphur and quicksilver or because of foetid earth. Just as a boy in the body of his mother contracts infirmity from a diseased womb by reason of the accident of location and of infection, though the sperm is healthy, yet, the boy becomes a leper and unclean because of the corruption of the womb. Thus it is in metals which are corrupted, either because of contaminated sulphur or foetid earth; thus there is the following difference among all the metals, by which they differ from one another.

When pure red sulphur comes into contact with quicksilver in the earth, gold is made in a short or long time, either through the persistence [of the contact] or through decoction of the nature subservient to them. When pure and white sulphur comes into contact with quicksilver in pure earth, then silver is made, which differs from gold in this, that sulphur in gold will be red, whereas in silver it will be white. When, on the other hand, red sulphur, corrupt and burning, comes into contact with quicksilver in the earth, then copper is made, and it does not differ from gold except in this, that in gold it was not corrupt, but here [in copper] it is corrupt. When white sulphur, corrupt and burning, comes into contact with quicksilver in the earth, tin is made, [as is indicated from the fact that] it crackles between the teeth and quickly liquefies, which happens because the quicksilver was not well mixed with the sulphur. When white sulphur, corrupt and burning, comes into contact with quicksilver in foetid earth, iron is made. When sulphur, black and corrupt, comes into contact with quicksilver, lead is made. Aristotle says of this that lead is leprous gold.

Now sufficient has been said about the origin of metals and how they differ from one another in accidental but not in essential form. It remains now to examine the proofs of the philosophers and authorities, to see how they demonstrate that this is the true art, so that we may be able to contend with those who maintain that it is not true.

3. The Proof that the Alchemical Art is True.

Some persons, and they are many, wish to contradict us, especially those who neither know anything about the art nor are acquainted with the nature of metals, and who are ignorant of the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of metals, understanding very little about their dimensions and densities. To these, when they set against us the words of Aristotle, who says, “let the masters of Alchemy know that the species of things cannot be changed,” we must answer that he said this about those who believe in and wish to effect the transmutation of metals that are still corrupt, but this, without doubt cannot be done. Let us, therefore, listen to the words of Aristotle which say the following: “It is true that experiment destroys the form of the species, and especially in metals, and this is the case when some metal is calcined and hence is reduced to ashes and calx, which can be ground, washed, and softened with acid water until made white and natural: and thus these bodies through calcinations and various medicines may lose the brown corrupt vapor, and acquire an airy, vivifying vapor, and the whitened calx will be reduced to a solid mass, which can be colored white or red.” For this reason, Hermes says that spirits cannot enter bodies unless they are purified, and then they enter only through the instrumentality of water. Aristotle says: “I do not believe that metals can be transmuted unless they are reduced to prime matter, that is, purified of their own corruption by roasting in the fire.” [damn him!]

To those still dissenting and unbelieving, I wish to make myself clearer because we know whereof we speak and have seen what we are asserting: we see different species receive different forms at different times; thus it is evident that by decoction, and persistent contact, what is red in arsenicum will become black and then will become white by sublimation; this is always the case.

If, by chance, someone should say that such species can easily be transmuted from color to color, but that in metals it is impossible, I will reply by citing the evident cause through various indications and proofs, and will thoroughly destroy their error.

For we see that azure, which is called transmarinum, is produced from silver; since, as is more easily seen, when it is perfected in nature losing all corruption, the accidental is destroyed rather than the essential. We see, furthermore, that copper receives a yellow color from calamine stone, and yet neither the copper nor the calamine stone is perfect, since fire acts on both.

We see that litharge is made from tin, but tin through too much decoction turns a golden color; however, it is possible to convert it to a species of silver, since it is of this nature.

We see iron converted to quicksilver, although this may seem impossible to some; why it is possible I have already stated above; namely, that all metals are made from quicksilver and sulphur; wherefore, since quicksilver is the origin of all metals, it is possible also for iron to be reconverted to quicksilver. Do you not perceive, for example, that water solidifies in the winter time through excess cold, and becomes ice, and that ice melts by the heat of the sun and returns to water as before? Thus from quicksilver, wherever it is in the earth, and from sulphur, if this also is present, a union of these two comes about and through a very mild decoction over a long period of time, in which they are combined and hardened to a mineral stone, from which the metal may be extracted.

Likewise, we see that cerussa is made from lead, minium from cerussa, and lead from minium.

Behold, now, it has already been sufficiently proved how species are changed from color to color even to the third or fourth form. From this it must not be doubted at all, that corrupted metals can become pure by their own medicines. [anecdotal examples are not proof, but he thinks they are]

Since the foundation for this art has now been laid, let us see what we shall build upon. For if we build upon hay or wood or straw, fire will consume all. Therefore, let us procure stones, which are neither destroyed by fire nor by decay; then we will be free from all anxiety.

From what we have said concerning the difficulties of the art – its principle, and, finally, concerning its proof – it is evident that we have established that it is the true art. Now it remains to be seen how to proceed, and at what time and in what place. [what follows are advice to alchemists, good advice, history informs us]

First, at the outset, certain precepts are to be laid down. The first precept is that the worker in this art must be silent and secretive and reveal his secret to no one, knowing full well that if many know, the secret in no way will be kept, and that when it is divulged, it will be repeated with error. Thus it will be lost, and the work will remain imperfect.

The second precept is that he should have a place and a special house, hidden from men, in which there are two or three rooms in which are carried on the processes for sublimating and for making solutions and distillations, as I will show later. [the lair]

The third one is that he should observe the time in which the work must be done and the hours for sublimations and solutions; because sublimations are of little value in the winter; but solutions and calcinations may be made at any time: All these things, however, I will show clearly in [the discussion of] these operations.

The fourth is that the worker in this art should be careful, and assiduous in his efforts, and not grow weary, but persevere to the end. For, if he begins and does not persevere, he will lose both materials and time.

Fifth, it should be done according to the usage of the art: first in collecting [supplies], second in sublimations, third in fixations, fourth in calcinations, fifth in solutions, sixth in distillations, seventh in coagulations, and so on in order. If he should wish to color besides subliming, and to both coagulate and distill, he will lose his powders, because when they will have been volatilized he will have nothing left of them whatever, but they will be very quickly dispersed. Or, if he wishes to color with fixed powders which are neither dissolved nor distilled, they will neither penetrate nor mix with the bodies [to be colored].

The sixth is that all vessels in which medicines may be put, either waters or oils, whether over the fire or not, should be of glass or glazed. For, if acid waters are placed in a copper vessel, they will turn green; if placed in an iron or lead one, they will be blackened and corrupted; if placed in earthenware, the walls will be penetrated and all will be lost.

The seventh is that one should be on one’s guard before all else against [associating oneself] with princes or potentates in any [of these] operations, because of two dangers: If you have committed yourself, they will ask you from time to time, “Master, how are you succeeding? When will we see some good results?” and, not being able to wait for the end of the work, they will say that, it is nothing, it is trifling, and the like, and then you will experience the greatest dissatisfaction. And if you are not successful, you will suffer continued humiliation because of it. If, however, you do succeed, they will try to detain you permanently, and will not permit you to go away, and thus you will be ensnared by your own words and caught by your own discourses.

The eighth precept is that no one should begin operations without plenty of funds, so that he can obtain everything necessary and useful for this art: for if he should undertake them and lack funds for expenses then he will lose the material and everything.

4. The Kind and Number of Furnaces that are Necessary.

Now it must be seen how furnaces are made as well as the number and kind needed.

Regarding which it should be observed that the quantity of the work at hand should determine the number of furnaces to be made. For if you have sufficient supplies and want to undertake a great amount of work then you should construct many of them. If, on the other hand, there is a scarcity, construct the furnaces according to the amount of powders and medicines you have.

I desire to set forth a plan of furnaces as well as the number, which will be suitable to the rich workers as well as to the poor ones.

First, the philosopher’s furnace must be described. Build it near a wall, where the wind can approach: so that the furnace is about an arm’s distance from the wall, in this fashion. Dig a pit in the earth to the depth of the elbow, about two spans wide or a little more, and spread all over with the clay of the master [potter]: above this [pit], erect a circular wall lined with the same clay. [yes, that was a one-item list]

5. On the Quality and Quantity of Furnaces.

Take common clay and to four parts add a fifth part of potter’s clay and grind well, and add a little sand, grind again (some prudently add manure or salt water in which manure will have been dissolved); after doing this make a wall, as mentioned before, above the pit, two feet high or a little less, one span thick, and permit to dry. Then have a disc made of potter’s clay, which can sustain strong fire, everywhere perforated with fifty or sixty holes, according to the size of the disc [with the perforations] made like a finger, the upper part narrow and the lower wider so that ashes can easily descend. Below, in the earth, make a canal through earth and wall before the disc has been put in place; this should be narrow at the pit end, while outside, at the wall, it should be wider, about one span in width, so that the wind may enter. This canal should be lined with clay; then the disc should be placed on top, in such a way that the wider openings of the perforations are on the underside. Next a wall is built upon the first wall and the disc, to the thickness of one span, but the wall should be above the disc to about the distance of one arm. The furnace should have a hole in the middle above the disc where the coals will be laid. At the top there should be a hole through which calcining vessels may be placed: this hole is to be covered over afterwards with a tight cover. The furnace may also have beneath four or five small holes about three digits wide.

This is the general plan of the furnace.

Note also that a clay tripod should be placed above the disc, upon which are to be placed the calcining vessels, and under which the coals.

6. How many, what kind, and of what use are the Sublimation Ovens?

Now sublimation ovens must be considered, of which there should be at least two or four, and made throughout with disc, canal, and perforations like the philosopher’s oven, but smaller in size: moreover, they should be in one place for convenience [of supervision].

10. The Four Spirits of Metals which Color.

Note that the four spirits of metals are mercury, sulphur, auripigmentum or arsenicum, and sal ammoniac. These four spirits color metals white and red, that is, in Gold and Silver: yet not of themselves, unless they are first prepared by different medicines for this, and are not volatile, and when placed in the fire burn brilliantly. These spirits fashion Silver from Iron and Tin, or Gold from Copper and Lead.

Thus, as I shall say briefly, all metals may be transmuted into Gold and Silver, which are like all the natural metals, except that the iron of the Alchemist is not attracted by adamantine stone and the gold of the Alchemist does not stimulate the heart of man, nor cure leprosy, while a wound made from it may swell, which does not happen with natural gold. But it is evident that in all other operations, as malleation, testing, and color, it will last forever. From these four spirits the tincture is made, which in Arabic is called elixir, and in Latin, fermentum.

11. What is Elixir, and how many of the Metals are Transmuted through these Four Spirits?

Elixir is the Arabic name and fermentum is the Latin: because, just as bread is leavened and raised through good yeast, so the matter of metals may be transmuted through these four spirits into white and red, but especially through mercury, because it is the source and origin of all metals.

12. On the Genera of Medicines and their Names.

The following is a list of the other spirits and medicines and how they are named: sal commune [common salt], sal alkali, sal nitrum, sal borax, Roman alum, alum from Yemen, tartar, atramentum, green copper, calamine stone, copperas, tutia, cinnabar, minium, cerussa, hen’s eggs, eggshells, vinegar, urine, cadmia, marchasita, magnesia, and many other things of which we have no need in this book.

These substances do not color, but the spirits are serviceable, for they are quickly prepared and dissolved, and with their solutions they macerate the calx of the metals, and [cause] these bodies to take on rectifying vapors.

Their preparation, occurrence, and the manner of calcining and solution, we will show in order in the following chapters.

13. What is Mercury and what is its Origin?

Mercury is viscous fluid united in the interior of the earth with a white subtile earth, through the most moderate heat until there is equal union of the two. It rolls on a flat plane with ease and, despite its fluid nature, does not stick to it, and it may possess a viscous form because of its dryness, which tempers it, and prevents adherence [to a surface].

It is the matter of metals when combined with sulphur, that is, as a red stone from which quicksilver can be extracted; and it occurs in the mountains, especially in old drains, in great quantities.

By nature mercury is cold and moist and is the source of all metals, as has been said above. It is created with all metals, is mixed with iron, and without it no metal can be gilded.

ADDITION. Quicksilver and sulphur, sublimed with sal ammoniac is converted into a brilliant red powder, but when burned in the fire returns to a fluid and humid substance.

14. What is Sulphur, its Properties, and its Occurrence?

Sulphur, the fatness of the earth, is condensed in minerals of the earth through temperate decoction, whereby it hardens and becomes thick; and when hardened it is called sulphur.

Sulphur has a very strong action, and is a uniform substance throughout; for this reason its oil cannot be separated from it by distillation, as from other substances having oil, but rather by means of acute waters, by boiling sulphur in them. It occurs in the earth, sometimes in the mountains and sometimes in the marshes. There are many varieties; namely white, red, green, yellow, or black: and besides it occurs in the dead form. It is living when extracted from fusible earth, and is effective against the itch. It is dead when it is poured into cylinders, as it is found among apothecaries.

ADDITION. Sulphur has a fiery nature, liquefies as gum and is entirely smoky.

30. What is Sublimation and in how many ways can it be done?

Sublimation is the volatilizing of a dry substance by fire, causing it to cling to the sides of the vessel. Sublimation in fact is diversified according to the diversity of the spirits of those things to be sublimated. One kind [is accomplished] by ignition, as with marchasita, magnesia or tuchia; another with moderate ignition as with mercury and arsenic; and still another with a low fire as with sulphur. Indeed, in one type of sublimation of mercury the separation of its earth will result and there will be a change in its fluidity. On the other hand, it is natural that superfluous earth very often is mixed with things with which it has no affinity, hence its sublimation has thus to be repeated more often. Examples of these are the calx of eggshells and of white marble, and finely ground glass, and every kind of prepared salt. From these latter, it [the earth] is cleansed, from others it is not, unless the bodies are [in a state of] perfection; however, they are rather more corrupt, because all such things have sulphureity which, ascending with it in sublimation, corrupts the work. Because of this, if you sublimate from tin or lead you will note that after the sublimation it is contaminated with blackness. Therefore, sublimation is better accomplished with those things with which it does not agree [in nature]. However, sublimation, in general, would be more readily accomplished with those things with which it [the substance to be sublimated] agrees [in nature] if it were not for the sulphureity [in any of the components] with which it does not agree [in nature]. A method of removing moisture is to mix and grind with calxes – with which the sublimation should be done – until the metal can no longer be detected, and then the moisture is removed by slow heating. As [the moisture] of [the mixture] recedes, the moisture of the mercury will recede with it, as I shall teach you in the following sublimations of spirits.

31. What is Calcination and in how many ways can it be done?

Calcination of any kind is the pulverizing of substances by fire to remove the moisture uniting the parts. Bodies diminished of their own perfection are calcined.

There are also different kinds of calcinations. Bodies are calcined so that the sulphureity corrupting and defiling them may be removed. In fact, each sulphureity may be burned from the substance with which it is combined, but which without calcination cannot be removed. Soft bodies are, indeed, particularly hardened by it, but they [also] take an impression more clearly and harden more readily. Spirits are calcined the better to fix them and bring them more quickly into solution. Every kind of calcined body is more fixed, and more easily sublimed than the uncalcined; hence, soft bodies can be easily calcined through fire; hard bodies need very strong fire [to be calcined], as I shall teach you at the end [of this book].

ADDITION. Silver may be calcined thus: take an ounce of purest Silver, or more if you wish, and from this make plates thin as the [finger] nails of the hand. Add a third part of common salt, from the preparation commonly prepared and calcined, and a fourth part of sublimated mercury, making a powder of said mercury and salt by grinding. Afterwards cement the plates together in the sublimatory, by placing first a layer of the powder, then a second layer of the sheets, and follow layer by layer; then sublime with a slow fire until all the moisture of the mixture evaporates. Close well the opening and increase the fire through the natural day; take care not to remove the vessel from the fire immediately, but let it cool [for] three hours. Do not open the vessel until it is cold, because the spirits will evaporate. When the vessel is cold, take out the sublimed mercury, clear as a crystal, and set [it] aside; then take out the silver that remains half-calcined with the common salt. If possible, crush the salt and the half-calcined Silver at once above the porphyry. If it cannot be ground, put it into a glass cassola and separate the whole salt with fervent waters, until you perceive no salty taste; dry the remaining calx in the bottom of a paropsis, and calcine once again with new salt and mercury sublimed five or six times. Alternate the calcining and washing of the Silver calx until you detect no salty taste. Your calcined Silver will then be the whitest and cleanest [kind], like the rays of the stars, so that if you melt part of the said calx with borax, or with good sal nitrum or sal alkali, you will find your Silver converted to white gold.

32. What is Coagulation and why is it used?

Coagulation is the reduction of liquid substances to a solid mass by deprivation of their vapors. It was devised to harden mercury and purify medicinal solutions of moisture mixed in them. Mercury is coagulated by its frequent precipitation with violence to the dryness of the fire. The dryness of the fire removes the moisture. This is accomplished in a long narrow vessel.

33. What is Fixation and in how many ways are Bodies fixed?

Fixation is the appropriate tempering of a volatile substance in fire. It was devised so that every coloring, and every alteration is perpetuated in another and is not changed: for bodies, whose perfection has been diminished through calcination, are fixed when they are freed from corrupting and volatile sulphureity. Sulphur and arsenicum are fixed in two ways: one method is the repetition of their sublimation from one state to another, or until they achieve stability. Spirits are also fixed in another way, either with the solutions of metals or with oil of tartar, as I shall say below.

ADDITION. Take sublimed mercury, an equal amount of sal ammoniac, and sublime seven times, or until melted, [then] let the stone remain at the bottom; crush it and expose to damp air so it will become a liquid. Soak metallic arsenicum in this water, dissolve in distilled vinegar, and distill seven times, or congeal, and dissolve, and a stone will result.

Metallic arsenicum is made by melting one part of arsenicum with two parts of white soap. Another [procedure] is given in Geber’s [Liber] Fornacum: where you may read [it], if you wish.

Either sublime mercury, or sulphur, or prepared arsenicum, or several of these, at the same time, along with sal tartarum or saltpeter, or sal ammoniac. Do this many times until they remain fixed, then extract [them] with warm water.

34. What is Solution and in how many ways is it done?

Solution is the resolution of any calcined substance into water. It was devised so that the intrinsic qualities of substances might become extrinsic and vice versa, and so that they might be made suitable for distilling; thus they are freed from every contamination. Solution is achieved either by heat and moisture or by cold and moisture, as I shall teach in the following [chapters].

ADDITION. Some [substances] dissolve after being calcined with an equal weight of sulphur, with water or the juice of limes, in a closed crucible.

35. What is Distillation and how is it done?

Distillation is the rising of the vapors of a liquid in its own container. There are different methods: with and without fire, that with fire is of two kinds; one, through rising vapors, as with an alembic; the other through a descensory, as with a pipe, and through fire superimposed on vessels.

The general purpose of distillation is [the] purification of a liquid from its dregs. We can see that the distillate is rendered purer [than the original liquid]. The special purpose of pure water is the imbibition of spirits and clean medicines, so that we can have a pure solution when we need one, for the dregs that can contaminate our medicines and purified spirits will have been removed. Distillation was invented to extract, through a descensory, an oil pure in its nature, whenever we cannot [evidently] have an oil combustible in its nature, as is true of petroleum. However, distillation, through filtration, is devised solely to obtain a clear liquid.

36. What is Ceration and how is it done?

Ceration is the softening of dry and nonfusible substances. It is clear that this process was invented to mollify a body with a view to change (or inceration) and thus permit penetration of other substances, for a body deprived of liquefaction permits no penetration. Some think that ceration should be done with liquids and liquid oils, but that is an error; for in no substance is the whole moisture found better than in sulphur and arsenicum. By this method [sulphur and arsenicum] their sublimation may be multiplied a great many times because of the softened substance, to the point where, finding moisture in them, they attain a good fusion; on the other hand, this cannot be accomplished without perfectly cleansing them of all corruption. But it seems better to me that their oils should first be fixed by oil of tartar and with these oils every ceration can suitably be made. Concerning these things this will suffice.

42. From what substances is Fire made?

Since the principle of sublimation of spirits has been presented, it remains now to investigate the substance of fire. I assert, therefore, that fire should be made of coals for two reasons: first, because it is less work to lay coals than wood; second, because wood gives much more smoke and, because of the smoke, the work cannot be observed well. Vessels are broken by the heat of the fire, as happens oftener when the clay is not good or they [the vessels] are not well baked. And when they break to pieces, white smoke at once appears, which may easily be seen over a fire that is made from coals; hence when the vessels smoke let them be taken from the fire at once or else the sublimation will be lost. Take care that this does not happen.

Note that the upper vessel, namely an aludel, should be glazed, but this is not necessary for the lower [one]. It is customary also to harden the medicine that cannot be sublimed, on a scutella. This is not to be doubted, but it [the medicine] should be ground a second time and mixed with a little more of the dregs and it will be sublimed thoroughly.

44. The Revelation and Teaching of the Secrets of this Art begin here.

Now I have already taught you how to collect various flowers full of the fine fragrances, redolent with health and beauty, and the glory of this world: this is the flower of flowers, the rose of roses, and the lily of the valley. Rejoice therefore, O Youth, in thy adolescence and gather the flowers, since I have introduced you into the garden of Paradise; make from these a wreath for your head, that you may rejoice and enjoy the delights of this world.

I have disclosed to you the meaning, now I will help you to understand the secrets of this art, and what was hidden for such a long time, I shall now bring to light.

Previously, I taught you how to sublimate and to collect the flowers of these substances, therefore, now I shall teach you how to plant them so that they may bear much fruit, and their fruit may last forever. I shall teach you how to fix the powders sublimed, that they may remain in the fire, be combined and mixed with bodies, and [I shall show you that this may be done] in two ways.

45. The Fixation of Powders, so that they can mix with Bodies, is taught here.

Take as much [powders] of these as you wish, one pound or two without anything else, and place in the vessel of fixation, and shape off the opening with good clay, not glazed, of the glassmakers, one digit thick, and close the cracks with good clay, namely, clay of wisdom.13 When this is done, put [it] upon a sublimation furnace, and apply fire for a whole day. Now if done in summer, the amount of heat is as of sublimed mercury after mid-day; however, if it is done in the morning, turn the upper layer underneath, alternate two times at least, then open and see in this way if the powder is fixed; place a little of it over the coals: if it smokes, it is not yet fixed, but if it does not smoke, then it is fixed, and this is the sign of every spirit. If, however, it is not fixed, return to the furnace, closing the vessel as before, and apply fire for five days or until at length you hear a sound in the vessel like falling stones, as very often happens, when it is dried up too much. (Another direction says that it may be tested over a burning plate to see if it melts or flows, or fails to give off smoke.)

A second way [to fix powders] is with the imbibition of oil of tartar. However, you can do it this way: take sublimed arsenicum or sulphur or auripigmentum, and crush over the stone with oil of tartar, until all becomes liquid. Then place in a glass phial in ashes, which have been sifted through a fine sieve, and place the vessel with the ashes over a distillation furnace, and apply the fire at first very slowly as [is done] in masticating, lest the vessel be broken. After heating the glass, increase the fire; then dry the medicine in an open vessel, if you wish, but it is better [to do it] in a closed one. Place above it an alembic which collects the water distilled from it, because [this distillate] is useful for many things. When the medicine is dry, the vessel has to be broken, since you cannot empty it otherwise, and you will find the powders hardened like stone. This has to be well ground as before with the distilled oil [of tartar]. Using the same procedure, again break the glass, remove, grind well, place in another ampulla, and set [it] in a warm dung pit for seven days, and then it will be dissolved into a liquid. Then place the vessel in warm ashes and heat with a slow fire, then you will have the spirits fixed; and the color will remain firm and lasting. And of this powder, add one part to fifty parts of calcined Iron or Copper, and this will be good for every malleation and testing.

51. How can Gold and Silver be Calcined?

The calcination of all metals must now be noted. First, take the calcination of Gold and Silver. Place the filings of either one you wish in vinegar for nine days. Then remove and, when dried, crush into dry powder; afterwards add water [and] sal ammoniac, crushing and drying six times. Then place over a stone, as I have taught for dissolving, and distill and put aside; and from this liquid take the powder for the solution.

Note this, however, that you should use liquids of Gold for making red solutions and [liquids] of Silver for white [ones].

 

33 Roger Bacon

Roger Bacon (1219 - 1292) was also a monk (Franciscan friar) teaching at the University of Paris. He was the Aristotle lecturer there. Needless to say he was also an Aristotelian, and wrote after the manner of Aristotle.


Woodcut of Bacon presenting a work to the Chancellors of the University of Paris.

Bacon had a very fertile imagination, and also a good sense of referencing quotations and ideas. For these alone he is considered by some (not me) one of the early fathers of science. This may be because of a confusion with Francis Bacon 400 years later. The magnitude of Bacon's contributions to science are debatable. He strikes me as one of the best summarizers of Arabic alchemy.

His contemporary reputation was  was large enough that he became the stuff of legends: he was reputed to do sorcery and necromancy, to "make women of devils." Documents report that Bacon invented the compound  microscope and telescope and had observed the nuclei of cells, bespeaking the credulity of the times.

Bacon considered theology the "queen of the sciences" and that tangible knowledge was superior to philosophical knowledge.

Bacon differentiated between "speculative" and "practical" alchemy; speculative alchemy...

...treats of the generation of things from the elements and of all inanimate things and of simple and composite humours, of common stones, gems, marbles, of gold and other metals, of sulphurs and salts and pigments, of lapis lazuli and minium and other colours, of oils and burning bitumens and other things without limit, concerning which we have nothing in the books of Aristotle. Nor do the natural philosophers know of these, nor the whole assembly of Latin writers. And because this science is not known to the generality of students it necessarily follows that they are ignorant of all that depends upon it concerning natural things, namely of the generation of animate things, of plants and animals and men, for being ignorant of what comes before they are necessarily ignoranat of what follows.

Practical alchemy, on the other hand, 

which teaches how to make the noble metals, and colours, and many other things better or more abundantly by art than they are made in nature. And the science of this kind is greater than all those preceding because it produces greater utilities. For not only can it yield wealth and very many other things for the public good, but it also teaches how to discover such things as are capable of prolonging human life for much longer periods than can be accomplished by nature.... It confirms theoretical alchemy through its works and therefore confirms natural philosophy and medicine, and this is plain from the books of the physicians. For these authors teach how to sublime, distil and resolve their medicines, and by many other methods according to the operation of that science, as is clear in health-giving waters, oils and many other things.

This gives us an idea of what Bacon thought of experiment as a source of knowledge, and the reliability of observation. He does not, however, move very far from the Aristotelian alchemists; he minimized the role of Prime Matter, but is quite accepting of transmutation and the Mercury-Sulfur theory direct form Avicenna (who interpreted the theory from Jabir, save without the numerology).

Remarkably his insight into the future never fails to catch the imaginations of the young in our day:

Machines for navigation can be made without rowers so that the largest ships on rivers or seas will be moved by a single man in charge with greater velocity than if they were full of men. Also cars can be made so that without animals they will move with unbelievable rapidity; such we opine were the scythe-bearing chariots with which the men of old fought. Also flying machines can be constructed so that a man sits in the midst of the machine revolving some engine by which artificial wings are made to beat the air like a flying bird. Also a machine small in size for raising or lowering enormous weights, than which nothing is more useful in emergencies. For by a machine three fingers high and wide and of less a man could free himself and his friends from all danger of prison, and rise and descend. Also a machine can easily be made by which one man can draw a thousand to himself by violence against their wills, and attract other things in like manner. Also machines can be made for walking in the sea and rivers, even to the bottom without danger. For Alexander the Great employed such, that he might see the secrets of the deep, as Ethicus the astronomer tells. These machines were made in antiquity and they have certainly been made in our times except possibly a flying machine which I have not seen nor do I know of any one who has, but I know an expert who has thought out the way to make one. And such things can be made almost without limit, for instance, bridges across rivers without piers or other supports, and mechanisms, and unheard-of engines.

His disagreeableness got him into trouble with his order, and he was placed in confinement in Paris for fourteen years toward the end of his life.

I have laboured from my youth in the sciences and languages, and for the furtherance of study, getting together much that is useful. I sought the friendship of all wise men among the Latins, and caused youth to be instructed in languages and geometric figures, in numbers and tables and instruments, and many needful matters. I examined everything useful to the purpose, and I know how to proceed, and with what means, and what are the impediments: but I cannot go on for lack of the necessary funds. Through the twenty years in which I laboured specially in the study of wisdom, careless of the crowd’s opinion, I spent more than two thousand livres [about £10,000] in these pursuits on occult books (libros secretos) and various experiments, and languages and instruments, and tables and other things.

From Radix Mundi: translated by Willian Salmon as part of Medicina Practica, or Practical Physics (London, 1692). As you read Roger Bacon, it becomes evident that he is reading the Arabic himself, not relying on translations; he is using Arabic names that differ from those used in the translations.

Chap. 37: Of the Original of Metals, and Principles of the Mineral Work.   

1. The bodies of all natural things being as well perfect as imperfect from the original of time, and compounded of a quaternity of elements or natures, viz. fire, air, earth, water, are conjoyned by God Almighty in a perfect unity.

2. In these four elements is hid the secret of Philosophers: the earth and water give corporeity and visibility; the fire and air, the spirit and invisible power, which cannot be seen or touched but in the other two.

3. When these four elements are conjoyned and made to exist in one, they become another thing; whence it is evident, that all things in nature are composed of the said elements, being altered and changed.   

4. So saith Rhasis, Simple Generation, and Natural Transformation is the Operation of the Elements.   

5. But it is necessary, that the elements be of one kind, and not divers, to wit, Simple: For otherwise neither action nor passion could happen between them: So saith Aristotle, There is no true Generation, but of things agreeing in Nature. So that things be not made but according to their natures.

6. The elder or oak trees will not bring forth pears; nor can you gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles; things bring not forth, but only their like, or what agrees with them in nature, each tree its own fruit.   

7. Our secret therefore is to be drawn only out of those things in which it is. You cannot extract it out of stones or salt, or other heterogene bodies: neither salt nor alum enters into our mystery. But as Theophrastus saith, The Philosophers disguise with Salts and Alums, the Places of the Elements.   

8. If you prudently desire to make our Elixir, you must extract it from a mineral root: for as Geber saith, You must obtain the perfection of the Matter from the Seeds thereof.

9. Sulphur and mercury are the mineral roots and natural principles upon which nature her self acts and works in the mines and caverns of the earth, which are viscous water, and subtil spirit running through the pores, veins, and bowels of the mountains.

10. Of them is produced a vapour or cloud, which is the substance and body of metals united, ascending, and reverberating upon its own proper earth, (as Geber sheweth) even till by a temperate digestion through the space of a thousand years, the matter is fixed and converted into a mineral stone, of which metals are made.

11. In the same manner of Sol which is our sulphur, being reduced into mercury by mercury, which is the viscous water made thick, and mixt with its proper earth, by a temperate decoction and digestion, ariseth the vapour or cloud, agreeing in nature and substance with that in the bowels of the earth.

12. This afterwards is turned into most subtil water, which is called the soul, spirit, and tincture, as we shall hereafter shew.

13. When this water is returned into the earth, (out of which it was drawn) and every way spreads through or is mixed with it, as its proper womb, it becomes fixed. Thus the wise man does that by Art in a short time, which Nature cannot perform in less than the revolution of a thousand years.

14. Yet notwithstanding, it is not we that make the metal, but Nature herself that does it. Nor do or can we change one thing into another; but it is Nature that changes them; we are no more than meer servants in the work.

15. Therefore Medus in Turba Philosophorum, saith, Our stone naturally contains in it the whole tincture. It is perfectly made in the mountains and body of the earth; yet of it self (without Art) it has no life or power whereby to move the elements.

16. Chuse then the natural minerals, to which, by the advice of Aristotle, add Art: For Nature generates metaline bodies of the vapours, clouds, or fumes, of sulphur and mercury, to which all the Philosophers agree. Know therefore the principles upon which Art works, to wit, the principles or beginnings of metals: for he that knows not these things shall never attain to the perfection of the work.

17. Geber saith, He who has not in himself the knowledge of the Natural Principles, is far from attaining the perfection of the Art: being ignorant of the mineral root upon which he should work.

18. Geber also farther saith That our Art is only to be understood and Learned through the true wisdom and knowledge of natural things: that is, with a wisdom searching into the roots and natural principles of the matter.

19. Yet saith he, my Son, I shew thee a secret, though thou knowest the principles, yet therein thou canst not follow Nature in all things. Herein some have erred, in essaying to follow Nature in all her properties and differences.

Chap. 38: Of Mercury, the Second Principle of the Work.   

1. The second principle of our Stone is called Mercury, which some Philosophers call (as it is simple of it self) a Stone. One of them said, This is a Stone, and no Stone, and that without which Nature never performs any thing; which enters into, or is swallowed up of other Bodies, and also swallows them up.

2. This is simply argent vive, which contains the essential power, which explicates the tincture of our Elixir or Philosophers Stone.  

3. Therefore saith Rhasis, such a thing may be made of it which exceedeth the highest perfection of Nature. For it is the root of metals, harmonises with them, and is the medium that explicates and conjoyns the tincture.

4. Wherefore our Stone is called Natural, or Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal, for it is generated in the mines, and is the mother or womb of all metals, and by projection converts into metals; it springs or grows like a vegetable: and abounds with life like an animal, by piercing with its tincture, like spirit and life, every where, and through all particles.   

5. Morien saith, This Stone is no Stone that can Generate a living Creature. Another saith, It is cast out upon the Dunghill as a vile thing, and is hidden from the Eyes or understandings of Ignorant Men.   

6. Also in Libro Speculi Alchymiæ, it is said, Our Stone is a thing rejected, but found in Dunghils (i.e. in putrefaction, or the matter being putrefied) containing in itself the four elements, over which it triumphs, and is certainly to be perfected by humane industry.

Chap. 39: Of the Purification of the Metals and Mercury for our Work.

1. This is a great and certain truth, that the clean ought to be separated from the unclean, for nothing can give that which it has not. For the pure substance is of one simple essence, void of all heterogeneity, but that which is impure and unclean consists of heterogene parts, is not simple, but compounded (to wit of pure and impure) and apt to putrifie and corrupt.

2. Therefore let nothing enter into your composition which is alien or foreign to the matter (as all impurity is), for nothing goes to the composition of our Stone that proceedeth not from it, neither in part nor in whole.   

4. The Citrine bodies (as Sol, &c.) you must purge by calcination or cementation; and it is then purged or purified if it be fine and florid.

5. The metal being well cleansed, beat it into thin plates or leaves (as is leaf gold) and reserve them for use.   

6. The White Liquor (as mercury) contains two superfluities, which must necessarily be removed from it, viz. its foetid earthiness, which hinders its fusion, and its humidity, which causes its flying.

7. The earthiness is thus removed. Put it into a marble or wooden mortar, with its equal weight of pure fine and dry salt and a little vinegar. Grind all with the pestle till nothing of the matter appears, but the whole salt becomes very black. Wash this whole matter with pure water till the salt is dissolved; this filthy water decant, and put to the mercury again as much more salt and vinegar, grinding it as before, and washing it with fair water, which work so often repeat, till the water comes clear from it, and that the mercury remains pure bright and clear . . .   

9. Rhasis saith, Those Bodies come nearest to perfection, which contain most Argent Vive: he farther saith, That the Philosophers hid nothing but weight and measure, to wit, the proportions of the ingredients, which is clear, for that none of them all agree one with another therein, which causeth great error.

10. Though the matters be well prepared and well mixed, without the proportions or quantities of the things be just, and according to the reason of the work, you will miss of the truth, or the end, and lose all your labour; you will not indeed bring anything to perfection.

11. And this is evident in the examination: when there is a transmutation of the body or that the body is changed, then let it be put into the Cineritium or Test, and then it will be consumed or otherwise remain; according as the proportions are more or less than just; or just as they ought to be.

12. If they be right and just, according to the reason of that, your body will be incorruptible and remain firm, without any loss, through all essays and tryals; you can do nothing in this work without the true knowledge of this thing, whose foundation is natural matter, purity of substance, and right reason or proportion.

Chap. 40: Of the Conjunction of the Principles, in order to [achieve] this great Work.   

1. Euclid the Philosopher, and a man of great understanding, advises to work in nothing but in Sol and Mercury; which joyned together make the wonderful and admirable Philosophers Stone, as Rhasis saith: White and Red, both proceed from one Root; no other Bodies coming between them.   

4. For being broken and made one, they have in themselves the whole tincture both of the agent and patient. Wherefore saith Rhasis, make a Marriage (that is a Conjunction) between the Red Man and his White Wife, and you shall have the whole secret.   

5. The same saith Merlin: If you Marry the White Woman to the Red Man, they will be Conjoyned and Imbrace one another, and become impregnated. By themselves they are Dissolved, and by themselves they bring forth what they have conceived, whereby the two are made but one Body.   

6. And truly our Dissolution is only the reducing the hard body into a liquid form, and into the nature of Argent Vive, that the saltness of the sulphur may be diminished.   

8. And therefore in the Speculum Alchymiæ it is said, The first work is the reducing the Body into Water, that is into Mercury. And this the Philosophers called Dissolution, which is the foundation of the whole art.   

10. Wherefore saith Rhasis, the work of making our Stone is, that the matter be put into its proper Vessel, and continually Decocted and Digested, until such time as it wholly Ascends, or sublimes to the top thereof.   

11. This is declared in [the] Speculum Philosophorum. The Philosophers Stone is converted from a vile thing, into a pretious Substance: for the Semen Solare, is cast into the Matrix of Mercury, by Copulation or Conjunction, whereby in process of time they be made one.   

14. And Geber saith, all ought to be made of Mercury only: for when Sol is reduced to its first Original or Matter, by Mercury, then Nature embraceth Nature.

Chap. 41: Of the Vessel, Lute, Closing, and Times of the Philosophick Work.   

1. The vessel for our Stone is but one, in which the whole Magistery or Elixir is performed and perfected; this is a Cucurbit, whose bottom is round like an egg, or an urinal, smooth within, that it may ascend and descend the more easily, covered with a Limbeck round and smooth everywhere, and not very high, and whose bottom is round also like an egg.

2. Its largeness ought to be such that the Medicine or matter may not fill above a fourth part of it, made of strong double glass, clear and transparent, that you may see through it, all the colours appertaining to, and appearing in the work; in which the spirit moving continually, cannot pass or flie away.   

3. Let it also be so closed, that as nothing can go out of it, so nothing can enter into it: as Lucas saith, Lute the Vessel strongly with Lutum Sapientiæ, that nothing may get in or go out of it.   

4. For if the Flowers, or matter subliming, should breathe out, or any strange air or matter enter in, your work will be spoiled and lost.

5. And though the Philosophers oftentimes say that the matter is to be put into the vessel and closed up fast, yet it is sufficient for the operator, once to put the said matter in, once to close it up, and so to keep it even to the very perfection and finishing of the work. If these things be often repeated, the work will be spoiled.   

6. Therefore saith Rhasis, keep your Vessel continually close, encompassed with Dew, [which demonstrates what kind of Heat you are to use] and so well Luted that none of the Flowers, or that which sublimes, may get out, or vanish in Vapor or Fume.   

8. Also another Philosopher in his Breveloquium saith, as there are three things in a natural Egg, viz. the Shell, the White, and the Yolk, so likewise there are three things corresponding to the Philosophers Stone, the Glass Vessel, the White liquor, and the Citrine Body.   

9. And as of the yolk and white, with a little heat, a Bird is made (the shell being whole, until the coming forth or hatching of the chicken) so it is in the work of the Philosophers Stone. Of the citrine body and white liquor with a temperate or gentle heat is made the Avis Hermetis, or Philosophers Bird.

Chap. 42: Of the Philosophers Fire, the kinds and Government thereof.   

1. The Philosophers have described in their books a two fold fire, a moist and a dry.   

2. The moist fire they called the warm Horse Belly, in the which, so long as the humidity remains, the heat is retained; but the humidity being consumed, the heat vanishes and ceases, which heat being small, seldom lasts above five or six days: but it may be conserved and renewed, by casting upon it many times urine mixt [with] salt.   

5. Altudenus the Philosopher saith likewise, you must hide your Medicine in Horse dung, which is the fire of the Philosophers, for this dung is hot, moist, and dark, having a humidity in it self, and an excellent light [or whiteness].   

8. The dry fire is the fire of the bodies themselves; and the inflammability of every thing able to be burned: now the government of these fires is thus:

9. The Medicine of the White ought to be put into the moist fire, until the completement of the whiteness shall appear in the vessel. For a gentle fire is the conservation of the humidity.

12. Therefore saith Rhasis, Be very diligent and careful in the sublimation and liquefaction of the matter, that you increase not your fire too much, whereby the water may ascend to the highest part of the Vessel; for then wanting a place of refrigeration, it will stick fast there, whereby the sulphur of the elements will not be perfected.

14. And the gentle or temperate fire is that only which compleats the mixture, makes thick, and perfects the work.

18. The happy prosecution of the whole work consists in the exact temperament of the fire: therefore beware of too much heat, lest you come to Solution before the time, [viz. before the matter is ripe:] For that will bring you to despair of attaining the end of your hopes.

19. Wherefore saith he [i.e., Rhasis], Beware of too much fire, for if it be kindled before the time, the matter will be Red before it comes to ripeness and perfection, whereby it becomes like an Abort, or the unripe fruit of the womb; whereas it ought to be first white, then red, like as the fruits of a tree: a cherry is first white, then red, when it comes to its perfection.

Chap. 43: Of the Aenigmas of Philosophers, their Deceptions, and Precautions concerning the same.

1. You ought to put on courage, resolution and constancy, in attempting this great work, lest you err, and be deceived, sometimes following or doing one thing, and then another.

2. For the knowledge of this art consisteth not in the multiplicity, or great number of things, but in unity; our Stone is but One, the matter is One, and the vessel is One: the government is One. The whole Art and Work thereof is One, and begins in One manner, and in One manner is finished.

3. Notwithstanding the Philosophers have subtily delivered themselves, and clouded their instructions with aenigmatical and typical phrases and words, to the end that their art might not only be hidden and so continued, but also be had in the greater veneration.   

4. Thus they advise to decoct, to commix, and to conjoyn; to sublime, to bake, to grind, and to congeal; to make equal, to putrefie, to make white, and to make red; of all which things, the order, management and way of working is all one, which is only to; Decoct.

Chap. 44: Of the Various Signs Appearing in every Operation.   

1. This then is the thing that the vessel with the Medicine be put into a moist fire; to wit, that the middle or one half of the vessel be in a moist fire (or Balneo, of equal heat with horse-dung) and the other half out of the fire, that you may daily look into it.

2. And in about the space of forty days, the superficies or upper part of the Medicine will appear black as melted pitch: and this is the sign that the citrine body is truly converted into mercury.   

6. This blackness the Philosophers called the first Conjunction; for then the male and female are joyned together, and it is the sign of perfect mixtion.

10. This blackness is called among the Philosophers by many names, to wit, the Fires, the Soul, a Cloud, the Ravens-Head, a Coal, Our Oyl, Aqua vitæ, the Tincture of Redness, the shadow of the Sun, Black Brass, Water of Sulphur, and by many other names.

11. And this blackness is that which conjoyneth the body with the spirit.

16. In the first Decoction (which is called Putrefaction) our Stone is made all black, to wit, a black earth, by the drawing out of its humidity; and in that blackness, the whiteness is hidden.

17. And when the humidity is reverted upon the blackness again, and by a continued soft and gentle digestion is made fixed with its earth, then it becomes white.

18. In this whiteness, the redness is hidden; and when it is decocted and digested by augmentation (and continuance) of the fire, that earth is changed into redness, as we shall hereafter teach.

Chap. 45: Of the Eduction of the Whiteness out of the Blackness or Black Matter.

1. Now let us revolve to the black matter in its vessel, [not so much as once opened, but] continually closed: Let this vessel I say, stand continually in the moist fire, till such time as the white colour appears, like to a white moist salt.   

2. The colour is called by the Philosophers Arsenick and Sal Armoniack; and some others call it, The thing without which no profit is to be had in the work.   

3. But inward whiteness appearing in the work, then is there a perfect conjunction and copulation, of the bodies in this Stone, which is indissoluble; and then is fulfilled that saying of Hermes, The thing which is above, is as that which is beneath; and that which is beneath, is as that which is above, to perform the mystery of this matter.

7. And many times it shall be changed from colour to colour, till such time as it comes to the fixed whiteness.

9. But value none of these colours, for they be not the true tincture; yea many times it becomes citrine and redish, and many times it is dryed, and becomes liquid again, before the whiteness will appear.

12. The cause of the appearance of such variety of colours in the operation of your Medicine is from the extention of the blackness; for as much as blackness and whiteness be the extream colours, all the other colours are but means between them.

13. Therefore as often as any degree or portion of blackness descends, so often another and another colour appears, until it comes to whiteness.

14. Now concerning the ascending and descending of the Medicine, Hermes saith, It ascends from the Earth into Heaven, and again descends from Heaven to the Earth, whereby it may receive both the superiour strength, and the inferiour.

15. Moreover this you are to observe, that if between the blackness and the whiteness, there should appear the red or citrine colour, you are not to look upon it or esteem it, for it is not fixt but will vanish away.

16. There cannot indeed be any perfect and fixt redness, without it be first white; wherefore saith Rhasis, no Man can come from the first to the third, but by the second.

17. From whence it is evident, that whiteness must always be first lookt for, [after the blackness, and before the redness] for as much as it is the complement of the whole work.

18. Then after this whiteness appears, it shall not be changed into any true or stable colour, but into the red: thus have we taught you to make the white; it remains now that we elucidate the red.

Chap. 46: Of the Way and Manner how to educe the Red Tincture out of the White.

1. The matters then of the white and red among themselves, differ not in respect to their essence; but the red Elixir needs more subtilization and longer digestion, and a hotter fire in the course of the operation, than the white, because the end of the white work is the beginning of the red work and that which is compleat in the one, is to be begun in the other.   

2. Therefore without you make the white Elixir first, [viz.] make the matter become first white, you can never come to the red Elixir, that which is indeed the true red: which how it is be performed we shall briefly shew.

3. The Medicine for the red ought to be put into our moist fire, until the white colour aforesaid appear, afterwards take out the vessel from the fire, and put it into another pot with sifted ashes made moist with water, to about half full, in which let it stand up to the middle thereof, making under the earthen pot a temperate dry fire, and that continually.

4. But the heat of this dry fire ought to be double at the least, to what it was before, or than the heat of the moist fire; by the help of this heat, the white Medicine receiveth the admirable tincture of the redness.

7. Decoct the red matter or Medicine; the more red it is, the more worth it is; and the more decocted it is, the more red it is. Therefore that which is more decocted is the more pretious and valuable.

8. Therefore you must burn it without fear in a dry fire, until such time as it is clothed with a most glorious red, or a pure vermillion colour. 

12. As Hermes saith in Turba, Between the Whiteness and the Redness, one Colour only appears, to wit, Citrine, but it changes from the less to the more.   

13. Maria also saith, When you have the true White, then follows the false and Citrine Colour; and at last the Perfect Redness itself. This is the glory and the beauty of the whole world.

Chap. 48: Of the Augmentation or Multiplication of our Medicine by Fermentation.   

1. Our Medicine is multiplied by Fermentation; and the ferment for the white is pure Luna; the Ferment for the Red, is pure fine Sol.

2. Now cast one part of the Medicine upon twenty parts of the ferment and all shall become Medicine, Elixir, or Tincture; put it on the fire in a glass vessel, and seal it so that no air go in or out; dissolve and subtilize it, as oft as you please, even as you did for making of the first Medicine.

3. And one part of this second Medicine shall have as much virtue and power, as ten parts of the former.

5. You must then conjoyn it, that it may generate its like; yet you must not joyn it with any other that it might convert it to the same, but only with that very same kind, of whose substance it was in the beginning.

12. Wherefore we command argent vive to be mixed with argent vive, until one clear water be made of two argent vives compounded together.

13. But you must not make the mixture of them, till each of them apart or separately be dissolved into water: and in the conjunction of them, put a little of the matter upon much of the body, viz. First upon four; and it shall become in a short time a fine pouder, whose tincture shall be white or red.

14. This pouder is the true and perfect Elixir or Tincture, and the Elixir or Tincture, is truly a simple pouder.

16. Keep entire the fume or vapour, and take heed that nothing thereof flie out from it; tarry by the vessel and behold the wonders, how it changes from colour to colour, in less space than an hours time, till such time as it comes to the signs of whiteness or redness.

18. This pouder is the compleat and perfect Elixir or Tincture; now you may separate or take it from the fire and let it cool.

19. And first, part of it projected upon 1000 parts of any metalline body transmutes it into fine gold or silver, according as your Elixir or Tincture is for the red or the white.

20. From what has been said, it is manifest and evident that if you do not congeal argent vive, making it to bear or endure the fire, and then conjoyning it with pure silver, you shall never attain to the whiteness.

21. And if you make not argent vive red, and so as it may endure the greatest fire, and then conjoyn it with pure fine gold, you shall never attain to the redness.

22. And by dissolution, viz. by fermentation, your Medicine, Elixir, or Tincture, may be multiplied infinitely.

Chap. 49: Of the Differences of the Medicine and Proportions used in Projection.

3. The third order is of such Medicines, which being cast upon imperfect bodies, not only perfectly tinge them, but also take away all their corruption and impurities, making them incorrupt and perfect . . .

4. Let therefore this your perfect Medicine, or Elixir, be cast upon a thousand or more parts, according to the number of times it has been dissolved, sublimed, and made subtil. If you put on too little, you must mend it by adding more; otherwise the virtue thereof will accomplish a perfect transmutation.   

5. The Philosophers therefore made three proportions, divers manner of ways, but the best proportion is this: let one part be cast upon an hundred parts of Mercury, cleansed from all its impurities; and it will all become Medicine, or Elixir; and this is the second Medicine, which projected upon a thousand parts, converts it all into good Sol or Luna.   

6. Cast one part of this second Medicine upon an hundred of Mercury prepared, and it will all become Medicine, and this is the Third Medicine, or Elixir of the third degree, which will project upon ten thousand parts of another body and transmute it wholly into fine Sol or Luna.   

7. Again, every part of this third Medicine being cast upon an hundred parts of prepared Mercury, it will all become Medicine of the fourth degree, and it will transmute ten hundred thousand times its own quantity of another metal into fine Sol and Luna, according as your fermentation was made.

8. Now these second, third, and fourth Medicines may be so often dissolved, sublimed, and subtilizated, till they receive far greater virtues and powers, and may after the same manner be multiplyed infinitely.   

9. According to Rhasis, the proportion is thus to be computed. First, multiply ten by ten, and its product is an hundred; again 100 by 10, and the product is 1000; and a 100[0] by 10, and the product will be 10000.

10. And this 10000 being multiplyed by 10, produces an 100000; and thus by consequence you may augment it, till it comes to a number almost infinite.

Chap. 50: Of Projection, and how it is to bee performed upon the Metals.

1. Now the projection is after this manner to be done: put the body or metal upon the fire in a crucible, and cast thereon the Elixir as aforesaid, moving, or stirring it well; and when it is melted, become liquid, and mixed with the body, or with the spirit, remove it from the fire, and you shall have fine gold or silver, according to what your Elixir was prepared from.

2. But here is to be noted, that by how much the more the metaline body is the easier to be melted, by so much the more shall the Medicine have power to enter into, and transmute it.

3. Therefore by so much as Mercury is more liquid than any other body, by so much the more, the Medicine has power in being cast upon it, to wit, Mercury, to transmute it into fine Sol or Luna.

4. And a greater quantity of it shall your Medicine transmute, give tincture to, and make perfect, than of any other mineral body.

5. The like is to be understood to be performed in the same manner upon other mineral bodies, according as they are easie or hard to be fused or melted.

Chap. 51: Of the Compleatment, or Perfection of the whole Work.

1. And because prolixity is not pleasant, but induceth errour and clouds the understanding, we shall now use much brevity and shew the completement of the whole work, the premises being well conceived.

2. It appears that our work is hidden in the body of the Magnesias, that is, in the body of sulphur, which is Sulphur of Sulphur; and in the body of mercury, which is Mercury of Mercury.

3. Therefore our Stone is from one thing only, as is aforesaid, and it is performed by one act or work, with decoction: and by one disposition, or operation, which is the changing of it first to black, then to white, thirdly, to red: and by one projection, by which the whole act and work is finished.

4. From henceforth, let all pseudo-chymists, and their followers, cease from their vain distillations, sublimations, conjunctions, calcinations, dissolutions, contritions, and such other like vanities.

5. Let them cease from their deceiving, prating, and pretending to any other gold, than our gold; or any other sulphur than our sulphur, or any other argent vive than ours; or any other Ablution or washing than what we have taught.

6. Which washing is made by means of the black colour, and is the cause of the white, and not a washing made with hands.

7. Let them not say, that there is any other Dissolution than ours, or other Congelation than that which is performed with an easie fire: or any other Egg than that which we have spoken of by similitude, and so called an Egg.   

9. But hear now what Rhasis saith, Look not upon the multitude, or diversity of Names, which are dark and obscure, they are chiefly given to the diversity of Colours appearing in the Work.

10. Therefore whatever the names be, and how many soever, yet conceive the matter or thing to be but one, and the work to be but one only.

12. And with this it is that we tinge and colour every body, bringing them from their beginnings and smalness, to their compleat growth, and full perfection.

15. If you that are searchers into this science, understand these words and things which we have written, you are happy, yea, thrice happy; if you understood not what we have said, God himself has hidden the thing from you.

16. Therefore blame not the Philosophers but your selves; for if a just and faithful mind possessed your souls, God would doubtless reveal the verity to you.

17. And know, it is impossible for you to attain to this knowledge unless you become sanctified in mind, and purified in soul, so as to be united to God, and to become one Spirit with him.

18. When you shall appear thus before the Lord, he shall open to you the gates of his treasure, the like of which is not to be found in all the earth.

19. Behold, I shew unto you the fear of the Lord, and the love of him with unfeigned obedience: nothing shall be wanting to them that fear God, who are cloathed with the excellency of his holiness, to whom be renderd all praise, honor and glory to the Ages of Ages, Amen.

34 Arnold of Villanova

Arnold of Villanova, born near Valencia, Spain, in 1235, was a renowned physician and contrarian. His abilities as a physician brought him in the the highest circles of society, and his contrarian nature got him exiled from those same circles.

His prowess as a physician is attested by the castle he was given in 1285 for treating King Peter II of Aragon so well. His contrarian nature got him diplomatically "exiled" to Paris in 1299 by King James II of Aragon. Being born to a poor family, and seeing the lifestyles of the wealthy, he became an outspoken social reformer and had to flee the Spanish Inquisition. His philosophical texts were ordered burned at the Sorbonne.

His philosophy was modern and ancient at the same time. His medicine included magic and astrology, but he believed in experiments and lamented the difficulty in performing medical experiments. Of magic and superstition he had no qualms:

This precious seal works against all demons and capital enemies and against witchcraft, and is efficacious in winning gain and favour, and aids in all dangers and financial difficulties, and against thunderbolts and storms and inundations, and against the force of the winds and the pestilences of the air. Its bearer is honoured and feared in all his affairs. No harm can befall the building or occupants of the house where it is. It benefits demoniacs, those suffering from inflammation of the brain, maniacs, quinsy, sore throat, and all diseases of the head and eyes, and those in which rheum descends from the head. And in general I say that it wards off all evils and confers good; and let its bearer abstain as far as possible from impurity and luxury and other mortal sins, and let him wear it on his head with reverence and honour.

If the mania was too severe then a hole should be drilled into the head to let allow the noxious vapors to escape; failing eyesight was the consequence of too frequent washing of the head. It really is astonishing what the ancients would believe, but such is the era of authority.

Arnold wrote several texts on alchemy, the longest being The Treasure of Treasures, the Rosary of the Philosophers, and Great Secret of Secrets (this is a single book, not three). It was popular, and started a fad of alchemical rosaries, which (I think) might be the origin of the Rose theme in later French alchemy and the idea of the "rosy cross", or Rosicrucian symbology, the use of a rosary for things other than the Church-ordered repentance. It might also be that the "rosy cross" is just an ordinary rosary with it's cross attached.

In writing of alchemy, Arnold also says he will reveal all and hold nothing back, but warn readers they will encounter "hidden reasoning." And like all other alchemists, fails to deliver on that promise. His Treasure of Treasures has a theoretical and a practical side; the theory came from Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras. He accepts the mercury-sulfur theory but had mercury as the more important constituent and holds that the sulfur is harmful to all metals. It should be possible, to Arnold, to make gold form mercury alone by removing the excess sulfur, though it will take a small amount of gold to get the reaction going. The best form of mercury is the "mercurial liquid" imported form Spain under a seal. We don't know what this liquid is, but it's used four parts liquid to one part of mercury to make the liquid, then the liquid is used twelve to one of gold or silver to make the elixir. The elixir is used 1000 to one to transmute base metals to gold. other methods of transmutation are described.

First mercury is fermented until you have all four elements. these elements are then recombined in the following ratios: 6 water, 6 air, 3 fire, 4 earth. Monitor the color changes to see if you have each step right, adding 1 air + 1 water, then 2 water + 1 fire, then 3 water to 2 earth (this must be a hidden reasoning part, and is Pythagorean in the ratios). He also says that projecting the elixir must not involve heat or the elixir will evaporate away.

It's difficult to imagine any chemical process that would account for the expected observations. Arnold equates the steps to the conception, birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, and his descriptions seem to have some basis in direct observation. But the theory is self-contradictory. Arnold does not use the excuse, as most alchemist afterward will, of having the money run out just before completion or that the sample, the "glass egg," was destroyed just before fruition.

Arnold does describe the distillation of human blood as a means of understanding it's makeup, and concludes it is made of water (the first clear fraction), air (a yellow liquid), fire (a red liquid) and earth is left behind. The description doesn't match observations. The blood might have originated over time from patients being bled to remove the red humor, and fermentation products might have been abundant. He thinks the "fire" distillate has remarkable medicinal properties, but doesn't use it as a elixir for making gold.

He is the first to observe the poisonous character of a fire in a closed room, carbon monoxide poisoning.

A Chymicall treatise of the Ancient and highly illuminated
Philosopher, Devine and Physitian, Arnoldus de Nova Villa who lived 400 years agoe, never seene in
print before, but now by a Lover of the Spagyrick art made publick for the use of Learners, printed
in the year 1611.
Transcribed from Bodleian Library, MS Ashmole 1415, pp.130-146, by Hereward Tilton.


Here Beginns Mr. Arnold de Nova Villa's treatise.

He speakes to his Scholars thus, Know my deare Sonne that this is a Booke of the Secrets of nature,
and I shall devide it into six parts. In the first discourse what the stone is, secondly why the
Stone is naturall, thirdly why the Stone is animal like our blood, fourthly why it is called
herball or Radicall, fifthly I'le relate its true and constant preparation, and sixtly I shall
truly and without lies give you an account of the augmentaion of our growing stone, to the end that
fooles may bee derided, and wise and understanding men taught. This art is nothing else but a
knowing of the secret and hid things of naturall masterrs and Lovers of the naturall art and
wisdome, therefore no body should approach to this art, unlesse he has heard before some Logick,
which teaches to distinguish truth from falsehood, and withall the naturall art which teaches the
things of nature, and the property of the elements, otherwise he troubles his minde and body and
life in vaine, it is a Stone and no Stone, and is found by every body in plane fields, on
Mountaines, and in the water, and is called Albida, heerein all physitians agree, for they say that
Albida is called Rebio, they name it in hid and secret words, because they perfectly understand the
materiam, some say it is blood, others say it is mans hair, others say it is eggs, which has made
many fooles and unwise men, that understand no more then the letter, and the meere sound of words,
seeke this art in blood, in eggs, in hair, in the Gaull, in Allum , in salt, but they have found
nothing for they did not rightly understand the sayings of naturalists, who spake their words in
hid language, should they have spoken out plainly, they would have done very ill for divers reason,
for all men would have used this art and the whole world would have been spoiled, and all
agriculture perisht; seeing it is so that a man must give an account of his workes, I desire god,
that he would give me reason, and wisdome, and direct me how I may estrange or conceale this noble
art from fooles, which made me say what this stone is; Know my sonne that our Stone as Hermes
speakes is in a living thing, out of which saying the true attempt of this art may bee knowne, and
because of this saying some according to their folly have sought this stone in beasts, in herbs, in
Allum, but they have remained fooles; now I'le tell you what our stone is, Sol, Luna, Azoth, now
there are three stones and they are dead upon earth, and end the thing afore in Lunam by the
carefull understanding and preparation of man; out of this stone is made true gold and silver the
same with naturall; the Scholar sayd how can this bee, for the philosophers say that art is weaker
then nature, and you say, out of that stone is made gold and Silver the same with naturall. The
Master answerr'd wee doe not make it, as nature makes it, but we helpe nature with our art, in
which respect it is naturall and not artificiall; there are three things in the naturall art and
wisdome as Hermes says, when the Stone is in a thing that has a Soule, as the Soule is spirituall
when it goes away in Smoak, for which cause its call'd a fugitive servant, and a finite Spirit, for
in the world there is no other spirit to this art, and it is of an Ayry nature, which is a sign of
perfection, and that it is not in Salt or Allum; he is not wise that seekes in a thing what is not
in it, and because neither gold nor Silver is in Allum or Salt, wee must not seek them there but in
such things where gold and silver is to bee found.

But that our Stone is not in beasts, heare how Hermes saith. All things are made according to their
nature. Out of man another man is made, and out of a living creature another living Creature is
produced, and one thing produceth another like it selfe. How then can the medicine helpe man, it
being not fit for man? The Master answeres thus, Understand the Sayings of Wise men. The Medicines
which are given to man doe not make man, but drive away his distempers, and so it is here. Our
Medicine given to him to whom wee ought to give it, makes true gold and Silver which is subject to
no defect, and changes the man into the Woman, and the Woman into the man, and the man into an
angell; how can that bee saith the Scholar? Thou hast heard it in the preparation only, perceive
well the words of the Naturalists and bee wise and not unwise, it being necessary that our Stone
must bee of an incombustible nature


and matter it is evident, that it is not found in salt, or animals, or any of the other mentioned,
but that Mercury is alone an incombustible spirit, and therefore necessarily must bee an object of
our science; so then it is manifest what the Stone is, and how much, and how it is not. Know my
Son, that our Stone is naturall, for many reasons; first it is naturall because nature in the like
manner makes man and woman as the wise may know, but the unwise doth not understand this. Secondly
it is called naturall by Hermes the father of all Naturalists, a man who is to bee beleived.
Thirdly the medicine is found naturally, the things which are under the Circle of the Moone being
foure elements.
And therefore our Stone is joyned together by the 4 elements, and among the 4 elements one is cold,
another drye, some warme, some moist. The Scholar here saith, Then our Stone is cold, moist, dry
and hot. The Master answeres: Understand plainly. The Seven planets are Stones. Mercury is warm and
dry because of the Sunne, cold and moist because of the Moone, for he is of the nature of water, of
aire, of earth and of Fire. Therefore he is as the thing to which you joined him, Good with the
good, and bad with the bad, which makes Aristotle say, when thou hast Water out of the aire, and
aire out of the fire, and fire out of the earth (open thy eares and understand the sayings of the
wise) Then thou hast the whole Art.

Know my sonne that our Stone is animal-like. The Scholar saith, what is the reason of this? The
Master replyes, because hee hath a Spirit, and therefore a soul which makes it animal-like. The
Scholar: how hath it a Soule? The Master: dost not thou know that there are 4 Spirits, Sulphur,
Arcenicum, Salmoniac, and Mercurius, you see it is under the number of these 4 spirits and
therefore it is a Spirit, and the Soule, and because it is a Soule it must needs bee animal-like,
for animals have soules, here abouts marke well as I have told thee of spirits and of the Soule and
of the animal-like to the animal-like, this is the reason why our Stone is animal-like, and Hermes
in Libro Senator saith, our Stone is of a thing that hath a Soule that is of a Spirit or fugitive
thing, but the fooles and unwise men who thought, as some yet think that it is in beasts, finde and
loose tyme and labour and spoil both their bodies and goods. The Scholar sayes: why is our Stone
blood? Because Arcaglaus sayes take the Stone which the ancients bid you take and rub him so long
till he be rub'd to blood, that is, till he become red, and because of the rednesse he is called
blood, and when our Stone becomes red, then he has in him the nature of fire, and out of it all
secrets may be drawn, mark and perceive what I say, and thou wilt have the whole art, fools who
thought that he was blood, did labour in blood and found nothing, for things are made according to
their nature. The naturall Master says: make out of the Stone flesh and blood, that he may bee red
and thou wilt have the whole art, Make of the Milk that is of white Stone flesh and blood, that it
may bee white like milke and may flow. The Scholar saith: how is this stone made white, and how is
it made red? The Master answeres, Take the Stone and rubb him with blood, and it will bee red,
However I declare the Art to thee otherwise, and clearer. Take the small and inconsiderable and rub
it with the most amiable and the best, and it will be made red by the help of the Fire, Observe
here that the fire causes them to joyne and purgeth them, and adornes them. But the unwise, who
perceive not the Speeches of the Naturall Masters, try the art according to the outward Letter, and
finde nothing and then cry It's a Lye, and the art is false, for wee have tryed it and found
nothing. Thus they despaire, and raile against the books and the Art. The Scholar saith, why is
this Stone Herball? The Master answers: because as the herbe hath a moveable soule, so our stone
hath a Soule, for Hermes saith our Stone is of a thing having a Soule, but the unwise thought it
was in herbs yet did not finde it there, and so have renounced the art. Some say that Mercury
should bee compounded or coagulated with the herbs and so have sought him in the herbs and found
nothing, Yet this I doe not say as if the Mercurius could not bee compounded or coagulated with the
herbs, but I say that the coagulation is good for nothing, and when they have thus coagulated him,
they think they have done great matters, yet have done nothing that's worth anything, nor finished
any thing; it being inconstant they talke, I can coagulate the Mercurius, but they might rather
say, I can spoile the Mercurius. And what is it that Mercurius is to bee coagulated with? They make
him of herbes, and make so fragil, that he is worth nothing. Mercurius, if hee bee rightly
coagulated hee must bee as heavy in weight as gold though hee bee white in colour, for the
Whitenesse is a Signe of perfection. This done, there needs no more but only to give him the color,
and so it is gold. The Scholar saith, why is our Stone called the red Servant? The Master answeres:
because hee soon turnes red. The Scholar: why doe the philosophers say, that Mercury doth not dye,
unlesse it be killed with its Brother? The Master: Hermes saith That the Dragon dyes not, unlesse
you kill him with its Brother the Sun, or Sister the Moone. Therefore saith Avicenna, Make the
blind to see, and the seeing blind, and thou wilt have the Art.
Another saith, in the Herball Stone are Haire, Blood, Eggs, and this hee said to shew in these
words, the 4 Elements, beleeve not mee but the naturall philosophers, who may bee beleeved, nor
give an credit to common foolish recipes. For those that have made recipes found nothing of this
art, but they had some books of the philosophers, who speake in riddles of this art (For they
framed these bookes with such hid words as with allum and Salt, and with other things
unintelligible to the simple, though intelligible enough to the prudent) that they have deceived
the whole world. I saw a Monck who had laboured in this Art very neere twenty yeares, and could
finde nothing notwithstanding of this, however like a base raskall hee made a booke which hee
called, The Flowers of Paradise, in which were above


100 recipes, and this booke he suffered to come into every man’s hand, and by these meanes much
people was deceived, for hee was a Coxcomb and knew nothing.

In this Chapter I will teach the preparation of the Philosophers Stone, but the way of its
preparation which I know, I have not of myselfe, but a part of this Labor, I have of one of my
brethren, and a part of a German Moncke. Therefor I desire God that he take away from mee the sin
of envy, that I may bring every body into the way of truth. In the beginning of this labour, I'le
say, that the most excellent Hermes teaches the way in plain words to rationall men, but in occult
and hid speeches to the unwise and fools. I say that the father son and holy ghost are one, and yet
three, so speaking of our Stone I say three are one, and yet are divided. Mark well, the World was
lost by a Woman, therefore necessarily must it bee restored by a Woman. Take therefore the mother
very pure and lay her into a bed with the Servant, and putt them up close into a Prison, till they
bee purified of their sins, and shee'le beare a son, which will bee a blessing to all people.
Signes have been manifested in the sun and in the moone. Then take the son and beate him that he
may be punished and its pride may come down, and he forsake his pride, and abide in humility.
Therefore, saith Geber, out of Mercury everything is made. The same Chapter saith further, The
common Sulphur is found in Sol and Luna, in Mercury more fugitive, in the body water. And the same
in another chapter saith, Afterward the Tincture becomes Water, that it may become better in its
nature. Therefore take the punished son and lay him into a bed and there hee'le begin to delight
himselfe, then take him and give him to the Jewes to bee crucified. Being crucifyed hee growes
pale, then take him, and turne him, and if you cannot see him well, you take away the vaile from
the Temple, whereupon a great earth quake ariseth and you'le see various changes, and hee'le leape
up and downe because of his great tortures, then hee'le fall downe; therefore stirr him below more,
and hee'le give up the ghost. Thus all necessary things are accomplished, and many Workmen have
erred in this.

The Scholar said, these words I understand not. The Master answered, I must necessarily hide the
Secrets of Secrets of the naturall art, as other Natural Masters have done, for it is not with this
art as it is with others. Hence it is said, whatsoever is written, is written for our Learning,
that through patience and comfort of the holy ghost, wee may have the Scripture. Amen.

I came one day into a great Master’s house to recreate my selfe with him in this art for sport, yet
with magisteriall words, and I sat at his right side; There were two men with him. The one I knew,
but the other I did not know. These two began to speake of this art, neither being ashamed of mee,
nor taking any care of mee. Then understood I by their speeches that which I had sought a great
while. Yet did they wonder what I sought there and were amazed at the speech, which they had had
together. Then turned the honest old man his face towards mee and said, The wise and prudent
Mercurius (to speake the common way) is comprehended in these words. Take leade and whatsoever is
like lead, and take Azoth. This is the right ordering of the art, which the Egyptians have
acknowledged and that's their riddle, their reason, their vertue, and their meeknesse. Here are
foure things, two are manifest which hee named the lead, and that which is like lead. Then said one
of the men, how many are the things, to which the other said, there are foure, and said moreover:
These art words of the prudent and wise, and have a darke obscurity in them, and are taken out of
the apparent sentences of the wise. Then the one asked, how is this? to which the other answering
said the wise man understands but two. The one asked againe, which are they two? The man answered
and said, The hidden thing after this hee adds two words and they signifie foure, and foure
signifie but two, and hee changed the words of the wise before mentioned and said foure. And the
wise men say but two. Then he answered and said as it was said before, In these words is a hidden
obscurity and they are taken out of the illustrious sayings of the wise.
Hereby meanes the Master nothing else then that out of the foure things two should bee set
together, man and wife. And having thus used diverse words among the rest he said, Take Fire and
water, and mingle these two together, and there will bee one thing out of it. After this he said,
Take Lead and that which resembles lead, and he changed these words and said, Take Azoth and that
which resembles Azoth; with such hidden words doe they hide their words to all unwise men. Perceive
therefore and trust God, that thou mayst perceive the better the aforesaid saying of the wise. Of
this I’le give thee an example when the Master saith, Take Lead, according to a philosophicall
sense or meaning. The word lead is a manly name and word, and so one of the number of the names of
men. Hereby mayst thou truly know the name of the man. And he saith further, That which resembles
lead, that is, that which resembles the man. So hee hides the name of the Woman, and the reason why
he mentions the man’s name first is because shee is of him, and not hee of her. Therefore said the
master, That which resembles Lead. After this one said, Take Azoth and that which resembles Azoth.
The Masters hereby meane the wife. Here he names the Woman, and mentions not the name of the man,
for hee had named him before in the beginning of these words, where he saith, Take Adam and what
resembles Adam. Afterwards hee changeth this Speeche againe, to make it more occult to him that is
not altogether wise, and said, Take Eva, and what resembles Eva, here thou namest Eva and not the
man, and this thou


doest, because thou didst begin in the first speech with the man. That these Speeches doe not at
all hinder a wise man in his reason, but make him more ingenious, and more intelligent.

When they had talk'd together a great while, they began againe in a great feare another way and
language. Mingle the warm with the cold, for so an equall mixture will arise out of it, which is
neither warme nor cold, and mix the moist with the dry, and you'le have an equall mixture, which is
neither moist nor dry. The Speech now uttered, is manifest from 4 things, and out of these foure
are numbered and terminated Man and Wife. The man is hot and dry, the wife cold and moist, but when
they come together, and unite themselves naturally, there is made an equall mixture of the warme
and the cold, of the moist with the dry. And of this a wise Philosopher doth not doubt, and the
artificiall conjunction cannot bee unlesse the things belonging thereunto be totally prepared,
every one according to its kind. For as Joseph saith, Mix together fire and water, and there will
be two, Mix together aire and earth, and there will bee foure, Afterward of foure make one, then
thou art come to what thou wouldst bee att. And when this is done make out of that body a
non-corpus, that is a Spirit, as out of the non-corpus or Spirit make a body againe, which may bee
constant on the fire, and not remove any way from it. Already, thou hast comprehended the Wisdom.
Doe in this as Joseph hath said. Before thou beginnest the labour of this Artificiall treasure
which is true, prepare all things, each in their kind and nature, begin thence to the end, and when
thou hast done this thou hast made a water which is warme and not warm, cold and not cold, moist
and not moist, dry and not dry according to its nature, and it is fixed, that it cannot fly, and it
is the thing which reveales and opens to thee the tincture, and if it were not for this Artificiall
water, all hope would bee in vaine.

When the Masters speake here and there, they still come to this Noble water. The reason is because
that water is a medium between the contrary things, this comes from thence, and it is water and no
water, fire and no fire, aire and no aire, earth and no earth. Because then it is and is not,
according to its Noble Nature it is a right medium betweene the unlimited Elements. This Noble
water is the beginning, middle and end of this Noble art, perceive this speech well together with
the former. For the Masters speake commonly one thing, and meane it in another sense, and where
they spake most hiddenly and most profoundly, there they doe mean it most simply, and where they
speake most plainly and openly then they doe hide most this divine and Noble art. Out of this
speech and sentences it is manifest, that this art may bee taught with all its Secretes in a few
words, nor will any man be found in time to come, that will say so much in writing as is said
here, unlesse one should show it to the other with hand and mouth and reveal'd and open'd all to
him, for the philosophers have unwillingly discovered this amiable truth, and have reserv'd it to
themselves and taken it with them downe to the Grave; and what in other Bookes is taught by
examples and circumstances, that is express'd here cleerely, and thus this Noble Art is written by
me truly and sincerely.

Therefore that my name and memory may for ever remaine upon the earth, I have written this small
booke and made it by the help of the Holy Ghost, for all Posterities and Children of God and of
this Art.

One time I sate alone in my Chamber with my Wife, and read the Bookes of the ancient deceased
philosophers, and those also that have liv'd in my time, and there I found written something of
Alkabrith and Zandorit, and of other strange words and things whereby one may turne every man from
the right way, and he that matters it looses his time, goods and substance and last his health, and
miserably robbs himselfe of life; and that thou mayest believe me the better I tell the whole
truth, that no man can attain unto this art unlesse he retires from the world and converses with
his equalls, and joyn himself to them, and though every one sayes that hee reveals it, yet however
all hide it as thou seest by me that I doe reveale it, but not to the unwise and foolish; and if I
truly discover this divine art, my booke will bee so profitable to them, that the bookes of wise
men and my words will bee the same, my words theirs, and theirs mine; not that I would steale their
words from them and make them mine owne, this would be unjust, but only my meaning agrees with
theirs, and theirs againe with me. Therefore whosoever will finde out the Secrets of this Art, let
him read this booke and understanding. And why? because this booke is cleere and known to
understanding men and to those that observe carefully and reade with attention in it, but to the
unwise and unexpert, and those that are not diligent it must needs bee hidd as it is from children.
Know then, that there art many who labour hard in the preparation of Sulphur, and in the
Sublimation of Arsenicum, which art combustible and corruptible. These men only looke to the words
which they reade or heare, and not to the hidden sense that is in those words. For truly the
Sulphur, Arsenicum, Auripigment, Zandorit, Vibrick, Mercurius, Salt, Saltpeter, Sala Pculi, Salmiac
and Allum signifie in this Noble art in truth nothing but water, and the making white the
Philosophers talk of, is nothing else but the purification of the Water that it may bee clearer and
purer, and by the sublimation or exaltation understand nothing else, but the ascension of the
vapour from the water in the Cucurbit below and above in the Alembick and againe through the
Canales Laterales in the Cucurbit, and againe through the Canales laterales;


and by the washing understand The Bodies changing into water so long till out of the Water a part
in it of the manifold vapours ascends, and falling downe againe are coagulated and consolidated
that it may never rise againe, and the reason hereof is because the corporeal Spirit in the
Spirituall and the Spirituall againe in the corporeal has mixed and soaked it selfe, and because
the Spirituall Spirit is stronger than the Corporeall Spirit, they both are vapourous and ellevate
themselves in the height of the allembick; but when the corporeall Spirit overcomes the Spirituall
he must necessarily remaine with him at the bottome in the Cucurbit, and when they have united
themselves the Spirituall Ghost which is penetrable makes the corporeall Spirit together with
himself penetrable and permeable, for the corporeall Spirit has in him the tincture, that is, the
red and white colour, and with all the Spirituall Spirit leads the corporeall in and without
hinderance just as a man does goe through a house with an open doore, and is not spied by any, so
it is here; but this cannot be unlesse the body that will draw the Spirit out of the man, bee
totally cleansed from all impurity, and thereby the Leprosie of the whole from the whole be
perceived.
Understand this, that is, that ashes be drawne and made, for thus the bodies are deprived of
lustiness and moistness, and so the body may first become spirituall, when the body is turned to
ashes according to its highest purification, and out of those ashes be made a Lixevium, in that
waterish nature the body becomes spirituall; and understand this secret how the body has the ashes
in it, and in the ashes is the Stone, and the Stone is the Spirit, and in the Spirit there is the
tincture or colour, and in the tincture the Soul, and the Soul had in her a fiery permeation, and
leads with her the colour in the body; and he that does not understand how he shall begin this, how
will he come to the middle, or to the end, therefore thus speake all masters: it is one body, and
yet there are many bodies, and those many are no more then one body, this understand allso it is
one body because it is not beaten as soone as it is turned into ashes, each singular dust is a
singular body and when the ashes are turned into water it is a water and no water and may with
artificiall industry be returned into a body, but before this the body must often rest in the belly
of the wind under the height of the heavens; and therefore the Masters say it is a Stone, and
resembles the Eagles Stone for the Eagles Stone is such a Stone that in his belly there is another
Stone, and if you will pull it out from thence, you must turne the Stone into Ashes, and out of the
ashes there is first another Stone made, and when that Stone does sweat right, its owne Water is
made of it, and when he has well sweated, he drincks the Sweaty Water againe into him, and flys
afterwards up and downe, and from the great motion which he does force up above his Mass in the
aire, the water becomes of itself againe a Stone, and by the paraphrase of the Eagle, understand
the evaporation of the vaporous spirit, and by their redescention understand the heavy falling
downe of the body; yet there are many who call the aforesaid ashes a sowre masse or a Leaven, but
they know not their water, that the corporeall nature attracts the coagulated nature out of those
ashes.

Moreover says Master Joseph their Spirit is the fusion of both bodies, by this he does not meane
the dissolutions of the bodyes on the fire, but he meanes that they should bee turned into Mercury,
and that out of the Mercury the flowers should be extracted, and this is the Stone whereof
Aristotle spoke to his King, did men know what a great Treasure they had in Saturnus they would not
give it for a small summe of Money, but they would make so much gain by it, that one might bring
the whole World into his Subjection; and another Master said, take the things as they come out of
their treasury, and lift them up in the highest mountains, and humble them again from the highest
mountains to their roots, these are the wisest words which he has spoken openly without all envy
and without any secrecy, and afterward hee hath not named the things he meant, in the heighth of
the Mountaines and by the roots.
For as in Mountaines naturall gold is made, and in the ground, so in this art, our gold is made in
the heighth of the Alembick, and in the roote that is in the Cucurbit. And this is a cleanly
similitude which may easily be perceived, and hereby you may understand, when the Master speake of
the highe mountaines or the deepe grounds that they doe not meane the heads of men or their feete,
so when they speake of haire, and of blood, they only understand the resemblance of them. Therefore
many men are deceived, which looke after the literall sense and seeke it where it is not to bee
found. For this Art is so noble that it must be sought and found out in it selfe, and no thing like
to it. As out of a man is made another man, so out of one Noble Mettall is made another Mettall,
and there is no transmutation, as some idle and simple men thinke. Who doth not mollify and harden
againe doth erre, therefore make the earth black, and separate her Soule from her, and the water,
after that make it white that it may become as a naked Sword and when it growes white, give it to
the Covetous fire so long till it growes large, and doth not fly away; Hee that can doe this may
well be called happy and exalted in this World, and let him doe it in the love of God and in his
feare. Amen.

The first word in this great work is the bodies transmutation into Mercury and this the
Philosophers have called a dissolution. And this Artificiall and ingenious dissolving is the
bullwark of this art. Hence saith Rosarey, Unlesse you dissolve the bodies, Your Labor is in vaine.
Therefore the dissolving of Philosophers is not a drinking in but the bodies transmutation into
water. Nor is it called a Philosophical dissolving unlesse it becomes cleere as Mercury, so


thou wilt have an element, which is the water.

The second word is that it be purified and filled with its terra; of this speakes Morienus, let the
earth bee filled with its water, and let it bee cleansed with it, and when it is purified on both
sides it ends the whole art. Aristotle sayes in generall, put the dry to the moist, the dry is the
terra, the moist is the water, thus thou hast earth and water each by it self, and the earth is
purified with the water, and when they are cleansed one with the other, thou hast Colours cleerer
then before, therefore saies Rosarius in generall, if one by day sees many starrs in the heavens,
the sunne is hindered of its Lustre by moon, and when that does vanish the Sunn shines clearer then
before.

The third word, that the water does lift itself in vapours which is condensed and coagulated of the
earth, and thick, that is that it makes it selfe spirituall in the aire, and so thou hast Water,
earth and aire, and while it hurvers in the aire Archelaous calls it the great Master Hermeses bird
by way of similitude; therefore sayes Alberius, make him white, or white him with the nimblenesse
of the fire, so long till out of him arises the spirit which is called Hermeses bird, so the earth
will remaine cinerated in the ground which is of a fiery nature, so thou hast 4 elements in the
earth which did remaine in the ground, and it is the fire; hence Morienus: the Earth which remaines
in the ground, thou must not at all despise nor villify, understand the earth of the body, and that
same earth is the right end of the permanent and constant things, after that with a good water thou
must annoint and errigate the Leaven, and the Leaven is called by the Philosophers a Soul; they
call also the prepared body a Leaven, for as a Leaven does make other bread sowre, so does this
thing, and I tell thee freely, that there is no other Leaven but Gold and Silver, of necessity must
the Leaven bee Leavened in the body, for the Leaven is the Soule of the body, and therefore says
Morienus: Unlesse you purify the unclean body, and create in him a new soule, you have perceived
Lesse then nothing in this art; likewise says Arnuldus, the spirit changes into the body, and
cleanses and eterniseth him, about this the Spirit does tye himself, and the clear permeations of
the Soul which here is mentioned is a Leaven, and rejoyces with the body, because it has cleansed
it selfe with him and now the nature is changed so that the grosser things stay behind there; says
Aschanos in Turba Philosophorum, the Spirit is not joyned to the body unlesse before it bee totally
purified from all uncleanesse, but in the conjunction, the greatest miracles are made evident, for
there are seen all the colours that a man can think of; and when the colours beginn to bee lighter
and lighter so that thou seest sometimes onely as it were a little spark and beginns to rejoyce
therein from thy heart and Soul, then take heed, for our basilisk prepares himself who kills men
more for joy, which they conceive from him then for his poyson, for his poyson lasts but a moment,
that is when the supreme power or the Quintessence of the elements does discover it self in so many
wayes and colours, and the last is done in a Moment; when this is done thou seest the sun and
Moone shine lovely in the heaven of his owne water, and begins to rejoyce but then goe away lest
thou loosest thy life for joy, and thus the imperfect body is coloured with his best colours
because of the power of the heaven, and the heaven is the soul, and the Spirit is with the help of
the soul joyned to the body, and are tyed one with the other, and the body is changed to the colour
of the Leaven and becomes eternally good; out of the Words prescribed and said any understanding
man may know that the philosophers in dark and hidden wordes have hidde the whole art, for they
say our Stone is of 4 elements, and that's a great truth, for they have compar'd them with 4
elements whereof Wee have said enough, and one may know the elements by the coloures, he that
knowes it, and is acquainted with it; some Philosophers have said that our Stone is of a body, of a
soul, and of a Spirit, and they have said true, and wee doe yeild, and they give to the perfect
body what he had not before, and it brings him into a better spirit; the Soul brings into the
imperfect body a constant spirit, which is not at all fugitive before the Aire, and therefore it
keeps its colour and weight unchangeably and the more you drive it the more noble it becomes both
in colour and weight.
Some also say unlesse you change the bodies into no bodies, and the nobodies againe into bodies,
you are not come yet to the right art, for the body becomes first an aqua Mercury incorporal and
afterwards the Water and the Spirit in the changing and so both become one body; some also say
change the natures quite and cleane and you will finde what you seeke; and that's true, for we make
of that which is grosse a subtle and quick thing, and of a body we make water, and of that which is
moist we make a dry thing, of the water we make the earth, and thus wee change the true natures and
make of that which is corporall a spirituall thing and of a Spirituall a corporall thing, and wee
make that which is above like that which is below, and that which is below like that which is
above, the Spirit is turned to a body, and the body to a Spirit; and therefore its said in the
beginning, the Word was a Spirit, and that word the Spirit was with God, that is with himselfe, and
God was that word, he himself was the Spirit, and the word the Spirit was made flesh, the Spirit
has assumed the true body, and so that above became true as that below, the Spirit has become a
mettallick in the body, and that which was below, that is, the body, is become mettallicke with the
Spirit; and thus it is well known that our Stone is out of the elements and it is a body, a soul, a
spirit, and not two spirits, one soul and not two soules; and the saying of Philosophers is true
who say our Stone is made but of one thing, and therein they have said very true, for it is made
only of water. And in the water and out of the water our whole art hath an


end, for it dissolves the bodies with the dissolution aforementioned; not with such a dissolution
as unwise men fancy, that our Stone should be changed into Water, but it's dissolved with the true
naturall dissolution, so that he is changed into such a water as it was from the beginning before
it was a body, and that very water incinerates and turnes the body again to earth into ashes, and
makes them penetrable, and does whiten and purifie them, as Morienus says: Azoth and the fire
purifies Latonem, and take all his darknesse away, Laton an impure body set together of Gold and
Silver, Azoth and Mercury, and that two distinct bodies joyn the fire and Azoth together when they
are ready as is said before, that no attempt against the fire or other attempts can part them, one
from the other, and that same water does not sublimate neither does it exalt it self with a
sublimation of fooles or exaltation as they imagine, but with the wise and understanding
sublimation or exaltation; for our sublimation is making a noble thing out of an ignoble, therefore
fooles take the shaved bodies and make them ascend by the heat of the fire, and mingle them with an
impure spirit, as with Arsenick and Salmiack, and they make a Strong fire under it whereby the
bodies ascend with the Spirit, and then they say now are the bodies sublimated; whereas they are
quite Killed, for why they finde the bodies impure therefore observe that our Sublimation is not
driving on and ascending, but the making of a dry thing and corrupted a sound one, a great and high
one, and changing it into another nature, and making on a suddain sublime vapours, and all this
does our Water together; and so understand our Sublimation and not otherwise, and take heed of the
Sublimation of fooles, wherewith many are deceived; marke our water at first kills and makes alive
again, and it makes white the black colour, when it's changed to earth, after that innumerable
colours reflect from the whitenesse and all the colours last end is the white, for at last it
turnes white; some call the Stone lead, as Gigill speakes, in our lead is the whole art, and if our
lead be impure our stone is also impure, while he lyes in his mothers womb; O did the Lead Mongers
know the vertue of Lead, they would not part with it for so small a price; some call our stone
Cheife Copper or Clock minerall as Eximius speakes in generall. Know this all wee that seeke this
art, that no tincture is made without this cheife Copper or Clock Minerall, and thus they have
given it innumerable names, and yet meane no more but one thing, and this they have done for this
reason, that fooles should not finde it out, for they have named it with all manner of names that
can bee named, yet they have meant but one thing; and it is no more but one thing, to witt the
Philosophycall water. Our art is also compared to man making. The first is the deprivation of its
chastity, the second is the conception, the third is the being with childe, the fourth is the birth
it selfe, and the fifth is the bringing up of the child borne; understand also these words, our Son
that comes from the privation of chastity is Mercury, for he is drawn out of a perfect body so
there remaines an earth the mother of 4 elements, and when the earth begins to take somewhat in of
Mercury, it’s call'd unchastity, but when the man lyes with the wife it’s called conception, which
without the Mercury is wrought in the earth; this is what the Philosophers say, our Art is nothing
else but that the man lyes with his wife, and that they mingle one with the other, so that the
Water governes and has the Mastery, and that the Mercury bee more then the Earth, and so earth
encreases and augments; but when the earth becomes a wife she is with Child, after that the ferment
is added to the imperfect prepared body as is said before, so long till it becomes something in
colour and in sight and that's called the birth; so then our Stone is born, for the Philosophers
call him King and say thus, honour your King who comes from the fire crowned with a double crown,
bow the knees before him when he comes to his perfect alterr, for the sun is his father and the
Moone his Mother, the perfect body is Luna, the perfect body is gold; at last followes the
nourishment whereby he is nourisht with a great nourishment, he is nourisht with his owne Milke,
with the Seed in the beginning he is fed, to wit with Mercury, till he hath drunk enough of the
Mercury. Beloved sonns by these things which are told you, You may easily perceive the darke and
hidden worke of the Phylosophers and by that you may know that they all runne one way and upon one
straine, and that our art is nothing else but what has beene said before, the dissolution of bodies
and changing of their first matter, how it's made earth and how it becomes a light and spirituous
in the aire with distilling it because of the moistnesse which is in it; thus it becomes lusty in
vapours, and the earth remaines below incinerated and is of a fiery nature, thus you have truly the
totall changing of things and the mingling of the Soul with the body and with the Spirit, and it
assumes such a Spirituall and powerfull increase that humane reason cannot fathome it, the highest
be praised and blessed for it for evermore.

Now will I in the name of God make manifest the practice and the very sense of the Philosophers how
one shall perfect that Ellixir, that is the augmentation of the true tincture and of Silver and
Gold only out of the Mercury of the Sages, or the minerall Mercury and in all copper bodies which
fall short of perfection, insomuch that they become perfect into a perfect Luna and gold above the
naturall, which is not that common Mercury, call'd by the Philosophers prima materia, waterish hot
moist and cold, an element, a constant water, a Spirit, a body, a swimming smoake, a blessed water,
a water of the wise, a vinegar of Philosophers, a dew of Heaven, virgin Milke, a corporeal Mercury,
besides others innumerable names whereby he is called in the Bookes of the Philosophers; allthough
these names sound variously, yet they signifie but one thing, to witt the aforesaid Mercurium
Philosophorum, for out of him, and in him and by him only are sought all the vertues of the whole
art of Alchimy, and of the red and white tincture, Q and R.

Therefore saith Geber, without Mercury the art is not perfected. It is a thing, a Stone, a Medicine
in which lyes the art, unto which no outward thing is to be applyed, only in the preparation the
remaining or superfluous part is to bee taken of. Therefore in that and out of that a man may finde
all things, needfull to this art. For it kills it selfe and revives it self, makes it selfe hard,
makes it selfe weake, makes it self black white and red. And the same master in his discourse
sayeth. Wee add no externall thing because of the gold and silver, for these are called not
internall things, which are to bee adjoyned to the Mercury, For they are two Fellow Helpers whereby
the whole work of the art is perfected. And another Philosopher saith, It is a thing, whereby many
have beene undone, as a whole multitude was for one mans sake.

The Mercury is also called a naturall root of a high Tree out of which innumerable branches grow,
and its call'd the knowne stone of the philosophers, and in the Bookes of Philosophers the first
operation. To the perfection of the aforementioned Stone or Elixir belongs a Sublimation or
exaltation which must bee brought to purity. And this I shall hereafter without the least covering
make manifest. But you must note that this sublimation is nothing lesse than a purification, for
hereby all remaining drosse that was in the Mercury is purged away, thus this sublimation the
inconstant particles are lifted up from the constant, for the inconstant ascend and the constant
remaine below at the bottome, yet in the operation the inconstant become in part constant and it's
particularly to bee noted. Hee that rightly sublimates our Mercury, hee hath perfected the whole
art, For Master Geber saith, The whole perfection is in the sublimation in the vessel, and in the
ordering of the fire, for in the already mentioned sublimation are comprehended all other
particulars, which belong to our art and labour, as sublimating, dissolving, ascending, descending,
cooling, mollifying, purifying, and perpetuating, washing and colouring on red and white. All is
done in a vessel in order in an oven, whereof the Masters of nature have written much that the art
was not to bee perfected constantly, on purpose, that the unwise might reach to it, but to the just
and to the godly it becomes profitable both here and hereafter.

Now make it thus. Take in the name of God the aforementioned Mercury or the naturall Water, the
first matter of the Sages, Take of it as much as you will, and putt it into its vessell which must
be pure, cleare, and cleane, and Seale it well above with the Sigills Hermetis, that the Mercury
may not come out above, and sett it in its prepared place, that it may have a moderate heate every
moment for a month. The naturall master saith That it may have its place warme whereby it works it
self up and downe, so long til it ascend no more in the glasse, and begins to bee colle at the
bottome, and becomes dry below in the glasse without the least moistnesse, like a black earth, that
is caput Corvi, or an earthy dry element, for thus the true sublimation or exaltation of the
philosophers is perfected as is said before.
And in this sublimation is the true separation of the Elements, as the Masters say.

35 Raymond Lull

Raymond Lull (or Ramon or Lully or Llull or Lullii, 1232 - 1315) is a highly influential author. He will be quoted extensively for the next 400 years. He is one of the very few considered both a saint and a heretic by the Church.

He began life as a troubadour with a wife and two children. But that changed:

Ramon, while still a young man and Seneschal to the King of Majorca, was very given to composing worthless songs and poems and to doing other licentious things. One night he was sitting beside his bed, about to compose and write in his vulgar tongue a song to a lady whom he loved with a foolish love; and as he began to write this song, he looked to his right and saw our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, as if suspended in mid-air.

Wikipedia: Raymond Llull

He saw the vision five times. This inspired in him three intentions: to give up his soul for the sake of God’s love and honor, to convert the ‘Saracens’ (Arabs, living in Spain) to Christianity, and write the best book in the world against the errors of the unbelievers. He sold his belongings and became a pilgrim to the shrines across southern Europe. I can't say what happened to his family. When he came home from his pilgrimage he purchased a Muslim slave to teach him Arabic and never returned to his family.

By 1271 he was writing, but he didn't finish his University education until just before he died. The centerpiece of Lull's writing was Art, describing a way of thinking based on Arabic symbols and diagrams, and it's Q&A form of dialog. As the method changed he wrote new books explaining the new system, which was clearly Arabic in origin.

With all the writing, he never wrote an authentic work on alchemy. He was against transmutation. But the glamor of his name was enough for alchemists to use it to sell their ideas. His legend holds that he was able to turn himself into a red rooster, and that he transmuted twenty-two tons of metal into gold to help finance the crusade of King Edward III against the Turks. A fellow named John Cremer, a supposed Abbot of Westminster is said to have helped Raymond and put him up for two years, during which time Ramon taught Cremer the art of transmutation. Cremer took Ramon to Kind Edward, and Edward asked Ramon to do the transmutation. Ramon insisted that some of the gold needed to go to the church but the King refused and locked Ramon in the Tower of London. According to Ashmole, Ramon made himself a "leaper," or vaulting pole, and escaped out an upper-story open window and fled to France. Edward is said to have had rose nobles struck (a type of gold coin not actually minted until 1465 by Edward IV). On the reverse of the coins was a phrase from the Bible, "Jesus passed invisible and in a most secret manner by the midst of the Pharises" so that the gold was not visible to the ignorant. Or something like that.

Thus begins a 400 year period where stories of alchemists and coins are the highlight of alchemy, typically shining poorly on the charlatan alchemist.

The two fundamental works of the Lull corpus are the Testamentum and the Liber de secretis naturae seu de quinta essentia which both date to after Lull's death.

36 Who was Geber?

Geber was invented in Europe, probably after 1300 AD. he wrote in Latin, was not a numerologist, and had no significant indication that he was reading anything in the Arabic. The "G" in Geber is soft, like a "J" in Jabir. The books with no Arabic originals, published under the name of Geber, are, using the English names, 

Of these the most important is the Sum of Perfection, dating to the early 1300's. Now, these could be legitimate translations from the Arabic, though they don't read like a translation and we don't have the Arabic originals, which make these suspect. These are based on Arabic alchemical theories, but so were most of the Latin alchemical originals.

The general style of Geber is clear and systematic. This is from The Investigation of Perfection by Geber, translated by Richard Russell in 1678:

This Science treats of the Imperfect Bodies of Minerals, and teacheth how to perfect them; we therefore in the first place consider two Things, viz. Imperfection and Perfection. About these two our Intention is occupied, and of them we purpose to treat. We compose this Book of Things perfecting and corrupting (according as we have found by experience) because Contraries set near each other, are the more manifest.

The Thing which perfects in Minerals, is the substance of Argentive and Sulphur proportionably commixt, by long and temperate decoction in the Bowels of clean, inspissate, and fixed Earth (with conservation of its Radical Humidity not corrupting) and brought to a solid fusible Substance, with due Ignition, and rendered Malleable. By the Definition of this Nature perfecting, we may more easily come to the Knowledge of the Thing corrupting. And this is that which is to be understood in a contrary Sense, viz. the pure substance of Sulphur and Argentvive, without due Proportion commixed, or not sufficiently decocted in the Bowels of unclean, not rightly inspissate nor fixed Earth, having a Combustible and Corrupting Humidity, and being of a rare and porous Substance; or having Fusion without due Ignition, or no Fusion, and not sufficiently Malleable.

The first Definition I find intruded in these two Bodies, viz. in Sol and Luna, according to the Perfection of each; but the second in these four, viz. Tin, Lead, Copper and Iron, according to an Imperfection of each. And because these Imperfect Bodies are not reducible to Sanity and Perfection, unless the contrary be operated in them; that is, the Manifest be made Occult, and the Occult be made Manifest: which Operation, or Contrariation, is made by Preparation, therefore they must be prepared, Superfluities in them removed, and what is wanting supplied; and so the known Perfection inserted in them. But Perfect Bodies need not this preparation; yet they need such Preparation, as that, by which their Parts may be more Subtiliated, and they reduced from their Corporality to a fixed Spirituality. The intention of which is, of them to make a Spiritual fixed Body, that is, much more attenuated and subtiliated than it was before....

We find Modern Artists to describe to us one only Stone, both for the White and for the Red; which we grant to be true: for in every Elixir, that is prepared, White or Red, there is no other Thing than Argentvive and Sulphur, of which, one cannot act, nor be, without the other: Therefore it is called, by Philosophers, one Stone, although it is extracted from many Bodies or Things. For it would be a foolish and vain thing to think to extract the same from a Thing, in which it is not, as some infatuated Men have conceited; for it was never the Intention of Philosophers : yet they speak many things by similitude. And because all Metallick Bodies are compounded of Argentvive and Sulphur, pure or impure, by accident, and not innate in their first Nature; therefore, by convenient Preparation, ’tis possible to take away such Impurity. For the Expoliation of Accidents is not impossible: therefore, the end of Preparation is, to take away Superfluity and supply the Deficiency in Perfect Bodies. But Preparation is diversified according to the Diversity of things indigent. For experience hath taught us diverse ways of acting, viz. Calcination, Sublimation, Descension, Solution, Distillation, Coagulation, Fixation, and Inceration.

Argentvive, which is also called Mercury by the Ancients, is a viscous Water in the Bowels of the Earth, by most temperate Heat united, in a total Union through its least parts, with the substance of white subtile Earth, until the Humid be contempered by the Dry, and the Dry by the Humid, equally. Therefore it easily runs upon a plain Superficies, by reason of its Watery Humidity; but it adheres not although it hath a viscous Humidity, by reason of the Dryness of that which contemperates it, and permits it not to adhere. It is also (as some say) the Matter of Metals with Sulphur. And it easily adheres to three Metals, viz. to Saturn, and Jupiter, and Sol, but to Luna more difficultly. To Venus more difficultly than to Luna; but to Mars in no wise, unless by Artifice. Therefore hence you may collect a very great Secret. For it is amicable, and pleasing to Metals, and the Medium of conjoyning Tinctures ; and nothing is submerged in Argentvive, unless it be Sol. Yet Jupiter and Saturn, Luna and Venus, are dissolved by it, and mixed; and without it, none of the Metals can be gilded. It is fixed, and it is a Tincture of Redness of most exuberant Reflection, and fulgid Splendor; and then it recedes not from the Commixtion, until it is in its own Nature. 

Sol is a Metallick Body, Citrine, ponderous, mute, fulgid, equally digested in the Bowels of the Earth, and very long washed with Mineral Water; under the Hammer extensible, fusible, and sustaining the Tryal of the Cupel ... According to this Definition, you may conclude, that nothing is true Gold, unless it hath all the Causes and Differences of the Definition of Gold. Yet, whatsoever Metal is radically Citrine, and brings to Equality, and cleanseth, it makes Gold of every kind of Metals. Therefore, we consider by the Work of Nature, and discern, that Copper may be changed into Gold by Artifice. For we see in Copper Mines, a certain Water which flows out, and carries with it thin Scales of Copper, which (by a continual and long continued Course) it washeth and cleanseth. But after such Water ceaseth to flow, we find these thin Scales with the dry Sand, in three years time to be digested with the Heat of the Sun ; and among these Scales the purest Gold is found. Therefore, we judge, those Scales were cleansed by the benefit of the Water, but were equally digested by the heat of the Sun, in the Dryness of the Sand, and so brought to Equality. Wherefore, imitating Nature, as far as we can, we likewise alter; yet in this we cannot follow Nature.

Also Gold is of Metals the most precious, and it is the Tincture of Redness; because it tingeth and transforms every Body. It is calcined and dissolved without profit, and is a Medicine rejoycing, and conserving the Body in Youth. It is most easily broken with Mercury, and by the Odour [vapour] of Lead.... Likewise Spirits are commixed with it, and by it fixed, but not without very great Ingenuity, which comes not to an Artificer of a stiff neck.

Common salt is cleansed thus. First burn it [heat it strongly], and cast it combust into hot water to be dissolved; filter the solution, which congeal [crystallize] by gentle fire. Calcine the congelate for a day and a night in moderate fire, and keep it for use.

We were constrained to cleanse these from their burning Unctuosity, and from the Earthy Superfluity, which they all have. And this We could effect by no Magistery, but by Sublimation only.... Sublimation is the Elevation of a dry Thing by Fire, with adherency to its Vessel. But Sublimation is diversely made, according to the Diversity of Spirits to be sublimed ... whence it is necessary that the Artificer should apply to his Sublimation a three-fold Degree of Fire : one proportionate in such wise, that by it may ascend only the Altered, and more Clean, and more Lucid; until by this he manifestly see, that they are cleansed from their Earthy Feculency. The other Degree is, that what is of the pure Essence of them remaining in the Feces [dregs], may be sublimed with greater force of Fire, viz. with Ignition of the Bottom of the Vessel, and of the Feces therein, which may be seen with the Eye. The third Degree of Fire is, that unto the Sublimate without the Feces, a most weak Fire be administered, so that scarcely any thing of it may ascend, but only that which is the most subtile part thereof, and which in our Work is of no value.

Overall this is clear, descriptive, and shows a feeling for experimentation. The author is familiar with chemical operations, is curious and has a systematic mind.

Overall, Geber isn't a fake. He's a fine, practical alchemist who would put most modern chemistry students to shame with his lab techniques. This speaks well as to why Geber is as accepted as Jabir in the history of alchemy. Geber accepts the mercury-sulfur theory as the ideals of substances and is well-versed on making and using a variety of acids.

Quoting from Holmyard, Alchemy: 

More interesting than these alchemical commonplaces is Geber’s explanation of how he believes the philosophers’ stone would act, and what qualities must therefore be postulated in it. He says that the Stone must have the properties of oleaginy or oiliness, tenuity of matter, affinity, radical humidity, clearness of purity, a fixing earth, and tincture, and then proceeds to a description of the successive functions performed by the Stone in virtue of these properties. The first thing that is necessary after the projection of the Stone is its sudden and easy fusion, and this occurs because of its oleaginy. Next, the tenuity of the Stone makes it a very thin liquid when fused, so that it can immediately penetrate throughout the whole of the material to be transmuted. Affinity is necessary between the Stone and the material, otherwise the two would not adhere and cohere, while the radical humidity congeals and consolidates the similar parts of the material inseparably and for ever. The clearness of purity gives ‘evident splendour’, and at this stage remaining dross can be burnt away in the fire.

This is from Geber's Summa Perfectionis, translated by William Salmon.


CHAPTER XXXVII
AN INTRODUCTION INTO THE WHOLE WORK
I. Perfection and Imperfection of Metalline Bodies, is the Subject
of this present discourse; and therefore we treat of things
perfecting and corrupting, or destroying, because opposites set
near to each other, are the more manifest.
II. That which perfects Imperfect Metals, is a commixion of Argent
Vive and Sulphur in due proportion, by a due and temperate
decoction in the bowels of clean, inspissate, and fixed Earth,
joyned with an incorruptible radical humidity, whereby it is
brough to a solid, fusible substance, with a convenient fire,
and made maleable.
III. But Imperfect Minerals are made of a coinmixtion of pure
Argent Vive and Sulphur, without due proportion, or a due de
coction, in the bowels of the unclean, not fully inspissated,
nor fixed Earth, joyned with a corrupting humidity, whereby are
brought ~orth Metals of a porous substance, and though fusible,
not sufficiently, or so perfectly maleable as the others.
IV. Under the first definition, are concluded, Sol and Luna,
each according to their perfection: Under the second Saturn,
Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, each according to their imperfection:
in which that which is manifest must be hidden, or taken away,
and that which is hidden, must be made manifest and brought
—1—
into operation, which is done by preparing them, by which, their
Superfluities will be removed, and their defects, or
imperfection supplied, and the true perfection inserted into
them.
V. But the perfect Bodies, as Sol and Luna, need none of this
preparation they must have, as may subtilize their parts, and
reduce them from a Corporality to a fixed Spirituality; that
from thence may be made a fixed Spiritual Body, in order to
compleat the Great Elixir, whether White or Red.
VI. In both these, viz, the White and Red Elixirs, there is no
other thing than Argent Vive and Sulphur, of which one cannot
act, not be without the other: It would be a foolish and vain
thing to think to make this Great Elixir or Tincture, from any
thing, in which it is not, this was never the intention of the
Philosophers, though they speak many things by similitude.
VII. And because all Metalick Bodies are compounded of Argent
Vive and Sulphur, pure, or impure, by accident, and not innate
in their first nature, therefore by convenient preparation, ‘tis
possible to take away their impurity; the end of prepara.tion is
to take away Superfluities, and supply the defects.
VIII. For we have considered the substance of Metaline Bodies,
perfect and imperfect to be one, viz. Argent Vive and Sulphur,
which are pure and clean before their coinmixtion; and by
consideration and experience, we found the Corruption of
Imperfect Bodies to be by accident; but that being prepared and
cleansed from all their Superfluities, Corruption, and fugitive
Unclean-
—2—
ness, we found them of greater brightness, clearness, and
purity, than the naturally perfect Metals not prepared, by which
consideration we attained to the perfection of this Science.
IX. The Imperfect Bodies have accidentally Superfluous Humidities,
and a Combustible Sulphureity, with a Primary Blackness
in them and corrupting them; together with an UncZean,
Feculent, Combustible., and very gross Earthiness, impedeing
rngress and Fusion: Therefore it behoves us with artificial
fire, by the help of purified Salts and Vinegars, to remove
superfluous accidents, that the only radical substance of Argent
Vive and Sulphur, may remain; which may indeed be done by
various ways and methods, according as the Elixir requires.
X. The general way of preparation is this. 1. With fire proportional,
the whole superfluous and Corrupt humidity in its
essence must be elevated: and the subtil and burning Suiphureity
removed; and this by Calcination. 2. The whole Corrupt substance
of their superfluous burning humidity and blackness, remaining
in their calx, must be corroded with the following cleansed
Salts and Vinegars till the Calx be White or Red (according to
the nature of the body) and is made clean, and pure from all
Superfluity and Corruption: These Caixes are cleansed with the
said Salts and Vinegars, by grinding, imbibing and washing. 3.
The, whole unclean Earthiness, and Combustible, gross
Faeculency, must be taken away with the aforesaid things, not
having Metallick Fusion, by coinmixing and grinding them
together with the aforesaid Caix, depurated in the aforesaid
manner: For these in the Fusion or Reduction of the Caix,
—3—
will remain with themselves the said uncleanness and gross
Earthiness, the Body remaining pure.
XI. Being thus cleansed, it is Meliorated thus. First, This
Purged and Reduced Body is again Calcined by Fire, with the
Salts as aforesaid. Secondly, Then with such of these as are
Solutive, it must be Dissolved. For this Water is Our Stone, and
Argent Vive of Argent Vive, and Sulphur of Sulphur, abstracted
from the Spiritual Body, and subtilized or attenuated; which is
Meliorated, by confirming the Elemental Virtues in it, with
other prepared things of its own kind, which augment the Colour,
Fixion Weight, Purity and Fusion, with all other things
appertaining to the true Elixir.
XII. The Salts and Vinegars for this work are thus prepared and
cleansed. Common Salt, and Salt Gem, as also Sal Alcali, and
Sandiver, are cleansed by Calcining them, and then casting them
into hot water to be Dissolved, which Solution being Filtred is
to be coagulated by a gentle fire, then to be Calcined for a Day
and a Night in a moderate fire, and so kept for use.
XIII. Sal Armoniack is cleansed, by Grinding it with a preparation
of Common Salt cleansed, and then subliming it in an
high Body and Head, till it ascends all pure: then dissolving it
in a Porphyrie in the open Air, if you would have it in a water,
or otherwise keeping the sublimate in a Glass close stopt for
use.
—4—
IV. Rock Alums, or Factitious, or other Alums, are cleansed, by
putting them in an Alembick, and extracting their whole
Humidity, which is of great use in this Art. The Foeces remaining
in the Bottom, Dissolve on a Porphyrie, in a moist place, or
in water, and then again extract, and keep it for life.
XV. Vitriol of all kinds is cleansed, by dissolving it in pure
Vinegar, then Distilling and Coagulating. Or first abstract its
Humidity over a gentle fire: the Foeces Calcine, and Dissolve
per deliquium, or in their own water, filtre, and Coagulate (or
if you please, the water,) and keep it for use.
XVI. Vinegars of what kind or how acute and sharp soever, are
cleansed by subtilization, and their Virtues and Effects are
Meliorated by Distillation. With these Salts and Vinegars, the
imperfect Bodies may be prepared, purified, meliorated and
subtilized, by the help of the Fire. Glass and Borax are pure,
and need no preparation.
XVII. Out of the Metalline Bodies we compose the Great Elixir,
making One substance of many, yet so permanently fixed, that the
strongest or greatest force of Fire cannot hurt it, or make it f
lie away, which will mix with Metals in Flux, and flow with
them, and enter into them, and be permixed with the fixed substance
which is in them, and be fixed with that in them which is
incombustible; receiving no hurt by any thing which Gold and
Silver cannot be hurt by.
—5—
XVIII. Hence we define Our Stone, to be agenerating or Fruitful
Spirit and Living-water, which we name the Dry-water, by Natural
preportion cleansed and United with such Union, that its principles
can never be separated one from another; to which two
must be added, a third, (for shortning the work) and that is
XIX. The generating or Fruitful Spirit, is White in Occulto, and
Red and Black on either side, in the Magistery of this work: but
in Manifesto, on both sides tending to Redness. And because the
Earthy parts are throughly and in their least particles United
with the Airy, Watery, and Fiery, so that in Resolution, no one
of them can be separated, but each with all and every one is
dissolved, by reason of the strong Union, which they have with
each other in their said least particles, the Compositum is made
one solid, uniform substance, the same in Nature, Properties,
and all other respects as that of Gold.
Geber's hermetic impress
(from Stolclus's Hermetic Garden).
-6-
CHAPTER XXXVIII
OF THE ALCHYMIE OF SULPHUR.
I. SULPHUR iS a Fatness of the Earth, thickened by a temperate
Decoction in the Mines of the Earth, until it be hardened and
made dry, homogeneal, and of an Uniform substance as to its
parts. It cannot be Calcined, (without great industry) but with
much loss of its substance; nor can it be fixed unless it be
first Calcined: but it may be mixed, and its flight in some
measure hindred, and its Adustion repressed, and so the more
easily Calcined.
II. By Sulphur alone nothing can be done, our work from it
alone cannot be perfected, the Magistry would be prolonged even
to desperation: but with its Compere (Arsenick for the White,
and Antimony for the Red) a Tincture is made, which gives
compleat weight to every of the Metals, cleanses and exalts
them: and it is perfected with out Magistery, without which it
performs to us none of these things, but either corrupts or
blackens.
III. He who knows how to commix and Unite it amicably with
Bodies, knows one of the greatest Secrets of Nature, and one way
to perfection: for there are many ways to that Elixir or
Tincture. Whatsoever Body is Calcin’d with it receives weight:
Copper from it assumes the likeness of Sd. Mercury sublimed with
it becomes Cinnabar. All Bodies, except Sol and Jupiter, are
easily Calcin’d with it, but Sol most difficultly.
—7—
IV. The less Humidity any body has, the easier it is Calcin’d
with Sulphur; it Illuminates every body, because it is Light,
Alum, or Salt, and Tincture. It is difficultly Dissolved, because
of its deficiency of Saline parts, but abounding with
Oleaginous. It is easily sublimed because of its Spirit; but if
it be mixed with Venus, and United to it, it makes a wonderful
Violet Colour.
V. That Sulphur is a Fatness of the Earth appears from its easie
Liquefaction, and Inflamability, for nothing is inflamed but
what is Oleaginous, or melts easily by Heat, but what has such a
Nature: yet has it a perfecting middle Nature in it; but this
middle substance, is not the cause of the perfection of Bodies,
or of Argent Vive, unless it be fixed: ‘Tis true, its not easily
made to fly; (this he means doubtless of its Spirit or Oyl;) yet
it is not perfectly fixed: from whence it is evident, that
Sulphur is not the whole perfection of the Magistery, but only a
part thereof.
VI. Sulphur commixed with Bodies, burns, some more, others
less; and some resist its combustion, and some not; by which may
be known the difference between those Bodies which are wanting
in perfection, tho’ prepared for the great work. Sol is not
easily to be burned by Sulphur: The next to this is Jupiter,
then Luna, after that Saturn, then Venus, that is more easily
burnt, which is farther distant from the Nature of the Perfect.
—8—
VII. Also from what Radix the imperfect Body proceeded or was
generated, it appears from the diversity of Colours after Combustion:
Thus Luna obtains a black mixt black mixt with Azure:
Jupiter, a black mixt with a little Redness: Saturn a dull
black, with much Redness and a Livid Colour: Venus, a black with
a Livid; if it be much burnt, if but a little, a pleasant
Violet: Mars, a black dull Colour. But if Sulphur be commixt
with Sol, he obtains an Intense Citrine Colour.
VIII. Sol and Luna Calcin’d with Sulphur, being reduced, return
into the Nature of their own proper Bodies. Jupiter, Calcin’d
and reduced, recedes its greater part: Saturn has sometimes a
greater, sometimes a lesser part destroyed. But Saturn and
Jupiter are both preserved, by a right and gentle Reduction, yet
they rather tend to another Body than their own, as Saturn into
a dull Coloured (Regulus of) Antimony, Jupiter into a bright
Coloured (Regulus of) Antimony. Venus is diminished in the
Impressions of Fire in her reduction, but withal ponderous,
augmented in weight, soft, of a dull Citrine Colour, partaking
of blackness: And Mars is more diminished in the Impression of
the Fire than Venus; by which things are found out, the Nature
of all Bodies that are altered.
IX. The Preparation of Sulphur. 1. Take the best Green Sulphur
Vive, Grind it to a subtil Pouder, Boyl it in a Lixivium of Pot-
Ashes and Quicklime, gathering from the Supersities its
Ogliness, till it, appears to be clear. Stir the whole with a
Stick, and immediately decant the Lixiviurn with the pure
—9—
parts of the Sulphur, leaving the more gross parts behind: let
the Liquor cool, and pour upon it a fourth part of the quantity,
of Spirit of Vinegar; so will a white Pouder precipitate, white
as Milk, which dry with a gentle Heat, and keep for use.
X. 2. Take of this prepared white Sulphur; Scales of Iron
Calcin’d to Redness, Roch—Alum well Calcin’d ana One Pound,
Common Salt prepared, Half a Pound: Incorporate all these well
by Grinding them together with Vinegar, that the whole may be
Liquid, which then boil, stirring it till it be all very black:
then dry and grind to a fine Pouder, which put into an Aludel of
a Foot and half high, with a large Cover; and let the Cover of
the Alembick have a broad Zone or Girdle, for Conservation of
the Spirits elevated, then sublime according to Art; the light
Flos which adheres to the sides of the Alembick, cast away, for
it is combustible, defiled, and defiling. But the close,
compact, or dense Matter sublimed in the Zone, put by it self
into a Phial, and Decoct it upon an Ash Heat, so long till its
Combustible Humidity be exterminated, then keep it in a clean
Vessel for use: Note, that Sulphur and Arsenick sublimed from the
Calx of Copper, are more whitened, than when sublimed from the
Caix of Iron.
-10-
-10ACHAPTER
XXX IX
OF THE ALCHYMIE OF ARSENICK.
I. ARSENICK, is also a fatness of the Earth, as is afore
declared of Sulphur, having an inflamable substance, and a
subtil matter like to Sulphur; but it is diversified from
Sulphur in this, viz. That it is easily made a Tincture of
Whiteness, but of Redness with great difficulty; whereas Sulphur
is easymade a Tincture of Redness, but of Whiteness, most
difficultly.
II. Of Arsenick, there is a Citrine and a Red, which are
profitable in this art, but the other kinds not so: Arsenick is
fixed as Sulphur, but the sublimation of either is best from the
Calx of Metals: But neither Sulphur nor Arsenick, are the
perfective matter of this Work, they not being compleat to
perfection, though they may be a help to perfection, as they may
be used. The best kinds of Arsenick, are the Scif file, the
Lucid, and Scaly.
III. This Mineral also (like as Sulphur) has a perfecting middle
Nature in it, which yet is not the cause of the perfection of
Bodies, or of Argent Vive; unless it be fixed; but being fixed,
this Spirit is an agent of the White Tincture: What we have said
of Sulphur in the former Chapter, at Sect. 5 may be understood
here.
-11-
IV. Because in Arsenick the Radix of its Minera, in the action
of Nature has many inflamable parts of it resolved, therefore
the work of its separation is easie, this being the Tincture of
Whiteness, as $ulphur is of Redness.
V. To prepare Arsenick. Being beaten into fine pouder, it must
be boiled in Vinegar, and all its combustible fatness extracted
as in Sulphur, Chap. 38. Section 9. Then take of the prepared
Arsenick Copper calcin’d ana one Pound: Alum calcin’d, common
Salt prepared, ana half a Pound: Having ground them well
together, moisten the mixture with Spirit of Vinegar, that it
may be liquid, and boil the same, as you did in the Sulphur:
Then sublime it in an Aludel, with an Alembick, of the heighth
of one foot: what ascends white, dense, clear, and lucid, gather
and keep it, (as sufficiently prepared) for the use of the Work.
VI. Or thus: Take of Arsenick prepared by boiling, filings of
Copper, ana one Pound: Common Salt, half a Pound: Alum calcined
four Ounces; grind them exactly with Spirit of Vinegar, then
moisten till they be liquid, and stir them over a fire till the
whole be blackened. Again, Imbibe and dry, stirring as before,
do this a third time, then sublime as above directed.
VII. To fix Arsenick and Sulphur. They are fixed two ways, viz.
1. By manifold Sublimations. 2. By precipitation of them sublimed
into heat. The first way, Reiterate their Sublimations in
the Vessel Aludel, till they remain fixed. This Reiteration is
made by two Aludels, with their two Heads, or Covers
—12—
in the following order, that you may never cease from the Work
of Sublimation, until you have fixed them. Therefore to soon as
they have’ascended into one Vessel, put them into the other, and
so do continually, never suffering them long to abide, adhering
to the sides of either Vessel, but constantly keep them in the
elevation of fire, till they cease to sublime.
VIII. The second way. This is by praecipitating it sublimed into
heat, that it may constantly abide therein, until it be fixed:
and this is done by a long glass Vessel, the bottom of it (made
of Earth not of Glass, because that would crack) must be
artificially joyned with good luting; and the ascending matter,
when it adheres to the sides of the Vessel, must with a Spatula
of Iron, or Stone, be put down to the heat of the bottom, and
this precipitation repeated, till the whole be fixed.
IX. To sublime Arsenick. Take Arsenick, filings of Venus ana one
Pound, Common Salt half a Pound: Alum Calcin’d four Ounces,
mortifie with Vinegar, stirring over a fire till all be black:
Again, Imbibe and dry, stirring as before, which repeat again;
the sublime, and it will be profitable.
—13—
CHAPTER XL
OF THE ALCHYMIE OF THE MARCHASITE.
I. The MARCHASITE is sublimed two ways, 1. Without Ignition.
2. With Ignition, because it has a two-fold substance, viz. One
pure Sulphur, and Argent Vive mortified. The first is profitable
as Sulphur; the second as Argent Vive mortified, and moderately
prepared. Therefore we take in this last, because by it we are
excused from the former Argent Vive, and the labour of
mortifying it.
II. The intire way of the sublimation of this Mineral is, by
grinding it to pouder, and putting it into an Aludel, subliming
its Sulphur without Ignition; always and very often removing
what is sublimed. Then augment the force of the fire into
Ignition of the Aludel. The first sublimation must be made in a
Vessel of Sublimation, and so long continued, till the Sulphur
is separated; the process being successively and orderly
continued, until it is manifest that it has lost all its
Sulphur.
III. Which may be known thus: When its whole Sulphur shall be
sublimed, you will see the colour thereof changed into a most
pure White, mixt with a very clear, pleasant, and coelestine
colour: Also you may know it thus: Because if it has any Sulphur
in it, it will burn and flame like Sulphur; but what shall be
secondly sublimed after that sublimate, will neither be
inflamed, nor shew any properties of Sulphur, but
—14—
of Argent Vive mortified, in the reiteration of sublimation.
IV. You must get a solid, strong, well baked Earthen Vessel,
about three foot high, but in breadth Diametrically no more than
that a hand may commodiously enter: The bottom of this Vessel,
(which must be made so that it may be separated and conjoyned,
must be made after the form of a plain wooden Dish, but very
deep, viz, from its brim to the bottom about seven or eight
Inches; from that place, or moveable bottom to the head, the
Vessel must be very thickly and accurately glazed within: Upon
the head of the Vessel must be fitted an Alembick, with a wide
Beak or Nose: Joyn the bottom to the middle, with good tenacious
lute (the Marchasite being within that bottom) then set on the
Alembick, and place it in a Fornace, where you may give as
strong fire, as for the fusion of Silver or Copper.
V. The top of the Fornace must be fixed with a flat Hoop, or
Ring of Iron, having a hole in its middle, fitted to the
greatness of the Vessel, that the Vessel may stand fast within
it: Then lute the junctures in the circuit of the Vessel and the
Fornace, lest the fire passing out there, should hinder the
adherency of the subliming flowers, leaving only four small
holes, which may be opened or shut in the flat Ring or Hoop
aforesaid, through which Coals may be put in round about the
sides of the Fornace: Likewise four other holes must be left
under them, and between their spaces for the putting in of
Coals, and six or eight lesser holes, proportionate to the
-15-
magnitude of ones little finger, which must never be shut, that
thereby the fire may burn clear: Let these holes be just below
the juncture of the Fornace, with the said Iron Hoop.
VI. That Fornace is of great heat, the sides of which are to
the height of two Cubits, and in the midst whereof is a Round,
Grate, or Wheel filled full of very many small holes close
together, (wide below or underneath, but small above, or in the
superior part,) and strongly annexed to the Fornace by luting,
that the Ashes or Coals may the more freely fall away from them,
and the said Grate be continually open for the more free
reception of the air, which mightily augments the heat of the
fire.
VII. The Vessel is of the aforesaid length, that the Fumes
ascending may find a cool place and adhere to the sides,
otherwise was it short, the whole Vessels would be almost of an
equal heat, whereby the sublimate would fly away, and be lost.
It is also Glased well within, that the Fumes may not peirce its
Pores and so be lost; but the Bottom which stands in the fire is
not to be Glazed, for that the Fire would melt it; nor unglazed
would the matter go through it, for that the Fire makes it
rather to ascend.
VIII. Not let your Fire be continued under your Vessel, till you
know that the whole matter is ascended into flowers, which you
may prove by putting in a Rod of Earth well burned with a
—16-
Hole in its end, through a Hole in the Head, about the bigness
of ones little Finger, putting it down almost to the middle
there, or nigh the matter from whence the sublimate is raised;
and if any thing ascends and adheres to the Hole in the Rod, the
whole matter is not sublimed, but if not, the sublimation is
ended.
IX. That the Marchasite consists of Sulphur and Argent Vive, it
is sufficiently evident; for if it be put into the fire, it is
no sooner Red—Hot, but it is Inflamed and burns: also if mixed
with Venus, it gives it the Whiteness of pure Silver; so also if
mixed with Argent Vive, and in its sublimation it yields a
Coelestial Color, with a Metalick Lucidity.
X. To prepare the Marchasite. Take the fine Pouder of the
Mineral, spread it an Inch thick over the Bottom of a large
Aludel, and gather the Sulphur with a gentle fire. When that is
ascended; take off the Head or Alembick, and having applied
another, augment the Fire, then that which has the place of
Argent Vive Ascends, as we have before declared.

37 Petrus Bonus

Petrus Bonus wrote one very influential work, The New Pearl of Great Price in 1330 AD. This book was held in very high esteem by other alchemists and is quoted often by them. The only English translation we have is by a fellow named A. E. Waite, who's translation have proven somewhat suspect, as his skill was more in re-establishing alchemy than in ancient languages.

Bonus was born in Northern Italy, was probably an academic, but we are not very sure who he really was.

Bonus asserts that alchemical knowledge can be transmitted very quickly, but also says that finding that information is a very long process. He argues in the manner of the Scholastics, a debate-style method of instruction popular at the early monasteries and universities (400 - 1400 AD)

Here it is in a scan at archive.org of Waite's 1894 English translation.

And here is a picture book published in the 1500's based on the alchemy of Bonus.

Here it is:

THE NEW PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

Being a Concordance of the Sages on the Great Treasure, the Stone of the Philosophers, the Arcanum, the Secret of all Secrets, and the Gift of God.

By Peter Bonus, of Ferrara.

    Both among ancients and moderns the question whether Alchemy be a real Art or a mere imposture has exercised many heads and pens; nor is it possible for us entirely to ignore the existence of such a dispute. A multiplicity of arguments has been advanced against the truth of our Art; but men like Geber and Morienus, who were best fitted to come forward in its defense, have disdained to answer the caviling attacks of the vulgar. They have not, as a matter of fact, furnished us with anything beyond the bare assertion that the truth of Alchemy is exalted beyond the reach of doubt, We will not follow their example, but, in order to get at the foundation of the matter, we will pass in review the arguments which have been, or may be, set forth on both sides of the question.

    In the case of a science which is familiarly known to a great body of learned men, the mere fact that they all believe in it supersedes the necessity of proof. But this rule does not apply to the Art of Alchemy, whose pretensions, therefore, need to be carefully and jealously sifted. The arguments which make against the justice of those claims must be fairly stated, and it will be for the professors of the Art to turn back the edge of all adverse reasoning.

    Every ordinary art (as we learn in the second book of the Physics) is either dispositive of substance, or productive of form, or it teaches the use of something. Our Art, however, does not belong to any one of these categories; it may be described indeed as both dispositive and productive, but it does not teach the use of anything. It truly instructs us how to know the one substance exclusively designed by Nature for a certain purpose and it also acquaints us with the natural method of treating and manipulating this substance, a knowledge which may be either practically or speculatively present in the mind of the master. There are other crafts which are not artificial, but natural, such as the arts of medicine, of horticulture, and glass-blowing. They are arts insofar as they require an operator; but they are natural insofar as they are based upon facts of Nature. Such is the Art of Alchemy. Some arts systematize the creations of the human mind, as, for instance, those of grammar, logic, and rhetoric; but Alchemy does not belong to this class. Yet Alchemy resembles other arts in the following respect, that its practice must be preceded by theory and investigation; for before we can know how to do a thing, we must understand all the conditions and circumstances under which it is produced. If we rightly apprehend the cause or causes of a thing (for there often is a multiplicity or complication of causes), we also know how to produce that thing. But it must further be considered that no one can claim to be heard in regard to the truth or falsity of this Art who does not clearly understand the matter at issue; and we may lay it down as a rule that those who set up as judges of this question without a clear insight into the conditions of the controversy should be regarded as persons who are talking wildly and at random.

Reasons Apparently Militating Against The Reality Of Our Art.

    It was usual among the ancients to begin with a destructive argument. This custom we will now follow.

Reason First.

    Whoever is ignorant of the elements of which any given substance is composed, and of the quantities of each element in such composition, cannot know how to produce that substance. Now, the alchemists are necessarily ignorant of the exact composition of metals: therefore, as the metals are composite substances, it is not possible that the alchemists should know how to produce them.

Reason Second.

    Again, if you are unacquainted with the determinate proportion of the elements entering into the composition of any given substance, you cannot possibly produce that substance. I allude to the exact degree of digestion which has taken place in, and the peculiar manner and mode of composition which constitute the specific essence, or form, of any assigned substance, and make it what it is. This specific form of metals can never become known to a human artist. It is one of Nature’s own secrets, and the Art of Alchemy must, therefore, be pronounced not only unknowable, but utterly impossible.

Reason Third.

    We are also ignorant of the proper or specific instrument, or means, which Nature uses to produce those peculiar substances defined as metals. We are aware that Nature, in the production of every different substance, uses a certain modified form of digestive heat. But in the case of metals, this digestive heat is not derived from the sun, or, exclusively, from any central fire, for it is inextricably mixed and compounded of the two, and this in a manner no man can imitate. Therefore, Alchemy is impossible.

Reason Fourth.

    Moreover, we know that the generation of metals occupies thousands of years. This is the case in Nature’s workshop in the bowels of the earth: hence we see that even if this Art were possible, man’s life would not be long enough for its exercise. Everything requires for its generation a certain predetermined period of time; and we find in the case of animals and vegetables that this period of generation and development cannot be hastened to any considerable extent. It might indeed be said that Art can do in a month what Nature requires a thousand years to accomplish --- by intensifying and exalting the temperature of the digestive warmth. But such a course would defeat its own object, since a greater degree of heat than is required for the development of metals (i.e., an unnatural temperature) would hinder rather than accelerate that development.

Reason Fifth.

    Again, the generation of metals, as of all things else, can only be accomplished in a certain place specially adapted to the purpose. Definite peculiar local conditions must be fulfilled if a seed it to spring up and grow; an animal can only be generated and developed in its own proper womb. Now, glass, stone, and earthenware jars and vessels can never take the place of the natural womb of metals in the bosom of the earth. Hence, Alchemy is nothing but a fraudulent pretence.

Reason Sixth.

    Once more, that which is effected by Nature alone, cannot be produced artificially; and metals belong to this class of substances. Generation and corruption are the effect of an inward principle, and this inward principle is Nature, which creates the substantial forms of things. Art, on the other hand, is an outward principle, which can only bring about superficial changes.

Reason Seventh.

    If Art cannot produce that which is of easy separation, and, therefore, of easy competition, it cannot produce that the separation and composition of which are more difficult. Now, a horse or a dog are easily decomposed, while the putrefaction of metals requires a great length of time. But yet Art cannot produce a horse or a dog; hence it can still less produce metals.

Reason Eighth.

    Metals do indeed belong to the same genus or kind; they are all metals, just as a horse and a man are both animals. But as a horse and man are specifically different, and as one species cannot be changed into another, so the various metals are specifically different; and as a dog can never become a an, so neither can one metal be changed into another. This reason and its solution are advanced by Geber.

Reason Ninth.

    The principles which stir up the vital spark slumbering in metals are necessarily unknown to the student of Nature. For these principles are supplied by the movements and influences of the stars and heavenly bodies, which are overruled by the Supreme Intelligence, and preside over the generation, corruption, and conservation of species, imparting to everything its own peculiar form and perfection. These influences which determine whether a certain metallic substance shall be gold, silver, etc., no human mind can possibly fix or direct to any given spot. Therefore, etc.

Reason Tenth.

    Artificial things bear the same relation to natural things which Art bears to Nature, But as Art is not Nature, neither are artificial things the same as natural things: and artificial gold, even if    produced, would no be the same thing as natural gold. For the methods of Nature are inward, they are always one and the same, and never vary; but the methods of Art, on the other hand, vary with the idiosyncrasies of the artist.

Reason Eleventh.

    It is easier to destroy than to make thing: but we can hardly destroy gold; how then can we make it?

Reason Twelfth.

    The ancient philosophers were in the habit of teaching all the arts and sciences they knew to their disciples, and of declaring them in their books; but of this Art they never mention a word, which proves that it was unknown to them, Moreover, Aristotle tells us that if a man knows a thing he can teach it: but the books of the so-called Alchemistic Sages are full of obscurities and a wantonly perplexing phraseology. This shews that their boasted knowledge was an impudent pretense.

Reason Thirteenth.

    Many ancient Sages, as well as kings and princes, who had hundreds of profound scholars at their beck and call, have sought the knowledge of this Art in vain; now, this would not have been the case if it had any real existence.

Reason Fourteenth.

    Alchemists say that their one Stone changes all metals into gold; this would mean that it hardens lead and tin, which are softer than gold, and that it softens silver, iron, and bronze, which are    harder than gold. But it is impossible that one and the same thing should produce opposite effects. If, indeed, it could produce two such mutually exclusive effects, it would have to do the one per se and the other per accidens --- and either that which is hardened or that which is softened would not be true gold. We should thus have to assume the existence of two Stones, one which hardens and colours per se, and one which softens and colours per se; but this would be in flat contradiction to one of the few clear statements of the Alchemists themselves. And even if there were two different Stones, their difference would be reproduced in their effects, and there would thus result two different kinds of gold, which is impossible.

Reason Fifteenth.

    If gold and silver could be evolved out of any metallic substance, they could be prepared most easily out of that which is most akin to them; but as it is impossible to prepare them out of their first principles, viz., quicksilver and sulphur, they cannot be evolved out of metals specifically different from them. For it is clear that out of these two matters all metals are derived and generated; orpiment, sal armoniac, and secondary spirits like marcasite, magnesia, and tutia, being all reducible to these two primary forms. There are seven spirits in Alchemy, the four principal ones, quicksilver, sulphur, orpiment, and sal armoniac, and the three secondary and composite spirits, marcasite, magnesia and tutia; but sulphur and quicksilver include them all. The Stone would have to be obtained either from the metals or from these spirits. But the sages represent the Stone as bearing the same relation to the metals which is borne by form to substance, or, soul to body: hence, it cannot be extracted from such gross things as metals. They do indeed say that by calcining, dissolving, distilling, and coagulating those bodies they purge out all that is gross, and render the metals spiritual and subtle. But they know well enough that any fire violent enough to perform this would kill or destroy the vital germ of the metal.

    Nor can so highly spiritual a substance as the Philosopher’s Stone is represented be obtained from the metallic spirits (sulphur and quicksilver). For they must be either fixed or volatile. If they are volatile they are useless: they evaporate when exposed to the action of fire, and leave bodies still more impure and defiled than they were before; or they even cause other bodies to evaporate along with them. If, on the other hand, the spirits in a fixed state are to represent the Stone, they will not be able to accomplish any of those things which the Stone is supposed to encompass. For, in that case, they are hard and petrine, like earth or flint, and thus are unable to enter other bodies and pervade them with their own essence. If they are subjected to the violent action of fire, they become like glass, i.e., they undergo a process of vitrification, and, with their metallic humour, they lose their malleability and all their other metallic properties. Even lead and tin become glass when their metallic humour is burnt out of them, and it is rank absurdity to say that the vitreous humour is malleable, or ever can become so; for it is the metallic humour which renders metals malleable and fusible. Moreover, glass, or anything vitrified, in melting does not amalgamate with other metals, but floats on the surface like oil. Besides, quicksilver in its natural state adheres to all metals, but it does not adhere either to marcasite (which resembles it too closely for such a purpose), nor to glass: this shews, incontrovertibly, that glass is no metal, whether such glass be natural, or some other substance vitrified. Again, glass, or any vitrified substance, when it has been dipped in cold water, or otherwise refrigerated, can be broken, pounded, and converted into powder; but all metals will bend rater than break, because of their greater malleability and the metallic humour which is in them. You can also either engrave or stamp any image upon cold metals and it will retain that image; but glass (unless in a state of fusion) will do nothing of the kind. Thus, it appears that malleability is a property which belongs to metals, and to metals only; and in the various metals this property, with the property of fusibility, exists in different degrees, according to the grade of their digestion and sulphureous admixtion. In glass, too, there are different proportions of fusibility, perspicuity, opacity, and colouring, which depend upon differences of the material used in its manufacture. Only metals in a cold state are capable of a certain degree of liquefaction; glass, on account of its great viscosity, may be liquefied when it is melted in a fiercely heated furnace, but not after refrigeration, because then the aforesaid viscosity disappears. When metal is cold or red hot its viscosity is greatest, and in such a state it can be expanded; but fusion separates its different parts, and then much of this viscosity is lost. With glass the very opposite is the case. Therefore, if by calcinations a metallic spirit becomes vitrified, it is not capable of any further change; and, being fixed, it cannot enter other bodies, or convert them. Therefore, also, if metallic spirits. Which are the very vital principles of gold and silver, cannot evolve them out of metals, nothing else can.

Reason Sixteenth.

    Again, the Alchemists appear to say that they do not create metals, but only develop those which are imperfect; they call gold and silver perfect metals, and the rest imperfect. We reply that this is an impossibility. The fact is that everything which has its own substantial form, and all its peculiar properties, is specifically perfect. A horse is perfect as a horse, though it has not the rational nature of a man; and tin and lead are as perfect in their way as gold and silver. Whatever is perfectly that which it was designed to be, the same also is bound so to remain; thus, lead and tin are fully as permanent and enduring as gold and silver.

Reason Seventeenth.

    Again, whatever is multiplied by Nature after its kind, in its own species, may be regarded as permanently belonging to that species. And tin and lead, etc., are of this class. They are not an imperfect form of that which we behold perfected in gold and silver. They are base metals, while gold and silver are precious; and a base thing can never develop into a precious thing, just as a goat can never become a horse or a man.

Reason Eighteenth.

    Where there is not the same ultimate disposition of elements, there cannot be the same substantial and specific form. Now alchemistic gold and silver cannot exhibit the same ultimate arrangement as natural gold and silver; consequently, they are not the same thing. Hence, if there be such a thing as alchemistic gold, it is specifically different from ordinary gold.

Reason Twentieth.

    Anything that is contingent, and liable to chance, cannot be the subject matter of science: for science deals with the necessary, incorruptible, and eternal. The Alchemists themselves say that the secret of their Art seldom becomes known to any one: hence they themselves put their own claims to scientific accuracy out of court.

Reason Twenty-First.

    Again, Aristotle (Meteor. IV) --- according to the ancient version --- expressly denies the truth of Alchemy, calling it a sophistical and fantastical pretense --- though some say those words were interpolated by Avicenna (which, however, we do not believe). We beg leave to transcribe Aristotle’s very words: Let me tell the Alchemists that no true change can take place between species; but they can produce things resembling those they desire to imitate; and they can tinge (i.e., colour) with red and orange so as to produce the appearance of gold, and with white so as to produce the appearance of silver (tin or lead). They can also purge away the impurities of lead (so as to make it appear gold or silver); yet it will never be anything but lead; and even though it looks like silver, yet its properties will still be those of lead. So these people are mistaken, like those who take armoniac salt for common salt --- which seem the same and yet are in realty very much diverse. But I do not believe that the most exquisite ingenuity can possibly devise any means of successfully eliminating the specific difference (i.e., the substantial form) of metals. The properties and accidents which constitute the specific difference are not such as to be perceived with the senses; and since the difference is not cognizable (i.e., not sensuously perceptible), how can we know whether they have had it removed or not? Moreover, the composition of the various metallic substances is different, and, therefore, it is impossible that one should be changed into another, unless they be first reduced to their common prime substance. But this cannot be brought about by mere liquefaction, though it may appear to be done by the addition of extraneous matter.

    By these words the philosopher seems to imply that there can be no such thing as a pure Alchemistic Art, that which passes current under the name being mere fanciful and deceptive talk. From his remarks we elicit five reasons which (apparently) militate against the truth of our Art.

Reason Twenty-Second.
[The First of Aristotle]

    He who only changes the accidents of things, does not change them specifically, and, as the substantial form remains the same, we cannot say that any real alteration has been effected. Now, the transformation (if any) which takes place in Alchemy is of this kind; therefore, we may confidently assert that it is not real. Alchemists may, as it were, wash out the impurities of lead and in, and make them look like gold and silver; but in their substantial form they are still neither better nor worse than lead and tin. Certain foreign ingredients (colouring matter, etc.) may make people fancy that they see real gold and silver before them. But those are the same people who could not tell the difference between common salt and salt of ammonia. Nevertheless, these two, though generically the same, exhibit considerable specific differences, and no skilled master of chemistry could possibly confound them.

Reason Twenty-Third.
[The Second of Aristotle]

    Any transformation that does not involve the destruction of the substantial and specific pre-existent form, is no real transformation at all, but a mere juggling pretense. Now this exactly described the performances of Alchemy.

Reason Twenty-Fourth.
[The Third of Aristotle]

    It is impossible for us to know whether a thing which in itself is incapable of being perceived by our senses has been removed or not. Now, the specific differences of metals belong to this category: therefore, Alchemy falsely claims the power of accomplishing a thing which in reality transcends all human possibility and knowledge. The external characteristics with which we are acquainted in metals are not those which constitute their inward and essential nature, but their accidents, and properties, and passivities, which are alone subject to the cognizance of our senses. If this mysterious and deeply hidden something could be touched and handled, we might hope to destroy, or abolish, and change it. But, as it is, such an attempt must be considered utterly hopeless.

Reason Twenty-Fifth.
[The Fourth of Aristotle]

    Things which are not mixed in the same elementary proportions, and are not compounded after the same manner, cannot be regarded as belonging to an identical species. Now, this relation does not exist between natural gold and the metals which Alchemy claims to transmute into that metal. Consequently, they cannot become real gold. The fact is that we are ignorant of the true composition of the precious metals --- and how can we bring about a result the nature of which is not clear to us?

Reason Twenty-Sixth
[The Fifth of Aristotle]

    One species can only be transmuted into another by returning into the first substance common to both, before each was differentiated in the assumption of its own substantial form. This first substance must then be developed into the other species. But such a complicated operation the Alchemists fail to achieve. They do not reduce the metals to the first substance; hence there is with them no true generation, nor is there any genuine corruption, but only a spurious manipulation of accidents. They melt the metal in their furnace, and then add to it certain prepared chemical substances which change its appearance; but no one can say that there has been a true transformation. So long as they do not reduce the metal to its first substance, and then introduce into it another substantial form, it will still be the same metal, whatever alterations they may seem to effect in its outward appearance. The original substance and first principle of gold and silver are quicksilver and sulphur. To this substance they cannot reduce any metal by bare liquefaction. Hence their transmutation of metals is never true, but only sophistical. If you wish to generate a man out of meat and vegetables, and other food that is eaten, this food will first have to become blood, and the blood will have to undergo a chemical change into seed, before it can be available for purposes of generation. In the same way, if any metal is to become gold and silver, it must first become quicksilver and sulphur. The Alchemists may indeed say that there is between the metals no specific, but only an accidental difference. They suppose that the base metals are in a diseased condition, while gold and silver exhibit the healthy state of the metallic substance; and thus they contend that lead and tin can be converted into gold and silver by a mere alterative motion, just as an alterative motion (produced by some medicine) may convert a diseased into a healthy man. But this is equivalent to the affirmation that, apart from the morbid matter which they contain, all metals are actually gold, and here is an assertion which is impossible to substantiate. If all metals have the same substantial form, they have the same properties and passivities; for properties and passivities are directly the outcome of the substantial form. Hence all metals would have the same properties and qualities (whether active or passive) as gold. But this is not the case; for they do not abide the test of fire as gold does, nor have they the same comforting medicinal effect, which proves that the difference between them is not merely accidental, but specific. Yet they might again advance that, though all metals have the same substantial qualities and properties, because these are kept inactive or obscured by the morbid matter; as, for instance, when a man suffers from epilepsy, or apoplexy, or madness, he cannot perform the operations of a complete man; and if a women suffer from contraction of the womb, or syncope, she may have the substantial form of a woman, and yet she cannot exercise all the functions of a woman. They further say that, as in the human subject this incapacity is removed by the alterative action of some medicine, so in metals, the full effects of the substantial form (which is that of gold) may be brought out by alchemistic action. But the substantial form is not complete until the development is fully accomplished, and if the base metals are not fully developed, they can have no real substantial form, let alone that of gold and silver. And if a thing have not the substantial form with anything else, it cannot have, even in a latent condition, the properties and qualities characteristic of that thing, Nothing can have the peculiar qualities of a man that has not the form (i.e., the essential characteristics) of a man. The form of gold consists in the brightness which the sulphur receives from the purifying quicksilver indigestion. This brightness belongs only to gold and silver, or even to gold exclusively, as will be shewn. It is a sign that the development of these precious metals is complete, and the fact that the other metals do not possess it also shews that they cannot have the substantial form or essential characteristics of gold. Hence the comparison of these base metals to diseased bodies is false and misleading. We have thus demonstrated that the claims of Alchemy are frivolous, vain, and impossible. We might adduce other reasons, but we believe those already given to be sufficient.

Now We Will Proceed To Prove The Truth Of The Art Of Alchemy.

    We may prove the truth of our Art ---

(1) By the testimony of the Sages.
(2) By the most forcible arguments.
(3) By analogy, and manifest examples.

    Aristotle, in the Dialectics, says that every master has a right to speak authoritatively with reference to his own art. According to this rule, it is the Sages, and the Sages only, that ought to be consulted with reference to the truth of Alchemy. Now, we find that ancient philosophers, who have written with remarkable clearness and force on other arts and sciences, have given their testimony to the truth and authenticity of this Art in books which they have devoted thereto. They have described it as an art which regulates natural action, working upon a proper matter, towards the attainment of a design of Nature’s own conceiving, to which also Nature cannot attain without the aid of the intelligent artist, the same being further performed, as it is said, after one only method. Hence Hermes: It is true without falsehood, certain, and most true; that which is above is even as that which is below, and that which is below is like unto that which is above, for the accomplishment of the wonders of one thing. And Morienus: If, therefore, thou shalt rightly consider those things which I shall say unto thee, as also the testimonies of the ancients, well and fully shalt thou know that we agree in all things, and so all of us reveal the same truths. This was the deliberate conviction of Hermes, in his Secreta, who is styled the father and prophet of the Sages, of Pythagorus, Anaxagoras, Socrates, Plato, Democritus, Aristotle, Zeno, Heraclitus, Diogenes, Lucas, Hippocrates, Hamec, Thebit, Geber, Rhasis, Haly, Morienus, Theophilus, Parmenides, Mellisus, Empedocles, Abohaly, Abinceni, Homer, Ptolomeus, Virgil, Ovid, and many other philosophers and lovers of truth, whose names would be too tedious to record. Of most of these we have seen and studied the works, and can testify that they were, without a single exception, adepts, and brothers of this most glorious order, and that they knew what they were speaking about. Hermes, in his second book, says: My son, reflect on all that you hear, for I do not suppose that you are deprived of reason, etc. Rhasis (in his book on the Perfect Magistery), exhorting us unto a like earnestness, bids us read incessantly the writings of philosophy that we may be her sons, and get understanding in this arcane magistery. For he who does not read books cannot apprehend the details of our Art; he who knows nothing about the theory of our Art, will find its practice very difficult. Geber, in the Prologue of his Sum of Perfection, exhorts the student to pore over his volumes by day and by night, and to resolve them diligently in his mind, that so he may perceive the drift of our directions. Galen declares that theory and practice mutually correct and supplement each other, True theory is borne out by practice; false theory is shamed and disgraced by it. Moreover, when the science is obscure, and has been handed down after the manner of a dark tradition, there is all the more reason for reference to the adepts of the past therein. For which reason, says the philosopher in his second book of Ethics: In things which are obscure it is necessary to have recourse to open testimonies. So also Morienus: While every thing is distinguished according to its effects, the facts confirmed by the testimony of many. Rhasis (c. 70) bids us pin our faith to the ancient sages. Abohaly, that is to say, Avicenna, in his book on Medicine, and the chapter in which he discuses the confinement of fevers to certain places, says that where they do not occur, the people would not therefore be justified in supposing that they do not exist. In the same way, no man in his senses would deny the truth of Alchemy for the very insufficient reason that he himself is ignorant of it: such a person would be content with the authority of weighty names like Hermes, Hippocrates, and numerous others. There are many reasons why the master conceal this art. But if any one denies its existence on the ground that he is ignorant of it, he is like someone who has been shut up all his life in a certain house, and therefore denies that the world extends beyond the four walls of his habitation. There is not really any need to advance any arguments to establish the actuality of our art, for the art itself is the best proof of its own existence; and being securely lodged in the stronghold of knowledge, we might safely despise the contradiction of the ignorant. Nevertheless, we will adduce a few arguments to prove the strength of our position. At the same time, we ask the reader to remember that our best and strongest arguments are based on facts which we are not at liberty to use.

Arguments [Particularly Two Strong Ones] In Favor Of Our Most Glorious Art.

    It is most difficult to establish the claims of this Art argumentatively. Aristotle tells us that, in some cases, certain arguments are so nicely balanced as to leave the mid in a sate of uncertainty as to what is the exact truth; in other cases [he says] the subject matter hardly admits of a logical demonstration. To this latter class belongs the case of Alchemy. In all operative sciences (as Aristotle sets forth) the truth of a proposition ought to be sewn, not by logical argument, but by ocular demonstration. The appeal should be not to the intellect, but to the senses. For particulars belong to the domain of sense, while universals belong to the domain of reason. If we are unable to convey to any one an ocular proof of our Art, this fact must not be regarded as casting a slur on our veracity. The difficulty of our task is enhanced by the circumstance that we have to speak of our Art to the ignorant and scornful, and are thus in the position of a painter who should attempt to explain nice shades and differences of colour to the colour-blind; or of a musician who should discourse sweet harmony to the deaf. Every one, says Aristotle, is able to form a correct opinion only of those things which are familiarly and accurately known to him; but he who denies that snow is white cannot have any eyes in his head. How can any one discover the truth in regard to any science, if he lacks the sense to distinguish the special province of matter, or the material relations, with which that science deals? Such people need to exercise faith even to become aware of the existence of our Art. Pythagoras, in the Turba Philosophorum, says that those who are acquainted with the elements will not be numbered among deniers. A doctor who desires to prove that a certain medicine will produce a certain effect in a diseased condition of the human body, must substantiate his position by practical experiment. For instance, some one suffers from a super-abundance of red colour in the veins of the stomach and liver, and I say that the cure is an evacuation after digestion. If I wished to discover what medicine would produce this effect, I would say: Everything that, after digestion, produces an evacuation of bile, will heal the patient. Now, I know that rhubarb or scamonea will produce this effect; therefore, rhubarb or scamonea will be the right remedy to choose. Nevertheless, the truth of my assertion could be satisfactorily proven only by means of a practical experiment. In all these matters, as Hamec says, nothing short of seeing a thing will help you to know it. If you wish to know that pepper is hot and that vinegar is cooling, that colocynth and absinthe are bitter, that honey is sweet, and that aconite is poison; that the magnet attracts steel, that arsenic whitens brass, and that tutia turns it of an orange colour, you will, in every one of these cases, have to verify the assertion by experience. It is the same in Geometry, Astronomy, Music, Perspective, and other sciences with a practical scope and aim. A like rule applies with double force to Alchemy, which undertakes to transmute the base metals into gold and silver. Whatsoever has the power to transmute imperfect and complete metals has the power to make gold and silver. Now, this quality is possessed by the Stone which the philosophers make known to us. It is plain that there are but two perfect metals, namely, gold and silver; just as there are but two perfect luminaries, namely, sun and moon. The other metals are imperfect and in complete, and whosoever educes them to perfection, the same also converts them into gold and silver. The truth and justice of this claim, like all other propositions of a practical nature, has to be demonstrated by a practical experiment, and in no other way can it be satisfactorily shewn. But such a practical demonstration would, on the other hand, once for all put an end to the controversy, and convincingly demonstrate to every well-regulated mind the truth of the Art by which it is accomplished. Find our Art, says Galen, and you will have proved its reality, which is performed not by the first principles of the Art, but by its operations.

    It is to be borne in mind that this Art is the minister and follower of Nature. Hence the principles of Alchemy are twofold, natural and artificial. The natural principles are the causes of the four elements, of the metals, and all that belongs to them. The artificial principles are, according to Geber, eight in number: Sublimation, Separation, Distillation, Calcination, Dissolution, Coagulation, Fixion, and Ceration, besides all the tests, signs, and colours by which we know whether these operations have been properly performed or not. The tests of gold are Inceration, Cementation, Ignition, Fusion, Exposure to corroding vapours, Mixture with some solvent, etc. But there is also another high and divine principle which is the key and connecting link between all the others, without which it is impossible to accomplish our work, which also before all others ought to possess the mind of the student. That which is fixed destroys the specific form of that which is volatile, so as to do away with its volatile properties. If the volatile substance evaporates together with the fixed, the whole experiment is spoiled; but if the fixed retains the volatile and protects it from evaporation, our work is perfected. We know that substances whose root is earth and water can be dissolved and become liquid, but the adept has it in his power to preserve them. What is said about this principle in the books of the Sages is without doubt figuratively spoken by means of type and allegory, and therefore it is mere presumption on the part of an outsider to attempt to formulate an argument against our Art out of anything that the Sages have said.

    The second argument is as follows. Anything in which the specific properties, qualities, and operations of a certain substance are observed, is of the same nature with that substance. Now, we find in the gold and silver of Alchemy all the distinctive peculiarities of natural gold; consequently, it is natural gold. We do not know the substantial form of anything; we do know its qualities, properties, operations, and accidents; consequently, it is in regard to these particulars that we must look for agreement, because all our knowledge necessarily has a sensuous or perceptive basis. The substantial form, on the other hand, is nothing but a convenient intellectual abstraction. In determining the nature of anything, we must found our judgment on its practical manifestations. We say that whatever performs all the functions of an eye, is an eye; whatever does not is not really an eye, but only the shadow or image of an eye. A wooden saw is not a saw, but only a representation of a saw, etc., etc. I maintain, then, that we know a thing by its accidents; and as the substance of all metals is homogeneous, we may safely apply this rule to metallic substances. Every metal, then, which exhibits all the qualities of gold, orange colour, fusibility, malleability, indestructibility, homogeneous nature, and great density, must be regarded as gold, and it would be mere sophistry to try and make out that it is anything else. If the gold of Alchemy were not the same as natural gold, our detractors would be bound to shew that the very same specific properties can co-exist with substantial forms of an opposite and contradictory nature --- a task which they will find it very difficult to accomplish. This reasoning is borne out by several most important passages in the works of Plato and Aristotle [Libell. De Secret. Secreto, cap. De Lapidibus Pretiosis]. There are also other arguments which prove the truth of our Art, which will be set forth in our chapters on the principles, and on the generation of metals, and their transmutation.

The Truth Of Our Art Proved By Analogy

    Something closely analogous to the generation of Alchemy is observed in the animal, vegetable, mineral, and elementary world. Nature generates frogs in the clouds, or by means of putrefaction in dust moistened with rain, by the ultimate disposition of kindred substances. Avicenna tells us that a calf was generated in the clouds, amid thunder, and reached the earth in a stupefied condition. The decomposition of a basilisk generates scorpions. In the dead body of a calf are generated bees, wasps in the carcass of an ass, beetles in the flesh of a horse, and locusts in that of a mule. These generations depend on the fortuitous combination of the same elements by which the animal or insect is ordinarily produced. Aristotle (de Animal., 6), however, says, that these creatures do not belong to the same order as those generated in the ordinary way, and have not the same substantial form. We, on the other hand, maintain (and we are sure of having all common-sense people in agreement with us), that ants are ants, flies, flies, and spiders, spiders, in whatever way they originate. For in the vegetable world Nature produces out of decomposed matter, cabbages, parsley, and pumpkins, which afterwards exhibit the same flowers, fruit, and seed as those evolved in the ordinary way, and are also propagated in the same manner. We maintain that there are some things which are propagated by generation only, such as men, vipers, whales, and palm-trees; other things by putrefaction only, as lice, fleas, grass, earthworms, and similar imperfect existences; some things are propagated in both ways, like mice, beetles, wasps, etc. Everything depends, as we have said, on a certain disposition of elements and rearrangement of atoms; in this way a wild vine may become a good one by transplantation and the skill of the husbandman (as Aristotle tells us); moreover, the same philosopher vouches for the truth of the observation that good plants may often be reared from inferior seed, if there be a change of climate and other outward conditions.

    The same law holds good in the mineral world, though not to quite so great an extent. Thunderbolts are formed in the clouds, and iron darts, amidst terrible explosions. These mineral substances are produced, according to Aristotle, (Meteor., IV end), by the rapid extinction and dessication of atmospherical fire. It is said that near Vergen there fell from the sky a piece of iron weighing 150 tons, which was so hard that it long resisted all attempts to work it up into swords and other iron implements. The Arabs relate that the Alemanic blades, which are very hard and well tempered, are fashioned of this kind of iron. Such great masses of metal are either formed suddenly by the fierce action of burning heat on a large lump of viscous clay, or, little by little, through the agency of some more gradual cause. There are certain places in which water, as it wells forth, is changed into stones of diverse colours; and we know there exists in the earth the mineral power of congealing water. We are also told that vegetables and animals may be converted into stone by a certain petrifying mineral action. Moreover, there is a spot in Arabia which imbues everything with its own colour. There the bread of Corascenus was changed into a stone, and yet retained its own colour. The same kind of spontaneous generation is also sometimes observed in the case of elements. By striking two hard stones together we produce fire; by boiling water, air is created; by the condensation of air, we obtain water; by the distillation of water, we become possessed of a residue of earth. All these examples we quote, not because they necessarily admit of verification, but in order to make our meaning plain to the uninitiated, and to shew, by analogous reasoning, the possibility of our art. To the uninitiated such confirmatory evidence, drawn from analogous facts, must seem both childish and unnecessary. Nor is there any process in Nature which is more than distantly and partially analogous to the operation of our most blessed Stone. The closest analogy is furnished by smoke, which may become fixed or condensed as soot; for here a spirit, as it were, evaporates from the fire, and assumes a corporeal form. The same may be said of the formation of tartar in good wine. For all vapour is spiritual in its nature, that is to say, its property is volatile. Out of dry vapours are generated dry things, and from humid vapours come moist substances; the digestion and proportionate commixture of both these kinds produce the diversity of all generated species, according to the exigency of their nature. And as these vapours, whether dry or moist, are actively fugitive and ascending, so are they potentially permanent and resting. If the alchemist by the preparation of this proper matter in a proper vessel, paying due attention to the significance of the sequence of colours, can obtain that which constitutes the essence of gold in a concentrated volatile or spiritual form, he can pervade with it every atom of a base metal, and thus transmute it into gold. This action of foreign bodies any one can observe on the surface of metals; tutia imparts to bronze the colour of gold, orpiment and arsenic colour it white like silver; the fumes of Saturn congeal quicksilver; the rind of the pomegranate converts iron into steel, and the fumes of burnt hair give silver an orange tinge. Let us suppose the metals to be penetrated by some more powerful and all-pervading agent in their very inmost parts, and throughout all their molecules --- and we have something very closely resembling the alleged action of the Philosopher’s Stone. The spirits of metals potentially contain their bodies, and this potentiality may at any moment become actual, if the artist understands, and knows how to imitate, Nature’s methods of working.

A General Determination Upon The Difficulty Of The Question, With The Elucidation Thereof.

    Concerning this admirable, excellent, divine, and most secret Art, it is a matter of no ordinary difficulty to satisfactorily resolve the question of the actuality thereof, but, as appears from Aristotle, it is absurd to prove the existence of Nature, or to argue the possibility of what is know. Our subject is the transmutation of metals into true gold and silver by the skill of art. It deals not alone with the formation of metals in the earth but of their manufacture out of the earth. Alchemy is the Art by which the principles, causes, activities, properties, and affections of metals are thoroughly apprehended; and by means of this knowledge those metals which are imperfect, incomplete, mixed, and corrupt, and therefore base, are transmuted into gold and silver. We have here, as in medicine, practice founded upon sound and well-tested speculative knowledge; and here also, as in medicine, we can be practically successful, only if our knowledge be strictly in accordance with the facts of Nature. Alchemy is an operative science, and produces effects by supplying natural conditions, e.g., by the action of fire. Medicine is either preventative or curative; it either teaches us the conditions of health, and instructs us how to avoid disease, or, when we are ill, it provides the exact remedy which our disease requires. Alchemy has no need of conservative or preventative action; but it instructs us how to restore and cure, as it were, the diseases of metals, and to bring them back to a state of perfect health, in which state all metals are either silver or gold. The difficulties of our Art are great, especially on account of the disagreement which apparently prevails amongst its most authoritative exponents. The second difficulty of our Art is that of carrying out practically the clearest and most straightforward printed directions. This difficulty might be got over by watching the operations of some great master; but in the nature of the case, only few can enjoy so high a privilege. The third difficulty consists in the fantastic tricks and absurdly barren devices of fraudulent professors of this Art, in consequence of which many find it impossible to believe in the reality of our operations. And the claims of the Art itself appear so miraculous, and so far exalted above the ordinary course of Nature, that the vulgar herd are of necessity led to regard the Alchemist as a kind of sorcerer or magician, and to place his pretensions in the same class with those of the man who professes to work signs and wonders. These are but a few of the difficulties in which the study of our Art is involved; and if there be so many obstacles in the way of its investigation, how much more difficult must be the discovery of its methods?

    Nevertheless, I stoutly maintain that the Art of Alchemy is clear and true, and founded upon Nature; that its products are as truly silver and gold as the precious metals which are produced in the bowels of the earth; and that I am fully prepared to substantiate all these assertions in the following chapters, and to place them beyond the reach of reasonable doubt. We will triumphantly rebut the attacks of Aristotle, and refute all other objections, putting them to flight with the all-prevailing weapons of truth and reason. Aristotle in Nicom. Ethic. VII, says that if all difficulties are solves, and the contrary of every objection proved to be true, you can feel that you have established your position, but your refutation will be all the more convincing if you point out the cause of your opponent’s error. If, however, any man denies first principles, there is no possibility of reasoning with him; on the other hand, you can reason with a man who acknowledges first principles, and only arrives at erroneous results by a fallacious process of ratiocination. It is to this class of our opponents that we address the following statement of our position.

Explanatory Of Our Method Of Procedure In Determining This Question.

    But in order that the truth of this Art may be fully known, we will begin by citing the authority, and  quoting the words of, the ancient Sages, subsequently resolving any doubt or difficulty which they may suggest. In every case we will take care to state our reasons. Any one that would write about Alchemy must know its terms, with its differences and its scope; and it is their ignorance of these particulars which has led many critics hastily to condemn our claims. Those who are ignorant of any science, are like the spectators who can distinguish neither the persons nor their gestures on the stage. A blind man might as well discourse about colours, and criticize the merits of a picture --- a deaf man might as well set up as a judge of some musical composition --- as an uninformed person presume to deliver judgment on the claims of the Art of Alchemy.

    The scope and aim of that Art we have already defined. It is an operative science, of which the object is to transmute base metals into gold and silver. It is concerned with the principles, causes, properties and affections of metals. Principles are the efficient and final cause, which are both outward. Causes are described as the substance and form, which are the internal causes beginning to the very thing itself. Properties are the peculiar active operations of the metals (e.g., the strengthening virtue of gold). Affections are the qualities of metals in a passive state, e.g., of fire, and soon. The essential differences between the metals we do not know: hence we allege in their place the properties and accidents peculiar to each. It should further be remembered that no natural agent ceases from its action in a given substance until its end has been attained. In all metals quicksilver is understood for the substance, and sulphur for the active principle which supplies form to the matter; no metal is, therefore, complete and perfect, from which the sulphur has not become separated; and since this is the case only in gold, gold alone represents the first and true intention of Nature with regard to metals; all other metals still contain an admixture of sulphur, and are imperfect. The incomplete metals are called mixed metals, because here the agent is still mixed with the substance; and this sulphur is one of the great occasions of the corruptibility of metals: it blackens them, and causes them to evaporate and be burned in the fire, but gold ever enjoys immunity from this defect, whether in or out of the fire. The transmutation of metals into gold, then, must consist in the elimination of this sulphur, which result is brought about only by the Philosopher’s Stone, and by that instantly, for it acts both within and without, the exterior alteration being followed by the interior transmutation for the generation of the form of gold. Alchemy (i.e., the Elixir of Alchemy) is a corporeal substance, made of one thing, by the operation of one thing, says Lilium. In medicine we apply the same remedy which it prescribes; and a like analogy we must be permitted to follow in our most glorious Art of Alchemy.

After Shewing The Two Chief Difficulties Of Alchemy, We Proceed To Exhibit All The Different Modes of These Difficulties.

    To one who is acquainted with the scope and meaning of this Art, it is not strange that only few attain to our knowledge; to him the wonder is rather that any man has ever succeeded in discovering its methods.

The First Cause of Difficulty

    The achievements of our Art seem miraculous rather than in accordance with the ordinary working of Nature. Hence Sages like Hermes, Barsenus, Rhasis, Rosinus, and others, tell us that it is only by Divine inspiration, or by ocular demonstration, that the student can understand the directions of his teachers. Morienus warns us that whoever would study this Art must know the other sciences, and especially Logic and Dialectic, as the Sages always express themselves in veiled and metaphorical phraseology. Theophilus says that the only way of apprehending the meaning of the Sages is by constant reference to experiment as well as reading  [Turba]. He who bends his back over our books (says Barensus), and does not sit at the feet of Nature, will die on the wrong side of the frontier. The first great difficulty, then, is the obscurity of the directions found in the books of the Sages.

Second Cause of Difficulty

    The second difficulty consists in the apparent disagreement of those who profess to exercise our Art at the present day. Amongst those persons are observed a great diversity of method, and a considerable variety even in the choice of their substance. The mistakes of some of the professors of Alchemy make men doubt the genuineness of its claims.

Third Cause of Difficulty

    Again, there are very few that actually possess the Stone. The pretensions of those who boast that it is in their possession discredit the Art in the eyes of the multitude.

Fourth Cause of Difficulty

    The expressions used by the different Masters often appear to be in open contradiction one to another; moreover, they are so obscurely worded that of ten readers each one would understand them in a different sense. Only the most ingenious and clear-sighted men have a chance of finding their way through this pathless thicket of contradictions and obscure metaphors.

Fifth Cause of Difficulty

    Another difficulty is the way in which the substance of our Stone is spoken of by the Sages. They call it the vilest and commonest of all things, which is found among the refuse in the street and on the dunghill; yet they add that it cannot be obtained without considerable expense. They seem to say in the same breath that it is the vilest and that it is the most precious of all substances. One man affirms that it is so costly that much gold will not buy it; and, on the other hand, Daucus tells us that we are to beware foolishly spending gold in the pursuit of this Magistery.

    Moreover, from what has been said, we can see that all the names of this Stone are fictitious and misleading. This indeed is the constant practice of the Sages, as Rosinus adds, though he makes an exception of Hermes, who says: Know that no true Tincture is obtained except from the Red Stone. But most of the directions which we find in the books of the Sages cause us to mix the true substance with many foreign ingredients, and thus to mar our work. How, then, shall we, by considering their works only superficially, and according to their literal interpretation, fathom the profound knowledge required for the practical operations of this Magistery? If the base metals are to attain the fixed nature of gold, says Rhasis, we shall need much labour, much meditation, much patient study, and constant reference to the works of the Sages to the facts of Nature, which alone can explain them.

Sixth Cause of Difficulty

    The tropical expressions and equivocations, the allegories, and metaphors, employed by the Sages, also create a most serious obstacle in the path of the student. Hence investigation, and the practical operations which should be based upon it, are embarrassed at every step with doubt and perplexity of the most tantalizing kind. We must not wonder, therefore, that the students and professors of Alchemy are peculiarly liable to error, since it is often all but impossible to do more than guess at the meaning of the Sages. At times it would almost look as if this Art could be acquired only by the living voice of the Master, or by direct Divine inspiration.

Seventh Cause of Difficulty

    Every other science and art is closely reasoned; the different propositions follow each other in their logical order; and each assertion is explained and demonstrated by what has gone before. But in the books of our Sages the only method which prevails is that of chaos; there is everywhere studied obscurity of expression; and all the writers seem to begin, not with first principles, but with that which is quite strange and unknown to the student. The consequence is that one seems to flounder along through these works, with only here and there a glimmering of light, which vanishes as soon as one approaches it more closely. Such is the opinion of Rosinus, Anaxagoras, and other Sages.

Eighth Cause of Difficulty

    The way in which the Sages speak of the vessel in which the decoction is to take place, is very perplexing. They give directions for preparing and using many different kinds of vessels, and yet in the same breath they tell us, after the manner of Lilium, that only one vessel is needed for the entire process of decoction! It is true that the words of the Sages about the one invariable vessel become plain as soon as we understand the Art, but to the beginner they must appear very perplexing.

Ninth Cause of Difficulty

    The proper duration of our Magistery, and the day and hour of is nativity and generation, are also shrouded in obscurity. Its conception, indeed, takes place in a single moment; here we are to notice the conjunction of the purified elements and the germ of the whole matter; but if we do not know this, we know nothing of the entire Magistery. There are certain signs which occur with great regularity, at their own proper times and seasons, in the development of this Stone; but if we do not understand what they are, we are as hopelessly in the dark as before. The same remark applies to the exact proportions in which the different elements enter into its composition. The time required for the whole operation is stated by Rhasis to be one year; Rosinus fixes it at nine month; others at seven; others at forty, and yet others at eighty, days. Still we know that as the hatching of a chicken is always accomplished in the same period, so a certain number of days or months, and no more, must be required for this work. The difficulty connected with the time also involves the secret of the fire, which is the greatest mystery of the Art. The day when the Stone will be finished may be predicted from certain signs, if they are only known to us, just as the day when an infant will be born may be predicted from the time when it first begins to move in its mother’s womb. These critical periods, however, are nowhere clearly and straightforwardly declared to us; and there is all the more need of care, vigilance, and attention on our part.

Tenth Cause of Difficulty

    The Sages appear to vary quite as much in their descriptions of the substance from which this Stone is elaborated. In order to mislead the ignorant and the foolish, some name arsenic, some sulphur, some quicksilver, some blood, some eggs, some hair, some dung, etc., etc. In reality, there is only one substance of our Stone; nothing else upon earth contains it; it is that which is most like gold, and from which gold itself is generated, viz., pure quicksilver, that is, not mixed with anything else, as we shall shew further on. The substance of Alchemy --- though called by a perplexing variety of names --- is the substance of Nature, and the first substance of metals, from which Nature herself evolves them. Were it otherwise, it would be impossible for Art to imitate Nature.

    Aristotle says that the more unity and simplicity of subject-matter and method there are in an art, the more easily it is known; and when we once possess the necessary preliminary knowledge, his words apply with remarkable force to our Art. That Art would be mere child’s play, if the Sages had expounded it as simply and plainly as they might have done. But let us tell ignorant professors of Alchemy that the more complicated and sophisticated their methods, the more hopelessly at variance with the simple and all-prevailing truth of Nature.

Our Art Is Shewn To Be One, Not Only In Its Substance, But In All Other Aspects. The Unity Of The Philosopher’s Stone Is Maintained In Its Substance, And In Its Method of Operation, Which Admits of No Foreign Elements.

    The substance of our Art is one, and admits of no variation or substitute, and so also the mode of our Art is one. The unity of our Art is proved by the fact that, thought the Sages exhibit considerable diversity in their methods of expressing themselves, yet they all understand each other. The very fact that Greek understands Greek, and Latin Latin, and Arab Arab, proves the unity of each language; and it is the same with our Art. Amidst the greatest apparent diversity there is a wonderful substantial agreement in the works of the Sages; they differ in words, names, and metaphors, but they agree in reference to things. By one way, says Lilium, by one thing, by one disposition is our whole Magistery accomplished. So Alphidius tells us that we want only one thing, viz., water, etc. With these sayings agree the words of Mahometh, Morienus, Geber, Rhasis, Solomon, the son of David, Senior, and Mundus, in the Turba, who says: Nature delights in the same nature, kind in kind, kind overcomes kind, kind contains kind, and yet they are not different kinds, or several, but only one kind, having within itself those properties by which it excels all other things. So Haly remarks in his Mysteries: Know, brother, that our whole Magistery is one Stone, which is self-sufficient, is not mixed with anything else, proceeds from one root, becomes several things, and yet again is restored to its unity. This one thing is described by the Sages in many ways, and thus it has been supposed to be many things. But such mistaken impression are characteristic of those who profess our Art without really knowing anything about it.

Instances Against The Said Unity

    It appears indeed as if there were many roads to our Art, and not one only. Geber avers that there are many ways to produce one effect. The same opinion is expressed by Rhasis in his book on the Perfect Magistery, where he speaks of bodies and spirits, and their purification and divers and manifold composition. We answer, as before, that there is only one way and one substance, as shall be abundantly demonstrated hereafter. The words of Rhasis are indeed true, but in our substance body and spirits, and their purification and divers and manifold composition. We answer, as before, that there is only one way and one substance, as shall be abundantly demonstrated hereafter. The words of Rhasis are indeed true, but in our substance body and spirit are the same thing in different stages of development. And so, whether body or spirit, that which is perfectly prepared, the same is the pure and one Elixir. It is in like manner with regard to plurality of methods: food nourishes, but the stages by which this result is brought about are many, as every physiologist will tell you. If there seem to be many methods, they are all only aspects and subdivisions of our one method. The White Stone and the Red Stone, the medicine of the third order, as Geber tells us it should be called, are really the same thing; the White Stone is only less perfect than the Red. Nature, says Florus, is one, and if any man strays away from her guidance, he mars his labour. You do not require many things, but only one thing which has a father and mother, and its father and mother feed and nourish it, nor can it be distinguished in any way from its father and mother. From the one substance is evolved, first the White, and then the Red Tincture; there is one vessel one goal, and one method. It is true that in the books of the Sages the impression is conveyed as if there were many substances and many methods: but they only mean different aspects or stages of the same thing. Solution, Sublimation, Distillation, Coagulation, Calcination, etc., are misleading terms; the distinctions are logical, or verbal, rather than real. Pythagoras tells us that Coction, Calefaction, Dealbation, Attrition, Affusion, and Tinging are only different stages of the same operation in the fire. There are many names, but one regimen.

The First Distinction Sheweth That This Art Is Natural and Divine, And That By It The Ancient Sages Foretold The Future Miracles of God.

    Our Art is partly natural and partly supernatural, or Divine. In changing the base metals into gold and silver by the projection of the Stone, it follows (by an accelerated process) the method of nature, and therefore is natural. But if we consider the digestion and generation, the conception and origin, of the Stone, we have, in Sublimation, the creation of a soul through the mediation of the spirit, and rising heavenward with the spirit. At another stage we have the soul and spirit permanently fixed at the end of the Sublimation; and this happens through the addition of the Hidden Stone, which is not sensuously apprehended, but only known intellectually, by revelation or inspiration. Alexander says: There are two stages in this Art, that which you see with the eye, and that which you apprehend with the mind. The hidden Stone may be called the gift of God, and if it does not mingle with our Stone, the work of Alchemy is marred. Now, the same hidden Stone is the heart and tincture of gold sought by the Sages. In this way, Alchemy is supernatural and Divine, and in his Stone consists the whole difficulty of the Art. We have need of much faith in this matter, just as much as we have need of it in regard to God’s miraculous dealings in Scripture. It is God alone that perfects our Stone, and Nature has no hand in it. It is on account of this fact that the ancient Sages were able to prophecy: the influence of the supernatural Stine exalted them above the ordinary level of human nature. The prophecies which they uttered were frequently of a special; and most important character. Though heathens, they knew that there would come for this world a day of judgment and consummation; and of the resurrection of the dead, when every soul shall be reunited to its body, not to be severed from it thenceforward forever. Then they said that every glorified body would be incorruptible, and perfectly penetrated in all its parts by the spirit, because the nature of the body would then resemble that of the spirit. Bonellus, in the Turba says: All things live and die at the beck of God, and there is a nature which on becoming moist, and being mingled with moisture for some nights, resembles a dead thing; thereafter it needs fire, till the spirit of that body is extracted, and the body becomes dust. Then God restores to it its soul and spirit. Its weakness is removed, and it is raised incorruptible and glorious. Our substance conceives by itself, and is impregnated by itself and brings forth itself --- and this, the conception of a virgin, is possible only by Divine grace. Moreover, the birth leaves our substance still a virgin, which, again, is a miraculous event. Hence we cannot but call the conception, birth, and nutrition of our Stone supernatural and divine. Alphidius tells us that our Stone is cast out into the streets, raised aloft to the clouds, dwells in the air, is nourished in the river, sleeps upon the summits of mountains; its mother is a virgin, its father knows no woman. These ancient Sages also knew that God must become man, because on the last day of our Magistery that which generates, and that which is generated, become absolutely one; then the old man and the child, the father and the son, are indistinguishably united. Hence they concluded that the Creator must also become one with the creature; moreover, they knew that man was, alone of all created beings, made in the image of God. Plato wrote the Gospel, which many years later was rewritten and completed by St John, even as St Augustine recites in the seventh book (IX, 13) of his Confessions. Our Magistery, says Morienus, is the Mystery of Mysteries of the most High God, which He committed to His saints in Paradise.

    It is to be noted that natural operations which lie out of the course of ordinary natural development, have in them a Divine or supernatural element. And the power which is in Nature is also derived from God. Our Magistery depends quite as much on Divine influences as upon the operations of Nature, and the succour of the artist who assists Nature. The change is brought about by the power of God, which operates through the knowledge of the artist. How difficult, how mysterious, how wonderful, how arduous must it then be for the artist to attain to so lofty a summit of spiritual insight! We may well call this Magistery a divine and glorious mystery, which transcends not only Nature, but the godlike reason of man; for even man cannot apprehend the mystery, except by direct inspiration or circumstantial oral teaching, combined with minute ocular demonstration.

Here Follows The Second Distinction In Which Shall Be Shewn How This Art Was Invented; To Whom It Was Given, From Whom It Was Withheld, And Why The Sages Keep It Such A Close Secret.

    None of the ancients would have been able to bring to light the hidden mysteries of this Art, had not God Himself, the Bestower of all good and perfect gifts, first revealed is to His Saints that    feared His Holy Name. Rhasis, in his Book of Three Worlds, calls it the gift of God, Aristotle says that it was first known to Adam. Others affirm that it was revealed to Enoch in a vision; and these persons identify Enoch with Hermogenes, or Hermes Trismegistus. Aristotle, in his Epistle to Alexander, calls the origin of the Art one of the greatest and most sacred mysteries; and therefore he entreats that prince not to ask for more information than he gives him in the said treatise. Some persons indeed maintain that this treatise is a rank forgery, and that it was certainly not composed by Aristotle; and this opinion they base on internal evidence, more especially on the difference in style which may be observed in the book when compared with the other writings of the illustrious Stagirite. But the difference of style is sufficiently accounted for by the exceptional nature of the subject matter: and this epistle has always been attributed to Aristotle. Testimony is borne to the same fact also by John Mesne, and in Haly’s book on the Mystery of Mysteries. Now because this Art was revealed by God to His obedient servants, it is the duty of all Sages not to reveal it to any unworthy person. It is true that whoever understands a science, or art, knows how to teach it; nor would jealousy or envy become a wise man: but the Sages have expressed their knowledge in mysterious terms in order that it might be made known to no person except such as were chosen by God Himself. But though the phraseology of the Sages be obscure, it must not therefore be supposed that their books contain a single deliberate falsehood. There are many passages in the writings of Morienus, Geber, and others, where this charge is indignantly rebutted. Those for whom the knowledge of Alchemy is intended, will be able, in course of time and study, to understand even the most obscure of Alchemistic treatises: for they will be in a position to look at them from the right point of view. It is only the wise and God-fearing whom we invite to this banquet: let those who are not bidden refrain from attempting to cross our threshold. The books of the Sages are only for the Sons of Knowledge. The Sages, says Hermes, are not jealous of the obedient, gentle, and lowly student: it is the profane, the vicious, and the ignorant to whom they desire to give a wide berth. Therefore, I conjure you, my friends, not to make known this science to any foolish, ignorant, or unworthy person. God-fearing Sages, adds Alphidius, have never carried their jealousy so far as to refuse to unveil this mystery to men of their own way of thinking. But they have carefully concealed it from the multitude, lest there be an end of all sowing, planting, reaping, and of agriculture and work generally. These are very good and humane reasons, then, why this Art should not be revealed to everybody. Moreover, it is delivered to us in obscure terms, in order that the student may be compelled to work hard in its pursuit. We do not prize that which costs us nothing; it is our highest delight to reap some great benefit as the reward of our labour. Therefore, it would not be good for you if this knowledge were to come to you after reading one book, or after spending a few days in its investigation. But if you are worthy, if you possess energy and the spirit of perseverance, if you are ready to study diligently by day and by night, if you place yourself under the guidance of God, you will find the coveted knowledge in God’s own good time. Do not be satisfied with alteration of metals, like our modern sophists, but aim at transmutation; and do not suffer them to lead you aside with their sophistical jargon and their absurd and baseless pretensions. Knowledge is one, as truth is one; and let me add that our knowledge and our truth are both very simple and straightforward. If you once depart from the unity and truth of Nature, you are involved in the bewildering mazes of confusion and error.

Observe here The Operation And Experience Of Alchemy, How It Calls For Constant Manual Operations, And The Teaching Of Experience, For The Artist To Purify The Elements, And To Combine Them When Purified, Etc.

    In our glorious Art nothing is more necessary than constant reference to the facts of Nature, which can be ascertained only by actual experiment. The dross which is purged off by means of the natural operation must be removed by the artist, if his work is to prosper. The philosopher Socrates directs us to seek the cold of the Moon that we may find the heat of the Sun, and to exercise the hands so that the laborious nature of the work may be lightened. Hence it is all but impossible, as we may learn from Geber in his Sum of Perfection, for a blind man, or one whose sense of touch is defective, to be successful in or Magistery. The experience of sight is essential, more especially at the end of the decoction; when all superfluous matter has been removed, the artist will behold an awful and amazing splendour, the occultation of Sol in Luna, the marriage of East and West, the union of heaven and earth, and the conjunction, as the ancients tell us, of the spiritual with the corporeal. In that process of cooling, as we may learn from the Turba Philosophorum, Hermes, and Avicenna, the manifest is concealed, while that which was concealed is made manifest. The first operation, which is done by hand, is the first stage of the work, which consists in Sublimation and Purification. The second operation, in which the artist has nothing to do but look on, is the second stage of the work. Here the purified and sublimed substance is fixed and becomes solid. This operation should bring about the perfection of our substance. No one can exercise our Magistery in the absence of the practical teaching of experience, without which the most diligent poring over books would be useless. The words of the Sages may mean anything or nothing to one who is not acquainted with the facts which they describe. If the son of knowledge will persevere in the practical study of our Art, it will in due time burst upon his enchanted vision. The study of books cannot be dispensed with, but the study of books alone is not sufficient. There must be a profound natural faculty for interpreting the significance of those symbols and analogies of the philosophers, which in one place have one meaning and in another a different. For, as Morienus tells us, all books on Alchemy are figuratively written. By theory and practice working together, you will be led to the fruition of the most precious Arcanum, which is the greatest and most wonderful treasure of this world. If you think that you have understood the directions of the Sages, put your impression to a practical test; if you were mistaken, Nature will take good care to correct your error, and if you will follow her guidance and take her suggestions, she may, after several experiments, put you in the right path. Thus you must go on, letting theory suggest practice, until at length all difficulties are resolved, and your way lies plain before you. Meditation, says Rhasis, is of no value without experience, but it is possible for you to gain your object by experience without meditation. The practical method will a once enable you to detect any false or sophistical statement, and to avoid being infected with the folly of our modern Alchemists. You will never, for instance, fall into so gross a mistake as to suppose that our Art can change common flints into diamonds or other precious stones. Those who put forward such a statement do not seem to understand that there is here wanting that identity of first substance which undoubtedly exists in the case of base and precious metals. The products of such an art (falsely so called) are not diamonds or precious stones, but pieces of glass, the colouring matter of which is supplied from without, and not --- as it ought to be --- from within. Moreover, even if we really knew the precise nature of the first substance of precious stones, we could hardly produce them, because they are not fusible like metals. Against all such errors the practical Alchemist will be on his guard. It is impossible for us to imitate Nature in the production of substances of which we have only the proximate matte, and are in ignorance of the mode of their acting, as, for example, in marcasite, tutia, and antimony, of which the matter is quicksilver and sulphur; much less then can we imitate her in the manufacture of precious stones when we are ignorant in both points.

Third Distinction, Shewing That This Art Is More Certain Than Other Sciences, And That It Is Noble, Brief, And Very Easy.

    The remarkable agreement of all Sages demonstrated that this Art is more certain than any other. There is amongst them a wonderful speculative and practical harmony, and their contradictions are only verbal and superficial. The whole Magistery of our Art can be learned in a single hour of one who knows --- which is the case with no other science or art. Yet one who can perform the practical operations of Alchemy is not yet an Alchemists, just as not everyone who speaks grammatically is a grammarian. Such persons still lack that knowledge of the causes of things which exalts the mind of man, and raises it to God. Hermes, in the beginning of his Book of Mysteries, calls Alchemy a most true and certain Art, shewing that what is above is like that which is beneath, and that which is beneath is like that which is above, etc., etc. Again, our Art is more noble and precious than any other science, Art, or system, with the single exception of the glorious doctrine of Redemption through our Saviour Jesus Christ. It must be studied, like other Arts, for gain, but for its own sake; because itself has power to bestow gold and silver, and knowledge more precious than either gold or silver. It may also be called noble, because there is in it a Divine and supernatural element It is the key of all good things, the Art of Arts, the science of sciences. There are, according to Aristotle, four noble sciences: Astrology, Physics, Magic, and Alchemy --- but Alchemy bears the palm from them all. Moreover, it is a science which leads to still more glorious knowledge; nor can there be found a branch of human wisdom, either speculative or practical, to equal it. We naturally desire, says Aristotle (de Animal. X), to know a little of a noble and profound science, rather than to understand thoroughly some commonplace branch of knowledge. Our Art frees not only the body, but also the soul from the snares of servitude and bondage; it ennobles the rich, and comfort and relieves the poor. Indeed, it may be said to supply every human want, and to provide a remedy for every form of suffering.

    It has been set forth by the Sages in the most perplexing and misleading manner, in order to baffle foolish and idly curious persons, who look rather at the sound than at the meaning of what is said. Yet, in spite of foolish and ignorant people, the Art is one, and it is true. Were it stripped of all figures and parables, it would be possible to compress it into the space of eight or twelve lines.

    This Art is noble, brief, and easy. It requires one thing, which everybody knows. It is in many things, yet it is one thing. It is found everywhere, yet it is most precious. You must fix it and tame it in the fire; you must make it rise, and again descend. When conjunction has taken place, straightway it is fixed. Then it gives riches to the poor and rest to the weary. The operation is good, if it becomes first dry and then liquid, and what Rebis (Twothing) is, you will find in the practical part of this work.

Fourth Distinction, Shewing The Error Into Which Many Fall Towards The End Of The Work, Namely, In The Composition Of Elements; What Is The Beginning Of The Work And What Is Its End; And How This Art Is Not For All Wise People.

    It is difficult to know and investigate natural things, and their causes; but the knowledge of supernatural things is proportionately still more difficult. Hence we must no be surprised that the mysteries of our Art are discovered only by few enquirers. It is not good fortune, but only the grace of God, joined to reason, that will ensure success.

    Many students of our Art who have operated naturally only, have accomplished the first part of our Magistery; but as the second part contains a supernatural element, being ignorant and incredulous, they were not able to perform it, and thus that which they had already done was neither permanent nor valuable. For there can be no permanence in the first part unless it be joined to the second in the same hour, for the second is the key of the whole work. I knew a man says Gregory, who began the work in the right way, and achieved the White Tincture; but when there was some delay about the appearance of the Red Colour, he gave up in despair, etc. This man knew the simple elements of our Art, their purification, commixtion, and the different signs which were to appear; he was ignorant only of the day and hour in which the conjunction of the simple elements and the completion of the work might be expected; and because he did not know what to do at the right time, the whole Magistery vanished from his sight. For the White Stone was net yet fixed, and, being exposed to too much heat, it evaporated. The permanent fixation of the Stone is the Divine, or supernatural department in our Art, which is performed by the by the composition of these simple elements together, when the fixed Stone retains the volatile, and they remain together eternally, wherein is the whole power of Alchemy, which is neither accomplished by Art or Nature only, but by God, the glorious. I do you to wit, says Lucas in The Crowd, that all things created are composed of four elements, and return into them; in these they are generated and corrupted, according to the will of God. It is through he shortcomings of their creation, as Alphidius testifies, that all things are subject to decay. Our Stone must have he elements so cunningly united in its composition that they can never thenceforth be separated. You need special pains towards the end of our Magistery. The foetus grows without any care, day by day and hour by hour, for nine months in the mother’s womb; but when its growth is completed, it needs an expulsive effort of the uterus, or else it must die; and something of the same kind happens with regard to our Stone, which, happens, though it is produced perfect in itself, is yet wanting in tincture fixity, and marital conjunction. When the hatching of chickens is accomplished, the little creatures often want some aid to assist them in getting out of the egg, and if they cannot obtain that aid they are choked and die. We must knows, says Rhasis, the hidden nature of the Stone and of its dissolution; for if you have not an accurate knowledge of these particulars you had better stay your hand at once. Let us not for a moment suppose that it will be profitable for us to set about this Magistery if we do not understand the composition of the elements. This is the part of our work which is supernatural, since it unites earthly to heavenly things, and therefore it is called Divine, celestial, glorious, wonderful, most beautiful, most difficult. It is an Art which we can know by Divine inspiration. The ancient Sages described the entire first part of the work as the beginning of the work, and the beginning of the work was with them the nativity and germination of the Stone, which takes place on the day when the coction and digestion of the substance is complete, and is sublimation perfect. In other words, to them the beginning of the work was the completion of the digestive process, and the digested and perfected substance itself. The end and complement of the work is the retaining of the Stone after its digestion, Now, Aristotle tells us that a slight error in the beginning may be a great one in the end; one mistake breeds a whole swarm of disastrous consequences. Hence we must be very careful about the first steps we take in the development of our substance, or we may irreparably mar our work at the very outset, the error becoming more and more apparent as the operation proceeds. The perfection of the end must be already germinally contained in the beginning. Whiteness is the beginning of our Magistery, its perfection and end is Redness; and the Red Tincture is germinally contained in the white. The spirit cannot enter the body until it is purified; but when purification has taken place, we may expect the permanent conjunction of the corporeal and the spiritual principles. So should the state of whiteness be anxiously looked for, because it is the beginning and foundation of this work.

Here Follows The Fifth Distinction, Shewing That This Stone Is Like All things In The World, And That It Goes By Different Names. How Far Alchemy Has Anything In Common With Other Sciences.

    Our Stone, from its all-comprehensive nature, may be compared to all things in the world. In its origin and sublimation, and in the conjunction of its elements, there are analogies to things heavenly, earthly, and infernal, to the corporeal and the incorporeal, to things corruptible and incorruptible, visible and invisible, to spirit, soul and body, and their union and separation, to the creation of the world, its elements, and their qualities, to all animals, vegetables, and minerals, to generation and corruption, to life and death, to virtues and vices, to unity and multitude, to actuality and potentiality, to conception and birth, to male and female, to boy and old man, to the vigorous and the weak, to the victor and the vanquished, to peace and war, to white and red, and all colours, to the beauty of Paradise, to the terrors of the infernal abyss.

    To the initiated it is clear that Moses, Daniel, Solomon, several of the prophets, and the evangelist St John, possessed the knowledge of this Art, it having been revealed to them by God Himself. These holy men did no affect the Art for the sake of the acquisition of gold and silver, but on account of its beauty and the insight which it affords into the things of the spiritual world.  As our Art is touched upon in all other sciences, so the prophets referred to it for the purpose of illustrating Divine truth.  Nor is this wonderful, seeing that our Art speaks of all things, both visible and invisible, by analogy. This remark refers not only to philosophy, physics, medicine, astrology, geomancy, etc., but is of universal application.

    It may be asserted as a general truth that the verities and realities of things come first, while their similitudes and allegories are secondary and derivative. The ancient Sages, before Aristotle, was therefore greatly mistaken in supposing that any art or science could be taught or delivered to others by means of allegories and metaphorical analogies. Before an Art is known, it should be taught --- according to Aristotle, Averroes, and Avicenna --- by a plain and straightforward method; when it is once known, the allegorical method may be employed with advantage.

    Owing to the custom of the Sages that, namely, of giving an allegorical expression to their meaning, and carefully eschewing the plain scientific method, we have an infinite variety of names used to describe our precious Stone, every one of which may be said, in a tropical manner, to represent a certain aspect of the truth of our Art. So Rhasis in the Light of Lights warns us that his sayings are to be typically understood. The same principle may open up to us an understanding of the paradoxical assertion of Pythagoras --- in The Crowd --- that our Stone is found everywhere and yet not found; it is a stone and not a stone, worthless and precious, carefully hidden and yet familiarly known to all, with one name and yet many names. The great variety of its names is referred by Alphidius to the fact that in it there are analogies to all kinds of animals and stones, to all colours and odours, and all the works of men, either manual or mental. Melvescindus adds, that if we call it spiritual we are right; if we describe it as corporal, we are not mistaken; if we style it heavenly, we do not lie; if we call it earthly we say the truth. Lilium avers that our Stone has as many names as there are things, or names of things. Alphidius says: In our Magistery there is a great abundance of parables, names, and similitudes for the purpose of hiding the truth form the ignorant and revealing it to the wise. Morienus delivers himself to the same effect.

    The consequence of this great multiplicity of names is that our Stone has really no proper name of its own, by which it is generally known, except this one sufficiently vague and indefinite name of Philosopher’s Stone. This appellation being hardly sufficiently representative of the qualities of our Stone, each individual Sage has invented one or more names of his own, of which the appropriateness is patent only to those who are acquainted with the facts to which they refer. They are generally derived from some process or change of colour which our substance undergoes in the course of our Magistery. The substance indeed is one, but just as gold being worked up into different shapes is called by different names, such as ring, bracelet, crown, etc., though in substance all these are nothing but gold; so our one substance comes to bear different names derived from the changes to which it is subjected. In the same way as ordinary men in common parlance express their meaning proverbially and metaphorically, clothing a plain thought in figurative language, so our Sages find it necessary to describe this secret of secrets, and mystery of mysteries, in figurative terms, so that it may remain a profound Arcanum to the wicked, the arrogant, the profane, and all to whom God Himself will not permit it to be revealed.

Refutations Of The Objections To Alchemy

The Foregoing Distinctions And Declarations Having Been Set Forth, To The Great Elucidation Of The Whole Subject, We Will Now Proceed to Refute the Arguments Alleged Against The Truth Of Our Art, At The Same Time Giving Such Illustrations And Explanations As May Suggest Themselves.

    It is hoped that what has been said has supplied to the reader with all desirable information with regard to the scope and bearing of our Art. We now propose to say something in refutation of the arguments intended to discredit Alchemy in the eyes of those who suppose themselves to be learned.

Refutation of the First Five Objections

    The fact is that, in producing gold, the Art of Alchemy does not pretend to imitate in the whole work of Nature. It does not create metals, or even develop them out of the metallic first substance; it only takes up the unfinished handiwork of Nature (i.e., the imperfect metals), and completes it (transmutes metals into gold). It is not then necessary that Nature’s mode of operation, or the proportion of elements, or their mixture, or the proper time and place, should be so very accurately known to the Artist. For Nature has only left a comparatively small thing for him to do --- the completion of that which she has already begun. Moreover, our Artists do not, as a matter of fact, set to work without having first investigated Nature’s method of procedure. Nature herself is set upon changing these metals into gold; the Artist has only to remove the cause which hinders this change (i.e., the corrupting sulphur), and then he can depend upon Nature for the rest. This matter will, however, be more clearly explained below in our chapters on the generation of metals. As to the brief space of time required for the conversion in our Art, it must not be thought that we bring this about by exposing metals in the furnace to the sudden operation of fierce heat. If we did so, their metallic moisture would, of course, be destroyed and dried up. But we only just melt the imperfect metals over the fire, and then add to them the Philosopher’s Stone, which, in a moment of time, imparts to them the form of gold, thus changing and ennobling their nature, conserving their own proper metallic humour. It would not be possible for us to evolve gold and silver out of the metallic firs substance; but with the help of our Stone, in a fire sufficient for liquefaction, preserving the moisture and removing the superfluity, do we generate that volatile Stone which we seek, to which we unite our fixed Red Stone, and the we can very easily hasten and facilitate an inward action which Nature has already set going, which alone has been brought to a standstill by the presence of impure sulphur.

    It is a frequent cause of terror to reason about some particular fact or facts in vague and general terms. Where particulars are concerned, you ought to confine your syllogism to the same category, or we may be logically compelled to admit what we know to be nonsense. Now, if you look at the first five arguments directed against our Art, you will find that they are all couched in the most indefinite language; and, therefore, until our opponents discerned to matter-of-fact particulars, we cannot consent to regard their arguments as deserving of a refutation.

Refutation of the Sixth Objection

    In our Magistery there are two things to be taken into account --- the action of Nature, and the ministration of our Art. In respect of the first consideration --- the indwelling natural agent --- the whole work from beginning to end is, of course, brought about by it, and by it alone: the digestion, conjunction, generation, and formation of our Blessed Stone are due to it. Nevertheless, there is another point of view, in which our Magistery may be termed an artificial process; without its aid the action of Nature could either not go on at all, or would not be accomplished with so great rapidity. Butte moving principle in our Art is undoubtedly natural, and the same must be true of its products. In a word, generation and combination are natural, but the ministration is the work of art, being in Alchemy even as in the cooking of food.

Refutation of the Seventh Objection

    In this argument of our opponents the conclusion is invalid because the form, which is the perfection of a thing, is twofold, one in so far as it is mixed, and on in so far as it is mixed, and one in so far as it has the principle of life and development, or has such a principle introduced from without by means of the quintessence, or in some other way. In the case of animate objects, the nobler part of the composition is often this vital principle; with inanimate objects, indeed, the reverse is naturally the case. For this reason we cannot form a lion, a goat, or a man; for though we might know the exact composition of their bodies, yet it is impossible for us ever to understand the evolution of the soul. In like manner, though we are familiar with the generation of some minerals, vegetables, and animals, yet we are ignorant of their specific forms. But in the generation of gold, we know the specific form or composition, separated from the perfectible matter, and the methods of perfection and conjunction, according to nature. The specific form of the common metals is, as a matter of fact, the same as that of gold and silver. There is no need for us to create metals; we only remove certain impurities which stand in the way of their development, and they then become commuted into gold and silver of their own accord.

Refutation of the Eighth Objection

    This objection is not conclusive because the metals, as has been said, differ not specifically, but only accidentally. But this objection will be more irrefragably refuted below, when we deal at some length with the argument advanced by Aristotle.

Refutation of the Ninth Objection

    It is true that the generation of some earthly things is dependent on the influences and movements of heavenly bodies, for the introduction of their form, but it is not needful for us to know of them, nor indeed is it possible, except in a confused way, as, for example, in the seasons of the year which are caused by the movements of the sun, and determine the sowing and the growth of plants, with the sexual commerce of horses, asses, hawks, falcons, etc., which are capable of producing offspring only at certain periods of the solar year. But the rule does not apply to men, pigeons, and fowls. If we wish to generate worms in a putrefying body, we need not attend to the season of the year, but only to certain conditions of warmth, etc., which it is easy for us to bring about by artificial means. In the same way, a certain degree of equable warmth will always hatch the eggs of the domestic hen. The same principle may be observed in the generation of lime, vitriol, salt, and soon. To operations of this kind the heavenly influences appear to be always favourable; and all Sages are unanimous in saying that our Magistery belongs to this class, because it may be performed at any time or period of the year. It is only indispensable, says Rhasis, that all other necessary conditions should be properly necessary conditions should be properly fulfilled, and then the stellar influences will not be wanting. And this dictum is substantially confirmed by Lilium and others. So also Plato states that the celestial influences are poured down according t the value of the matter. Wherever, indeed, it is necessary to infuse a new accidental form, the sites, aspects, and conjunctions of the heavenly bodies must be carefully observed. But as the Art of Alchemy makes no demand of this kind, the knowledge required for such an operation is not needed.

Refutation of the Tenth Objection

    Forms are either natural or artificial; and natural forms are either substantial or accidental. The substantial form is that which makes a thing what it is, and differentiates it from all other objects of the same genus. The accidental form embraces all the proper manifestation of the substantial or specific form, such as the active and passive qualities of any given object, and its colour, smell, taste, and shape. Artificial forms are entirely accidental, and are noting but the shapes and qualities imparted to anything by art through the will of the artist, such as the shape of a house, or ship, or coin. Some of these artificial accidents are permanent, as, for instance, a house or a ship; some pass away with the act in which they consist, as, for instance, dancing and singing, and all successive actions. The generation of the Philosopher’s Stone is brought about through the mediation or agency of Nature, using the natural instrument of fire, with the natural colour, smell, and shape thereof, which are its accidental forms, following its determined substantial form, but at the same time by means of the artist’s aiding hand. Its form is necessarily natural and substantial, and is known by its natural accidental qualities, like everything else in the world. Some assistance is indeed given to the development of the inherent principle; but the inward agent is natural, and the form which is brought into existence by it is also natural, and not artificial, as is falsely asserted by our opponents, Hence the gold which is obtained by means of our Stone, differs in no respect from natural gold, because its form is natural and not artificial.

    In order fully to understand the refutation of this tenth objection, we should further consider that natural forms are evolved in two ways. Either Nature supplies the substance and works it up into a given specific form in the absence of any aid from without, or natural substances are combined and prepared in a certain way by art, and then attain to perfection by means of a natural operation. To this latter class belong most chemical compounds. Though here Nature cannot herself prepare and combine the requisite ingredients, yet the result could never be brought about by a merely artificial operation, and is due to Nature alone. Health is restored to the body by Art, but the real agent is Nature, Art only supplying the necessary conditions under which Nature is to work. There is all the difference in the world between an artificial product of this kind and a real artificial product, such as a house, a ship, and the like. Natural products admit of but little variety, and the gold which is produced by Nature, either in the one or the other of the ways indicated above, will always be the same gold. Hence the gold of Alchemy, which is due to a natural process, rendered possible and assisted by art, is evidently not wanting either in the specific form or the accidental properties of gold found in mines. The principle of art is Nature, and, after all, the works of Nature are the operations of Supreme Intelligence, and natural conditions may be established by the intelligent mind of the artist.

Refutation of the Eleventh Objection

    Our assailants say that it is easier to destroy than to construct. But Geber tells us that what is difficult to construct is also difficult to disintegrate; the stronger the composition of anything, the more difficult is also its decomposition. The making or construction of a thing may be considered in a twofold aspect. There is the initial development of a thing out of its first principles, as, for instance, the blood in the uterine veins of the hen, out of which the egg is formed; then the development of the chicken out of the egg by subjecting it to the warmth of the hen for a certain period, when all necessary conditions of this development already pre-exist in the egg. We may also distinguish a third operation, viz., the laying of the egg by the hen. The change brought about by Alchemy is of the second description. For in the common metals all the necessary conditions of gold are already found, just as the chicken is already contained in the egg. It is not the business of the Alchemist either to know or to put together the component elements of gold. Rather, we may say that he has them in an unfinished state, and commutes them into gold by a process similar to that which changes an egg into a chicken. The twelfth and thirteenth objections are already met by what has been advanced in our previous arguments.

Refutation of the Fourteenth Objection

    To the fourteenth objection, which asserts that it is impossible that the same thing should operate in two contrary ways, we answer that this is true of the same thing, but not true of different things; and this diversity depends on the thing receiving rather than on the thing received. In the human body, for instance, the same agent changes very different foods into the chyme and blood of exactly the same composition hard food being softened and soft food hardened. Galen tells us that both cold and warm foods ultimately produce animal heat in the body. Considered as foods, all these substances are different, yet they are all turned to the same use by the one agent which we call the vital power. In the same way, the common metals, which are dug out of mines, differ from each other as to the hardness or softness of their composition, and the degree of their purity, etc; yet they are all subject to the same natural digestion and the inherent action of the same specific form is developing them all in the same direction. In this case, too, through the operation of one and the same force, the hard substance are softened and the soft substances rendered hard, so that both are reduced to one intermediate degree of consistency. Would it not be absurd to say, as is nevertheless asserted by some who are wise in their own conceits, that it is impossible for our Stone to change both copper or lead and iron into gold, because the one is hard and the other soft. It is the digestive power of metals, and it deals with them as the digestive power of the human stomach is able to deal with food. There is, then, as Geber says, in our Magistery only one thing which changes all metals into the same precious substance, viz., the Red Tincture, and this assertion involves no contradiction in terms, as has been supposed on account of the diversity of the common metals. This one medicine hardens that which is soft, and softens that which is hard, fixes that which is fugitive (or volatile), and glorifies them all with its own magnificent brilliancy and splendour. The true artist knows the causes of the hardness of metals, as well as of their softness, the causes of their fusibility, whether that process be quickly or slowly accomplished, and the causes of their fixation and volatility; he is acquainted also with the causes of the perfection of metals, and of their corruption, of all their defects and superfluities; and therefore, has all the knowledge which our Magistery requires and presupposes.

Refutation of the Fifteenth Objection

    The refutation of this argument is sufficiently patent from what has already been said.

Refutation of the Sixteenth Objection

    It is advanced that common metals are perfect in their own species, and that it is, therefore, impossible to bring them to any higher degree of perfection, just as a horse can never be perfected into a man. But there is such a thing as specific completeness which, nevertheless, admits of a higher development. An egg, for instance, as far as it goes, is specifically complete in itself; and yet it is not perfect as regards the intention of Nature, until it has been digested by means of natural heat into a bird. It would be absurd to say that an egg must always remain an egg, because as such it has certain well-defined properties and a substantial form of its own. The same holds good with regard to the seeds of plants, which are specifically complete as seeds, yet Nature nevertheless designs them to be perfected into living plants. In the same way, tin, lead, and iron, are perfect in their own species, yet in another sense are not perfect, are at once noble and ignoble, and still have not yet achieved the highest possibilities of their nature. The delay in their development is caused by Nature for the sake of man, because the common metals can be turned into uses for which gold and silver could not be employed.

Refutation of the Seventeenth Objection

    The solution of this difficulty is patent from that which has already been said.

Refutation of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Objections

    Here, too, we may partly refer the reader back to what has already been proved, and partly we must ask him to wait until we deal with the five arguments of Aristotle.

Refutation of the Twentieth Objection

    We are told that the subject matter of this Art must be contingent and dependent upon chance rather than upon the strict sequence of natural causes and effects, because the Sages themselves admit that it has never become known to any very considerable number oven of its most diligent students. Hence it is asserted that our Art cannot aspire to be a science, and can never, at the very best, be more than a system of haphazard guess work. But it is a mistake to suppose that that which happens only seldom, must therefore necessarily be subject to chance. If our objectors only knew our Art, they would readily admit that it is governed by as rigid a system of unchangeable laws as the most exact science in the world.

We Will Now Proceed to Answer the Five Arguments of Aristotle

    As to the first, it has already been met by our proof that the transmutation of metals in Alchemy is brought about by a natural process.

    The same remark holds good of the second objection. A solution of this third difficulty has also been given when we proved that is not necessary for the artist to be acquainted with the exact composition, or substantial and pre-existent form, either of the common metals or of gold and silver, since the necessary process of change is brought about, not by the artist but by the inward natural principle, which strives to fulfill the intention of Nature with regard to it. It is enough to be acquainted with their accidents, properties, and passions, which are the consequence of their form. When any transmuted metal is found to have the properties and passions of mineral gold, without super-abundance and without deficiency, we conclude of necessity that it has also the form of fold. It is, of course, impossible, and always will be impossible, for any one to know things by means of their forms, because they do not fall within the cognizance of our senses. That which does the work, and performs the functions, of an eye is an eye, but nothing else really deserves this name; hence a stone or a wax eye is not an eye, but only the similitude of an eye, because it does not perform the functions of an eye. I affirm, notwithstanding, that, among composite things, the form of gold and the Stone of the Philosophers alone can be properly known through the perfect knowledge or cognition of the immediate matter which underlies the visible accidents, which, if the same, so not subtend, then is the form unknown and inoperable, as in other composites. There is, however, no need for us to know the forms of common metals; for us it is sufficient to be aware that all metals are in course of development into gold, through the properties and accidents in the immediate first matter, and are capable of being endowed with the form of gold. Whosoever is ignorant of the form in a given matter is ignorant of the form in a given matter is ignorant of the possibility if its transmutation, and must judge by his knowledge of accidents and qualities; and, seeing that the gold of the mine and the gold produces by alchemy have precisely the same properties in appearance, and endure the same tests, we conclude that they are both real gold, and are impressed with the same form, and are impressed with the same form. The fourth objection of the philosopher has already been met by what has been said above concerning the proportion in which the elements are mixed in any given thing.

We Will now Attempt to Answer the Fifth Objection of Aristotle

    Aristotle obliges us to confess that metals differ not only in their accidents, but specifically, and therefore his argument requires to be answered at some length. Now, there is this difference between potentiality and actuality, that the one is related to the other as non-existence to existence. The potential becomes the actual, the imperfect the perfect, and substance becomes form; but the process is never reversed. Seed is never potentially blood, nor blood potentially food, nor food potentially the four elements. Not everything that is changed into something else is called the substance of that other thing; a living body is not the substance of a corpse, nor wine of vinegar. In the generation of metals all common metals are potentially what gold is actually; they are imperfectly what gold is perfectly; they are substantially what gold is formally. This is evident from the fact --- which shall be proved later on --- that Nature changes all metals into gold, wile gold is never changed into any of the other metals. Hence, if our Art is to succeed it must follow the course of Nature, and do as it is taught by Nature.

    It must be further distinguished that in this connection potentiality is of two kinds: disposition towards the form and the faculty of receiving form. The first may be divided into approximate, remote, and remotest. The second is also duplex. Now, complete goodness or perfection is one, and amongst the metals there is only one which is good and perfect, namely gold, and gold does not need to go through any change to make it good and perfect. To be perfect is for anything to have realized the ultimate intention of Nature concerning it; the common metals have not yet realized this ideal; hence it still remains for them to be changed into gold. And, as that which is nearest to perfection is the best among imperfect things, silver comes next after gold, then bronze, then tin, then copper, then lead, then iron --- as appears from what has been said above.

    Gold alone among the metals has, therefore, reached the highest stage of actual perfection. All other metals are only potentially perfect. Some of them, however, have left behind the more remote grades of potentiality, and the change they require to undergo is inconsiderable, because their distance from the highest stage of metallic actuality is not very great. We do not affirm, with other writers, that the intention of Nature has been frustrated or arrested in the imperfect metals. We affirm that they are produced in accordance with her intention, and that they are in courts of development into gold. This operation is performed either by Nature in the bowels of the earth, or, in an infinitely shorter space of time, by our most glorious Magistery.

    There are also three kinds of perfection and imperfection: --- (1) Among things which have the same substantial form; (2) among things which have different substantial forms; (3) among things which are in course of development into the same form. The first kind of perfection belongs to a man who has the complete use of all his organs, senses, and faculties; a man who suffers from any defect in these particulars is not so perfect a specimen of humanity. The second kind of perfection is comparative, when we place two things, which are complete in their own species, side by side. So, for instance, a man is a more perfect creature than a horse, and a horse is more perfect (or noble) than an ass. The third kind of perfection we find only amongst those things of the same kind which are in different stages of development towards a highest point. This is the species of perfection we refer to when we speak of metals. Each metal differs from all the rest, and has a certain perfection and completeness of its own; but none, except gold, has reached that highest degree of perfection of which it is capable. For all common metals there is a transient and a perfect state of inward completeness, and this perfect state they attain either through the slow operation of Nature, or through the sudden transformatory power of our Stone. We must, however, add that the imperfect metals form part of the great plan and design of Nature, though they are in course of transformation into gold. For a large number of very useful and indispensable tools and utensils could not be provided at all if there were not copper, iron, tin, or lead, and if all metals were either silver or gold. For this beneficient reason Nature has furnished us with the metallic substance in all its different stages of development, from iron, or the lowest, to gold, or the highest state of metallic perfection. Nature is ever studying variety and, for that reason, instead of covering the whole face of the earth with water, has evolved out of that elementary substance a great diversity of forms, embracing the whole animal, vegetable, and mineral world. It is, in like manner, for the use of men that Nature has differentiated the metallic substance into a great variety of species and forms.

    Nevertheless, the great process of development into silver and gold is constantly going on. This appears from the fact that miners often find solid pieces of pure silver in tin and lead mines, and also from the experience of others who have met with pure gold in metallic veins of iron --- though this latter occurrence is more rarely observed, on account of the great impurity of iron. In some silver mines, again, quantities of solid gold have been discovered, as, for instance, in Serbia; at first, the whole appears to be silver, but in the refiner’s crucible the gold is subsequently separated from the less precious metal. Thus it is the teaching of experience that Nature is continually at work changing other metals into gold, because, though, in a certain sense, they are complete in themselves, they have not yet reached the highest perfection of which they are capable, and to which Nature has destined them --- just as the human embryo and the little children are complete and perfect as far as they go, but have not attained to their ultimate goal of manhood. Gold is found in different forms, either mixed with a coarse rocky substance, or in a solid condition, or amongst the sand in the beds of rivers, being washed out of the mines by water. Golden sand is also found in the deserts of India, where there are no rivers. Silver is never found mixed with the sand of rivers, but mostly in the shape of ore in mines, or like a vein running through a rock. Lead and tin occur mostly in the shape of ore, and sometimes they are mingled with earth. The same facts have become commonly observed with regard to iron and the other metals. When different metals are discovered in the same mine, the less pure of the two will generally have a tendency to ascend and leave what remains more force to develop in the right direction. The difference between metals, then, may be called specific; but it is not the same difference as that which exists between a horse and a man; it is rather a difference of development, or of the degree of digestion. The common metals have the same metallic form as gold; but the digestion of gold is complete, while that of the others is more or less imperfect. Thus, there is nothing left for us to do except to continue the digestive process until gold is reached, and so finish it: there is no need for us to reduce the common metals to their first substance, to revert them to the principle of digestion, or to accomplish any other difficult feat of that kind. If, indeed, a horse were to be changed into a man, it would be necessary, by corruption and disintegration, to convert the lower animal form into the first substance, and from this first substance to evolve human seed. Such an operation is, of course, impossible, and to attempt it would be to court failure. Art, therefore, follows Nature in that which it would accomplish after the manner of Nature, and it extols Nature wonderfully, not by violating Nature, but by governing her. But far different is the case of metals, which are all naturally in a state of transition and development into gold. In our Art the metals are not, indeed, changed back into their first substance; but by the juxtaposition and influence of the Blessed Stone, and its subtle mingling with all, even the smallest, parts of the base metal, the Stone, which is the substantial form of gold, impresses this form on every atom of the lead or copper, and thereby transmutes it into gold. This mingling cannot take place, however, without a preliminary melting or liquefaction, which renders the base metal accessible in all its parts to the subtle influence of the Stone, and to the transmuting power of the transmuting medicine. The form which is thus introduced is not accidental, but substantial; and therefore, the gold which results is not artificial, but natural and real.

    Even if it be true, as is generally assumed, that all things are evolved out of the four elements, this theory in no way conflicts with the claims of our Art. For this first substance is not available for any special purpose, unless it has first been changed into a suitable and specifically differentiated form. Thus it is impossible for us to generate a man out of the four elements: for this purpose we must have them in the more specific form of human seed. But where there is human seed, a man may be generated from it without first changing it back into the four elements; rather, the digestion of those four elements, which has already begun, must be continued until the substance assumes the human form. So we cannot produce metals out of the four elements; we must have a viscous, heavy, intermediate water mingled with subtle sulphureous earth, which is the special metallic first substance --- that is, quicksilver. This substance, then, through the agency of the sulphur, is developed into gold, or into some common metal, and then into gold. In order to effect this ultimate change, there is no need to reduce the common metals to their first matter, for they already contain that proximate first matter, which may, by comparison, be called the seed of gold, which also has in itself the principle of ultimate development into gold. In the working of Nature there is no regression; we cannot change the embryo back into the seed, nor the seed into the four elements. The common metals are a substance intermediate between gold and silver, on the one hand, and quicksilver and sulphur on the other. Seeing, then, that the middle must always be nearer to the end than is the beginning, therefore the imperfect metals are nearer to gold than is the first matter; and consequently, it must be easier to obtain gold from the common metals than from a more remote, or less developed substance, like quicksilver and sulphur.

    If we say that the common metals are an intermediate substance, and represent the different stages of transition from quicksilver to gold, this remark must be understood to apply to the natural aspects of the process. As far as our Art is concerned, there is a difference both in the arrangement and in the time. Our Stone perfects the quicksilver of the common metals by purifying and partly eliminating their sulphur; and this process of digestion, which make occupy ages in the bowels of the earth, is accomplished by our Stone in a moment of tie, on account of the high degree of digestion possessed by our Stone. This elaborate discussion of the arguments for and against our Art was composed by Master Peter Bonus, of Ferrara, in the year of our Lord 1338. The Master was at that time residing in Pola, a township of Istria.

Philosophy of Alchemy

    Now we have established the truth of this Art, we must see to which part of Philosophy it belongs, and how Art and Nature differ and agree.

    There are three parts of Philosophy: that which deals with matter in motion, or physics; that which is concerned with matter at rest, or mathematics; and that which abstracts from both matter and motion, or metaphysics. Alchemy belongs neither to the second nor to the third of these departments of science; consequently, it takes its place in the first department, or that of physical science, for it deals with real being joined to motion and matter, and not with metaphysics, which are divine, and have regard to real being separated from motion and matter. Each physical science deals with a certain division of matter, and so does our Magistery.

    Science is possible by means of the fact that the universe is the work of an Intelligence to which or reason corresponds. The Divine Intelligence has subjected all natural and supernatural phenomena to the rule of certain laws, which laws our reason was created capable of apprehending, and this state of things is the preliminary condition of all science whatsoever. Our reason is either practical or speculative, according to the class of mundane relations with which it deals; and thus we have speculative philosophy, or science, and practical philosophy, or art. Our Magistery is speculative in so far as it teaches us the nature and relations of metals; it is practical in so far as it teaches us how to utilize this knowledge for the production of the Philosopher’s Stone, and the transmutation of common metals into gold and silver.

    As a department of physical science, our Art must deal with a certain determinate division of matter; and if our gold is to be identical with that of Nature, it is clear that our Art must follow Nature in this respect, and that it must be concerned with the same matter which Nature employs in the production of gold and silver; otherwise our gold would be specifically, or even generically, different from that of Nature. Now, according to all natural philosophers and all alchemists, this matter is quicksilver; consequently, Alchemy must be concerned in the elaboration of the same material; and, as no matter forms of perfects itself, but is developed and moulded by its own proper agent, so this quicksilver is digested, developed, and moulded, in Nature as in Art, by an inherent agent of its own which we call sulphur, and by which the generation of metals and of gold is accomplished. This sulphur coagulates the said quicksilver and digests it, by its inherent virtue, and by means of its own natural mineral heat. This process of digestion produces a given metal as an intermediate result, but the ultimate aim of the digestive process is gold. In our Art we must have the same quicksilver and the same digestive sulphur as that which brings about the perfection of metals in Nature. But the mode of action, and digestion, and information is different in our Art from that employed by Nature; while, similarly, there is a difference in the local and temporal conditions, but the end is identical. Those, then, who are at work on minerals which are no metals, or on vegetable or animal substances, are spending their labour in vain; for none of these things possess that aptitude and predisposition to become gold which is inherent in all metallic substances.

    From all these consideration we see that our Art is in perfect concordance with Nature, and that in most of its conditions it imitates Nature. Hence our gold is fully identical in every essential respect with the gold of Nature, and abides all the tests to which it can possibly be subjected. It contains no impurity of any kind, but its perfect quality is made evident by the examination of fire, whence it follows that it its gold true and natural, form for form and quality for quality. As a fact, it is purer and more precious even than natural gold.

    We must now proceed to discuss the first principles of metals, both generally and with particular reference of our Art, and to the procreation and transmutation of metals. The student should remember that, while poring over the pages of Alchemistic books, he should not neglect the practical side of our Art, because it is practice which both explains the difficulties of speculative truth and corrects any speculative error that may happen to arise.

The Prime Principles of Metals

Namely, of the first substances of metals in general, and of their generation and mutual transmutation according to Nature; and how and by what methods Art can follow Nature.

    All metals are proved to belong to the same species by their coagulation, by their one mode of commixtion, and by their capacity of retaining their specific properties both when they are melted and when they are coagulated. Hence their matter is one, viz., a humid and watery matter, and it is natural for such a substance to go on in its development till it is completely fixed. As water quickly evaporates over the fire, while the humidity of metals is capable of enduring great heat without evaporation, this humidity cannot be water only, but is water mixed with, and modified by, other elements. Moreover, there must be something which gives this viscous and unctuous water that humidity and consistency which we observe in metals, viz., the modification introduced by their earthly ingredients.

    Thus, in the generation of metals, we distinguish two kinds of moisture, one of which is viscous and external, and not totally joined to the earthy parts of the substance; and the same is inflammable and sulphureous; while the other is a viscous internal humidity, and is identical in its composition with the earthy portions; it is neither combustible nor inflammable, because all its smallest parts are so intimately joined together as to make up one inseparable quicksilver: the dry and the moist particles are too closely united to be severed by the heat of fire, and there is a perfect balance between them.

    The first matter of all metals, then, is humid, viscous, incombustible, subtle, incorporated, in the mineral caverns, with subtle earth. With which it is equally and indissolubly mixed in its smallest particles. The proximate matter of metals is quicksilver, generated  out of their indissoluble commixtion. To this Nature, in her wisdom, has joined a proper agent, viz., sulphur, which digests and moulds it into the metallic form. Sulphur is a certain earthy fatness, thickened and hardened by well-tempered decoction, and it is related to quicksilver as the male to the female, and as the proper agent to the proper matter. Some sulphur is fusible, and some is not, according as the metals to which it belongs are also fusible or not. Quicksilver is coagulated in the bowels of the earth by is own proper sulphur. Hence we ought to say that these two, quicksilver and sulphur, in their joint mutual operation, are the first principle of metals, The possibility of changing common metals into gold lies in the fact that in ordinary metals the sulphur has not yet fully done its work; for if they were perfect as they are, it would be necessary to change them back into the first metallic substance before transmuting them into gold; and this has been admitted to be impossible.

    Nature, then, has two ways of producing gold; either it changes the quicksilver at once into the precious metals, or it develops it first into iron, lead, copper, etc., and then into gold. Art follows Nature in adopting her second method; but as regards the first, it is impossible for our Art to imitate Nature. These two methods are the mediate and the immediate; but the mediate must come before the immediate before it is available for the purposes of our Art. Our Art thoroughly purges the common metals of all the impure and corrupt sulphur which they contain, so that the development of the quicksilver can go on unhindered. If any Artist has such cunning as to change back animal and vegetable substances into their first elements, it might be possible for him to evolve gold in this way: but this feat necessarily lies beyond the reach of human ingenuity, and, therefore, the Artist who is busied with animal and vegetable matter, is wasting both time, money, and trouble. Geber, towards the end of his chapter on medicines of the first order, tells us that all alterant medicines are derived either from quicksilver, sulphur, a mixture of the two, or of some things possessing their nature, and no change can be encompassed without their agency. For this reason we must depend on them, and on tem alone, for bringing about the conversion which we contemplate as desirable. The perfection of philosophical quicksilver is the purification of its agent (or sulphur) from all corrupting influences by means of our Art; and so the two together perform what each by itself was unable to accomplish --- because each was separated from the other, and hindered from doing it s work by certain deadly impurities. Art imitates the method of Nature in bringing about this purification, both in the generation of the Philosophical Stone and in the perfecting of metals. The exact way in which the purification is accomplished is different, especially because it is much shorter; but the principle is the same. If Nature did not change common metals into gold, all the efforts of the alchemist’s Art would be in vain.

Now we can give a Solution of the Difficulties Suggested in Objections Nos. 18 and 19.

    Nature cannot accomplish the work of our Art, i.e., the production of the Philosopher’s Stone. Art, on the other hand, cannot follow as closely as many have thought in the footsteps of Nature, though it accomplishes the same work of perfecting metals. But both Art and Nature are governed by an equally prevailing principle, and the results re the same in both cases, though there may be a difference in the intermediate stages of the two processes. This is our answer to the eighteenth objection. The answer to the nineteenth objection is equally obvious, because the generation of gold according to Nature and of this gold according to our Art is, in substance, one and the same process, consisting in the purification of the active sulphur. Though the processes preceding the ultimate change are different in our Art from those employed by Nature, the ultimate result itself is identical in both cases. Thus, even if the same change which is produced by our Stone could be produced by some other medicine, the result would sill be pure gold. Only this is impossible, for all Alchemy pleads aloud in favour of our Stone as the only possible Alterative Remedy in the mineral world. For there is no real connection between vegetable and animal sulphur, etc., and metallic or even mineral substances.

    It should be noted that the sulphur hidden in the quicksilver is that which imparts the form of the gold, by virtue of the heat of the mineral old, and the external sulphur; hence the gold color, which we observe in some other metals, does not justify us in calling them gold.

    There is, indeed, a kind of gold which has been made of silver, reduced to the density of gold, by some pretending to a knowledge of Alchemy, which also endures all the ordinary tests, except that it is not sufficiently soft to be malleable; that it is devoid of the true fusible quality; and that it does not absorb quicksilver with sufficient rapidity; moreover it is not possible to aureate metals therewith. But this observation shews that the ordinary tests of the assayer are delusive, and that there is such a thing as a substance which an assayer would pronounce to be gold, which yet is not real gold. This remark, however, does not apply to the gold of the alchemists, for it not only endures all the ordinary tests, but is like other gold in all respects whatsoever. The matter would wear a very different aspect if we attempted to prepare our Stone from some vegetable substance, because no vegetable substance could possible be the means of producing real gold.

The Generation of Metals

Of the First Principle of Metals in particular, and of their Generation according to the Intention of Nature, shewing how Art must follow nature in having similar outward Signs, and the same First Principles, in the Generation of the Philosopher’s Stone. Herein is contained the whole Secret of Nature.

    If two things generally belong together, and if one of them is sometimes found apart, the other will also be sometimes found apart. For instance, that which is moved and that which moves form a pair; if that which is moved occurs by itself, that which moves must also be found by itself. We have seen that quicksilver and sulphur are the firs principles of metals, and that the former is developed by the latter. When the sulphur has done its work for the quicksilver, it is separated from it, so that the quicksilver remains by itself. It follows that the sulphur must also be by itself. If, at the end of the digestive process, the sulphur remains mixed with the quicksilver, the result will be one of the base metals. Art, following in the footsteps of Nature, takes the same substance, and as Nature, at the end of her work, separates off the sulphur, and imparts to the quicksilver in an instant the form of gold, leaving the sulphur on one side, so Art must, in all essential points, follow the guidance of Nature. When the artist sees the quicksilver in a separate condition, he knows that the sulphur is also by itself. This separation must take place if the Philosopher’s Stone is to be evolved, and then the substance will receive its form at its own proper time, as assigned to it by Nature.

Note that we have here the whole Secret of Nature and the Art.

    Every solid substance, like wood, stone, etc., is bounded by its proper limits, because its solidity gives it power to retain its own shape. But water, oil, and all liquids are bounded by something else. So our metallic humour is at first bounded by something else; but when it becomes perfectly solid and fixed, it also is bounded by its own limits.

Note with regard to the Quicksilver, etc., etc.

    When quicksilver is first used in our Magistery, it is bounded by something else; but if we would retain it, we should take care to enclose it within its own limits, i.e., to coagulate it with its earthy parts, and not with foreign substances.

Note in regard to the Conversion of the Elements.

    Then the elements are changed one into another, water into earth, and air into fire. For its earthy parts are nothing but the hidden body of gold of the Sages, also called the Body, or Ferment, or Poison. Moreover, when digestion is complete, it is made evident by the separation of all superfluous and corrupting sulphur, at which point the operation should finish.

Note with regard to the superfluous Sulphur, etc.

    At the beginning of the process of digestion there were two kinds of superfluous sulphur, of which the first was subtle and combustible. By means of the evaporation in the sublimation this sulphur  is separated from the quicksilver. But there is another gross, earthy, and feculent sulphur, which sinks to the bottom of the vessel, over which is the pure, volatile substance. For as in the digestion of must and blood there is separated therefrom a subtle and a gross superfluous substance, and the pure liquid is between the two, so, in our work, there is a fiery and subtle, and a gross and earthy, sulphureous superfluity. This separation is brought about by digestion or coction, supervised by Art, which prevents the volatile elements from escaping. So long as the sulphur remains joined to the quicksilver the work is imperfect, just as metals are imperfect under the same conditions, that is, in comparison with gold. This substance is the quicksilver of the Sages, and it permits of being united with glass; in other words, with its body, ferment, poison, or salt. This is that which imbibes glass as a thirsty ma drinks old water; this is the medium of union between Sun and Moon; the same is the electrum of Nature. It is also the fugitive slave, and blessed is he who can overtake him, for his nature adapts itself to all things. This also is called Virgin’s milk. The same substance is meant by all these expressions. The colour which appears when the first coction is complete is whiteness; then we know that the quicksilver is fully separated from the sulphur; hence we observe at this sage the brilliant splendour of the quicksilver.

    It should, however, be noted that the white colour is easily affected by all other colours in turn, seeing that it readily receives their nature and composition. This susceptibility of the white colour to even a small portion of some other colour may be observed in the dyeing of wool and silk. For whiteness is the element and foundation of all other colours. White substances are equally open to modifications of taste and scent, as, for example, the facility with which the insipid flavour of water may be itself changed by the addition of some more savoury substance. The same rule holds good with the simple atmospheric air, which very easily becomes contaminated by odours. In the case of metals this rule does not obtain, for a small quantity of quicksilver whitens a large portion of gold or copper.

Note as Regards the Digestion of Quicksilver.

    When by means of our alchemical digestion we obtain quicksilver from the principles of the metals, then is manifested a full and homogeneous whiteness, but we must take care to remember that the orange colour of gold, and the final redness, are both hidden beneath this whiteness. The same will persist will persist till the quicksilver has been overcome, after which the orange and red will replace it. The quicksilver assimilates everything else to its own colour, so long as it is in a liquid state; but its colour is changed as soon as it is coagulated. It is coagulated by the perfecting agent within itself, i.e., that divine sulphur, which appears white so long as the quicksilver is liquid, but imparts to the quicksilver its own red colour as soon as it is coagulated. This divine sulphur is of the nature and form of the Sun (gold), while the quicksilver is of the nature of the Moon (silver). When these two waters are combined, coagulation takes place with a colour of the whiteness signifies the eternal peace and concord of the elements, and the accomplishment of the Great Work of Alchemy.

Two Secrets: Bow far also Art is more Sublime even than Nature.

    Hereby two secrets are revealed to us in our Art. The first is the mode of operation; the second is the material, which is so secret, that, though it be very clearly described, men cannot find it. In Nature there is only one coction; but as it is necessary to elicit from the white matter the red colour which lies hidden beneath, it is necessary also to have two magisteries, coctions, or digestive processes, in our Art. A mistake is often made in attempting to imitate too closely the exact methods of Nature, instead of following the great principles of Nature only. The form of gold must be imparted to common metals from within, by development, and not from without, by infusion. Those metals which have a larger admixture of sulphur, partake more of the nature of sulphur, while those which have a larger admixture of quicksilver, partake more of the nature of quicksilver. But as sulphur does not mingle with gold, the substance of gold must consist entirely of quicksilver; and since the Philosopher’s Stone is the form of gold, and is required to inform the other metals, it must be generated from quicksilver alone. The form of a thing is more noble than the thing itself, and our Stone is, for this reason, more precious than gold. For the form is that which makes a thing what it is.

Of the Form and Matter we obtain a Compound; this Matter is Quicksilver and the Common Metals, and the Compound is Gold.

    The result of our Magistery is the form of gold. This form by itself would be nothing, because it is unable to manifest its virtues and operations, unless it be combined with some matter, and form a compost therewith; but as it is the form of gold which makes gold what it is, so when our Stone impresses itself upon any common metal, it subtly pervades it with the said form of gold in every smallest part, or, in other words, turns it into gold. Here the substance is quicksilver and the common metals, the form is our Stone, and the resultant compound is gold.

    Thus there is only one Stone, both white and red, as all Alchemy testifies; for as the form of all individuals of the same species is one and the same, it follows that the form of gold is the same, and that there can be only one Stone, because Alchemy sets itself to turn all metals into gold. Notice also that in most metals you find neither quicksilver by itself, nor sulphur by itself, but a mixture of the two which has the power of development into gold. This is the metallic First Matter, and only an ignorant person will look for it in the vegetable or animal world.

Epilogue and Conclusion

Shewing why the Philosopher denied this Art, and how he subsequently admitted the Secret of Gold-making.

    In his fourth book of Meteorology, Aristotle explains why he apparently denied the truth of Alchemy. It was this form, he says, which induced the ancient Sages to speak of a form apart from its substance.

    He alludes to the Platonists and Pythagoreans, who spoke of forms or ideas as if they existed somewhere in the air, apart from their concrete manifestations, and were imparted from without to combinations of matter disposed in a certain suitable way. This view is opposed by Aristotle, though it seems that Plato spoke figuratively, and was thinking of the operation of our Stone. In the passage which we have quoted, Aristotle certainly appears to understand him in that sense. But in his Metaphysics, Aristotle was anxious to uphold his own view with regard to forms in general, and therefore he spoke as he did. He opposed Plato according to the literal sense of his words; but he never for a moment intended to assail their occult and mystical meaning. In his old age the secret became known to him, and therefore he recanted in his last work the opinion which he had apparently set forth in his earlier writings. When he wrote against our Art he was a young man, and was reasoning in a general way; but in his old age he gave the deliberate verdict of his experience, and spoke from particular knowledge. No one is really qualified to pass judgment upon any art or science who knows nothing about it, and is only reasoning from general or universal premises: for nothing is more deceptive than such reasoning, and there is no more frequent or fruitful source of error. Moreover, the opinion of an old man is infinitely more valuable than the haphazard talk of youth, since young men --- according to Aristotle himself --- are not wise, while wisdom is an attribute of old age. As an old man, Aristotle agreed with the ancient Sages, and was heartily willing to admit that this Art is true, and according to Nature, as he has set forth at length in his Epistle to King Alexander.

A Demonstration of Alchemy After Another Manner.

Here follow the reasons shewing, by a different method from that employed above, that the Art of Alchemy is true, and that the Gold of the Stone is purer and more perfect even than Natural Gold.

    The gold and silver produced by our Art are better and purer than those developed in the ordinary way, because alchemical gold is perfectly purged of all sulphureous dross, while natural gold is still blackened, corrupted, and rendered more perishable by the presence of a sulphureous remnant, for which reason also it is somewhat diminished in the fire. Natural gold is still capable of a higher degree of perfection, but out gold is the highest perfection of the metallic substance. Art might give to gold a more intense colouring than Nature, but refrains from going so, in order not to transcend the bounds of Nature. If the artist knows the two first substances employed by Nature, and Nature’s mode of operation, it will also be possible for him to elaborate real gold.

    Now we will mention the chief reason which prove that our gold is, to say the least, as good as the gold of Nature; these arguments will also establish the truth of Alchemy, and its claims.

    Every undigested thing capable of digestion, and every impure thing capable of purification, can be digested and expurgated. Now this is the case with iron, lead, copper, tin, etc.; consequently, they can be completely digested, and for any metal to be perfectly pure and digested is to be gold or silver; hence all metals can be changed into gold. As in every digestion there is some superfluity, it must be separated from the substance by means of digestion, because heat brings together things homogeneous and separates things heterogeneous. Outward heat aids the inward or natural digestive heat, and in this way the digestion is accelerated and perfected--- as food is better digested if the inward animal heat be aided by warm baths. In the case of fruits, we see that when there is a deficiency of outward heat, they are not properly ripened. This want of inward heat we meet with him in all metals except gold; and, in comparison with gold, this is true even of silver. Complete digestion is also called optesis or elixir, while its opposite is described by Aristotle as scatesis or assation. In the case of assation the inward heat is not so completely drawn out by means of moisture as in the case of those metals which are subject to optesis. By digestion, or optesis, as the philosopher informs us, a new metal is formed out of common metals, because the digestion of the substance is now complete. That which begins to generate by means of digestion, must also complete what it has undertaken by means of digestion, because it is the same agent which predisposes to a certain form and imparts the form itself, This agent is Nature, either by herself, or with the aid of Art. Do we not see lead, and gold, and all metals, generated by nature in mines out of their first principles, viz., quicksilver and sulphur? But this generation is not brought about without a transitional substance intermediate between the softness of quicksilver and the malleable hardness of the metals. This intermediate substance is coagulated, but not purified, and according to the different conditions of digestion, time, place, quality, etc., becomes either gold, or a common metal with a predisposition to be developed into gold. This intermediate matter is that on which our Art sets to work; and it strives to purify and digest it into the form of gold, which can change all other metals into that precious substance, Thus the digestion of our Art is different not in kind but in degree, place, and time, from that of Nature, being as much more perfect as the form of gold is more perfect than gold itself. But if our digestion, and our place, or artificial organ, are at least equal in power to those of Nature, it is clear that the Art of Alchemy is possible, as far as the conditions of place and digestion are concerned. Moreover, our Art must attain better results than Nature, because it can bring a well-regulated supply of outward heat to bear on the material, and this outward heat powerfully aids the inward action. But the very question whether our Art is able to change back gold into one of the common metals is absurd: certainly Nature never attempts anything of the kind. Nor does our Art endeavor to change one imperfect metal into another, since for such a course there is no precedent in Nature. We might indeed change each imperfect metal into the next higher, as Nature may be supposed to do, if we only knew the exact mixture of quicksilver and sulphur required for such a purpose; but as we do not, and shall never know, we can only change imperfect metals into gold, in which, as we are aware, there must be a total absence of impure sulphur. It is quite possible, however, as Geber says, that this change of one imperfect metal into the one next above it may sometimes take place accidentally, through the failure of an attempt to commute them into gold. Another difficulty is propounded by those who fully admit the possibility of imitating the digestive process by which Nature effects the transmutation of common into precious metals; but as Nature requires so many years for that purpose, they do not see how our elixir can bring about the change in a moment in time. We answer that the digestion of gold and of our elixir are alone complete; but whereas gold is a compound, and is only sufficiently digested for its own purposes, the elixir is the form of gold, and its digestion suffices not only for itself, but is so exuberant, and capable of such indefinite multiplication, as to make up in a brief space of time for what is wanting in the common metals. The digestion itself does not take place in a few moments, but has been brought about by the preparation of the Elixir in our Magistery, and is now simply transferred to the common metal in a few moments; moreover, we must not forget to reckon the amount of digestion which has already taken place in the common metal.

    And if it be further objected that quicksilver is not half digested like the other metals, but quite crude and undigested, we answer that all the perfection of metals consists in their quicksilver, and that when common metals are perfected, they are cleared of all corrupting sulphur, and only their quicksilver is perfected into gold; as soon as the quicksilver is thus purified, it is of the same nature with the elixir, and can receive some of its exuberant digestion. It is thus very well possible for our Art to imitate Nature in the generation of gold and silver. The whole process is admirably illustrated by Aristotle’s remarks in regard to atramenta, in the fourth chapter of his Meteorology, and we cannot do better than refer the learned reader to that passage. We are here at least convinced that there is no natural process which Art cannot imitate by simply following in the footsteps of Nature and assailing itself of every short cut which may be digested by the opportunity of the case. The chief reason why it is not so easy for Art to imitate Nature lies in the fact that it is difficult to find the first substance employed by Nature, as Aristotle says in this first book on Heaven and the World. The want of material is the chief cause in anything why something like it is not generated. Hence, if Art is to generate the same things as Nature, it must succeed in discovering the exact substance with which Nature works, and must then deal with it according to Nature’s methods. Since, then, our Art has found the substance of gold and silver, it is proved to be possible, as far as the substance is concerned. And as our Art possesses also the form of gold and silver, and the combination of the substance and form of anything will produce that thing, it is clear that the Art of Alchemy must possess the secret of producing silver and gold. Moreover, the substance of anything is never found by itself, but always in combination with its form. From this very fact it would follow that if alchemists are really in possession of the substance of our Stone, they must also be able to evolve its form. It is, then, the business of the alchemist to consider the form of metals, both perfect and imperfect, and the two are ultimately found to be both the form and the substance of gold. The proper method of procedure in the proper substance causes the generation of the form in that substance. The substance of common metals is the same as that of gold; if, then, the form of gold, or the elixir, be added to them, they must become gold. As the common metals become gold and silver by means of a natural process, it is quite possible that the same result should be brought about by means of the alchemist’s art.

Second Argument

    Whatever has the same causes as some other thing, has also the same accidents, or, in our case, the same composition. Now, the causes of all metals are the same, consequently they all have the same composition. For their matter, their form, and their ultimate destination are the same. They are all equally fusible and malleable, which is not the case with any other substances, and shews that they are all destined to the same ultimate form. There are some substances which resemble metals in all other respects, but are wanting in these two qualities.

Third Argument.

    Things which agree in matter are easily changed into each other; now metals answer to this condition, consequently they are mutually transmutable. The reason why they are easily changed into each other is that they are all not very remote from their common first matter, which admits of division into the four elements. Moreover, they all consist of the same matter, viz., quicksilver and sulphur, which again facilitates their mutual transmutation. Amongst metals there is only one that is quite perfect, and represents the highest stage of metallic completeness, namely, gold, and all the others have a predisposition to be changed into it. Hermes Trismegistus says that the inter-generation, transmutation, and conversion of the metals is like that of the elements. If, then, elements are changed into each other, though each is perfect in itself, how much more must this be the case with metals which are all, except gold, in a state of transition towards a more perfect state, especially as metals all have the same matter digested in the same way, which is by no means the case with the elements. Again, when two metals are mixed, the compound still retains all the metallic accidents and properties; but this remark does not hold good with regard to the elements; for their compounds differ very considerably from their simple essences; nor to they mix their simple essences; nor do they mix so easily as metals. Thus it is patent to everyone that the metals must all be classified together, for they only represent different stages of the same thing. The reason that Art imitates Nature is that Nature is governed by a Supreme Intelligence, which has its earthly counterpart in the human Reason, the presiding genius of our Art, as of all Arts. Art brings about new natural conditions, which are not found in Nature, and thus achieves wonders which Nature cannot, or, at any rate, does not, accomplish.

Fourth Argument

    Whatever is in an intermediate stage of development towards something may become that something if its development be not hindered, or if the hindrance be removed. But the imperfect metals are in this state, consequently, etc. An intermediate substance may much more easily attain to perfection than a first substance; for it is already nearer to the final stage of perfection. Aristotle says that there are two ways in which one thing may be developed out of something else; either that thing may be in an intermediate stage, and attain to perfection, e.g., a man may be developed out of a boy, or one extreme may pass into another extreme, e.g., water may become air. The former change is more naturally accomplished than the latter.

Fifth Argument.

    Fifthly and lastly, whatever is on the way towards a certain goal may naturally be made to attain that goal; this is the case as regards common metals in respect to gold; consequently, they may be developed into gold. His proposition is clearly established by the fact that all metals are potentially gold.

    These reasons, which prove the truth of Alchemy, may be deemed sufficient. As to the rest, it is far easier to forge arguments against anything than to prove the falsity of those arguments, especially in dealing with such a mysterious Art as that of Alchemy.

 

AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO THE ART OF ALCHEMY

Table of the Contents of the Following Chapters

Chapter I --- The Matter of the Philosopher’s Stone.

Chapter II --- Is Sulphur the Matter of the Stone?

Chapter III --- The Elements of the Stone and their Composition

Chapter IV --- The Ferment; Its Conditions, Properties, Conversions, etc.

Chapter V --- What is Theriac. And the Poison of the Stone

Chapter VI --- The Coagulum, the Milk, the Male and the Female of the Stone.

Chapter VII --- Analogy between the Generation of Gold, the Generation of Man, and the Germination of Grain.

Chapter VIII --- Solution of a Difficulty with Respect to Gold and Silver, which, it is said, cannot be elaborated from Iron and Bronze, by means of the Stone. Special attention should be paid to this solution, as it is of great importance.

    Those chapters, with the arguments previously determined, are faithfully and diligently compiles from the treatise of master Peter Bonus, of Ferrara, a concordance of all ancient and modern Sages, forming an excellent introduction to the Art of Alchemy, By him it is named the Precious New Pearl.

    Bonus tells us that as beginners we are apt to consider this an easy Art; but as we get to know more about it, we find that we were grievously mistaken in our first impression. On every side we are confronted with so many doubts, difficulties, and apparent contradictions, that we are apt to wonder, after a time, at the youthful rashness and foolhardiness with which we began the study. But in the following chapters we hope to set all difficulties at rest.

Chapter I.

The Matter of the Philosopher’s Stone. The Matter of the Metals, and its Causes, Properties, and Qualities.

    The great Geber tells us that metals are substantially composed of quicksilver and sulphur; though sulphur is their active principle rather than part of their substance. Their differences are generally traceable to a difference in the sulphur, which is found white, yellowish, red, saffron-coloured, green, and black, while the quicksilver, considered by itself, is always the same. Sometimes, indeed, the quicksilver has an earthy appearance, but this is owing to an admixture of lead, and can be remedied by a process of purification. Now, as sulphur, which is the proper coagulum of quicksilver, varies in its colour, while quicksilver is always white, it follows that the quicksilver receives its colour from the sulphur, and the sulphur causes the peculiar colour of the different metals. Everything else that is found in metals is more or less immature, and does not really belong to them. It should be noticed that, when metals are mixed, the quicksilver readily combines with quicksilver, because it is the same substance in all metals. But this cannot be said of the sulphur, because it is not the same in all metals.

Note.

    Hence, fixed sulphur retard the fusion and liquefaction in metals, and entirely prevents it where its quantity exceeds that of the quicksilver. The latter is the case in iron, and the said metal is, therefore, not fusible. This fact we are taught by experience, for when we desire to make fixed sulphur, we must calcine it, and that which is calcined is not susceptible of fusion. But sulphur which is not fixed accelerates fusion, as we see in the case of arsenic, which is of the nature of sulphur, and brings about the fusion of red-hot iron. That it is sulphur which prevents fusion, we see from the fact that when miners smelt ore, there ascends a sulphureous vapour before fusion takes place, and if we collect this substance in a vessel, it is found to resemble orpiment. But both its smell and its properties shew that it consists largely of sulphur. In the same way, fixed sulphur is said to be the cause of the hardness of metals, as we see in iron and brass. Therefore, also, sulphur, which is not fixed, on the other hand, is the cause of metallic softness, and of volatilization under the test of fire, as we see in lead and tin. But quicksilver, whether fixed or not, is the cause of metallic fusion. Whatever substances are fused with great difficulty are quickly coagulated (on account of the sulphur which they contain) and vice versa.

    Sulphur easily adheres to iron and brass, and readily mingles with silver, which has a proportion of combustible sulphur, and also with lead, the latter because lead contains may parts of sulphur which is not fixed. It does not mingle well with tin because of the large quantity of quicksilver which the latter contains. With gold it does not mix at all, because gold is purged of all its sulphur. Quicksilver, on the other hand, enters gold very readily, as it also does silver, and --- in a lesser degree --- tin and lead, because of the large quantity of undigested quicksilver contained in them.  Brass will receive it with difficulty, and iron not at all, except by an artifice. To tin it adheres on account of its undigested sate, and on account of its large quantity of quicksilver. To gold it adheres most easily of all, because gold abounds in quicksilver. The fixed fusible quicksilver, then, is the cause of perfection in metals, and the less fixed it is, the further it is from perfection. Sulphur, on the other hand, whether fixed or volatile, is the cause of corruption and imperfection, so long as it remains in metals. Hence, we conclude that our noble Stone consists of quicksilver exclusively without any trace of external sulphur. This we see from the fact that quicksilver takes to nothing in the whole world more kindly than to gold; nothing, on the other hand, is more unlike gold than sulphur. Whoever denies that quicksilver is the true substance of metals, is like one who says that snow is not white. And because the Stone must enter the metals in all their parts, it is clear that it must consist entirely of quicksilver. Our assertion is borne out by the authority of Rhasis, Alphidius, and Geber. Rhasis, in his Seventy Precepts, affirms that Mercury is the root of all things, it only should be prepared, and from it is derived a good tincture, and a strong and conquering impression. Alphidius declares, on the evidence of all the Sages, that the work of wisdom consists solely in quicksilver. So also Geber says, in his chapter on the procreation of iron: Let us raise the Blessed, Glorious, and most High God, Who created quicksilver, and gave it a substance, and imparted to is substance properties which no other substance on earth can possess. It is the perfection of our Art, it is our victory which overcomes fire, and is not overcome by it, but delights in its heat, and gently and amicably reposes in it, etc. Though in his book on The Coagulation of Mercury by Precipitation he says that this medicine is elicited from metallic bodies with their sulphur and arsenic, he really means the same thing, but he expresses himself somewhat obscurely. We do not, however, need the testimony of the ancients to convince us that quicksilver without external sulphur must be the substance of the Stone, which, as has been said, is the form of gold. The fact is brought home to us with sufficient force by the evidence of our eyes, if, indeed, we have ever observed the facility and amicable readiness with which quicksilver joins itself to gold.

Query: Is Sulphur a material part of Gold and of our Stone?

    But it may be objected that our argument proves too much, and that sulphur must actually form a material part of gold and of the Stone of the Philosophers. If quicksilver must be the matter of the Stone, because it readily unites with gold, we may say with quite as much justice that sulphur must form part of this matter, because it very easily mingles with quicksilver, and especially because sulphur is the proper coagulum of quicksilver. If any one, says the philosopher Aristotle, would coagulate quicksilver so as to change it into gold or the Stone, he must do so by means of sulphur, for whenever sulphur is withdrawn from the quicksilver it becomes liquid as before; unless, therefore, the sulphur remain permanently with the quicksilver, it cannot become gold of the Stone. Moreover, quicksilver is white, and the Stone is universally admitted to be red --- hence sulphur must form part of its substance. Yet we answer as before, that quicksilver alone is the whole material cause, and the whole substance of the Stone.

    You should, however, know that quicksilver in its first creation has many parts of an earthy, white, sulphureous matter mingled with it, which are most subtle and belong to its own material substance, and without which it would have no consistency. These particles cause first its white and then its red colour in the operation of the magistery. Thus Aristotle calls quicksilver a water mingled with a certain subtle sulphureous earth. A hint to the same effect is thrown out by Geber in his chapter on the nature of quicksilver. There is an inward sulphur as well as an outward, he tells us, and this internal sulphur forms part of the substance of the quicksilver, and is the true agent in coagulating it. At least, both are not fixed, and both are instrumental in coagulating the Mercury. But when the quicksilver with is own inward sulphur is mixed and coagulated, and has received from it either the white or red colour, then the external sulphur can no longer combine with it, because they have become dissimilar. Hence it may be urged that it cannot form part of the substance of our Stone.

    Here we come upon the great secret of our Art, that quicksilver is coagulated, not by mixture with anything else, but is both coagulated and coloured into perfection by its own internal sulphur, while it is coloured and coagulated to corruption by external sulphur. If the quicksilver could be coagulated by any other substance, whether mineral, vegetable, or animal, it would be a foreign coagulum, and the coagulation would not be that which we require. We see, then, that this external sulphur, though it be active in metallic generation, cannot itself form part of the substance of our Stone; and the task before us is to get the quicksilver by itself, and to coagulate it without the contaminating influence of the outward sulphur, since that which generates cannot be part of the substance generated.

Chapter II.

Explains the Dictum of the Ancient Sages that "Sulphur alone is the matter of the Stone and of Gold".

    Those who superficially skim the writings of the sages might arrive at the conclusion that sulphur alone is the substance of our Stone. So Rosinus says that incombustible sulphur, which has prevailed against fire, is that which the Sages are in search of, and, elsewhere, that no tincture can be obtained except through pure water of sulphur. Again, the precious colour of the philosophers is derived from sulphur. So, also, Solomon, the son of David, calls sulphur the Stone which God has placed above all other stones, which is prized by those who know it, and thought vile by the multitude. Bulus, in the Turba Philosophorum, asserts that the pure water is obtained from sulphur, yet not from one sulphur only, but from several things which make up one sulphur. And Anaxagoras exclaims: "Know that the perfection of this work is the water of sulphur".

    To this question we, nevertheless, answer, as above, that the perfection of our Magistery consists in quicksilver alone, which contains in its composition dry sulphureous particles, which tinge and colour it white in actuality, and red in potentiality, and are that which gives to it perfection and form. But, as this internal sulphur cannot be active without some outward impulse, Nature has added to it, in all metallic ore, a certain external sulphur which stirs it into action. Our Magistery, of course, imitates Nature in this respect. Because of this inward sulphur, which coagulates the quicksilver, and forms part of it, and is unknown to the multitude, the ancient Sages have spoken of quicksilver as sulphur, and this hidden sulphur is made manifest in the Magistery of our Art by a grand artifice. Our sulphur, say they, is not the sulphur of the multitude, because common sulphur burns with a black smoke and is consumed; but the sulphur of the Sages burns with a white smoke and is perfected thereby. It is this sulphur which whitens and imparts the red colour, and coagulates and perfects the quicksilver into the substance gold in nature, and of the Philosopher’s Stone in our Art.

    It should be observed that, as everything is composed of matter and form, and is what it is by virtue of its form, a thing has the more being to more it possesses of the form. Quantity does not enter into the definition of form, since quantity and passivity belong to matter. When the substance is small in proportion of the form, there is much activity, much virtue, with great intensity of being, because there is proportionately much form. Concentrated force is more powerful than that which is divided. If this be so, we may say that, as the red luminous sulphur hidden in the quicksilver is the form of gold, it is that which tinges and transforms every kind of metal into gold. For this reason, the tincture is said to be derived rather from the quality and form, or sulphur, than from the quantity, or quicksilver. The intense redness thereof approaches black, or the colour of liver and of aloes, as declared in the Book of Three Words. Since one part of it tinges and forms a thousand parts of any metal into gold, according to the concensus of the philosophers, it must have much strength, a concentrated entity, and much form, or, rather, itself is the pure form of gold. Hence, on account of its redness, its operation can be extended to a great quantity of any kind of metal, so as to tinge and perfect it into gold. When the Stone is brought into loving contact with common metals, it purges away the external corrupting sulphur; thus they become white, and of the nature of pure quicksilver, and the form of gold being added to its substance, of course they become gold. This tincture, by means of which the perfecting process is brought about, is the sulphur of the Sages, the divine sulphur, and the Stone of the Philosophers, the secret sulphur with which all things are aureated and beautified. It is the precious substance which the sages call by so many mysterious names; the Shadow of the Sun, the coagulum of quicksilver, that which flies with tings flying and rest with things at rest, the gold of the philosophers, that which is sought of many and found of few, the Quintessence, the salt of armonia, the Vinegar of the Sages, the Golden Tree, of whose fruit whosoever eats shall not hunger again; that which is nourished and generated in the fire, and delights in it as in its native element; that which, like man, is a microcosm or little world. It is the second sulphur which is joined to the first sulphur, producing a third sulphur, of which it is said that sulphurs are contained in sulphurs.

Note Concerning the Water and the Oil of Sulphur.

    The water of sulphur, or oil of sulphur, is quicksilver extracted from this composite sulphur. It is a living water, and that which the Sages call the Virgin’s Milk, the pure, heavenly, and glorious water. It is sometimes referred to as the flying bird, which is substantially identical with the said sulphur, but diverse from the vulgar kind.

Is Sulphur alone the whole material of Gold?

    Some have said that gold is a substance which is digested in the bowels of the earth out of a most pure orange-coloured sulphur alone, with an admixture of quicksilver just sufficient to give it brightness and malleability. But they say that gold receives from sulphur its substance, colour, fusibility, and all the rest of its proper accidents. We answer that the ancient sages had some good reason for connecting each of the seven metals with one of the seven planets, as the heavenly influence from which it derived its peculiar properties. Thus, lead was assigned to Saturn, tin to Jupiter, iron to Mars, gold to the Sun, copper to Venus, silver to the Moon. But to Mercury they assigned no metal, because only these six have attained to coagulation, with fusibility and malleability. In the seventh place, however, they did place mercury, not as a metal, but as the First Matter of all metals. If they had thought that this place belonged to sulphur, they would have associated sulphur, and not Mercury, with the seventh planet. Hence, it must be concluded that quicksilver, and not sulphur, is the origin, matter, and substance of metals.

    The question now arises as to what Aristotle meant by refusing to identify the material of a thing with its form, as was done by the Platonist and the Pythagoreans. It is clear from his words that he did not take the meaning of the ancient Sages. The material of Alchemy --- the first matter, or chaos, according to the ancients, is that in which everything exists in a confused state, i.e., the quicksilver of the Sages in its primary condition, generated by a kind of preliminary digestion. This is the Stone which they seek, concealed from the senses, but manifested to the mind, the form and flower of gold. The knowledge of this material is more important than anything else in Alchemy. For it opens up the knowledge of all other causes, properties, and conditions, and, finally, of the form itself. But if we do not know the right material, it is simply impossible for us to know anything about it. Hence, this question: What is the material? --- must be the first problem solved by the student of Alchemy.

    This material is, of course, by its very nature, disposed to receive its own proper form, just as the grain of wheat has in it the disposition to become wheat. Thus, if we define matter as that in    which the form inheres, there is, after all, not so much difference between material and form, but that, in our Art, at least, we may confidently identify them. There could be no such thing as a substantial form, if there were no material possessing a capacity of being developed in a certain direction. If anyone, then, would know the form of gold, he must first know the material of the Stone. Hence, we see that real insight into the nature of a thing depends on an accurate knowledge of its material.

Chapter III.

We must now proceed to enquire what are the Elements of the Stone, and how they are the same in Gold as in all Composite Substances, not only on Earth, but also in the Heavens.

    We affirm that all elements of the Stone must be first purified, and then evenly mixed in the right proportions, so that the resultant compound may be permanent. Hence it is necessary to say something about the elements. There are many persons at the present day, even as there were some in the past, and will be others in the future, so long as investigators abide by the literal words of the Sages, who know not the meaning of our Art, and are endeavoring to extract the Philosopher’s Stone from all sorts of fantastic animal and vegetable substances. These substances they have subjected to al the processes described in our orthodox treatises. And have obtained in the end something white, and something red, which, however, have none of the blessed properties of our Stone. These persons do not know that every form must be extracted from that proximate matter in which it is potentially contained; that is to say, the material and the form must both belong to the same natural genus. If we wish to understand the nature of a man, we shall not waste our time in studying the essential properties of a tree or of a stone; for them we should never get beyond these substances, which, however interesting in themselves, are quite foreign to our subject. Alchemy sets itself to transmute metals into gold; hence we must study the essential properties of gold and of the other metals, and we must look for our first substance among metals, and not in the animal or vegetable world. Know, then, that a knowledge of the essence and nature of a thing is obtained from a knowledge of its first principles, or proximate causes. We cannot understand the changes of bodies, or even of quicksilver itself, if we have no radical knowledge of its essential properties. The principles of being and of knowing, says Aristotle, are the same --- as things are, so they must also be understood and known. If we understand the substance of our Stone as it is, there is nothing left to study but the method of treatment, and this method will be suggested by the knowledge we already possess.

    Every compound consists of a mixture of four elements, two of which are enclosed, viz., fire and air, while two enclose them, viz., earth and water, whence we see that in every composite there is a superabundance of earth and water. Fire and air are the formal and moving principles, the two others are the material and passive principles. The virtue of fire and air can appear only in the earth and water, as the virtue of the form can appear only in the substance. For even as the form is included or hidden in the matter, so are fire and air included in earth and water. Rhasis calls fire and air the occult, water and earth the manifest principles of a compound. Since, then, the strong are enclosed by the weak, the compound is easily corrupted, and the formal principles by their exhalation give to the others form, colour, taste, smell, etc.; but so long as the material principles remain, they are not wholly deserted by the formal. If, on the other hand, the compound is not easily destroyed, it is on account of the strength of the enclosing principles. If both are weak, the whole compound is very perishable, e.g., camphor. If both are equally strong, even smallest part of the compound coheres in a permanent union with every other. When the humid and the dry, and the hot and the cold, are so evenly balanced that there is an equilibrium of the elements, they are perfectly united, and the compound is indestructible.

    The elements of our Art, then, are the humid and the dry, i.e., water and earth. In water there is enclosed air, and in earth fire. But the radical element from which all others are derived, is humidity, or water, that is, liquefaction, or, according to others, earth. We may reconcile the two views by stating, on the authority of Empedocles, that when water is thickened, it becomes earth: earth floats upon the waters, and is founded upon the waters, as we learn from Morienus and Hermes. When wax is in a liquid state, it is like water; when it becomes coagulated, it is dry, like earth; and yet its weight is the same in both cases. Alexander sets forth, in his Epistle, that all the Philosophers apply the name of fire to everything that is hot, of water to all that is flexible, and of earth or stone to whatsoever is coagulated. But neither water nor any other element by itself is of much use to us in this Art. They must all be first separated and severally purified, and then recombined in even proportions --- that is to say, when the water has been purified, we must add to it the purified earth, and then we shall have all the four indissolubly united, and the work will be perfect. If they are not so united, the fire resolves the water into steam, together with the earth, and the whole compound perishes. If, then, you would succeed in mixing elements, you must know their nature and properties. Convert the elements, says Alexander; make the humid dry, and the volatile fixed, and you have what you seek. Know that, then, all elements are actually converted into earth, and the other elements are, and remain, with it potentially and virtually. Hence, Hermes says that earth is the element out of which everything is made, and into which everything is converted. In the composition of the Stone and of gold we have a perfect equation of the elements. This well-tempered substance can neither be destroyed by the violence of the fire, nor vitiated by the impurity of the earth, nor spoiled by an excess of water or air. The Stone and gold are thus generated in the fire, and, like everything else, flourish in their native element. They are, therefore, indestructible by fire, and are rather perfected and improved by it than otherwise.

    These remarks, in the opinion of the ancient Sages, had a direct bearing upon the constitution of the heavenly bodies. They, like the Philosopher’s Stone, are composed of such an evenly balanced mixture of the elements as to be indestructible. The active and passive elements are so accurately matched in their composition that the formal cannot be separated from the material principles. Hence, Nature has placed nearest to them the sphere of fire, which conserves rather than destroys them. For elementary fire is related to the heavenly bodies as material fire is related to gold and our Stone. It is through this wise natural arrangement that the heavenly bodies may be said to be practically indestructible and eternal.

    There are, then, four elements, by reason of the four primary qualities; and they are mutually convertible, because every one is potentially in every other, and they are constantly generating and destroying each other. In substance, there is from the beginning of the world only one element, or First Matter, out of the conflicting qualities of which the four elements are generated by division. Similarly, there are in the first substance of this Stone four elements potentially, which by our Art are separated, and then again combined. Moreover, we believe our Stone to be incorruptible, not only through the equation of its elements, but also through the addition to it to the fifth element, just as the great world is composed of four corruptible elements, and an incorruptible one, which is the quintessence. It is this quintessence which, in the small world of our Art, holds the four elements together in indissoluble union, which also, according to Alexander, is neither hot nor cold, neither moist nor dry. This soul of our Art is the divine incorruptible sulphur. Other elements are the body, soul, and spirit, the dry and the humid, the fixed and the volatile, the white and the red. As of all the elements earth alone is fixed, and as the elements at the end of our Magistery must become fixed, it is clear that they must all be converted into earth, or the fixed state of the philosophers.

Chapter IV.

Of the Ferment, and the Modes, Conditions, Properties, and Conversion brought about by it.

    Of the ferment, which is the great secret of our Art, and without which it cannot attain its goal, the Sages speak only in the very obscurest terms. They seem to use the word in two senses, meaning either the elements of the Stone itself, or that which perfects and completes the Stone. In the first sense our Stone is the leaven of all other metals, and changes them into its own nature --- a small piece of leaven leavening a whole lump. As leaven, though of the same nature with dough, cannot raise it, until, from being dough, it has received a new quality which it did not possess before, so our Stone cannot change metals, until it is changed itself, and has added to it a certain virtue which it did not possess before. It cannot change, or colour, unless it have first itself been changed and coloured, as we learn from the Turba Philosophorum. Ordinary leaven receives its fermenting power through the digestive virtue of gentle and hidden heat; and so our Stone is rendered capable of fermenting, converting, and altering metals by means of a certain digestive heat, which bring out its potential and latent properties, seeing that without heat, as Theophrastus tells us, neither digestion, operation, nor motion are possible. The difference between ordinary leaven and our ferment is that common leaven loses nothing of its substance in the digestive process, while digestion removes from our ferment all that is superfluous, impure, and corruptive, as is done by Nature in the preparation of gold. It is because our ferment assimilates all metals to itself, just as common leaven assimilates to itself the whole mass of dough, that it has received this name from the Sages. Hence it appears that quicksilver (being of the same substance with the metals), when fermented and changed into the same substance as the ferment, transmutes into its own nature every fusible substance of its own kind, and, as its nature is that of gold, it converts all metals into gold.

    It is true the action of this ferment is not quite analogous to that of leaven. For leaven changes the whole lump of dough into a kind of leaven; but our Stone, instead of converting metals into the Tincture, transmutes them only into gold. Our Stone rather changes all metals into a kind of intermediate substance, such as is the substance of gold, between that which they were before and the alternative ferment. The colour, too, of gold is intermediate between the blackness of iron, the redness of copper, the livid grey of lead, and the whiteness of silver. The degree of digestion which is obtained is also intermediate between that of copper and iron on the one hand, and that of tin and lead on the other. Its fusibility further represents the golden mean, since copper is melted with difficulty, iron with more difficulty, while tin and lead are melted with the greatest ease, and silver and gold not so readily as the latter, but more readily than the former. The same intermediate quality of gold is noticeable also in its ring, that of lead and tin being dull, and that of silver and gold moderately clear. To this middle state all metals are reduced by our Stone. For, though the virtue of our Stone is great, yet, on being mixed with common metals, its action is slightly affected by their impurity, and does not change them quite into its own likeness, but only into gold.

    More difficult is the second sense of the ferment, which is the truly philosophical ferment, and wherein is the whole difficulty of our Art, for in this sense it signifies that which perfects our Stone. The word ferment is derived from a root which denotes seething or bubbling, because it makes the dough rise and swell, and has a hidden dominant quality which prevails to change the dough into its own nature, rectifying and reducing it to a better and nobler state. It is composed of divers hidden virtues inherent in one substance. In the same way that ferment which is mixed with our quicksilver makes it rise and swell, and prevails to assimilate it to its own nature, thus exalting it into a nobler condition. In itself quicksilver has no active virtue, but if it be mortified together with this ferment it remains joined to it forever, and is thenceforward changed into the nature of the Sun, the whole being developed into ferment, which in turn develops all things into gold.

    The ferment of which we speak is invisible to the eye, but capable of being apprehended by the mind. It is the body which retains the soul, and the soul can shew its power only when it is united to the body. Therefore, when the Artist sees the white soul arise, he should join it to its body in the very same instant; for no soul can be retained without its body. This union takes place through the mediation of the spirit, for the soul cannot abide in the body except through the sprit, which gives permanence to their union, and this conjunction is the end of the work. Now, the body is nothing new or foreign; only that which was before hidden becomes manifest, and vice versa. The body is stronger than soul and spirit, and if we are to retain them, we must do so by means of the body, as the Turba and Plato agree. Without this hidden spiritual body the Stone can neither ferment nor be perfected. Of course, the body, soul, and spirit of pure Stone are only different aspect of the same thing, and according to these aspects the Sages cal it now by one name, and now by another. The soul, says Plato, must be reunited to its own body, or else you will fail, because the soul will escape you. And Hermes insists that it must be its own original body, and not one of an extraneous or alien nature, as attempted by some who are ignorant of this Arcanum. Rhasis says that the body is the form, and the spirit the matter; and rightly, because as no substance can exist without form, which is its real being, so the soul, through the mediation of the spirit, cannot be in the Stone except by the body, because its being and perfection depend on the body. Hence, the body is their bond and form, though they are the same thing. As that which imparts its form to the Stone and to gold, is something fixed, and a body, while Mercury is that which receives fixation and a form, it follows that the body is the form.

    The body, then, is that which is the form, and the ferment, and the perfection, and the Tincture of which the Sages are in search. It is also the Sol and gold of the philosophers. It is white actually and red potentially; while it is white it is still imperfect, but it is perfected when it becomes red. The Sun, says Rosinus, is white in appearance, and red by development. Anaxagoras teaches that the Sun is an ardent red, but the soul to which the Sun is united by the bond of the spirit is white, being of the nature of the Moon, and is called the quicksilver of the philosophers. Hermes tells us that without the Red Stone there can be no true Tincture. The red slave, says Rhasis, has wedded a white spouse. We now see the truth of the saying that there are two kinds of gold, one white and one red; but the one must be in the other. This white gold is, according to Rhasis, a neutral body, which is neither in sickness nor in health, and it is, of course, quicksilver. Geber says that no metal is submerged in it except gold, which is the medium of conjunction between the tinctures. That it is the true ferment, Hermes tells us in his seventh book, when he says: Note, that the ferment whitens the compound, prevents combustion, holds the tincture together, and makes them enter each other and remain in union, etc. So also Morienus affirms that the ferment of gold is gold, as the ferment of dough is dough.

    From these considerations we see clearly how silver and gold are of the same nature, and that silver precedes gold, and is predisposed to gold, wile gold is hidden in silver, and is extracted from its womb. Hence, Senior says that the rising sun is in the waxing moon. Know, ye students of this Art, cries Zeno in the Turba Philosophorum, that unless you first make it white, you will not be able to make it red, because the white potentially contains the red. If there be too little gold in the compound, says Dardanus, the Tincture will be brilliantly white. Alphidius says: Know that the dealbation must come first, for it is the beginning of the whole work, and then the rubefaction must follow, which is the perfection of the whole work. Since the entire substance, viz., the soul united to the body b the spirit, is of the pure nature of gold, it is clear that whatever it converts, it must convert into gold. At first, indeed, the whole mass is white, because quicksilver predominates; but because gold is dominant, though hidden, in it, when it is ferment, the mass in the second stage of our Magistery becomes red in the fullness of the potential sense, while in the third stage, or the second and last decoction, the ferment is actively dominated, and the red colour becomes manifest, and possesses the whole substance. Again, we say that this ferment is that strong substance which turns everything into its own nature. Our ferment is of the same substance of gold; gold is of quicksilver, and our design is to produce gold.

    The Ancients gave the name of body to whatsoever is fixed and resists the action of heat; moreover, it has the power of retaining in a compound that which is essentially incorporeal and volatile, and attempts to volatilize the body, viz., the soul. Spirit they called that which constitutes the bond between body and soul, and, by abiding with the body, compels the soul t return to it. And yet, body, soul, and spirit are not three things, but different aspects of the same thing. As bond between body and soul, the spirit is said to prevail during the Magistery from beginning to end; so long as the substance is volatile and flees from the fire, it is called soul; when it becomes able to resist the action of the fire, it is called body. The force of the body should prevail over the force of the soul, and instead of the body being carried upward with the soul, the soul remains with the body, the work is crowned with success, and the spirit will bind with the two in indissoluble union forever. Since, then, the body perfects and retains the soul, and imparts real being to it and the whole work, while the soul manifests its power in this body, and all this is accomplished through the mediation of the spirit, it has been well said that the body and the form are one and the same thing, the other two being called the substance.

    But how are we to understand Plato’s remark that he who has once performed this work need not repeat it, as his fortune is made forever? The words do not means that he who has once prepared the Tincture can multiply its quantity indefinitely, just as he who has once struck a fire out of a stone can always keep himself provided with fire simply by adding fuel to it. The authority of Plato is supported by that of Rhasis, who speaks in a similar fashion. They should be interpreted, however, not according to the letter, but according to the spirit. He who has once succeeded in preparing this Medicine need not any more go through the experience of his failures and mistakes: he now knows how to perform all the processes of our Magistery properly, and, therefore, if ever he should need a fresh supply of the Medicine, he will be able to provide himself with it without much trouble.

    When the Alchemist, in the course of course of his decoction and putrefaction, has reached the end of the first part of our Magistery, in which is seen the simple white colour, before the appearance of any other colours, then he must straightway set about the second part of the work, and this second part is the ferment and the fermentation of the substance. Then, if all elements are evenly combined without being touched by hand, the artist is a rich man, and has no need, thenceforth, in repeating the work, to repeat all his former mistakes. But, if he does not combine the elements evenly, the whole substance will vanish into thin air, and the Alchemist will have lost his hoped-for riches. If, says Haly, you do not find this Stone, when it germinates, no other will arise in its place. Beware, says Plato, lest in the fermentation you come to a bitter end. If there be any hindrance or obstacle in the solution, there will most likely be corruption in the augmenting. The right moment must be seized here, as in all other things. When you are baking bread or sweetmeats, or any other solid substance, the moment will arise when they are perfectly done; and if after that moment you leave them in the oven ever so short a time, they will be marred, burnt, and destroyed. Haly compares the preparation of our Stone to that of soap, which is spoiled if boiled beyond a certain point. Hence the artist must be extremely watchful, and as soon as the substance has reached its most subtle stage, he must put an end to the digestive process; if he pushes it any further, the combined forces of the fire and the volatile part of the substance overcome its fixed part, and the whole evaporated. He who knows how to pacify and assuage the hostility of the elements will be successful in our Magistery, but no other.

    The object of what has been said is to shew that at the close of the perfect decoction and putrefaction, Nature, by the ministration of our Art, generates a bare simple matter, not united to its form; this matter the Ancients called first matter, on account of its resemblance to the first matter of the world, before it received its form. This matter needs to be united to its form, which form is the ferment, and is hidden in its womb. This conjunction must take place immediately the matter is born; the same will then become durable and imperishable. Nature, unassisted, cannot effect this union, because it is irrational, and its operations go on forever in successive renovation and destruction; but the Artist can watch the proper moment, and preserve that which the fire has generated. Now, when the conjunction has taken place, the substance has nothing more to fear from the fire. If one only knows the right moment, the conjunction is a very easy process; and when it takes place, there are many wonderful phenomena, as Morienus testifies. It is brought about by a well-tempered fire, the action of which is stopped by a watchful artist. And this conjunction accomplished, it is open to the artist to rest. Socrates, in the Turba Philosophorum, says that what follows is woman’s work and child’s play. Rhasis says that nothing but vigilance is requisite, for as the ablution and depuration of the elements are accomplished by the presence of fire, so are the conjunction, perpetuation, and fermentation of the purified matters performed in the absence of fire.

Concerning the Time of Fermentation

    It should further be noticed that the time for fermenting the substance is the moment when the Stone germinates, germination being the revival of a seed after apparent death. The quicksilver first melts through the digestive action of the fire, and then is coagulated with its ferment or body: this process is that which we call germination. What a man sows, says Rhasis, that shall he also reap. Seeds can only spring up after their kind, and bear fruit after their kind. So minerals do not become something else, but return to that from which they arose.

    Yet, how can Nature generate a simple substance not united to its form? This is, nevertheless, a fact according to the Ancients, but in a metaphorical sense. Aristotle says that as the reason comes to a man from without, so the vegetative and sensitive soul comes from within. There is in seed the soul and the body, but there is added to it from without the rational spirit. In the same way we are to understand the metaphorical dicta in our Art.

    Again, the action of heat in itself is not determined in any particular direction, or towards any particular end; but for the attainment of any such purpose it has to be used and regulated by an intelligent mind. When I say heat, I mean the elementary fire which is generated in all things, both animals, and vegetables, and metals. This natural fire, without which there is neither growth nor generation, is the instrument of the mind, and is regulated by the Artist, in respect of quantity, quality, and time, for the attainment of a certain well-defined end. If the heat be continued beyond a certain point, the form which it had generated is again destroyed. The action of fire in itself only tends to combustion, but man may regulate it so as to effect many other objects. Hence, Pythagoras says that man is the measure of all things. Nature is blind and its action indefinite; it follows all the influences which are brought to bear on it, in this or in that direction; but the will of man is free, and can regulate and modify the working of Nature so as to bring about its own ends. If the will of man follow Nature, Nature will go beyond the proper point, and spoil everything.

    The object of Nature in all things is to introduce into each substance the form which properly belongs to it; and this is also the design of our Art. When, therefore, the quicksilver of the Sages has been generated by the skill and wisdom of the artist, the form must be added to it, and then the work stopped at once, since its end is reached, and anything more can only spoil it.

    If the Mercury were coagulated by some foreign (non-metallic) substance, it would not be of the slightest use, since in Nature only homogeneous things will combine. The coagulation by means of arsenic and common sulphur, though they are mineral substances, tends only to corruption.

Chapter V.

What is Theriac, and What is Called the Poison in the Philosopher’s Stone?

    The Ancients have mentioned, as component parts of this Stone, theriac and poison. Like the ferment, they are either the perfect Stone, or that which perfects it. In the first sense it is improperly, in the second more properly, so-called. Because theriac has remarkable cleansing properties, and poison possess considerable medicinal virtues, they may mean the Stone, which cleanses common metals from all impurities, and converts them into gold. The four corrupt metals suffer from four different kinds of leprosy, and therefore, each needs this poison for its cure. Iron is infected with leprosy from corruption of the bile, tin from corruption of the phlegm, and lead from simple melancholic corruption, which is also called elephantiasis. All these corruptions are due to the presence of impure sulphur, which is removed by our poison, or washed away by means of our theriac. Silver suffers from a phlegmatic leprosy, because it contains a proportion of combustible sulphur. But wise Nature in the generation thereof has combined a certain theriac therein, and when the sulphur has been purged of by the Stone, gold immediately results. Gold alone is free from impurity and is perfectly healthy, like pure blood in a sound body. In its correct sense, theriac or poison is that which is properly called ferment. If the Artist stops at the right moment, all will be well; otherwise, the process of fermentation will go too far, and everything will be spoiled. Hence Hamec says that at this stage the ferment may become poison, and the Artist must very carefully beware of its smell, for, if he inhale it, it will prove fatal to him. He means to say that if it be allowed to evaporate, the Artist will be ruined. This Stone, says Morienus, heals the infirmities of metals, as theriac cures the diseases of the human body; hence it is sometimes called poison, on account of its medicinal use.

Note: --- Of the Union of Soul and Body with their Spirit.

    At the close of our Magistery, when the soul seeks its body, we should see that it is able to unite itself to it, and receive life and activity. This union and composition take place through the operation of the spirit. When the soul is united to the body, it lives with its body forever. The conjunction occurs at the moment of the soul’s resurrection: for, though it existed before, yet it could not manifest itself in the body, on account of the defilement and impurity of the body. Hence it lays like a thing dead and useless, and, as it were, buried with its body. But when it is purified and made white by means of our Magistery, it rises clean and white, and finds the body from which it had been separated also clean and pure, and so it seeks its body, and longs to be united with it, in order that it may live for ever: for it cannot be united to a strange body. If, therefore, the Artist does not take care, it will seek to escape with its body, and carry it upward, when the whole work will be annihilated, and the end of the experiment made void. Hence the body is called the theriac of its soul when the soul is saved by it and is beatified with it; it is called poison when it is the cause of the eternal death of the soul, through a failure in conjunction by reason of the Artist’s folly. But if he seizes the right moment to stop the heat, the union is perfected and is rendered indissoluble. In this conjunction the body is spiritual, like the soul itself. Thus they unite, as water unites with water, and body, soul, and spirit are now the same thing, nor can they be separated for ever. Because of the insight which their Art gave to them, the Ancient Sages knew all about the resurrection of the body and the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, as also about the Trinity in Unity, and all the other verities of our faith. I am firmly persuaded that any unbeliever who got truly to know this Art, would straightway confess the truth of our Blessed Religion, and believe in the trinity and in our Lord Jesus Christ. Such was the experience of Hermes, Plato, and other ancient Sages.

    But we will now return to the point. We were speaking of theriac and poison. When this Stone is born in the coction, it is in the likeness of brilliantly white quicksilver, and is called the quicksilver of the sages. This quicksilver, to be of any utility, must be joined to its body and mortified; it is killed by its body, and therefore the body may be called poison, in the second and proper sense. And as this death tends to healing and glorious restoration, it is, in the same way, designated theriac. So it is with men: death is the means of giving to them a more glorious life. Our poison, or theriac, is thus identical with the above-mentioned ferment, and is the key of the whole work, the form of the Sun, and the flower of gold. Hence it is advanced by Seno, in the Turba Philosophorum, that no body is more precious and pure than the Sun, and that no tinging poison can be generated without the Sun and its shadow; whoever thinks otherwise errs grievously, but he who tinges the poison of the Wise by the Sun and its shadow, the same attains unto the great Arcanum. Without this theriac and poison our Magistery cannot be accomplished; though, of course, they are not added from without, but form an integral part of our substance.

Chapter VI.

The Coagulum and the Milk in the Philosopher’s Stone, and its Male and Female Agents.

    The terms used in the superscription are some of the most secret phrases of our Art, and if we do not know their meaning, we know nothing about Alchemy. Some suppose that this Stone, when perfect, is related to Mercury, as a coagulating substance to milk. For, as a moderate quantity of a coagulum clots a large quantity of milk, so a small particle of this Stone, when projected upon many parts of Mercury, converts them into silver or gold. This view, however, is a great mistake. If it were true, of what use would the Stone be for the conversion of metals which are already coagulated by Nature?

    We say that the coagulation of the Sages is that which, in the preceding chapters, has been called the ferment, or the body, or the poison, or the flower of gold, which is hidden in the Mercury of the Sages when it arises, and that Mercury is called the Milk. The coagulum is that which coagulates the mercury, and the two are one and the same in substance, i.e, Mercury coagulates itself, and is not coagulated by any foreign substance, as you may also see in the case of wax when it is coagulated. Moreover, as coagulum is made of milk alone, but receives the power of coagulation by means of a certain digestion and decoction, so this coagulum which arises in the Mercury of the Philosophers by means of certain digestion and decoction, receives power to coagulate the mercury in which it is; and as the coagulum changes a large quantity of milk into its own nature, so it is with the coagulum of Mercury and its substance. Mercury, thus coagulated, is no longer volatile, but has become the gold of the Sages, and their poison.

    Know that this coagulum is the Key of the Sages, because when it coagulates the spirit, it at the same time dissolves the body, the coagulation of the spirit and the solution of the body being the same thing, whence the philosophers have laid down that the spirits cannot be contained except with the waters of their bodies. Our gum coagulates our milk, says Rhasis, and our milk dissolves our gum, after which appears the morning redness. When I saw water coagulate itself, says Senior, I was sure that all I had been told was true; this coagulated water they call the male, and they espouse it to a female, whose son he is, and is also his root and coagulation. Female they call the milk which is coagulated, and male that which coagulates; for activity belongs to the male, and passivity to the female. The first part is the fixed part of quicksilver, and the second its liquid and volatile part --- out of their mixture arises the Stone. The male and the female, being joined together, become one body. Venerate, says Alexander, the king and his queen, and do not burn them. The male is under the female, and has no wings; the female has wings, and desires to fly, but the male holds her back. Hence the philosophers say: make the woman rise over the man, and the man rise over the woman. So also Rosinus: The woman is fortified by the man.

    I must repeat that the male and the female are the same in the same subject, and yet have different and even contrary qualities. It is like the male and female principles in any vegetable seed, or the active and the passive principle in an egg. Thus, when the Stone first comes into existence, it has in it a mixture of the male and female principles, but at first it is liquid, fluent, volatile, bright, and capable of coagulation, i.e., female. The coagulum in its womb is solid, permanent, fixed, and produces coagulation in the other, i.e., is male. The female that flees is passive, white, and easily caught by the male; the male that pursues is red, and seizes and holds the female with great strength.

    Similarly, the Sages have compared the two principles in our substance to an old and a young man, because the colour of old age is white, while that of youth is ruddy and bright. Hence Rhasis: The stone of our science in the beginning is an ancient and in the end a boy, because it is first white and afterwards red.

    They have also given geographical names to this substance, calling the humid principle the Egyptian, and the dry principle the Persian; Egypt the house of humidity, and Persia the house of dryness. The Egyptians, says Melvescindus, need the help of the Persians. All putrefaction takes place in humid substances, but the end of putrefaction is dryness and incineration. The putrefaction begins in Egypt, but its end is in Persia. They have also described our substance by saying that the white female has the red male in her womb, and is in the travail throes. The coagulation will then be the accomplishment of the birth; that which was within now coming out, and that which is flexible becoming fixed. Such are a few metaphors under which our substance has been described.

Chapter VII.

This is a Chapter of the Different Similitudes of the Generation and Birth of the Embryo out of the Menstrual Blood, and of a Chicken out of an Egg --- Considered as Analogous to the Birth of Gold out of Sulphur and Quicksilver.

    We will now proceed to illustrate our meaning still further by the help of some analogies. The first analogy we shall select is the generation of the foetus in the mother’s womb. The generation of the foetus is brought about by the male sperm, in conjunction with the female menstrual blood. The latter is the substance, the former the active principle. As soon as the form is generated, the sperm is purged off. In generation, the male contributes the form and the active principle, the female contributes the substance and the body. The sperm is to the menstrual blood what the carpenter is to the wood in producing a bench, hence the sperm is not part of the thing generated. So gold is caused by sulphur as the efficient or active means and by quicksilver as the substantial or passive means. And as the sperm informs with a form similar to itself, and not foreign, so is it in like manner with sulphur. The outward sulphur acts by digestion upon the inward sulphur which is latent in the quicksilver, and causes it to inform, coagulate, colour, and fix the quicksilver into the form of gold or of the Stone of the Philosophers.

    It should also be observed that the sperm generates out of the substance first the heart, thus impressing upon the heart the generative virtue which belongs to it as part of the living body. Hen the sperm is separated from the heart, because now the heart is able of itself to form the other members by means of the generative power imparted to it by the sperm. When the sperm has generated the heart, its work is done, and all that remains is performed by the heart. The same principle holds good in the germination of plants. When the seed, in which all the generative force is at first inherent, has sent forth the germ or shoot, the seed itself withers and decays, as something which has henceforth become useless, and the power of generating the rest of the plant is now inherent in the germ or shoot. When the germ has once been formed, it no longer needs the seed, but produces leaves, flowers, and seed out of itself. Thus the germ is, like the heart, generated and then separated from its sperm.

    In the same, we declare that the outward sulphur generates out of the quicksilver a certain sulphur which is like the heart, and to which henceforth belongs all the generative force of the outward sulphur. Thus, the outward sulphur, being no longer needed, is purged off. The sperm, which in our case is the sulphur, having introduced the form into the quicksilver, by means of the internal sulphur, by means of the internal sulphur, having done its work, is no longer wanted.

    You should know that since it is unnecessary for the moving principle continually to keep in contact with that which it moves, provided it has once touched it, as you may see from the case of the archer and the arrow, so the sperm, and the heart generated by the sperm, need not always keep up their connection. In the same way, as soon as the outward sulphur has touched the quicksilver, and generated or created another sulphur out of the quicksilver, which now possessed the power of generating and imparting the form of gold, it is not necessary that the outward sulphur should remain any longer in contact with the quicksilver; it is sufficient that it has touched it in the past. Hence it is fitting that what is extrinsic should be separated, as something corruptible from what is incorruptible.

    Again, in human generation, if the sperm be sufficiently powerful, and has sufficient heat to assimilate the whole of the menstrual blood to itself, the sperm, coming as it does from a male, will naturally produce a male in the mother’s womb. But if the sperm has not sufficient heat or strength, it will not be able to digest the female substance; the latter will, therefore, prevail, and a female will be the result. The consequence of this arrangement is that females have not so much natural heat as males. It is the same with our sulphur and quicksilver. If the inward sulphur has sufficient heat to digest the whole of the quicksilver, it assimilates the quicksilver to itself, and the whole is changed into gold. In the contrary case, the quicksilver will prevail and change the whole substance into silver. Hence gold is yellow like sulphur, and silver is white like mercury. But the yellowness and whiteness in quicksilver are not of double origin; both are of the quicksilver, just as the white and yellow of an egg are both the product of the female bird. In other metals, the sulphur has not yet been able to digest the quicksilver because of its want of heat, as in lead and tin, or it has burnt the quicksilver by means of its excessive heat, as in iron and copper.

    For the heat of the sulphur may be in excess as well as too little, and thus digestion may be prevented in two opposite ways. When heat is too great it dries up the humidity of the substance, and when it is too small it is choked by this humidity. Too much fire will spoil the food, and too little will not be sufficient to cook it. Gold alone, of all the metals, is properly digested by temperate heat, and silver in the same way; but all other metals suffer either from excess or defect of heat.

    But, after all, we should remember, with Aristotle, that the real motive principle in sperm is not the sperm itself, but the soul of the person who generates with the sperm, as with an instrument to shape the timber or to fashion the sword. The intelligent soul of man, through the medium of the spirit or blood, moves the hand as an instrument, and the hand moves the outward substance. So the soul of the person generating uses the seed or sperm as an instrument, and acts on the substance or menstrual blood indirectly through the sperm. It is the same with sulphur and quicksilver in the generation of metals; sulphur is not the principal agent, but the occult mineral virtue, or chief intrinsic agent, which acts with the heavenly bodies, and makes an instrumental use of the sulphur; which, then, in its turn, moves the quicksilver, as a substance proper for the generation to which it is moved by the first agents. In this Art, the soul or intelligence of the Artist, wherein are the species and the knowledge, is the real, extrinsic, moving cause, and imparts its purpose to the digestive and liquefactive mineral virtue, which again, in its turn, moves directly the outward sulphur, and indirectly the inward sulphur and the quicksilver. Liquefaction, coagulation and other accidents, are brought about the cold and heat, but the form is produced by the movement of instrumental forces which are themselves set in motion by the intelligent mind of the Artist, who modifies, tempers, and aids the action of natural conditions.

The Analogy of Common Quicksilver.

    As the egg of the hen without the seed of the male bird can never become a chicken, so common quicksilver without sulphur can never become gold, or the Stone of the Philosophers, because without sulphur it has no generative virtue; again, sulphur without quicksilver can never become gold, or the Stone, because it is like the seed and sperm of the male, and there is no generation without the menstrual blood of the female, which is the substance and nutriment of generation. The generation of gold is of quicksilver, and its nutriment (like that of the chicken in the egg) is of the yellow substance, namely, sulphur. Hence the Stone is generated of the white, i.e., quicksilver, and the nutriment of the yellow, i.e., its’ hidden sulphur digested by the action of the outward sulphur through the regulative power of our Art. Nature has wisely mingled the sulphur and common quicksilver, the male and the female substance, in metals, for the purpose of their generation. And as everything attains to growth and development by the same principles to which it owes its generation, so gold and the Stone must be perfected by the action of homogeneous substances, and not by substances foreign to them. So, also, if imperfect metals are to be changed into gold by means of the Stone, even this agent can make use only of that substance in them which is identical with that of gold, while all foreign corruptive elements must be purged off; this means that only out of quicksilver can gold be generated by the mediation of the Stone, for which reason the sulphureous elements which are in the common metals are heterogeneous, and must be removed, because they will not amalgamate with it. Those, again, who attempt to prepare our Stone out of non-metallic substances are grievously at fault, and spend their labour in vain.

    The artist who would prepare the Stone, must take for his substance neither common quicksilver alone, nor common sulphur alone, nor yet a mixture of common quicksilver and common sulphur, but a substance in which Nature herself, who is the handmaid of Art, has combined quicksilver and sulphur. The two substances of which we speak are really one substance, and are never found apart. They are capable of developing into gold, and this development actually takes place under favourable circumstances. For we see that geographical situation has an influence in either elevating or degrading animal and vegetable forms, we may conclude that the same probably folds good in the case of metals. Local influences may sometimes be favourable to the development of sulphur and quicksilver into gold, or they may cause the process of development to stop short at one of the imperfect metals. Again, the imperfection of the common metals may be owing to a corrupt state of the surrounding earth, or to an excess of bad sulphur.

Chapter VIII.

Refutation of Some Objections. It is said that Copper and Iron cannot become Gold and Silver. How this is possible. The difficulty solved.

    Many admit that those common metals which are still in a crude and half-digested completed so as to become gold. But, they say it is different with iron and copper, which, through the excessive quality of their digestive heat, have already passed the proper point of temperate digestion, and, therefore, can never be brought back to the intermediate state indicated by gold.

    It should, whoever, be observed that there are in all varieties of metal, except gold, two kinds of sulphur, one external and scorching, the other inward and non-combustive, being of the substantial composition of quicksilver. The outward is separable from them; the inward sulphur is not. The outward sulphur, then, is not, in any real sense, united to the quicksilver: hence the quicksilver cannot be really scorched by it. If this be so, it follows that when the quicksilver is purified by the removal of the outward sulphur, it is restored to its original condition, and can be transmuted into gold and silver, whether it be found in tin and lead, or in iron and copper; and we may justly conclude from these considerations that when the Philosopher’s Stone is projected upon iron or copper in a liquefied state, it mingles in a moment of time with all the particles of quicksilver existing in them, and with these only, as they alone are of a nature homogeneous with its own, and perfects them into the purest gold, while all particles of external sulphur are purged off, because they are not of a nature homogeneous with that of the Philosopher’s Stone. For quicksilver always most readily combines with any substance that is of the same nature with itself, and rejects and casts out everything heterogeneous. It does not matter what are the other constituent parts of a metal; if it be a metal, and contain quicksilver, that quicksilver can be changed into gold by means of the Philosophers’ Stone. So we see that, in the case of milk, the coagulum clots only those parts of the milk which are of a nature homogeneous with its own. The scorching to which our objectors refer, has taken place only in the sulphur of iron and copper; the quicksilver is not at all affected by this adverse influence, as any experimental chemist will tell you. If we burn or coagulate quicksilver with sulphur, and make from their sublimation what is called uzifur (that is, cinnabar from sulphur and mercury), after the magistery of sublimation, we may separate the substance of the quicksilver from the uzifer, pure and clean, which shews that the quicksilver did not undergo combustion, but the sulphur only. It is the same in the cases of iron and copper, and in this manner the difficulty is settled.

This is the end of our Golden Investigation, extracted from the world of Bonus of Ferrara by Janus Therapus Lacinius, the Calabrian Minorite friar.

We hereunto append a letter written by Bonus to a friend with reference to this Magistery, which may serve to throw still further light upon the subject of our investigation.

 


Here Follows

The Epistle of Bonus of Ferrara,

a Learned Doctor of Medicine and of this Art, to One of His Friends.

    You ask me to tell you the matter of the Stone which so many Sages have sought. Of course, any one who does not know this matter himself cannot impart the secret to others. But I have good reason to think that I know something about it; and I may speak to you out of the fullness of an experience gained through many bitter disappointments and failures. Nor do I think it sufficient to make a statement; I also desire to furnish you with the grounds of my belief. I will now reveal to you all that I have said at great length in the New Pearl of Great Price and in my Tract against those who at Work upon a Wrong Matter, addressed to Brother Anselm the Monk, in a private and confidential manner; and may God help me to speak clearly and in accordance with the truth of our Art!

    You do not enquire after our method of procedure, which is the Arcanum and glory of the whole world, as the philosophers testify, but you desire to have the matter of our Art made known to you; and this knowledge is in itself an inestimable boon to a beginner.

    Know, then, that our arsenic or auripigment is composed by Nature of sulphur and quicksilver, as it is found in its original natural state. When arsenic is sublimed, it often happens that there comes out of it quicksilver in small globules like grains of millet, as every experimental chemist will tell you. This quicksilver is identical with ordinary quicksilver, which may be seen from the fact that it alone of all metallic substances will mingle with quicksilver, while the quicksilver retains all its own peculiar properties and qualities. Hence we conclude that in the composition of arsenic there is quicksilver. In the same way, we call sulphur the tincture of redness properly and by virtue of its own nature; quicksilver is the white tincture, as all Sages tell us. But if we project arsenic or realgar upon liquid copper, it will tinge that metal with a white colour like the whiteness of the Moon; this colour shews the presence of quicksilver. In all properly purified metals we find the nature of quicksilver rather than of sulphur; for sulphur exists in quicksilver in an occult manner.

    Common sulphur is specifically different from arsenic, but belongs to the same genus. Similarly, all sulphur, and everything that belongs to the same species with sulphur, has the property of coagulating quicksilver; and sometimes succeeds in imparting to it a red colour, and sometimes fails to do so.

    We said above that when arsenic is sublimed it gives out globules of quicksilver like grains of millet, which is identical with ordinary quicksilver. For this reason the Sages have endeavored, by a congruous digestion, to coagulate the same quicksilver with itself, even as gold is coagulated by its intrinsic power. Arsenic, says Geber, has the two metallic first principles, sulphur and quicksilver, combined, and by their means may itself be designated as the first principle of Nature, in virtue of their properties and qualities. In the same book he says that the fetid spirit and living water, which is also called dry water, are the first principles of Nature. There can be no transition from the softness of quicksilver to the hardness of metals, except in some intermediate substance. Hence neither quicksilver by itself, nor sulphur by itself, is the first principle of Nature, but some intermediate matter which contains both. The quicksilver extracted from sulphur and arsenic is, however, more proximately the substance of our Medicine than the same sulphur and arsenic when they remain as they are.

    The arsenic to which Geber refers as the third principle of Nature in the generation of metals is a compound of quicksilver and sulphur, and possesses the virtue and power of both. It cannot be properly called sulphur, nor yet quicksilver, and thus it is true that there are only two principles of Nature. Nor is this arsenic, which has quicksilver for its matter and sulphur for its active potency, in any sense a thing superfluous, but is a sufficing principle of nature in the generation of metals. Hence the quicksilver of which we speak is not common quicksilver, nor is our sulphur common sulphur; but there is in our quicksilver an occult homogeneous sulphur, and it is by means of this inward sulphur that all our changes are accomplished.

    Therefore, do not suppose that any compound but the one I have mentioned is the right substance of our Art, and forebear to spend your labour in vain upon magnesia, marchasite, tutia, antimony, or any other heterogeneous material. Our sulphur is the vital agent which digests and perfects our quicksilver; but the sulphur of marchasite, for instance (as Geber tells us), is only degrading and combustive; in the separation thereof the quicksilver of marchasite is left dead at the bottom of the vessel, and must afterwards be sublimed by fire. Again, we do not find in the composition of gold, or of any other metals, anything that suggests or resembles marchasite. Though arsenic and marchasite are generated from nearly the same elements, their diversity of form has combined and developed those elements in a widely different manner, since the same substance, if differently digested, receives a different form. This is sufficiently patent from the fact that different limbs are generated from the same substance. As with marchasite, so it is with tutia, magnesia, and all other like substances. Thus, through many mistakes, and by a process of elimination, we at length, through the grace of God, arrive at the substance which we firmly believe to be the right one. This short exposition must suffice for the present.

 


Extracts Made By Lacinius

From the Works of Arnold de Villa Nova, in Which the Composition of Our Stone is Practically and Lucidly Set Forth.

    We have learned all that Bonus could tell us about the first principles of metals and their generation. We will now proceed to consider, practically and theoretically, the composition of our Stone, since practice and theory are mutually helpful: practice is informed by theory, and theory is corrected and checked by practice. Now, as Arnold de Villa Nova has, in his Rosary, given us a practical treatise on the Philosophers’ Stone, I will arrange some of his remarks in chapters according to the following plan:

    Chapter the First shews that there is one Philosophers’ Stone, because there is one essence, and one method, both in the red and white Medicine. The red Medicine is merely a further development of the white.

    Chapter the Second shews whence is the Stone extracted. Observe well the answer.

    Chapter the Third shews the chief difficulty of our work to be the discovery of the first matter of metals.

    Chapter the Fourth shews our first physical object must be to dissolve the Stone into its Mercury, or primal matter of all metals. Hence the philosopher says that we must first be at pains to dissolve and sublime the two luminaries, because the primal grade of operation in our Art is to reduce them to quicksilver. Unless the bodies lose their corporeal nature, and become spiritual, we shall make no progress with our work. The solution of a body takes place through the operation of the spirit, and is attended with the coagulation of the spirit. Then the body mingles with the spirit, and the spirit with the body.

    Chapter the Fifth shews the four principal methods in this Magistery: Dissolution, Purification, Reduction, Fixation. To dissolve is to make the gross subtle; to purify is to make the dark bright; reduction is of the humid into the dry; fixation is by resolution and coagulation of the spirit into its own body, or solid substance.

    Chapter the Sixth shews the dissolution of the Stone, and its inhumation, which are the first regimen. Dissolution is brought about by purified Mercury. This is done in order that we may have sulphur and Mercury of that matter whereof gold and silver are developed beneath the earth.

    Chapter the Seventh shews the second regime: Ablution and purification of the black, corrupt, fetid matter, so that it may become exceedingly bright, clear, and spotless --- which ablution is performed by division of the Stone into its four elements and the cleansing of each element.

    Arnold tells us truly that all metals are generated from quicksilver and sulphur, which coagulate the quicksilver by means of its heat or vapour; since every dry element naturally drinks up its humid element. Quicksilver in its essence is a compound of very subtle, white, sulphureous earth, with bright water, so as to make up one substance, which finds no rest upon a plane surface. It is homogeneous in nature, and is either wholly fixed, or else wholly evaporates in the fire. By constant sublimation it is purified, digested, and thickened, and so gradually coagulation is performed by Nature in not less than a thousand years; but Art, through the mediation of nature, accomplishes it in a very short time. If, then, we would prepare the medicine, we must both accelerate and imitate Nature.

    Quicksilver is the matter and element of all metals alike; all of them when melted are converted thereto, and it also combines with them; at the same time, in some it is more and in some less pure, on account of its corruptive external sulphur. But quicksilver is coagulated by virtue of its own inward, non-combustive sulphur. The philosopher tells us that white, incombustible sulphur congeals mercury, and is the best thing that can possibly be used for conversion of mercury into good silver. If the sulphur be pure, good, but on the other hand, of a red brilliancy, containing the gentle heat without the combustive violence of natural sulphur, it is the best thing that can possibly be used for converting Mercury into the Sun. The result of good quicksilver and impure combustive sulphur is copper. Porous, impure quicksilver and impure sulphur produce iron. Ti has good, pure quicksilver, but its sulphur is bad and ill mixed. Lead has gross, bad, ponderous and earthy quicksilver, and bad, fetid, and feeble sulphur. So, at least, Aristotle tells us.

    The common outward sulphur, then, is the cause of the imperfection of metals. There are two kinds of sulphur in every metal except gold., the outward combustive and the inward non-combustive, which belongs to the substantial composition of the quicksilver. The outward sulphur is separable, and is removed by calcinations; the internal sulphur is inseparable from the quicksilver by calcinations in fire. The latter the quicksilver retains, nor can it ever be taken away, as being homogeneous with it: the former it spurns and rejects, and exposes to the action of the fire, which consumes it. It is the property of this external sulphur, always either to be burned in the fire, or in its composition with quicksilver to burn, corrupt, and denigrate. It is quicksilver, then, which perfects bodies, and saves them from combustion, because the more bodies are of the nature of quicksilver, the less are they liable to combustion. And as quicksilver prevents combustion, so it is the cause of metallic fusibility, and it is that by means of which the tincture pervades the metals, since it receives the homogeneous tinctural influence in all its smallest parts. Quicksilver adheres more readily to quicksilver, then to gold, then to silver, because these two metals are most homogeneous to it. It is not so with the other metals, till they are purged of their corruptive sulphur.

    Those are, then, the most perfect bodies which contain the largest proportion of quicksilver, while those which contain less are less perfect. It contains in itself its own good sulphur, by means of which it is coagulated into gold and silver, but by different methods of digestion. If the sulphur be white, it will digest the quicksilver into silver; if, on the other hand, it shew a red brilliancy, and have a noble but not destructive fire, it will coagulate the quicksilver into gold, and the elixir of gold is composed from it. Observe that both white and red sulphur are in reality the same metallic matter; but they are more and les powerful because of the different degrees of their digestion. Hence the philosopher says that all gold has red sulphur, and all silver white sulphur. But this sulphur is not found upon the earth, as Avicenna assures us, otherwise than in these two; hence we most subtly prepare these bodies, that we may have red sulphur and quicksilver of the same matter on the earth of which gold and silver are made under the earth: for these are lucent bodies, whose rays tinge other bodies with true white and red. Thus the red tincture is obtained from gold, and the white tincture from silver.

Chapter I.

Shewing that there is but One Philosophers’ Stone.

    Arnold de Villa Nova says that there is but one Philosophers’ Stone, and there is but one Medicine, to which nothing foreign is added, and from which nothing is removed, except that which is foreign to it. Its external sulphur of vulgar quicksilver is foreign to it; its inward sulphur belongs to its own nature, and into this it must be converted by our Magistery. Do not introduce into it, then, any powder, or water, or any other foreign substance, because no heterogeneous material can possibly enter into its composition. If any foreign matter be added to it, it is straightway corrupted, and does not become what you desire. The Stone itself, in order that it may enter the common metals, must attain a  state of great fixation and subtleness, that it may become a medicine for corrupt bodies.

Chapter II.

Whence the Physical Stone is Extracted.

    Our physical Stone, or Medicine, may be obtained from all metals; but it is found in the highest perfection in gold and silver. Without the Sun and its shadow, the Moon, we can have no tinging quicksilver, and he is foolish who attempts to accomplish our Magistery in their absence. On the other hand, he who knows how to tinge quicksilver with the Sun and Moon is in possession of our Arcanum, which may become red sulphur, but at first is called white sulphur. Gold is the father, and silver the mother of the proximate substance of our Stone, for out of these bodies, prepared with their sulphur or arsenic, is our medicine elicited. It may, indeed, be possible to derive it from other bodies, but it is found nearer to the hand, and more easily, in quicksilver, which is the father of those lights and the root of all metals. Of this were they all made, and into the same all of them return. That which is now our Stone is not quicksilver, but once formed part of it, and it is this which imparts to it its brightness, preserves it from combustion, and is the cause of its perfection. Do not work with anything except Mercury and the Sun for the Sun, and Mercury and the Moon for the Moon.

Chapter III.

It is Impossible for the Stone to be Perfected by the Substance of Metals only.

    As water cannot rise above the level of its spring, so the wonderful Tincture, which is to transmute all common metals into gold and silver, cannot possibly be perfected out of the substance of metals only, not even of gold and silver. The elixir must be far more purified and digested than these. If gold and silver gave of their perfection to other metals, they themselves would become imperfect. The tincture which is to impart perfection to all other metallic bodies must itself possess a superabundance of digestive perfection and matured excellence. Most of our Alchemists leave off with the substance with which they ought to have begun, and consequently nothing comes of their projection.

Chapter IV.

On the First Operation of Our Magistery

    Our first business, according to Arnold, must be to dissolve our Stone into its Mercury or first matter. Species can be transmuted only by the reduction of their matter to the generic First Matter. Hence we must reduce out Stone to quicksilver. By the projection of our Tincture, the species, or properties of the species, are not changed, but only individual quantities of metal belonging to the species. Silver as a metallic species is never changed into gold, which has immediately its own species, but individuals of this or another metallic species may well so change. Your first step, then, must be to bring about the dissolution of gold and silver into quicksilver. Hence the Sages say: Unless the bodies become corporeal, and the spirits corporeal, no progress will be made. The true beginning, then, of our work is the solution of our body, because bodies, when dissolved, become spiritual in their nature, and are yet at the same time more fixed than the spirit, thought they are dissolved with it. For the solution of the body means the coagulation of the spirit, and vice versa; each gives up something of its own nature: they meet each other half-way, and thus become one inseparable substance, like water mixed with water.

Chapter V.

On the Perfect Investigation of the Physical Stone.

    It is clear, then, that the operation of our Stone is the operation of Nature. As ice is water because it is dissolved into water, so our Stone, which is dissolved into quicksilver, is thereby proved to be quicksilver. Our operation is a conversion of the elements, an amicable conjunction of the humid with the dry, and of the cold with the hot. But the dry becomes humid, and the cold becomes hot, only by means of an intermediate substance. If, then, the dry be converted into the cold, and the cold into the humid, and the humid into the hot, and the hot into the dry, then you have the whole Magistery. The four stages of our work, then, are solution, purification, reduction, and fixation, the significance of which terms has already been explained. Solution is of the gross into the subtle; purification is of the dark into the bright; reduction is of the humid into the dry; fixation is of the volatile over its own body. Let the Stone, therefore, be dissolved with best Mercury, purged from its terrestrial and humid nature, by means of sublimation, and afterwards reduced. With this let it be twice pounded, and then placed in the Balneum Mariae.

How Mercury is Cleansed

    Sublime your mercury once or twice with vitriol and salt, till its substance is very white and brilliant, When it is in a volatile state, plunge it into boiling water, till it once more becomes quicksilver; remove the water, and proceed to use it for our Magistery. Pound it, soak it in its own water, and digest it in S. Mary’s bath; distil through a filter. Watch for a black oil appearing on the surface, which is the true sign of dissolution being completed. Watch it well, I repeat, lest it evaporate into smoke, and what you do with the white, do also with the red. The difference between the Solar and Lunar Medicine is this, that the Solar includes the Lunar, but the Lunar does not include the Solar, the Solar having in addition a reddish or golden colouring substance. Be patient and do not attempt to extract the Tincture in a hurry; haste burns up, instead of maturing and digesting, our substance. Bear in mind that the chief error in this Art is haste, which ends in the combustion of everything. Much fire in the beginning is to the detriment of the tincture, and consumes the medicine.

    Pound and cook with patience, and reiterate the process again and again, because that which is soaked with water is softened. The more you pound the substance, the softer it will become, and the softer it becomes, the more the gross parts are subtilized, till perfect union of body and spirit intervenes. For by means of pounding and softening and digestion, the parts held together by the viscosity of the water in bodies are separated. Bodies that are dissolved, are reduced to the nature of spirits, and their union is thenceforward indissoluble, like that of water mixed with water: for Nature rejoices when the bridegroom is united to the bride. Things which cannot be dissolved are devoid of subtle or soft parts. I pray you, therefore, labour in the dissolution of the Stone, disintegrating the grosser parts that the gross may be rejected and the work performed with the subtle.

Chapter VI.

On the Inhumation of the Stone.

    When the Stone is dissolved, expose the whole of it to gentle heat, for its better putrefaction and digestion, and for the consummation of the connubial rite, during the space of a month of the Sages, i.e., of thirty days, since the danger of combustion is removed by digestion and inhumation. Let all be boiled together over a gentle fire, till the whole substance resolves into its first matter, and becomes truly like quicksilver. The sign that the solution is complete, is a blackness, which appears after a certain time, which also we denominate the Raven’s Head.

    When the Stone is fully dissolved in S. Mary’s Bath, it should be passed through a filter. The blackness is a sign that the process of volatilization is accomplished.

Recapitulation of the First Regimen.

    Sublime he Mercury, dissolve it; then subject the whole substance to coction, till it is reduced to its first nature, i.e., till we have sulphur and quicksilver, of the same matter which in mines is digested into gold and silver. And he that has this Magistery has an everlasting treasure.

Chapter VII.

The Second Regimen, or That of Purification.

    The second regimen of the Stone is its ablution, that is to say, the removal of al that is black, corrupt, and fetid in it, whereby it is rendered very brilliant, and clear, and pure. This is brought about by the division of the elements, the distillation of the elements, the distillation of the waters, and the solution of the Stone, because there are two dry or stony, and two humid or watery elements. The dry elements are fire and earth, the aqueous are air and water. Fire purifies water by distillation, and thus all the elements cleanse and become assimilated to each other. So is our Stone divided into four elements, that it may be the better subtilized, and cleansed from stains, and afterwards more firmly conjoined. But nothing ever was born, has grown, or is animated, except after putrefaction and digestion. If there be no putrefaction, there can be no melting and no solution, but if there be no solution, then nothing is accomplished.

Division of the Stone into Four Elements

    Take the Stone in its putrefied state, cleanse it by the cleansing of the four elements, by distillation, by a light and equable fire. Take the water. Then increase the fire a little, till all the air is mixed with fire, and that which remains at the bottom, in a burnt state, is dry, black earth. The water is cleansed in the bath of S. Mary, but air and fire are distilled through the ashes, and the grosser parts of the earth remain below, while the more subtle parts are carried upward. Earth dessicates and fixes, water purifies and cleanses. Air and fire tinge, and cause fluidity; hence it is necessary to have much water and air. The quantity of the Tincture will be in proportion to the quantity of air. Seek, therefore, my dearest, in all thy works to overcome Mercury in commixtion, that thou mayest have enough of air; and if thou art able to perfect this by itself, thou will be the explorer of the conquering potency which resides in the highest perfection of Nature. After this operation it is still necessary for the Medicine to be matured and nourished over the fire, as the child is nourished at the breast.

On the Ablation of Water.

    When you have separated the elements of the Stone, cleanse them; cleanse the air and water by a seven-fold distillation. The fire and earth, on the other hand, must be well calcined.

    Distill the air and water separately, for the air is more precious than the water. The air tines the earth, and infuses into it life and the sensible soul. Air and water must be guarded from excessive heat, or they will be dried up. This is brought about by inhumation. When the purification is complete, the whole substance is wonderfully white and brilliant. The sediment of the water in distillation must be carefully removed and set apart with the blackness of the earth, already mentioned. Set also apart the seven times distilled water, for the same is the Medicine and the Water of Life which washes the Laton. As you do with the white water, so do also with the red; there is no difference between the two, except that one tinges white, and the other red.

On the Ablution of Air.

    Separate the air from the fire by distillation, viz., through the ashes. That which is distilled is most pure air; that which remains at the bottom, is dry fire. The air is the oil and tincture, the gold and soul of the Sages, the ointment by means of which the whole Magistery is effected. Fire and air must be distilled together because they re of the same nature. If you mix the Stone with fire, it will be red, and have all the virtues of the Red Tincture.

How Oil is Extracted from all Things.

    Place over the body, whence you wish to extract oil, sufficient Mercury to cover it completely, that is, to the height of four inches, or better if more; then put it over a slow fire. The oil, or air, will soon begin to bubble up through the quicksilver. Collect it carefully, and, if necessary, that is, should the quicksilver begin to diminish, add more pure and warm quicksilver and continue the coction till all the oil has been obtained. This oil must then be purified by inhumation and sevenfold distillation through the alembic, till it be brilliantly white. It will float on the surface of our water. Set it apart, for it is the Oily Tincture, the Golden Soul, and the Unguent of the Philosophers, which colours, tinges, fixes, and makes fluid. A thin plate of metal steeped into it, will be changed into silver if it be of the white, and into gold if it be of the red grade. But do not mix the oil of gold with the oil of silver, or the reverse; for each has its own special purpose, one to tinge white, and the other to tinge red.

Difference between Water and Oil

    Water only cleanses, oil tinges and colours. If you dip a rag in clean water, it will become cleaner than it was; but the water will evaporate. If you dip it in coloured oil, it will be saturated with the colour of the oil, and you will be able to remove this colour only by burning the whole rag. For oil is thicker and more intense, and yet, at the same time, lighter that water. Nevertheless, it is by means of water, and from water, that we obtain this oil. The water is the spirit, which retains the oil, or soul, as the soul retains the body. Through the oil our coagulation is effected, because it retains the volatile substance. Sow the soul in white flaky earth, for it will retain it: since, when it has ascended from earth to heaven, and descended to the earth, it will have received the strength of things above, and of things below.

The Cleansing of Fire and Earth.

    Collect the impure sediments obtained from the cleansing of the oil, and place tem with the fire, since they are fire, and have blackness and redness which must be pounded with the first water, and gently burned till they become a dry powder, without any of the humidity of air. So, also, the sediment of water must be combined with earth, and thrice calcined till it becomes white and dry. Calcine fire with fire, and earth with earth, till they are pure and free from blackness; what ascends from the fire is the red oil; what ascends from the earth is the white precious oil. Perform all these processes, and preserve each part carefully by itself.

The Cause of Ablution According to Plato.

    According to Plato, you should to the fullest extent of your ability effect the separation of the elements: cleanse water and air by distillation, and earth by heat and calcinations, till nothing of the soul is left in the body, i.e., when nothing more evaporates from it, if placed on a red-hot metallic plate. In no part of our operation do we need any water but our white water, nor any oil but our white or orange-coloured oil, nor any fire except our red fire, nor any earth except that which is pallid or slightly white. But if you thus prepare the elements, the earth will be ready for solution, the water efficacious for digestion, and the oil, in which is the fire, eminently fitted for tinging. If the end of your process should not present you with such elements, this is an indication of error; set about the correction thereof, for it will be easier than beginning again. Keep each element carefully sealed up in a well-stoppered jar, write upon each its own name, and a record of its properties, for it would be fatal to mistake one for the other.

On the Third Regimen, Which is that of Reduction.

    The third regimen consists in bringing back the humid water to the dry earth, that it may recover its lost humidity. Since fire and earth are both dry elements, they must first be combined before this restoration can take place. Then the dry elements will be in a condition to drink up more moisture than they had before, for calcinations disintegrates a body and so empties it of all moisture, that it will imbibe its aqueous humidity very greedily.

    Arnold here places a chapter on the albification and sublimation of the earth by frequent pounding, imbibition, and digestion of the Mercury. When this process sis fully accomplished, that is, when it ascends white as snow, we have the good, flaky brilliantly white earth, or the white incombustible sulphur. If you wish to obtain red sulphur, dissolve this white sulphur in red water, by means of pounding, and saturation, and good decoction; coagulate it alternately into a stone and alternately dissolve what is coagulated in the red water. After the third time, sublime the whole in a fierce fire, and that which rises upward will be snowy white sulphur, while that which remains at the bottom will be red, like scarlet. Hence you will see that while there are two different stages of our Magistery, there is in reality only one Stone.

The True Method of Bringing Back the Water to the Earth.

    Pour at first upon the earth (which you have carefully pounded) one-fiftieth part of its own quantity of water; for it is necessary at the beginning to give the earth little water, just as an infant has to be given at first little nutriment, and then gradually more. This should be repeated over and over again, with great patience, more and more water being poured over the earth each time, but not more than the earth can conveniently drink up; after each trituration and effusion, the whole should be subjected to thorough coction for eight days at a time. Without constant, patient irrigation the earth cannot bring forth fruit. Continue the trituration and assation until all the water has been absorbed and dried up, while the earth has become white. The water is to be administered temperately after each calcinations; too much of it will produce a tempestuous condition too little will convert the matter into glowing ashes. The degree of heat applied should be that of horse dung. After imbibition, it should be inhumed for seven days. There are three colours, marking the three stages of this process. The black colour shews that the substance is still imperfect: after its appearance the heat of the fire should be slightly increased. By constantly repeating the process you will soon make the earth white; and then you should behold the orange colour. The more limpid the water, the more limpid the earth will be; the more the earth is washed, the whiter it will become.

    Things are sublimed either by themselves, if they are spirits, or, if bodies, they are sublimed by means of some spiritual substance. Our earth is not sublimed in its condition as calx, unless it be first subtly incorporated with mercury. Hence you should pound the earth, saturate it with mercury, and digest them till they become one body. This must be repeated over and over again, or else the sublimation cannot take place, because the earth will not be properly incorporated with the mercury. Sublimation is contingent upon the reduction of the body into a subtle matter and nature. By means of this sublimation bodies are freed from their grosser elements, and reduced to their first matter, which can then be perfectly developed. If you wish to develop the sublimed substance into silver, both earth and mercury should be white: if you wish to develop it into gold, they should both be red, and the powder should be incerated. When Mercury is sublimed for the Moon, nothing else should be mixed with it, for the colour of the Sun does not enter into the Moon, nor that of the Moon into the Sun. Do not mix that which ascends with that which remains below. That which remains below should be again pounded and saturated, till the whole is sublimed or incorporated with Mercury. In the sublimation of Mercury you will see a most white earth, like snow, and, as it were, a dead powder adhering to the sides of the aludel. Reiterate sublimation thereon, without the faeces remaining below. Soon that which ascends will settle in the shape of a white, flaky powder, These are the superior ashes, while that which remains below is the foul sediment, and should be removed. In this way the white sulphur or white tincture is perfected.

The Fourth Regimen, Which Consists in Fixation, and for this Purpose We Need a Certain Ferment.

    The fourth operation is to fix the white and red sulphur over a fixed body, i.e., silver and gold respectively. Without a proper ferment the Moon cannot become the Sun, but the substance, having nothing to prevent it from doing so, will again revert to water. It must therefore be incorporated with the body from which it was prepared, viz., the Moon or the Sun. It is necessary, in fact, to unite it with is own proper body. For this purpose mix it with the ferment (either white or red), which will completely assimilate it to is own nature. Do not mix the ferment of one (white) sulphur with another (red) sulphur: the result would be disappointing. The ferment of gold is gold, and the ferment of silver is silver, and there are no other proper ferments in all the world, because nothing fixes which is not itself fixed.

The Weight of the Ferment must Exceed, or at Least be Equal to, the Weight of its Sulphur.

    The quantity of volatile sulphur in any ferment must not be greater than that if its body. If there be a preponderance of the body, says Plato, it will quickly change the volatile sulphur into a powder of its own colour, i.e., either that of gold or of silver. The sulphur cannot enter the bodies except through the medium of water, the intermediate substance between the sulphur and the ferment. Therefore put first the earth, then the water, and then the air (Avicenna). If you wish to obtain the red Tincture, put in the fourth place fire, since the white Tincture needs only three elements, but the red Tincture needs fire as well. Open, therefore, and seal, solve and coagulate, wash and dry, for water is the medium which joins the tinctures of oil, air, and fire. If you first take oil and then earth, the oil will mortify in the earth, for the water will enter. If you first take water and then oil, the oil will float upon the water. But if you first take water and afterwards earth, the earth will outweigh the earth till it adheres to it. If one of the four be destroyed, all will die; if one have more soul than another, it will be worthless. The ferment is the soul, see that you arrange fermentation so as to produce a calcined, dissolved, and indurated dust. If the fermentation be not rightly performed, the whole Magistery will fail.

The Practical Uses of Dividing the Elements.

    If you do not divide the Stone into its four elements, the soul cannot well be united to the body. If you do no mix of the body with that over which you desire to make the projection, the body will not love the spirit. If you do not combine the ferment with the elixir, the body over which the projection is made is not properly coloured. If you do no sublime all you put into the elixir, it will be rough gold and silver, and if the whole be not prepared, it will not sustain the fire. Finally, without pains in softening and hardening, the gold and silver will want ductility in operating. The earth which is put into the elixir must be sublimed, in order that the whole may be completely united. If you wish to project the elixir, make earth of that substance whose body you wish to change, and put it in the ferment (as above), if it be gold, of gold, and if be silver, of silver. You must combine the ferment with the body on which you desire to project the elixir. The body and the ferment which are combined in the elixir must be a powder twice or thrice sublimed. Each sublimation will intensify the virtue of the elixir, namely, one upon a hundred, a hundred upon a thousand, and so on to infinity.

We must be careful about the Proper Quantity of each Substance.

    If you wish to prepare our Stone, you should know how much water, and air, and fire, and earth it contains when it is calcined, when it is dissolved, and when it is reduced respectively. In the first case, there will be greater dryness, greater heat, less moisture, less cold. In the second, there will be greater cold, less heat, more moisture, and less dryness. In the third, there will be greater heat, less moisture, more dryness, and less cold.

How the Elements are Improved, and how the Fusion of the Medicine is affected.

    In the conjunction of the Stone, expect three principal colours, first the black, then the white, then the red. Take care that the tincture does not become red before it becomes black, for then it will perish by combustion, and that none of the colours appear before their proper time, or out of their proper order. Should the red appear before the black, or before the white, decoct the whole in white water until the proper colour is restored. Note also that decoction by inhumation obviates the error of combustion, and restores lost humidity. If the medicine does not combine properly, correct by dissolution. The purification and dissolution are brought about, not by common, but by mercurial water. We calcine the medicine that we may the better dissolve it, that it may the better be cleansed, fixed, and melted, and may be more fully permeated. Towards the end of the Magistery, it is a good plan to dissolve the body of the ferment, whether white or red, in order that it may amalgamate all the more readily. Not all the parts are separated in dissolution, but the separation is sufficiently complete to ensure the removal of all impurities. If the metal which is to be changed by means of the Medicine, have not sufficient colour, more of the Medicine should be added; if it have too much, the dose should be smaller. If the Medicine be not sufficiently fixed, the remedy lies in repeating the dissolution and coagulation several times. If it be too firm, more of oil, that is, of the air of the Stone, should be added; and observe, as a general rule, that for fixation you must have more of the cold and dry, and less of the hot and humid elements.

Of the Quantities to be Observed in Fixation.

    All Nature is ruled by ratio and proportion; hence, in the fixation of our Stone, we must know how much we need of water, air, earth, and fire. If the right proportions are not observed, your whole work will be a failure. Either too much or too little of earth, air, fire and water would entail some corresponding defect. I speak here of elixirs in general, but fire is not introduced as an element of the white elixir. The heavy elements in our substance and the ferment are called earth: those which rise upward are described as air and water. For fixation into earth, in the case of the white Tincture, there should always be more of earth than of the other elements. If there be 1-1/2 ounces of air, and 2 ounces of water, there must be 2-3/4 ounces of earth, and thrice as much of the ferment of earth as there is of white sulphur. If there be 1 ounce of white sulphur, there must be 3 ounces of the ferment. Add 2 ounces of water, 1-1/2 of air, and the elixir will be complete. For the solar Tincture, which is of hotter quality than that of the Moon, we need 2 ounces of earth, 3 of water, as many of air, and 1-1/2 of fire --- for if there be much water and little fire, the fire will be extinguished. The heavy elements, like earth and water, are more useful for the purpose of producing fixation and rest; the lighter elements, viz., air and fire, are more useful for the purposes of fusion and of the Tincture. Do not eat what you do not drink, neither drink what you do not eat, but eat and drink one after the other according to the requirements of our art.

On the Fixation and Composition of the White Elixir.

    No body which has not first been purified can possibly retain its soul. Let there be drinking after eating, not vice versa. Fix well, mix well, tinge well, and you have the whole Magistery. Pound three parts of pure powdered silver well with twice its quantity of white quicksilver in a mortar of porphyry, till the Mercury has drunk up all the silver, and the compound is of the consistency of butter, Purify it with vinegar and common salt, till the vinegar comes out pure and clear; then wash away the salt with clean, sweet water, and dry before the fire. Pound it with one part of the white sulphur till the two become one body, incerate it with one part of its white water, and sublime little by little over the fire, till all that is volatile in its has ascended upward; take it out and cool and collect the particles which have settled on the sides of the vessel; then repeat the process of pounding, saturation, and sublimation --- constantly reducing that which ascends upward to that which lies fixed below, till all is fixed, which is naturally brought about by the coagulative virtue of the fixed sulphur. In short, study Nature, and supply her with all necessary outward conditions: then you may trust to her to do the rest. When your earth is impregnated you may expect a birth in Nature’s own good time; when the birth has taken place, nourish and strengthen it to support the fire, and you will be able to make projections.

Of the Reduction of Air upon the White Elixir.

    When the water is fixed with the earth, pound it, saturate it by sprinkling with one part of its air, sublime it with a gradually increasing fire, till by constant sublimation the whole is fixed. Then expose it to a good fire for another day and night, and to a very fierce fire, proper for melting, on the third day and night. The air will then be fixed with the earth and water.

Inceration of the White Elixir.

    Take one drachm of the crystal plate which you find at the bottom of the vessel; pound it, and drop on it slowly, in a thin crucible, over a gentle fire, some of its white air, till it becomes liquid, like wax, without any smoke. Test upon a hot plate, and if it melt swiftly like wax, the ceration is complete. If not, complete the process by dropping its white oil gradually thereon, till it becomes like smokeless melted wax. Continue the sublimation until the whole substance is fixed. That is, when by sublimation you have fixed the purest part of the earth, reiterate the sublimation upon the unfixed part over the fixed part, until all is fixed. Try its fusibility over a good fire; if the result be satisfactory, the sublimation need not be continued. If not, continue sublimation in respect of the unfixed part. Then let it cool, and you have a priceless Tincture, one part of which --- with salt dissolved in vinegar --- will transmute 1000 parts of Mercury, or common metal, into the purest silver, better than that of the mine.

The Composition of the Red Elixir.

    The Red Elixir --- for changing metals into gold --- is prepared in the same way as the White Elixir, gold being in this case substituted for silver. For every white things substitute a red thing of the same kind; in the place of powdered silver put powdered gold, and the water of Mercury made red with the fire of the Stone. Sublime the substance again and again till all the quicksilver has become fixed. When three-quarters of the red water are fixed, place the whole for 24 hours over a very gentle fire, that it may be the better cleansed and fixed. Remove it subsequently, and cerate in a crucible, also over a very slow fire. Drop upon it its red oil, till it becomes liquid as wax without smoke. One part of this Red Tincture projected upon silver, or purified quicksilver --- with salt and vinegar --- changes 1000 parts of either into the purest gold, better than that of the mine, and withstanding every test. Hence the Sages say that their gold and silver are not as the gold and silver of the multitude, seeing that they are distinguished by infinitely greater purity.

On the Multiplication of the Medicines.

    If you dissolve those medicines, after their fixation and saturation, with their white or red oils, till they flow like wax, and then in their white or red Mercury, till they look like clear water, and afterwards coagulate them by gentle digestion, and again make them liquid with their oils over the fire till they flow very swiftly, their virtue in projection will be doubled. If, when they are dissolved, you distil them once, their powers are multiplied an hundredfold. To multiply the medicines, dissolve the spirit of each respectively in its water by inhumation, separate from each its oil by distillation, then their water, then their fire, and the earth will remain below. Reduce the water by sublimation over the earth, ill it is fixed with the earth; then saturate it with the oil, or air, and the tincture till it is fixed and liquid like wax; its virtue will then be multiplied tenfold; repeat the operation, and its virtue will each time be enhanced 100, 1,000, 10,000 fold, etc. The oftener the medicine is dissolved, sublimed, and coagulated, the more potent it becomes; in each sublimation its projective virtue is multiplied by ten.

What do we mean by Dissolution and Sublimation?

    When I speak of solution, you must not think that the elixir is to be altogether resolved into water, but is only to be subtilized as far as possible to have its parts divided, that which is dry in it made humid, and that which is gross made simple, since dissolution is practiced for the work of subtilization only, but not sublimation, and for the purpose of uniting the body and the spirit. The subtilization of bodies is the dissolution into water, because distillation or dissolution educes the Stone from potentiality into effect, in which the body and the spirit meet each other halfway, and are thus inseparably conjoined. The confirmation of spirits with bodies takes place when bodies are subtilized, for not otherwise will these retain the spirits. I have not said too much; but if there be anything in my remarks which you do not understand, read them over again and again, until you have become completely possessed of my meaning. What we have said is the strict rule of truth, and you must not depart from it either to the right or to the left, or you will go wrong. If you do not understand my meaning, do not blame me, but your own ignorance.

How to Make the Projection.

    Now, seeing that it is a matter of some difficulty to melt a million parts together, when you wish to make projection proceed as follows: Take a hundred parts of Mercury, cleansed with vinegar and salt; place it in a crucible over the fire; when it begins to bubble up, add one part of your Elixir, and project the whole upon one hundred other parts of boiling purified Mercury. Then project one part of this entire mixture upon one hundred parts of purified Mercury, and the whole will be turned into our Elixir. Then project one part of this last, coagulated, upon one hundred parts of purified Mercury, and it will become the purest gold, or silver, according as the Tincture is red or white. And this is the Rosary of the Philosophers, bearing fragrant roses, both white and red, the essential extract of many books, having nothing superfluous, omitting nothing needful, for the infinite production of true Sun and moon. Our Medicine has also power to heal all infirmity and diseases, both of inflammation and debility; it turns an old man into a youth. If the illness be of one month’s standing, it may be cured in a day; if of one year’s standing, it may be healed in a month. Hence this Medicine is not without reason prized above all other treasures that this world affords.

Recapitulation of the Whole Work.

    First sublime the substance, and purge it of all corrupting impurity; dissolve also, therewith, its white or red additament till the whole is as subtle and volatile as it can possibly become. Then fix it by all the methods until it is able to stand the test of the fire. After that, sublime the fixed part of the Stone together with its volatile part; make the fixed volatile, and the volatile fixed, by alternate solution and sublimation; so continue, and then fix the both together till they form a white or red liquid Tincture. In this way you obtain the priceless arcanum which is above all the treasures of the world. Give yourself wholly to this study; meditate on it day and night; and, above all, check the truth of your theoretic notions by constant reference to practice. You will not find in all the books of the Sages anything clearer and plainer than what I have told you. Praise to the Trinity and glory to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

End of the Collecteanea of Arnold.

 


Epitome of the Work of Raymondus Lullius, by Lacinius the Calabrian.

    If I could do what my kindly feelings towards the students of this work prompt me to do, I would copy out all the works of Raymond Lullius. As it is, I must be content with giving you an abridgment of his letter to King Rupert, which is as lucid and clear as it is short. This treatise is an epitomized summary of all his works, as he himself calls it, and is therefore both brief and weighty.

Letter or Epitome of Raymondus Lullius.

    Since this art is beset with a possibility of error and misunderstanding on every side, I have striven as far as possible to express myself so clearly and accurately as to preclude all risk of misapprehension. I do not doubt that you, King Rupert, have read all my books, and pondered them well, but you ask me to provide you with an epitome of everything that I have said, in order that you may the more readily carry it in your mind, and I gladly comply with your request. I received your letter in Vienna. But not till after my arrival at Salerno did I find myself able to attend to it. If you are not satisfied with my method, you must needs seek one that is shorter.

    [ Raymondus is here speaking of the method of his master, Arnold. For Raymondus divided the elements, and subtilized spirit and body in a different way from that which Arnold delivered to him, though, of course, the substance of the Stone, and the substantial mode of procedure, were the same with both. ]

    You ask which of the three Stones is more useful, readily obtained, and efficacious: Well, the mineral method is long and full of risks. It consists in two waters, one of which makes the Stone volatile without labour or danger; the other fixes it, and is fixed with it, and this operation is attended with risk. This latter water is extracted from a certain fetid menstruum; it is stronger than any other water, and the danger consists in the ease with which, in ablution, its spirit may escape.

    The Animal Stone is far more difficult of composition, so that far greater knowledge is required for it; yet it enables you not only to transmute metals into gold, but to change anything into any other thing, whence the potency of this Stone is infinite. The Vegetable Stone takes still longer to prepare, and has still more wonderful virtues than the Animal Stone. It should follow the Animal Stone as far as the rectification of elements, and, if thus prepared, its effect passes into the animal. Everything transmuted by means of the Vegetable Stone, far transcends Nature in excellence and size, because it is impregnated with the quintessence which performs so many wonderful things in the world. All alchemical gold is composed from corrosives, and from the incorruptible quintessence which is fixed with the ferment by the skill of the artist. Such quintessence is a certain mortified and empoisoned spirit in the Mineral Stone. The Animal Stone may be the most miraculous medicine for the human body, just as if it were an extract of human blood. The quintessence which is in the Vegetable Stone restores youth, and preserves the human body from all accidental corruption. The spirit of the quintessence, as you know, is that which tinges and transmutes, if it be mixed with its proper ferment. The Vegetable Stone is more noble, and useful, and efficacious, than all the rest.

    You ask me whether the work can be shortened; I tell you that all abbreviation diminishes perfection, so that the medicine which is composed by accurtation has less transmutatory power. There is, however, a multiplex accurtation of the Mineral Stone. In order to curtail its effect as little as possible, you should after the first calcination and putrefaction, which is performed with the most limpid and clear first water during a space of 20 days, and not less, separate from the substance a red powder, and distill it with the second water so as to prevent the escape of the spirit. Take only the last part of this water, after rubefaction in the alembic. Dissolve therein the powders, by placing both in hot water in a sealed vessel; then set over it an alembic, and distill as much as will ascend. This water pour away; that which remains with the body coagulate in a well-closed vessel among hot ashes; make other water and pour over it, then distill and coagulate ten times. Thus the Stone will be made perfect. If you wish to increase its efficiency, you may go on distilling and coagulating it as often as you like, or until it is impossible to congeal the body further. This Medicine will change metals into gold, and may be completed in 80 days at the most.

    In the case of the Animal Stone, there is no possibility of abridgment, except, indeed, that the earth may be ruled with fire, and the water with air, when its efficacy will be the same; this is called the accurtation of middle time. As to the Vegetable Stone, the same may be said. The following directions will be found useful in the preparation of this Stone.

    Take the black powder which is blacker than black, and distill of it 18 parts in a silver vessel, and in the way suggested in my Testament. At the first distillation take only 1-1/2 part, distil again, and then its 4th part, which also distill a third time; of this again take 2 parts for the fourth distillation, in which take a little less than the whole; distill this 8 or 9 times. Then take a pair of equal sized vessels with narrow mouths, to each of which an alembic is attached. Let a cucurbite also be fitted to one of the alembics. Put in each mouth one pound of this water and one ounce of ferment; place the vessels on a gentle fire, or a furnace the heat of which can be properly regulated. The ferment will be dissolved. Wet sponges with cold water, and tie them over the tubes of the alembic. The ferment, when quite dissolved, will ascend with its water, and the contents of the two vessels communicating will be distilled form one into the other, twice every day, and twice every night, one pound remaining all the time in each vessel. For as much ascends from one vessel enters it from the other. By this continual heat the body is subtilized, and the spirit condensed. The gentler the fire, and the slower the distillation, the more perfectly is the process performed. Continue this operation for 20 or 22 days, and the quintessence of this Blessed Water will then be so thickened as not to ascend any more, for then it is fixed with the ferment and changed into the Stone. Take out of the distilling-vessels and place in horse-dung, or the bath. Then dissolve and repeat this thrice or oftener. The Stone will then be most precious in divine virtue and exalted power.

    If you take the White Ferment, the quintessence will be coagulated in 10 days; but it is no so easily dissolved as the Solar Ferment. This process is one of the most subtle in Nature or Art, though the Elixir has not the properties assigned to it by the Sage, viz., that if you mix this complete medicine with any metal, and the product with another metal, the whole will be turned, according to the first principle, into the Lunar Medicine, and if the Sun be added thereto, this also will be converted into the Moon. Such property is not found in our Medicine if prepared in the way described. The quintessence is fixed permanently in the ferment to which it is joined, and transmutes in accordance with the ferment. If, after the tenth distillation, you dissolve gold in your water; then volatilize the water over a slow fire, and place the gold in a humid spot, it will be dissolved of its own accord in four days; and this solution is Potable Gold, which has such wonderful virtue in the conservation of human life.

    If you add to this dissolved gold a paste of quicksilver seven times sublimed with vitriol (the proportion of the gold being one part to seven of the quicksilver), and continue to sublime the mixture over the faeces till fixation takes place, you will have a penetrant and tingent Medicine. If you put one ounce of this liquid gold by itself for eight days over a very gentle fire, with 100 parts of Mercury, it will coagulate the whole into gold. All these wonders are brought about by the spirit of the water which is indissolubly fixed with the gold, in the solution of the gold.

    Distill the Vegetable Stone till there is no viscosity in the water. This is the case after the fifth distillation. You will then have the best transparent vitriol and the best cinaprium in equal parts, which combine, triturate, dry in the sun, and after upon coals, till all aquosity has departed. Project your water thereon. Distil it over a slow and gradually increasing fire: thus the spirit of the quintessence of vitriol, and conaprium, or antimony, which mainly constitutes the Mineral Stone, is mixed with the spirit of our blessed ardent water, which is the spirit of the Vegetable Stone. Repeat the distillation the times, always letting the bodies be dry before you add the water. Let the spirit remain, and by means of the fire be joined to the spirit of the burning water. When you have accomplished the tenth distillation, counting from the first distillation of the ardent water, add gold in the proportions explained above for the work of the Vegetable Stone. Place in the furnace. In ten days the fixation the fixation will be completed, whereas, in the ordinary vegetable process, 25 are required. This abridgment does not impair the virtue of the Stone for transmuting metals, but reduces its medicinal potency. Yet, of course, the Medicine will be better and more efficacious all round, if it be prepared in the ordinary, more tedious manner.

    When you have thus produced fixation, perform the dissolution in the bath, just as in the case of the Vegetable Stone. But this composite stone is not dissolved so quickly as the Vegetable itself; yet it is quicker dissolved than is the Mineral, namely, in nine days. A penetrating and well-fixed medicine is the best for all purposes; the more quickly it penetrates bodies, the more readily it is joined to them, and the more thorough its action, Out of fine black lead of the Sages you may extract a certain oil of golden colour, which if used for the dissolution of the Stone, whether mineral, composite, or animal, after its fixation, and solution for 3 or 4 days, will enable you to dispense with all other solution and coagulation. For this is the occult oil which makes our Medicine penetrable, friendly, and capable of union with all bodies. If you know how to free this oil of its water; and treat it in the manner suggested, you can evolve from it the Stone in 30 days. But in regard to the Vegetable Stone this oil is not needed, because there the processes are expeditious enough. From this brief epistle I must leave you to gather what you want. Farewell.

Notes of Lacinius on the Epistle of Raymondus.

    Let me state, in explanation of Raymond’s Epistle, that all his works are full of that Vegetable Stone, which he often calls Vegetable Mercury, the water of life, the menstruum, and the menstrual blood, and of which he says it has the properties of a body, and is produced, as it were, out of the female seed: it is both generative and nutritive, and it causes the growth of gold and silver, educing them from potentiality into activity, and thus at length changing them into the Stone. If it causes gold, etc., to grow, it must be by its dissolution --- hence it is that which dissolves bodies, which, however, must first be calcined and volatilized. But his cannot be done by a vegetable product, as foolish persons suppose, but with things of a like nature. Raymondus distinctly discountenances such a view. He says that the whole mystery of the mineral way consists in two waters, one of which volatilizes the Stone (which is fixed), while the other water fixes it again, and is also fixed with it by the skill of the artist. The quintessence which composes the whole Stone is fixed and fortified according to the ferment joined to it, and performs transmutation accordingly. But it is possible to fix the quintessence over its own earth and join it with the metal; yet this method does not find favour with Raymondus, because when it is fixed upon another ferment, the work is performed quicker, its potency is greater, and it is more natural. --- What Raymondus here alludes to as the quintessence, is by Rhasis described under the name of armoniac salt. With his menstruum, or salt, Raymond extracts from metals their souls, which he calls sulphur of Nature. He causes them to ascend and cling to the sides of the vessels by means of fire. The extract he often terms the metallic sperm, from which again he extracts the four elements, with his circulatory, celestial medicines, by the help of digestions and distillations. These elements he fixes, solves, and coagulates on his earth; and thus he composes the Stone.

    For the present you may operate in the following manner. Make a water out of vitriol, saltpeter, and cinabrium. Sublime one pound of this water with half-a-pound of cinabrium three times, always adding fresh cinabrium. Then rectify it by itself that it may be well purified. Take that pure water, and mix with it as much actuated vegetable water with its sublimed earth; mix them gradually and carefully, and let them stand in a well-sealed vessel for 24 hours. Then distill all the water in a bath; pour it on again, and distill again, till the mineral spirit is well united to the vegetable spirit, and you will see them lying at the bottom like a piece of ice. Pour away the distilled water since we need it no more. The strength of the ice, or spirit, you can intensify by repeated distillations in the bath, with more water. Put one pound of aqua fortis over one ounce of that salt --- do the same with the water of life, which must be highly rectified, and you can increase the potency of the ice, or rather fire, almost indefinitely.

    Take of this ice one pound, pound it with one ounce of volatile Sol, reduced to the nature of a spirit, by the mediation of menstrual water conformed to its nature. Now this water, which volatilizes the Stone, is not really water of life. But when you have gold or silver thus volatile or foliate, the same is disposed for dissolving or uniting with the ice. Distill for eight days in the bath, and the whole is dissolved into a liquid of a golden colour; make it circulate for 20 days in a double vessel; it will then coagulate as a ruby-coloured Stone; distil, dissolve, and coagulate, and you have the Medicine.

 



Extracts made by Lacinius from the Light of Lights by Rhasis.

    Solution is the root of Alchemy. Hence we must discover the natural solvents and coagulants. We will, therefore, proceed to speak of soluble and solvent mineral substances --- of atraments and alums, of mineral spirits, of metals and precious stones --- their nature, the method of solution and coagulation, etc.

On Atramneta.

    Atraments are either black, reddish, or green; and they are all hot and dry. They are likewise secret and wonderful in their nature. The green atrament mixed with quicksilver coagulates it, and nothing else will bring about the same effect. If also very quickly sublimes quicksilver, mortifies it, and renders it liquid. Believe what I say, open your eyes, and try. The preparation of water of atrament is as follows: Take of green ultramontane atrament, shake it, place it in a jar, which you shall close up with clay; plunge the jar in coals, and expose it to gentle heat for two hours. Quicken the fire with the bellows for two hours longer; then leave it till it goes out of its own accord; allow the air to cool, open it, and you will find an atrament of an intense ruby colour. Place in a glass vessel; put over it a threefold quantity of clear boy’s urine or sweet water, cove it up, and keep it for use.

On Alums.

    There are many species of alum. The Jamen variety is feathery, very white, and acid. This is well-suited for dissolving purposes. Hence the Sages have called it the Stone of the Sages, because it is neither too hard nor too soft. It is not easily soluble, and is regarded as approaching a vegetable nature. There is another alum which is green, and in the form of a powder; one is of an orange colour, and one is whitish. There is also a rock alum, like sal gemmae. But the first is the most useful in our Art. Take of it as much as you want, pound it gently into a brazen mortar, place it in a brazen pot, pour over it six times its quantity of clear boy’s urine, expose it to a gentle heat: half the urine must evaporate; then remove it from the fire, strain it through a filter, place in a glass vessel, and keep for use.

    Alum is prepared with distilled boy’s urine, there being one part of alum to four of urine, in which it must be dissolved after pounding. Then, in order that the operation may succeed, distillation by the filter and congelation must be repeated several times.

    To prepare common salt, whence all salts originate, pour over it five times its quantity of sweet hot water; distill it, strain it through a filter, and coagulate. Repeat this operation several times till you have it in the form of snow-white crystals.

Of Salts.

    In armoniac salt are hidden all the secrets of the Sages, and because of its soaring nature, they have called it the Eagle, or the Arrow. It is very hot and very dry; yet it is nothing but condensed vapour collected from soot in baths. There is also sal gemmae, which is more precious than other salts, and very efficacious in our Art. Other salts are saltpeter and common salt. The purer salt is the greater its efficacy. One salt the Sages have essayed to hide. It is the salt alchali. If you can obtain it, you have all you want.

    Take one part of common salt, pound it, put it in a pot, cover it well, place the pot in a potter’s furnace all night, take out the salt, pound it, put it in a glass vessel, pour over it some of your water of atrament before referred to, if it be for the Red Tincture, or of the water of alum for the White Tincture. Let this water be twice or thrice the quantity of the salt. Leave it for eight days; that which is not dissolved sinks to the bottom, the rest rises to the surface, floats there like oil, and is brilliantly white. This latter they call the oil of the Sages or the water of wisdom, because none save a philosopher can apprehend it, being in appearance pure water, yet holding therein a crystalline vapour. When this water is coagulated, we obtain a brilliant Stone, which is called sal alchali. Take common salt, cook it, place it in a glass vessel, pour over it three times as much distilled vinegar or clear water, add half the quantity of alum zucharinum, and as much tartar of wine mixed with alum, pound them, put them in a glass vessel, pour over them three times as much distilled vinegar, or clear water, add two ounces of honey, leave it three days; then take what is dissolved, namely, what floats, having no faeces, over the clear and limpid slat, and place it in a small vessel, having a narrow neck. Add to it what floats on the surface of the lime and alum; place them in the same bottle, with the water of salt. See that you have no faeces, which will spoil the work. Coagulate the contents, and you have a brilliant crystalline stone. What has been said of common salt applies to saltpeter and sal gemmae. The oftener the salt is dissolved and refined, the better.

Of salt armoniac.

    Pound it, put in a pot, cover same, expose to gentle heat, pound again, place in a glass vessel, pour over it twice the quantity of distilled vinegar, or clear water; add water of atrament for gold, water of alum for silver, and leave it eight days; skim off what floats on the surface and is limpid, being careful to take up none of the sediment; put in a narrow-necked bottle, coagulate, then keep it and preserve it from dust, because it is clear and white. Afterwards pound it, pace in aludel, having burnt common salt at the bottom; close vessel with the lute of wisdom. Sublime in furnace. If this operation be begun at early dawn, the fire which at first be very gentle, should be slightly increased at the third hour, and so till noon. Remove it from the fire, and let it cool. You will find the salt armoniac of a pure and brilliant white. It should be carefully shielded from dust.

Of the Spirits.

    There are three mineral spirits: quicksilver, sulphur, and arsenic. Arsenic is hot and dry, of great virtue and potency, yet lightly esteemed. It burns up all other bodies. There are two kinds of arsenic, one is of a pale white, the other red. The red is combustive, the white is solvent, and useful for the Tincture; with quicksilver it makes silver. It has a fiery nature, and sublimes quickly. This spirit we strive to render corporeal and fixed, in order that it may permanently colour our substance. It has great affinity for vinegar.

    This spirit must be cleansed, sublimed, and exalted; then it will do what no man would think possible. Take pallid arsenic, pound well into powder, place in a glazed pot, pour over it four times as much clear strong vinegar. When most of the arsenic is dissolved, after three days, place over a gentle fire, steam off the liquid, take it out, place in a dish, wash well of all saltness with pure water, and dry in the sun. Place again in a glazed pot, pour over it four times its quantity of water of alum, and let it evaporate over the fire. Put in an aludel, add twice its quantity of common purified salt, close the vessel, and seal it up carefully. Sublime cover fire from morning till noon. Cool, open the vessel, and you will find in it a brilliant substance. Place it in a glass vessel, pour over it its own quantity of water of alum, and leave for eight days. Take up what floats on the surface, put it in a small narrow-necked bottle, coagulate, and you will find a crystalline stone; keep until necessary to use, and see that it is free from dust. If you digest this arsenic with milk or oil of bitter almonds, and afterwards with water of alum, it will be very brilliant and beautiful in the sublimation; and then it dissolves very easily. If arsenic be cooked with olive oil, and then with water of atrament, it will be found in the sublimate brilliantly red and easily soluble. Red arsenic, when its ferment is added, makes glad the heart of the Alchemist; but it is not so easily dissolved as white flaky arsenic. Hence you should use the later for dissolving and sublimation. To sublime with quicksilver, cook in the manner described one pound of arsenic with one ounce of quicksilver.

Of Sulphur.

    The decoction of sulphur is the same as that of arsenic. But as sulphur has much air, as well as much hotness and dryness, it is not easily sublimed. To effect this purpose, cook it well, and dissolve it; you will then be on the road to perfection. Without the three substances which I have mentioned, there can be no silver or gold, arsenic being best for silver, and sulphur for gold. Some say that if sulphur be mixed with living calx, it can be easily sublimed; but I do not wish you to waste your labor. Know, however, that arsenic is more valuable in the Lunar, and sulphur in the Solar work. Sulphur is partially white without, and partially red within. Of arsenic the opposite holds good.

    If you wish to change white into red sulphur, dissolve it in red water by pounding, saturation, and good decoction; coagulate into a stone, dissolve once more with red water, again coagulate, dissolve a third time, sublime over a powerful fire, and that which ascends in the shape of a white dust is white sulphur; what remains at the bottom is red sulphur, which transmutes quicksilver into gold.

Of Quicksilver.

    All sages have striven to make quicksilver remain firm in the fire; but it is impossible. Mix qucksilver with anything, and the fire will instantly separate them again, because it is a spirit, and has been called the cloud of clouds, the father that enriches the son, the eye of wisdom; the pregnant woman that conceives and brings forth in a day. It says to gold: I and sulphur have begotten you; and to silver: I and arsenic are your parents. I flee from the fire, and leave behind all that does not belong to me in the shape of a sediment. I stand firm in the fire, and make all that belongs to me brilliant and pure; I, being coagulated coagulate, being dissolved dissolve. This seeming contradiction I will now explain, and tell you of its coagulation into the white, and of its dissolution. Let it first be cleansed with vinegar and salt, ten times sublimed or coagulated, then dissolved. Take it and an equal quantity of common salt, place in a glazed pot (after pounding them well in a glass mortar), pour over it four times as much vinegar, and leave it over a gentle fire till all the vinegar has evaporated. Place in dish, having removed it from the fire, wash with pure water, rinse out salt. Take the same quantity of atrament or vitriol, pound together, place in an aludel, and make paste with pure water, or distilled vinegar. Dry over gentle fire, place in an aludel, and carefully stop up the mouth of the vessel with clay. Leave over slow fire from morning till the third hour; let the fire be stronger from the third hour till noon, or none. Cool, open the vessel, and you will find it full of a snow-white substance (like camphor in appearance). Pound, place in glass vessel, pour over it twice its quantity of water of atrament, and leave for eight days. Skim off what float on the surface into a small narrow-necked bottle, coagulate, and you will have a clear red granulated substance. Keep it free from dust till needed. Item: take 3 ounces of olive oil in a glazed pot; boil up over slow fire; when it begins to boil, throw in 1/2 ounce of clear yellow sulphur, shake till sulphur melts, remove from fire, and cool. Add 1 ounce of quicksilver, put on fire, leave till all is dry, take out of pot, and place in a vessel well stopped up with the clay of the Sages. Sublime over fire from morning till three p.m., and what is in the vessel will then be very red. Pound, place in glass vessel, pour over it twice as much water of atrament, leave for eight days, skim off what floats on the surface, place in bottle, coagulate, and you will have a clear red granulated substance. Keep this also free from dust until needed. If you wish to coagulate quicksilver into the white substance, in order to make silver, take quicksilver and as much white lead (cerusa); pound in a mortar, place in glazed pot, pour over it four times as much water of alum or of quicklime, leave over gentle fire from 6 till 9 a.m. Take out of pot, pound, place in an aludel, stop up with clay of the Sages. Put in glass furnace or baker’s oven, or over fire, leave from morning till evening, cool, open, and you will find the lower part of the vessel full of ashes. Pound, place in glass vessel, pour over it twice its quantity of water or alum, leave for eight days, skim off oil of Sages, place in small bottle, and coagulate; you will find a white crystalline substance like ice; keep it, and you will soon know its use.

Of Gold.

    The Sages call gold the product of the sun. When it is perfect, the fire cannot hurt it, but rather intensifies its colour. If you wish to make gold, you must ferment it, or all your labour will be in vain. Moreover, the ferment must be pure. Nevertheless, it does not require much purification, since it is in itself sufficiently pure, but it must be prepared so that it may be easily incorporated and fermented, and for this purpose it must be calcined as we will shew further on.

    Beat pure gold into thin leaves; then take red arsenic, pound, add a third part of common salt (i.e., one-third part of the arsenic), take seven ounces of steel filings, pound the three together; take a small, new, glazed pot, put a little of this powder at the bottom of the pot; over it place a plate of gold, cover the plate with more powder, and so fill up with alternate layers. Take another glazed pot, put in one pound olive oil, boil over a gentle fire, add four ounces of clear yellow sulphur; remove at once from the fire, stir with an iron rod till the sulphur is melted, and allow to cool. Add some of this oil to the contents of the other pot; simmer over gentle fire, till absorbed; add more, place again on the fire, and so on, little by little, till all the oil has been absorbed. Then leave it on the fire till quite dry. All this can be done in 24 hours. Stop up the pot with the clay of Sages; next morning, place the pot among the coals of a gentle fire, so that it is entirely covered, from 6 to 9 a.m. Take pot, cool, break it, pound its contents; afterwards pound the gold, place the whole in dish, add sweet and clear water, and stir it. When the powder has settled at the bottom, remove the water (for it is salt); add more water, till the powder has quite lost its saltness. Dry it in the sun, or by a fire, place in a small pot, stop up with clay, place in furnace for the space required for baking bread. Then rejoice, for you have pulverized and fermented gold. Take that powder, pound well, place in glass vessel, pour over it its own quantity of water of atrament, taking care that it is neither more nor less; leave for eight days, stirring twice or thrice daily. Skim off the brilliant substance floating on the surface, and put it in small bottle. It should be limpid and clear, and if it be so, happy are you. Take equal quantities of the water of quicksilver, as described in the chapters on quicksilver, of the water of salt armoniac, and of the water of gold; mix the three waters in a bottle; coagulate, plunge bottle up to neck in pot full of sieved ashes, place pot on tripod over fire from morning till evening, and that which is in bottle will be coagulated. Break the bottle after it has cooled, take the Stone which is inside, put half ounce of it on eighty ounces of silver, and it will be changed into the purest gold.

Of Silver.

    Silver, though composed in the same way, is not quite so pure or well digested as gold, and suffers from two kinds of humidity, sulphureous and phlegmatic, or evaporant. Yet silver may be properly purified by fire; but if being cooked with common salt and orpiment, it grows black, while there is no blackness in the salt or the orpiment, this is a sign that it is suffering from the first humidity. The sign of the second humidity is diminishment in the fire. By purification and digestion it can be transmuted into gold, for its infirmity is of a negative kind.

    The following is the best way of changing silver into gold. Between two layers of common well-pounded salt, without extracting its humidity, place a thin silver plate in a strong earthen vessel; leave a small opening at the mouth, plunge among moderately red-hot coals for twelve hours. Take out, and you will find your silver plates corroded and diminished in size and weight. If they are white, it is a sign that their first humidity has been consumed, and that they are well calcined and britle. If they are black upon the outside, some of the humidity remains. If they are not brittle, it is the second humidity which persists. The sign of elimination of the first humidity is that the silver is not blackened by lead; of the second that it does not diminish in fire. When the silver is well calcined, and freed of its sulphureous humidity, then expose it once more to fire, till it is soft and flexible like gold under the hammer, and is at the same time compact and ponderous. Take equal quantities of salt armoniac, saltpeter, and borax; pound together, dissolve in a little wine, and let it dry. This will rend the silver malleable.

Proof.

    Rhasis tells us that copper and iron, being of a different and most impure substance, can no more be changed into silver or gold than an ass or a goat can become a man. But copper is of a strong substance, and easily transmutable in colour, of the same weight with silver, and readily mixed with good silver. But it easily turns black, and is very impure. Yet even Rhasis admits that it is easier to make silver out of copper than gold out of lead. If copper, he says, be calcined, cleansed, and dissolved, it will look like gold, but will never become real gold. Hence he calls all Alchemists fools who hunt for bears in the sea, and angle for fish on dry land, as they will make gold of lead, or silver of copper, when they have made a wolf of an ass. Does not Rhasis here seem to characterize our whole Art as a sophistical invention? How is the difficulty to be solved? Well, if you wish to know all, read all --- and especially what Rhasis himself says in his chapter on copper. There you will perceive that his meaning appears to be that the ferment of gold and silver cannot be obtained from lead or copper; but he does not really deny that lead and copper can be transmuted

Of Silver (continued).

    Take thin plates of [pure] silver, five pounds of arsenic, and one ounce of steel filings; pound them well together. Take some of this powder, cover with it the bottom of a pot, put over that place a silver plate, over that some more of the powder, and so fill the pot with alternate layers of plates and powder. Let there be powder over the top of all. Place on a slow fire, over the coals, pour over it strong vinegar, and leave it from 6 to 9 a.m. Let the moisture evaporate, stop up with clay of Sages, and plunge pot among red-hot coals; keep up a powerful fire or 12 hours. Then open the pot (after cooling), separate the silver from the powder, pound in mortar, wash with clean water in a dish. Dry in the sun. Add to the powdered silver equal quantities of sal armoniac, of sublimed coagulated quicksilver, and of white sublimed arsenic; pound, put in a bottle, pour over it four times as much water of alum, and leave for two days. Plunge bottle up to neck, which should be narrow, in a pot full of ashes; the bole should be unstopped till its contents are coagulated. Then stop it up, and place over fire for 24 hours. Let it cool, and then break bottle; if anything be sublimed up to the neck, combine all together; pound its contents, place in glass vessel, pour over it twice as much water of alum, and leave for 8 days, shaking it twice or thrice every day. Skim off what floats on the surface into a small narrow necked bottle; evaporate the liquid from the remaining faeces, add one-half ounce of it to 20 ounces of copper, and it will become the purest silver. Coagulate the contents of the bottle in a pot full of ashes, then add one-half ounce of it to 250 ounces of copper, 150 ounces of tin, or 50 ounces of lead, and you will witness a wonderful transformation. There is another way of carrying out this operation, but here is the most efficacious, and however the coagulated substance the preparation of which I have described may be obtained, it has the property of transmuting larger or smaller quantities of copper, tin or lead into the most irreproachable silver.

Of Copper.

    The composition of copper is identical with that of silver, but it is very impure and ill-digested, burnt, hot, and dry. It is also very porous, and must be well-cleansed of its prevailing sulphureous humidity. In is natural state it grows black in the fire, and is burnt and excoriated; it also burns and blackens other metals, on account of its sulphureity. When the purification begins, the flame is more yellow and less black. Its cleansing is accomplished in the same way as that of silver. Afterwards let it be extinguished with vinegar and fresh swine’s blood. It should be calcined longer than silver; and it should remain exposed to a powerful fire for three days. The saltness which persists after its calcinations you may remove with hot lye.

Of Lead.

    Lead is generated in the same way as other imperfect metals. It consists of impure sulphur and dark impure quicksilver, of weak digestion and composition. Its blackness and impurity may be extracted by continued digestion. This purgation may be performed by melting and adding to it one-fourth part of Mercury; then pulverize in mortar with an equal weight of burnt common salt, till the salt grows black. Then wash it out with water; pound again with an equal weight of salt, and so add salt a third time; boil it all up in strong vinegar for the first day, till it is the more purified of sulphur and blackness. Continue the operation till the lead is quite pure.

Of Tin.

    Tin has white and partially impure quicksilver, with sulphur of great impurity. One-quarter of Mercury and a third part of lead will remove its porosity and toughness. But it must be imbibed with rectified oil, or with distilled swine’s blood, till its moisture is removed. Its purification may also be carried out, like that of lead, with burnt salt and vinegar. But Rhasis says that gold and silver are evolved out of it with greater difficulty than out of any other metal.

Of Iron.

    Iron is composed, like other metals, of gross and impure sulphur and quicksilver. It may be changed into steel, but only with the greatest difficulty into gold and silver. It may be founded with ceruse, but is not malleable after fusion. It is most useful in supplying that crocus which is of so great importance in our Magistery.

 


Extracts of Lacinius from Albertus Magnus, St Thomas, and Other Great Sages.

    Only to inexperienced and superficial readers can there appear to be any disagreement among the different exponents of this Art. From Hermes, who calls the dissolved Body a perennial water which coagulates Mercury, down to the latest Sage, they are all in wonderful substantial harmony. The matter of which they speak is the flower of flowers, the rose of roses, the lily of lilies. Rejoice then, young man, in they youth, and learn to collect flowers, because I have brought you into the garden of Paradise. Make wreath for your head, rejoice, and enjoy the delights of this world, praising God, and helping your neighbor. I will now open to you the fount of knowledge, and make you to understand the dark things of this Art.

    Albertus instructs us, first, to collect the flowers, i.e., purge the spirits, then to fix them by repeated sublimation in a closed vessel, then to dissolve, and then to coagulate. First, we will speak in general,

Of Spirits.

    The transmutation of metallic bodies is brought about by the mineral spirits, whose abundant purity and digestion impart to them great potency of digestion and purification. By a spirit we mean that which has a natural potency in vivifying and rendering immutable. It is surely not surprising that a most highly purified and matured spirit should effect striking changes in the body of a metal. The quantity of the metal is indeed very much larger, but the qualities of the spirit are active, while those of the metals are passive, and so very little can cause a very great effect. In order, however, that spirits may have this power, it is necessary to purify and digest them very highly, to introduce them into metallic bodies, and to make it impossible for them to leave such bodies.

    The preparation of spirits is sufficiently exemplified for us by the way in which metals are naturally procreated. In the natural generation of gold, the spirit is sublimed by the mineral heat of the earth. The dry earth, when heated, heats the impurities, drinks up the superfluities, and retains the grosser parts. The watery, aerial, and igneous parts, being more subtle and volatile, ascend upward. By imitating Nature, Art has invented a sublimation through which we purify spirits by means of the dry element that consumes their superfluities. Nature prematurely sublimes some quicksilver and sulphur in the bowels of the earth by premature coagulation into iron, for her own purposes. I., however, who wish to purify the sulphur and the quicksilver, can put off the coagulation until the spirits are freed from all grossness and humidity by reiterated sublimation. Nature, when aided by man, is much more powerful than when left to herself.

Of the Purification of the Spirits.

    The purification of spirits consists in the removal of all superfluities, but without the corruption of essentials. There are three kinds of spirits, mineral, vegetable, and animal. The mineral spirits, again, are properly three: sulphur, quicksilver, and arsenic, which operate naturally in metals, and to which metals, prepared by Art, are naturally joined. Of these, sulphur is the great active principle, while arsenic represents the secondary operations of quicksilver --- but all three unite in the composition of the Elixir.

    Sulphur is an oleaginous body composed of subtle earth, strongly saturated with water, and a fat, unctuous, airy humidity, capable of fusion by heat, and by coagulation by cold. It has three humours, two of which are superfluous, while one is necessary. What we have to do is to purge out the superfluous humours, leaving the third indissolubly united to the purified earth.

    Take pure and brilliant sulphur, pound small, incorporate with an equal quantity of common salt, cook over gentle fire for two hours, stirring it well all the time, till the mixture becomes a black mass. Allow to cool: take good strong lye, made of plain water combined with quicklime and vine ashes. Pulverize sulphur and salt, boil with lye water over a fierce fire, stirring often, till all the salt is extracted, with the unctuosity thereof. Dry the sulphur, add more salt in the same proportion as before, and repeat the last operation. Reiterate three times, then sublime in the following way: Boil alum in an earthen pot over a strong fire for half an hour, when it will be calcined. Add an equal quantity of iron or copper filings, sprinkle with vinegar, and mix well. With two parts of this compound combine one part of sulphur, and again moisten with vinegar, Dry in sun, or by a slow fire, and place in vessel thus: Cover the bottom an inch thick with the mixture of alum and iron filings, then put in the sulphur, etc., and over that another layer of the mixture. Boil over gentle fire for three hours: stop up mouth of vessel, increase fire gradually till twenty-fourth hour, cool, collect what is sublimed. The fire should be gentle at first and strong afterwards. Take care to stir the contents of the vessel frequently, and let it be well raised above the fire to prevent the compound from getting burned. Repeat the sublimation seven times, till the sulphur becomes quite white, dry, and clear from all humidity of a corrupt kind. The sign of this perfection is a crystalline brightness and brilliancy.

    It is fixed and completed in the following manner. Take strong, thrice distilled vinegar; mingle with it the aforesaid purified sulphur, and one-fifth part of its weight of thrice-sublimed salt armoniac. Mingle all with the vinegar in a porphyry jar. Put in a long-necked glass phial, close, plunge in horse-dung, till all is dissolved. Congeal into ashes with the mouth of the phial open. Continue slow fire till all is coagulated: then you will have sulphur which tinges, and remains fixed in the fire. With it you can transmute Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter into silver.

Of Quicksilver.

    Quicksilver is a mineral body, composed of subtle sulphureous earth, mixed with water, which is partly elementary, partly metallic. Its earthy substance must be purged o its gross sulphureous earthliness, and its aqueous substance of its twofold superfluous humidity. When it is thus purified it unites with purified sulphur to produce the glorious Elixir, and the complete perfection of gold and silver, just as the female menstrual blood combines with the male sperm to make a man.

Its Preparation.

    Project quicksilver on its father, coagulate a little, pound, incorporate with a double quantity of its sediment; place in sublimatory between two layers of sediment; when fully steamed, shut up vessel, and place over fire gradually increasing in strength. The sediment consists of one part of common salt, and one part of black or green atrament, and one part of cuperosa. Let it be seven times, or oftener, sublimed with this sediment, till it loses all superfluous, earthy humidity, and becomes very white. At first let it be pounded with its sediment, till it dies. Sprinkle with vinegar or urine. Place over very gentle fire, for it burns easily. Before you open the sublimatory, let it cool, because its vapour is very deadly. However much Mercury is purified by sublimation, it does not penetrate the body of a metal, or remain there, after the manner of sulphur or arsenic. Its substance, though very pure, is not easily fusible: their fusibility metals owe to their sulphur rather than their quicksilver. It is, therefore, necessary to incerate and to loosen. Sal ammoniac, saltpeter, borax, capillary oil, and oil of eggs are the best media for creation, to which also contrition is eminently needful, for it subtilizes parts and causes them to penetrate one another. Take highly purified Mercury with one-seventh it weight of salt armoniac, thrice sublimed with a equal quantity of common salt; sprinkle with rectified hair oil in the place wherein it is being dried. Dry in glass vessel among ho ashes, or in the sun. Pound and sprinkle with hair oil, and again dry. Again pound and make a paste with oil, and dry. The sign of creation is that the substance flows like wax when poured upon a plate of silver. The above operation must be repeated, if necessary, until this is accomplished. Take strong, thrice-distilled vinegar (to which add one-tenth part of thrice-sublimed salt armoniac); make a paste, place in glass vessel, close carefully, plunge in horse dung, and then leave on gentle fire about 26 days; take out, strain, coagulate among hot ashes into a hard and dry mass, leaving the vessel open till all humidity disappears. Test by placing on red-hot iron plate: if it remains undiminished and gives out no smoke, it is properly fixed. If it gives out smoke, it is not fixed, and you must repeat the coagulative process. The Mercury may be changed into Moon by the method described in the section on sulphur. If on this well-coagulated Mercury you place and equal amount of common Mercury with one-tenth or one-seventh of thrice-sublimed salt armoniac, and make a paste with hair or egg oil, and dissolve and coagulate, it will more readily be fixed. To obtain the red substance, make the paste with oil, one-fourth part of the aforesaid sulphur, with one-seventh part of salt armoniac, and one-third of lime and red oil (hereafter to be described); dissolve and coagulate as aforesaid. If projected on the Moon, it will transmute into true gold.

Of Arsenic.

    Arsenic is a mineral body composed of earth and water; it is oleaginous, like sulphur, but having more earth than oil, and containing a more gross and earthy sulphur. Its purgation for the first sublimation is by means of substances which dry up and consume its oleaginous superfluity, which is the first humidity. The aqueous superfluity, which is the second humidity, must be evaporated.

    In God’s name, take ponderous, lucid, red or yellow arsenic, pound small with an equal weight and a half of iron or copper filings; sprinkle with vinegar, dry, place between layers of its sediment over a fire, till there be no more steam, close up vessel, increase fire more and more till all is sublimed; cool, collect what appears outside the sediment, place between new layers, in each case about the thickness of one inch; sublime as before, till it is white, pure, crystalline, and free from all humidity and superfluity. This may be done by means of five or six sublimations; dissolve, and then coagulate, as in the case of sulphur, whether for the white or red. Arsenic is of less potency in the coagulation of Mercury than sulphur, but it is possible to extract from it an igneous virtue.

How the Abovesaid Purified Sulphur changes Mercury, Copper, and Tin into Silver.

    Take one pound of living Mercury, five pounds of melted purified tin, amalgamate, pulverize in marble mortar with an equal quantity of common baked salt, till the salt is quite black. Wash with water, till all blackness disappears; dry, add salt again, etc., and repeat the process till the salt and the water cease to become black. Add again an equal quantity of salt, cook over a slow fire, pound for an hour till the salt gets dry; when the Mercury begins to volatilize, project and pound as before, until no more blackness appears. Again wash and dry. Thus Mercury and tin are purified of their sulpureous blackness by constant poundings and assations with salt. I myself have found it necessary to repeat the cleansing operation twelve times! Then let both be fused together (i.e., the Mercury and the tin); project into one mass one-seventh part of our prepared fixed and purified sulphur; hold it there with pincers till it is all dissolved. Remove quickly from fire, plunge in distilled vinegar, and the mass will be found white, soft, and friable. Place it in an earthen vessel, having an aperture at the top for the reception of the vessel containing the matter, which close; place on fire for thrice 24 hours, in order that the mass may be well-digested by the fire and the sulphur; after a time turn the vessel upside down, lest the Mercury should escape the influence of the coagulating sulphur. Thus the whole mass is changed into white, pure, malleable, and fixed Silver. Note that borax is to be preferred before all things in the matte of consolidation and ductibility.

How the Aforesaid Sulphur acts upon Tin.

    Melt tin, and give it a strong fire, till all the smoke has evaporated; boil in strong vinegar for half a day, strain through a rag, pound with an equal quantity of salt, till it grows black; renew salt twelve times, as above. Thus Jupiter will be prepared for the reception of the Medicine. Then add to the melted tin one-seventh its weight of sulphur, as before described, holding it with pincers till it is dissolved and incorporated therewith. Tin is rendered fusible and malleable as follows: Put some calcined borax in a saucepan over the fire, dissolve in good wine, plunge in it the lime of tin, boil up till all the wine evaporates; then saturate the lime with swine’s blood, blow the fire, and it will presently melt, and be ready to receive the medicine, after the reception of which you will see Jove amiable and well-composed, without harshness, and fit to be the companion and friend of the prepared Moon. The Moon, thus prepared, is first purged with lead, afterwards projected upon rods, ignited ten times, and as often extinguished in swine’s blood; it is them laminated, and melted with a little borax, again projected upon rods, set on fire ten times as before, once more laminated and melted. Its purgation is now complete, a tenth part of sulphur is added to it in fusion, and this is the Moon which the friend of Jove as aforesaid.

How the Aforesaid Sulphur acts on Venus.

    Take copper prepared in the right way, add a tenth part of the aforesaid sulphur; it will come forth citrine. Then project upon rods immersed in swine’s blood, when the copper will have all the more prominent properties of silver, and mix well with it. To change this silver into gold, be guided by the following instructions.

    Take sulphur, pound small, cook over a gentle fire in an earthen vessel for seven days, till the orange colour disappears; and you must boil it in refined and distilled urine. Let the fire be moderate, so that the unctuosity may not go forth, but only the tincture, that is, the citrine colour. Remove the urine as it receives the colour of the sulphur, till all has been removed. Let all this be poured into a vessel, and distilled over a slow fire, till the water becomes first orange, then red. The white water which is first distilled we do not need; distill till you come to the black sediment, and keep that for another purpose. Herein is the Tincture. It is the fire chibric, which is a secret word. Take part of that fire, and distill the water which was firs orange, and then red, a second time. Boil the aforesaid fire in strong vinegar, cook over a gentle fire, till the cause of burning is extracted. For this purpose boil till the vinegar is consumed, add to it its dry, prepared fire, make a paste with three parts of the aforesaid white sulphur, adding one part of powdered slat armoniac; dissolve, coagulate, precipitate on prepared silver in the well-known manner, and it will be the best gold.

On Vegetables and Animals.

    It has been supposed, on the authority of St Thomas, that the Stone of the Philosophers is triplex --- mineral, vegetable, and animal. Their most approximate matte has never been expressly named by the Sages, but quicksilver has been assigned as that of the mineral, the quintessence of wine for the vegetable, and human blood for the animal. We will, therefore, now say a few words about the two Animal and Vegetable Stones, since these expressions are found in the writings of the Sages, and we wish our work to be as perfect as possible.

    Among vegetables, the first place is held by grain, spirit of wine, and salt of tartar; among sensible things, by human hair, blood, urine, and eggs. They must be pure of their kind, and then subjected to putrefaction, so that they may be divided among the four elements. After putrefaction dissolve and distil for 21 days, place over gentle fire in a cucurbite, collecting the white distilled water in a vessel by itself. The red and yellow water which is distilled should also be collected by itself. Inhumation in horsedung assists distillation. So continue the distillation till the steam ceases to rise, and only the black and dry earth remains in the alembic. The white water is called water simply; and the red water is called the water of life. Spirits are cerated, dissolved, coagulated, and fixed therewith. The whole water which had the citrine and the red, even to the dry faeces, contains water, air, fire, and oil. To prepare it, place the liquid without the black sediment in an alembic, and distill it over a slow fire. By this process there will be separated first the water and then the oil, which you may recognize by its viscosity, colour, and aerial lightness, as also by the fact that it floats in the water. In this second distillation you will find the fire as something red, black, and dry at the bottom, like the earth in the first distillation. In this way you separate the four elements. The water and oil are also rectified by distillation till they attain a crystalline brightness and brilliancy, without any sediment.

    The sediment of the second distillation, called fire, is thus rectified. Pound, dry in sun, calcine over a gentle fire, till it turns of an orange or red colour, the redder the better. To rectify the earth, pound the dry earth, saturate with its water, dry over slow fire, or in the sun, pound and imbibe till the earth has drunk twice the quantity of its water; dry it again, add seven times its quantity of water; repeat the operation a fourth time with seven times its quantity of water, calcine, saturate with a third part of the sevenfold quantity, place it in a glass vial, adding a modicum of bombax; dissolve in very warm horse-dung for three days, or more; take out, saturate with the remainder of that sevenfold quantity, calcine, and it will then be very yellow. By constantly repeating the saturation and calcinations, it will at length become very white, and a pearl of great price.

    Having rectified the four elements, prepare the elixir in the following way. Dry and pound well the aforesaid earth, saturate with its oil, i.e., its rectified air; dry, make liquid till it flows like wax on a red-hot copper plate; it will then have the properties of silver; pound it with its water, and dissolve in warm dung for three days; coagulate among hot ashes, and you have a most precious treasure. Of this, say the Sages, project one pound upon 100 pounds of prepared copper, and it will be changed into real, pure silver. If you wish to obtain the Elixir which will transmute into gold, follow the above instruction, but add to the three parts of rectified earth one of fire, and make a paste of all this with its oil, as described; dissolve and coagulate in the same way; project one pound on 50 pounds of prepared silver, and it will be transmuted into true gold.

    Hair and eggs must be putrefied under warm horse dung. Do not despise the putrefaction and dissolution of spirits in dung, for only in this way can they be properly digested. Not that the superior spirit of eggs is said to be in the outer shells, and they are whitened by calcinations only. They should in the first place be purged from the tela, then pounded and washed in a plain dish, and then paced in a strong earthen vessel with several small openings for the smoke to escape. Set the vessel over a powerful fire (such as is used in glass smelting) for a day and night; saturate with their water and oil till they become fluid  like wax, pound this substance with its rectified water, dry, constantly pound and saturate, till it has drunk up its own weight of the water. Pound still, and dissolve in its own water. The oftener the Medicine is dissolved, the more efficacious will it be. O make the metal malleable, ductile, and amenable to the action of the Medicine, plunge ten times in swine’s blood, beat into thin plates, lay between layers of common salt and tartar of borax, pound with a moderate quantity of swine’s blood, and so make the metal fusible. The same process will render the metal harder if it be too soft. If the Medicine does not enter the metallic body properly, you may remedy the defect with oil of eggs and hair, and salt armoniac. If it enters well, but does not remain, this arises from a defect of fixation, and should be remedied by repeated inceration, dissolution, and coagulation. If it does not tinge well, its purification is at fault; repeat the sublimations, and add more of the metallic body. Moreover, the metals which are to be transmuted, must first be highly purified; and the Medicine itself must possess the utmost degree of purity and digestion.

    In order that spirits may tinge permanently, they must first be cleansed, then sublimed, then incerated, then dissolved, and, lastly, reduced to a crystalline form. By means of sublimation the pure is removed from the impure. Bodies are calcined in order to purge out the accidents which corrupt the spirit, and impair the potency of the Tincture. Dissolution is practiced for the purpose of permanently uniting bodies to spirits. They are coagulated because powders are more easily used than water.

    First dissolve bodies, then form a paste with the proper aqueous or liquid substance, and coagulate in the following manner. Close the vessel, place over warm ashes, leave for two days, till it is coagulated, then project a little of the coagulated substance on a red-hot pate, and if it evaporates, know that your operation has not been successfully performed. You must, therefore, add more of the body, and go trough the whole process over again. For unless the spirits are bound to the bodies by indissoluble links, they do not endure the test of the fire. Anyone, then, that would succeed in this Art, must understand sublimation, calcinations, dissolution, distillation, coagulation, inhumation, inceration; in a word, how to prepare baths, furnaces, and vessels. We will, therefore, briefly discuss these several operations.

Inceration.

    Inceration is the saturating of a certain substance with some liquid for the purpose of dissolving or more closely uniting its parts, or of facilitating their mixture and purification, as when substances are saturated with a dessicaing and penetratn liquid (like common salt) before sublimation).

Sublimation.

    Sublimation takes place when anything is raised by air from the bottom to the upper part of the vessel. In the case of liquids, it is called distillation. It is used to make spirits more fit to receive the Medicine, the means being a slow and gradually increasing fire. It is also used to bring bodies into permanent union with spirits. Such bodies are first calcined, then sublimed with the spirits, and this operation requires a powerful fire from the first.

Assation

    Assation is to place incerated substances in a glass vessel, and to dry over hot ashes before the fire, taking care to stir the substance from time to time with a wooden stick.

Calcination

    Calcination is the pulverization of a substance by drying over a fire, and thus depriving it of is consolidating moisture. For there is not a full and perfect mixture of bodies and spirits, unless both are reduced to water which is the first matter of meals; but this cannot be done so long as they have their natural humidity, which causes the to be melted, liquefied, and moved in the fire, just like water, and holds continuous parts of the bodies in them, and strengthens them so that nothing can be administered to them whereby they can be reduced into water. When substances have thus been pulverized, they are more readily mixed, and saturated with moisture.

Dissolution.

    Dissolution is the reduction of a calcined body to water. The body must be first calcined, then saturated with dissolving water, then dried before the fire, then paced in a vessel where dissolution can take place; whatever still remains undissolved must again be prepared by the same series of operations. Dissolve by making a hole in a damp place, or in a stable, of the depth of two cubits; fill the hole full of water, till it is absorbed, and also put in some sand. Place in the hole the bottle having the substance to be dissolved; seal up bottle with wax; wrap up the same in straw; cover up the wax with moist sand, leave for seven days, or more, and the whole will be dissolved into water. Another dissolution is by means of St Mary’s bath. Repeat the operation, till it is perfectly accomplished.

Distillation.

    Distillation is the purification of water that falls drop by drop, and is performed by means of a filter, or by steaming off a liquid over the fire, and condensing it again. It is also performed by water in St Mary’s Bath.

Inhumation.

    Inhumation is the placing of a soluble or dissolved substance in dug for purposes of dissolution (and then one part of the excrement of pigeons is mingled by means of vinegar with two parts of horse-dung), or for the purposes of developing an embryonic substance which has already begun to germinate. Make a hole two cubits deep and wide, where the wind cannot blow nor the sunshine; light in it a coal fire and keep up same for six hours. Take out the cinders, fill up the hole to the height of one foot with plain horse-dung, cover the side of the hole with a mixture of pigeon’s excrement and horse-dung. Place in the hole a box, which fill up inside with the mixed excrements; plunge a urinal into the box, and over this place a little dish; inside the urinal put the vessel with the substance to be dissolved, leave for seven days, pouring over it a quantity of hot water twice every day.

Precepts of Albertus.

    Above all I exhort you to be careful no to make any mistake, first in the pounding, then in the sublimation, then in the fixation, then in the calcinations, then in the dissolution, the in the coagulation. Perform all these operations properly, in their correct order, and you will not go wrong. If you reverse, or interfere with the order in any way, you are sure to get into difficulty.

    Therefore Albertus says: ---

    Know that before I found the truth, I fell into many errors and mistakes; and it was by constant trials, mistakes, and study that the secret was made known to me. I pored over the books of all the Sages, from Morienus, Aristotle, and Plato downward, but yet I went wrong, till by trials and mistakes I at length discovered the truth. For this reason I desired to set forth to you plainly all my discoveries, and I have put down nothing except what I have seen with my own eyes. I have shewn you the hidden treasure which many seek, and cannot find. I have manifested to you what was hidden in darkness, the Holy Stone, which is better than all other things in this world.

End of the Extracts from Albertus, St Thomas, and others.

 


Curious Investigation Concerning the Nature of the Sun and Moon, from Michael Scotus.

    If we ask ourselves as a first question whether the gold of Alchemy be true gold or not, it would appear at first sight as if we must answer in the negative; because gold is properly generated in the bowels of the earth, and therefore, whatever is not so generated would not seem to be gold. Again, the substantial form can be introduced only by its own proper active principle, which is the Sun, but not the kind of sun or fire that alchemists use. Yet it should be remembered that the real question is whether there can be elicited from the Sun and Moon, by an artificial process, any seminal virtue which shall possess the power of hardening Mercury in a moment of time into gold.

    Now, in the first place, it is clear that such a seminal virtue can be extracted from gold. Every body, says St Augustine, contains certain seminal possibilities of a specific character, which will always produce certain given effects, whenever the requisite temporal, causal, and local conditions are fulfilled. God is the only Creator, but whoever provides bodies with certain conditions may produce, through their means, certain well defined effects. These seminal possibilities are called by some elementary virtues. We call them fermented spirits, because their action is hindered by the impurity of their bodies. But the spirit must be of a mineral kind, and all philosophers agree that the said mineral spirit is not a universal nature, nor yet is it Mercury in its whole substance, but in part it is such. Gold itself is altogether mineral, as is clearly apparent from its weight, and the ease with which it absorbs Mercury. Hence gold contains the radical seminal virtue which we seek; it is developed by digestive heat, and the impulse of an overruling Intelligence.

Opinions on the First Substance of Gold and Silver.

    In the second place, some enquirers,, who observed the ease with which gold absorbs Mercury, were surprised to find that this Mercury, though highly purified, did not perfect the gold into to the Tincture. But those who know that there is no generation except where there is nutrition --- the generative virtue being the residue of nutrition --- thought of implanting this virtue by nourishing the gold, and thus stirring up its radical active principle. In order that a grain of wheat may fructify, it must die and, by the action of the sun, its substance, which is not more that of wheat than of stone, must be corrupted, and become fit to receive the form of wheat rather than that of stone, In the same way gold must putrefy so as to be reduced to its first matte, that it may become capable of germination. Many have said that this first substance of gold is sulphur and Mercury. But sulphur and Mercury are metals distinct from gold, and are not found where gold is found. We may rather say that an unctuous vapour, embodying the nature of both Mercury and sulphur, is the first matter of gold. Now, as a man is generated by his father through the medium of seed, and generates a son through the medium of seed, so gold, which is generated through this vapour, generates gold by means of this same unctuous vapour. Hence the Sages have called gold, when decomposed into its first matter sulphur and mercury.

Of the Reduction of Gold into its First Matter.

    In this operation we must be quite sure that our methods are strictly in accordance with Nature; or we may destroy the body instead of perfecting it. Now, gold is earthy, and generically cold and dry, though, in comparison with other metals, is may be called hot and humid; therefore, we must look for special difficulties in transmuting it into a humid unctuous vapour.

    It must be carefully calcined in a reverberatory furnace (so as to prevent fusion), and saturated with strong fiery waters. By this operation the surface humidity is corrupted, and there is generated a dryness, so that it is hot and dry. Earthy dryness, however, is inconsistent with the hotness of fire. Therefore, the first dryness is corrupted, and another more unctuous black dryness is generated. When Hermes says that the Stone ascends to heaven from the earth, i.e., is converted out of earth into fire, he means that gold, by means of calcinations, acquired the virtue of fire. Earth has dryness in common with fire; hence the conversion is all the easier, and then it once more descends from fire to earth. This latter effect is due to the operation whereby the calcined dry substance, through the mediation of our aerial water, by saturation has its dry nature corrupted, and an airy liquid nature is generated instead. Again the heat of fire is inconsistent with this humidity; hence it is corrupted and becomes a temperate moist warmth. Our vapour, then, is a substance intermediate between water and air. Thus gold returns to its root, and becomes a vapour, which is called the first matter of the Sun. Hence Geber, speaking to the artist, says in Med. Tert. Ord., c. 78: You have extracted the precious earth, and so that has come to pass which is meant by Hermes, when he says: It again descends from heaven, i.e., from fire to earth, i.e., to the first matter --- and thereby acquired the strength both of things above and of things below. He says that we must extract the four elements, i.e., stir up the seminal virtues, or the active and passive qualities. The vapour which results is called by a countless variety of names.

Why it is called a Stone.

    The substance has also been named after all the different varieties of salt, and this custom has given rise to many grievious errors. We prefer to call it a spiritual mineral virtue, as such a designation is less misleading, and implies that the gold has received the power of germination and propagation. But as every spirit is contained in a humid substance, the Sages have endeavored to convert this spiritual potency, by repeated solution and calcinations, into something humid and unctuous. Thus, elementary earth germinated through the frequent irrigation of rain descending from heaven. Thus, also, the heat and dryness of the earth gradually give way to fatness and moisture, as the rain continually ascends and descends. If it be denied that by such means gold can really be converted into vapour, Plato tells us that if it be impossible to convert it into fire, it must then become the next thing to it, which is air. If a figure cannot be made circular, the body must be reduced to its utmost limit of simplicity. That gold receives greater virtue by this process is clear from the fact that one ounce of prepared gold will fix one pound of spirit in one day, or, if the gold has been prepared ten times, it will fix one pound in an hour.

Third Part.

    Our third question is how this virtue should be sown. The earth in which it is best placed is a mineral nature, because we are fed and derive our growth from the things by which we are generated. What we need for this purpose is a mercurial virtue, and hence it must be sown in mercurial earth. This earth, however, must first be cleared, i.e., it must be purified and sublimed by means of a powerful fire, though all the time its essential part must be kept from combustion. The gentle fire which we need for this purpose, is one that conserves humidity, and perfects fusion. The seminal virtue must be strong enough to fix the spirits which are enclosed with it in the vessel; for so the virtue is multiplied and grows. But if the fire be too strong, the spirits escape and evaporate, and fixation cannot take place. What is fixed, fixes; what is coagulated, coagulates; our substance impregnates itself and is the most wonderful thing on earth. Sow the gold of the Sages, says Mary, when it has been philosophically prepared, in the earth of leaves, there it will grow, be nourished, and increase, like other plants. When you see that the process of fixation has begun to take place, then rejoice, for you are about to obtain your heart’s desire. But as only that sperm which is prepared in the vital liver generates in the case of animals, so only after long and patient digestion are our mineral spirits capable of producing our Stone. While the process of digestion is going on, the vessel must be kept carefully closed, or the spirits will escape; and as the fire must not be powerful, the operations must be frequently repeated over a gentle fire, in order to produce the same effect. When the Stone is once perfected, it may be indefinitely multiplied in quantity; e.g., one part, after the first sublimation, would perfect ten parts of common metal; if it be twice dissolved and coagulated, it perfects one hundred parts; if three times, it perfects two hundred parts; if twelve times, it tinges indefinitely. The solution, says Plato, takes place in the Moon, the coagulation in Saturn: and thereby our Stone acquires the virtue of all the planets. And again: the solution takes place in the water, the coagulation in the fire: thereby our Stone acquires the strength of the elements above, and of the elements below.

    As to the fourth question (that of time), we say that those who wish to bring forth the child before the proper period produce an abortion. In order, then, that we may know when the time of perfection may be considered near, it is necessary to observe the signs of development in our Magistery. When the substance is in the white stage, it is more subtle than air, and more brilliant than snow. Not long afterwards it may be expected to reach the red stage. The addition of the orange colour, which is obtained from Mercury, is the only difference between the red Stone and the white. As a consequence, its air is more spiritual, its quicksilver more limpid, its fire more condensed, and its coldness more effectual. The white stage is brought about by constant sublimation and distillation through a filter; the red stage by the intensity of the calcined waters. In the second place, there must be constant solution by means of strong waters, and increasing assation. Then the substance must be liquefied and slightly coagulated. This must be followed by a subtle purification of the whole material. Next you should light a violent precipitatory fire. The sixth operation includes all that have gone before and perfects the Stone. If you add a grain of the Stone to a glass of sound wine, it cures leprosy, the itch, and all fevers, and purges all corrupt humours out of the human body, it straightens palsied limbs, and conserves youth. He who uses this medicine will always be merry and in ruddy health. Project one ounce upon 40 pounds of melted white or red Mercury, and it will at once be fixed and changed into silver or gold. It has also the virtue of rendering gems, diamonds, and precious stones far more beautiful, and of giving them a more intense colouring The medicinal efficacy of our Stone has been variously explained by the various Sages. Some regard it merely as an intensification of the power of gold to comfort and strengthen the heart of man. Some have compared it to the action of the magnet upon the steel; only both the magnet and the steel are, of course, mineral, while man and the Elixir belong to two different natural kingdoms. It is more reasonable, perhaps, to attribute the medicinal efficacy of our Stone upon the human constitution to the mystical influences which the heavenly bodies exert over both minerals and animals, and the same are found in our Stone in a specially concentrated form. But, however we may explain the fact, let us thank God that it is a fact, and that it has pleased Him to bestow so great a boon upon men. To Him be praise and glory in all eternity, world without end. Amen.

38 John Dastin and the Pope

John Dastin (or Dastyn or Dastain or Dausten) defended alchemy when it was attacked by Pope John XXII in the 1320's. 

Here is the Pope's decretal:

 

Spondet quas non exhibent
"Guarantees they do not offer"

Poor themselves, the alchemists promise riches which are not forthcoming; wise also in their own conceit, they fall into the ditch which they themselves have digged. For there is no doubt that the professors of this art of alchemy make fun of each other because, conscious of their own ignorance, they are surprised at those who say anything of this kind about themselves; when the truth sought does not come to them they fix on a day for their experiment and exhaust all their arts; then they dissimulate their failure so that finally, though there is no such thing in nature, they pretend to make genuine gold and silver by a sophistic transmutation; to such an extent does their damned and damnable temerity go that they stamp upon the base metal the characters of public money for believing eyes, and it is only in this way that they deceive the ignorant populace as to the alchemic fire of their furnace. Wishing to banish such practices for all time, we have determined by this formal edict that whoever shall make gold or silver of this kind or shall order it to be made, provided the attempt actually ensues, or whoever shall knowingly assist those actually engaged in such a process, or whoever shall knowingly make use of such gold or silver either by selling it or giving it in payment for debt, shall be compelled as a penalty to pay into the public treasury, to be used for the poor, as much by weight of genuine gold or silver as there may be of alchemical metal, provided it be proved lawfully that they have been guilty in any of the aforesaid ways; as for those who persist in making alchemical gold, or, as has been said, in using it knowingly, let them be branded with the mark of perpetual infamy. But if the means of the delinquents are insufficient for the payment of the amount stated then the good judgement of the justice may commute this penalty for some other (as for example imprisonment or another punishment, according to the nature of the case, the difference of individuals and other circumstances). Those, however, who in their regrettable folly go so far as not only to pass monies thus made but even despise the precepts of the natural law, overstep the limits of their art and violate the laws by deliberately coining or casting or causing others to coin or cast counterfeit money from alchemical gold or silver, we proclaim as coming under this animadversion, and their goods shall be confiscate, and they shall be considered as criminals. And if the delinquents are clerics, besides the aforeside penalties they shall be deprived of any benefices they shall hold and shall be declared incapable of holding any further benefices.

This Pope was also against witchcraft and sorcery.

Dastin answers in a letter to the Pope, calling the philosopher's stone "the most noble matter, which, according to the tradition of all philosophers, transforms any metallic body into very pure gold and silver" which "makes an old man young and drives out all sickness of the body." Dastin implies that the "ferment"  or "sulfur" of mercury is actually pure gold but before the action of the stone will work the mercury must be fixed or made non-volatile:

Gold is more valuable than all other metals, because it contains in itself the essence of any metal. It tinges them and vivifies them, because it is the ferment of the elixir, without which the philosophers’ medicine can by no means be perfected, like as dough cannot be fermented without a ferment. It is indeed as leaven to dough, as curd to milk for cheese, and as the musk in good perfumes.... For those two bodies duly prepared are mercury and very pure sulphur, because if mercury is properly coagulated it transmutes into genuine gold and silver. If the mercury has been pure, the force of white, non-burning sulphur will congeal it. And that sulphur is the best one that those who practise alchemy can find or receive so as to convert it into silver. If however the pure and very good sulphur be of a clear red colour, and if there be in that sulphur the force of a simple non-burning fieriness, it will be the best thing that alchemists can find so as to make gold. And again: The ferment of gold is gold, and the ferment of silver is silver, and there are no other [suitable] ferments on earth.

In letters to Cardinal Orsini, who probably informed the Pope on alchemy,  he says, according to Holmyard:

Dastin indicates that the red sulphur he postulates in gold is sufficient to convert suitably prepared mercury into the Red Elixir. In this operation, the product is first white, and then, after further heating, it assumes a clear red colour. "The process," Dastin assures us, "is quite simple, and may be carried out over a gentle fire in a hermetically sealed glass vessel, through the wall of which the changes of colour may be watched. The fire should be so regulated that the vapours continually ascend and do not solidify at the top of the vessel. The whole operation takes about 100 days."

The power of elixirs is that

one part converts a million parts of any body you may choose into the most genuine gold and silver, according to which of the two elixirs was prepared. The red elixir has effective virtue over all other medicines of the philosophers to cure all infirmity, because, if it were an illness of one month, it cures it within one day; if it were an illness of a year, it cures it in twelve days. But if it were an inveterate illness, it cures it in a month. And therefore this medicine ought to be sought for by all, and before all other medicines of this world. This magistery is for kings and the great of this world, because he who possesses it has a never-failing treasure.

Was Dastin successful? The Pope never changed his mind on alchemy, but he died leaving an enormous fortune said to be of alchemical origin. quite an accomplishment for a man who earlier in his life accepted the vows of poverty. This is the Pope in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, wherein the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville travels to a Benedictine abbey used as neutral ground in a dispute between Pope John XXII and the Franciscans accused of heresy.

John Dastin's poetry on alchemy appears in Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum by Elias Ashmole starting page 257 as "Dastin's Dreame."

The Work of John Dastin


Not yet full sleping, nor yet full waking,
But betweene twayne lying in a traunce;
Halfe closed mine Eyne in my slumbering,
Like a Man rapt of all cheer & countenance;
By a manner of weninge & Rememberance
Towards Aurora, ere Phoebus uprose,
I dreamed one came to me to doe me pleasaunce
That brought me a Boke with seven seals close.

2. Following upon I had a wonerfull dreame,
As semed unto my inward thought,
The face of him shone as the Sun-beame:
Which unto me thys hevenly Boke brought,
Of so greate Riches that yt may not be bought,
In order set by Dame Philosophie,
The Capitall and the flowrishing wrought
By a wife prince called Theologie.

3. Thys Boke was written with letters [aureat],
Perpetually to be put in memory,
And to Apollo the Chapters consecrate,
And to rge seven Gods in the hevenly Consistory:
And in Mercuries litle Oratory,
Groweth all the fruite in breese of thys Science,
Who can expresse hem and have of hem Victory,
May clayme the tryumph of his Minerall prudence.

4. Of this matter above betweene Starrs seaven,
By Gods and Godessess all of one assent,
Was Sent Caducifer to Erth downe from Heaven:
Saturnus as Bedell by great advisment;
For to summon a general Parliament,
By concord of all both old and young of age,
To say in Breife their Councell most prudent:
For Common proffit to knit up a Marriage.

5. Betweene twaine Borne of the Imperiall blood,
And descended from Jupiters line,
Of their Natures most pure and most good;
Wythowte infeccion their seede is most divine;
That noe Eclips may let them for to shine,
So that Mercury doth stint all debate,
And restraine their Courage by meaknes them incline;
That of frowardnes they be not indurate.

6. For the Sunne that sitteth so heigh a loft,
His gloden dew-droppes shall cleerly raigne downe,
By the meane of Mercury that moven first made soft:
Then there schalbe a glad Conjunccion,
Whan there is made a Seperacion:
And their two Spermes by Marriage are made one;
And the said Mercury by devision,
Hath taken his flight and from both is gone.

7. These be the two Mercuries cheife of Philosophers,
Revived againe with the Spirit of lyfe,
Richer then Rubies or Pearles shut in Cofeurs;
Washed and Baptized in waters vegitative,
The body dissevered with heate nutrative:
By moderate moysture of Putrefaccion;
So that there is no excesse nor no strife
Of the foure Elements in their Conjunccion.

8. The graine of Wheate which on the ground doth fall,
But it be dead it may not fructifie,
If it be hole the vertue doth appayle;
And in no wise it may not Multiplye,
The increase doth begin whan it doth Putrefie;
Of good Grafts commeth Fruites of good lastage;
Of Crabs Verjuyce, of ash is made Lye,
Of good Grapes followeth a good Vintage.

9. Who soweth good Seede repeth good againe,
Of Cockles sowne there can grow no good Wheate,
For as such a Ploughman traveleth in vain,
To fruitefull Land Cockle is not meete;
Gall is ever bitter, Honey is ever sweete,
Of all things contrary is fals Conneccions,
Let Male and Female together ever meete;
But both be clensed of their Complexions.

10. A Man of Nature ingendereth but a Man,
And every Beast ingendereth his semblable;
And as Philosophers rehearse well can,
Diana and Venus in marriage be notable,
A Horse with a Swine joyneth not in a stable,
For where is made unkindly geniture,
What followeth but things abominable:
Which is to say Monstrum in Nature.

11. All this I finde in the said Boke,
Brought to me when I lay a sleepe;
And of one thing good heede I toke;
The Wolf in kind is Enemy to the Sheepe.
The Rose full divers to the wild Neepe:
For things joyned that be contrary;
Dame Nature complayning doth sit and weepe:
For falce receipts found in her Library.

12. And there it was to be pitiously complained,
That men to err by false Opinions
That be so farr from truth away restrained,
Like as they had lost wholly their Reasons,
Not considering in their discretions;
What mischeife followeth as is oft seene,
By these false froward Conneccions:
As doth leapers with folkes that byne cleane.

13. Notwithstanding he that is fate so high in heaven,
Crown'd with a Crowne of bright stones cleere,
Borne there to raine as ceife chosen of seaven:
Equal with Phoebus shone in the same sphere;
Without difference as Clerkes to us leare,
Sate there most royallin his diadem:
Very Celestiall and Angelike of cheare;
And in all vertue like as he did seeme.

14. And in that Boke I found well by writing,
Like as the processe made mention:
How that there was once a mighty rich King,
Cleane of nature and of Complexion:
Voyde of deformity from head soe forthe downe,
Which for his beauty as it is specified,
And for his cleanes most soverayne of renowne:
Was among Planets in heaven stellefyed.

15. Certaine Brethren I found he had in Number,
and of one Mother they were borne every each one:
But a Sicknes did them fore cumber,
That none was whole on his feete to gone,
Hoarse of language, cleere voice hed they none:
For with a scabb that was contagious,
They were infected, hole was their none;
For ever exiled because they were Leaprous.

16. The said King rose up in his Royall fee,
Seeing this mischeife cast his Eye downe,
And of his mercy, and fraternall pittye,
Surprized in heart, full of Compassion:
And began to complaine of their Infeccion,
Alas quoth he how came this adventure,
Under what froward or false Constelacion;
Or in what howre had yee your ingendure.

17. But sithence this mischeife is to you befall,
There is nothing which were more expedient,
Then to chuse one out amongst us all,
Without spott all cleere of his intent,
For you to dye by his owne assent,
To save the people from their Damnation:
And with his blood ere you be fully shent,
To make of his mercy your remission.

18. The which Liquor most wholesome is and good,
Against leprous humors and false infeccions,
When from a veyne taken is the blood;
Cleansing each part from all corrupcions,
The Originall taken from generacions:
Which is descended downe from stock ryall,
Nourished with Milke of Pure complexion;
With menstrous which are not superficiall.

19. But when the Brethren of this worthy King
Heard the Language, they fell in full great dread,
Full sore [fore] weeping and said in Complayning
That none of them was able to bleede,
Because their blood was infeccious indeede,
And corrupt blood made is now Sacrifice,
Wherefore alas there is noe way to speede,
That we can finde, to help us in any wise.

20. Of our Birth and of our Originall,
Cleerely and truly to make mencion;
Excuse is there none in parte nor in all;
In sin was our first conception:
Our bringing forth and generation,
Fulfilled was in sorrowe and wickednesse,
And our Mother in a short conclusion
With Corrupt milke us fostred in distresse.

21. For who may make that seede to be cleane,
That first was conceived in uncleanes,
For cancred rust may naver I meane,
By noe crafte shew forth parfect brightness:
Now let us all at once our Course addres;
And goe unto our Mother to ask by and by,
The finall cause of our Corrupt sickness;
That she declare unto us the Cause and why.

22. The said Children uprose in a fury
Of wofull rage, and went by one assent
Unto their Mother that called was Mercury:
Requiring her by greate advisement,
Before her Godesses being everyone present.
To tell them truly and in noe parte to faine,
Why their nature was corrupt and shent [fhent];
That caused them evermore to weepe and complaine.

23. To whom the Mother full bright of face and hew,
Gave this answer remembered in Scripture,
First when I was wedded a new,
I conceived by prosses of true Nature:
A Child of Seede that was most cleane and pure,
Undefiled, most orient, faire and bright,
Of all the P L A N E T S cheife of ingendure:
Which now in Heaven giveth so cleere a light.

24. Whose Complexion is most temperate,
In heate and cold and in humidity,
In Erth also that there is noe debate,
Nor noe repugnaunce by noe quallity:
Nor none occasion of none infirmity,
That among them there may be none discord,
So well proportioned every-each in his degree,
Each however and space they be of so tru accord.

25. Whose Nature is so imperiall,
That fire so burning doth him no distresse:
His royall kinde id so celestiall,
Of Corruption he taketh no sickness;
Fire, Water, Air, nor Erth with his drines,
Neither of them may alter his Complexion,
He fixeth Spirits through his high noblenes;
Saveth infected bodyes from their Corrupcion.

26. His Heavenly helth death may not assayle,
He dreadeth noe venome, nor needeth no treacle,
Winde Tempest ne Wether against him may prevaile,
Soe high in Heaven is his Tabernacle,
In Erth he worked many a miracle:
He cureth Lepers and fetcheth home Fugitive,
And to gouty Eyne giveth a cleere Spectacle:
Them to goe that lame were all their lief.

27. He is my Son and I his Mother deare,
By me conceived truly in Marriage;
As touching your Birth the sickness doth appeare,
Of Menstruous blood brought forth in tender age,
Your Leprie is shewed in Body and in Visage,
To make your hole Medicine is no other
Drinke, nor potion to your advantage,
But the pure blood of him that is your deare Brother.

28. A good Shepard must dye for his Sheepe,
Without grudging to speak his words plaine,
And semblable take hereof good keepe,
Your Brother must dye and newe be borne againe,
Though he be old, of hereof well certaine;
To youth againe he must be renewd,
And suffer passion or else all were vaine,
Then rising againe right fresh and well hewd.

29. Old Aeson was made young by Medea,
With her drinks and her potions,
Soe must your Brother of pure Volunta
Dye and be young through his operation,
And that through subtile natures Confections,
By whose death plainely to expresse;
Yee shalbe purged from all infeccions:
And your foule leaprie changed to cleanes.

30. With the said words the King began to abrayd
The tale adverting that she had tould,
How might a Man by nature thus he said
Be borne againe, namely when he is old;
Then said his Mother by reason manifold:
But if the Gospell thus doth meane,
In Water and Spirit be renovate hott and cold,
That he shall never plainely come into Heaven.

31. The King was trifty and heavy of cheere,
Upon his Knees meekly kneeled downe,
Prayed his Father in full low manner,
To translate the Challice of his passion,
But for he thought the redempcion
Of his brethren, might not be fulfilled,
Without his death nor their Salvation;
For them to suffer he was right willed.

32. And for to accomplish his purpose in sentence,
By cleere example of who so looketh right,
Heavy things from their Circumferance,
Must up assend and after be made light,
And things light ready to the flight
Must descend to the Center downe,
By interchaunging of natures might,
As they be moved by meane of Revolucion.

33. So as Jupiter in a Cloud of Gold,
Chaunged himselfe by transformacion,
And descended from his hevenly hold
Like a Golden dewe unto Danae downe,
And she conceived as made is mencion,
By influence of his power divine;
Right so shall Phoebus right soveraigne of renowne
To be conceived of his Golden raine decline.

34. And to comfort his Brethren that were full dull,
The Sun hath chosen without warr or strife,
The bright Moone when she was at the full,
To be his mother first, and after his wedded wife;
In tyme of Ver the season vegetative,
In Aries when Titan doth appeare,
Inspired by grace with the Spirit of lyfe,
This marriage hallowed at mdday Spheare.

35. And at this feast were the Godes all,
Saturne from blackness was turned to white;
And Jupiter let his mantle fall,
Full pale and meager of great delight,
Clothed in Lylies that in every manner wight,
Of Heaven and Erth, and Gods of the Sea,
Rejoyced in Heart, and were full glad and light,
To be present at this great Solemnity.

36. Mars forgot there his sturdy black hardines,
Cast off his Habergeon fret with old rust;
Venus foresooke her minerall redness,
Took Gold for green and she again also for lust,
Because she had in Phoebus such a trust,
That he should this feast hold of most noblenes:
Of brotherly pitty needs as he must,
Give her a mantle of Orientall brightness.

37. After this Wedding here afore devised,
Of faire Phoebus and freth Lucine;
Philosophers have prudently practised,
A Closset round by their wife Doctrine,,
Cleere as Christall of Glasse a litle shrine;
With heavenly deawe stuffed that dungeon,
Kept night and day with glorious maidens nyne;
To keep the Queene in her Concepcion.

38. Religiously they kept their Sylenee,
Till that from heaven their royall light,
And there with all in open audience;
Was heard a voice almost at mid night,
Among the Virgins most amiable of sight,
That said unto them, to save that was forlorne;
I must againe through my imperiall myght,
Be of my Mother new conceived and borne.

39. I must passe by water and by Fire,
The burnt abide and there from not decline,
To save my brethren I have so greate desire,
With new light their darkness to yllumine,
But fore I dread that venomous Serpentine,
Which ever advanceth with his violence,
My tender youth to hurt and to invenome,
But in your keeping doe you your diligence.

40. The King thus entred in his bed royall,
The Queene conceived under a Sun bright;
Under her feete a mount like Christall,
Which hed devoured her husband anon right,
Dead of defire and in the Maidens fight;
Lost all the Collour of his fresh face,
Thus was he dead, the Maidens feeble of mighr
Dispaired, slept in the same place.

41. The Serpent bold shed out of his poyson,
The Queene and Maidens for feare tooke them to flight,
Seven tymes assending up and downe
With in a vault, now darke, now cleere of light,
Their generation was so strong of might,
After death now passeth Purgatory;
Ao Resurreccion as any Sun bright,
Things that were lost to bring to his glory.

42. The Queene tooke her possession,
The Soule reviving of the dead King;
But of old hatred the toxicate poyson,
Was by the Serpent cast in to their hindring;
The Prince was buried, but of his rising,
The Brethren were glad the truth was seene,
When they were washed by his naturall clensing;
And their old Leprie by Miracle was made cleane.

43. The full Moone halfe shaddowed the Sun,
To putt away the burning of his light;
Black shaddowed first the skyes were to dunn,
The Ravens bill began who looketh right,
Blacker than Jett or Bugle to fight;
But little and little by ordinary apparance,
The temperate fire with his cherishing might
Turned all to white, but with noe violence.

44. Tyme to the Queene approched of Childing,
The Child of Nature was ready to fly,
Passage was there to his out going:
He spread his wings and found no liberty;
Of nyne Virgins he devoured three,
The other six most excellent and faire,
Fearfull for dread in their greatest beauty,
Spread their feathers and flew forth in the Aire.

45. The Child coloured first Black, and after White,
Having noe heate in very existence,
But by cherishing of the Sun bright,
Of forraine fire there was no violence:
Save that men say which have experience,
He drank such plenty of the Water of the well,
That his six sisters made noe resistance;
But would have devowred; Dasten can you tell.

46. Sometymes black, sometymes was he redd,
Now like ashes, now Citrine of Colour:
Now of Safforne hew, now Sanguine was his head,
Now white as a lylie he shewed him in his bower,
The Moone gave nourishment to him in his labour;
And with all their dorce did their buisnes,
To cloath him fresher then any flowre,
With a mantle of everlasting whitnes.

 

39 Alchemical Symbolism

Symbols have almost always been used in alchemy. It took two forms: typographic symbolism, literary symbolism, and pictorial symbolism.

In alchemy the typographical symbols were used to represent substances,

the four elements,

base metals, 

other elements,

compounds, 

processes,

  1. Calcination (Aries Aries symbol (fixed width).svg) ♈︎
  2. Congelation (Taurus Taurus symbol (fixed width).svg) ♉︎
  3. Fixation (Gemini Gemini symbol (fixed width).svg) ♊︎
  4. Solution (Cancer Cancer symbol (fixed width).svg) ♋︎
  5. Digestion (Leo Leo symbol (fixed width).svg) ♌︎
  6. Distillation (Virgo Virgo symbol (fixed width).svg) ♍︎
  7. Sublimation (Libra Libra symbol (fixed width).svg) ♎︎
  8. Separation (Scorpio Scorpius symbol (fixed width).svg) ♏︎
  9. Ceration (Sagittarius Sagittarius symbol (fixed width).svg) ♐︎
  10. Fermentation (Capricorn Capricornus symbol (fixed width).svg) ♑︎ (Putrefaction)
  11. Multiplication (Aquarius Aquarius symbol (fixed width).svg) ♒︎
  12. Projection (Pisces Pisces symbol (fixed width).svg) ♓︎

and units

Were they used to hide information? Almost never. They were used to make writing faster, and if using the symbols was more work than spelling them out (in print, for example) then they were spelled out, usually Capitalized and Italicized.

We still use symbols in chemistry, mostly for elements, as in Na for sodium (from the Latin natrium) or Pb (from plumbium). We symbolize the yields arrow, physical states (g for gas, aq for aqueous).

Alchemical symbolism changed over time, sometimes the alchemist published his own list of how he uses the symbols. This is the one used by Basil Valentine:

We also have a long history of a more literary symbolism, exemplified by the fantasical descriptions of Zosimos. Lyrical, imaginative, fantastic, these writings are not meant to hide, but to protect: a common theme in European alchemy is that this is a divine work, and those who treat it basely, namely those who want to greedily use the gold they make for power and wealth, will not proper in the effort; so let's not make it easy for them. The Latin Geber says:

Our Art is reserved in the Divine Will of God, and is given to, or withheld from, whom he will; who is glorious, sublime, and full of all Justice and Goodness. And perhaps, for the punishment of your sophistical work [work directed solely to material transformation], he denies you the Art, and lamentably thrusts you into the by-path of error, and from your error into perpetual infelicity and misery: because he is most miserable and unhappy, to whom (after the end of his work and labour) God denies the sight of Truth. For such a man is constituted in perpetual labour, beset with all misfortune and infelicity, loseth the consolation, joy, and delight of his whole time, and consumeth his life in grief without profit.

Archeleos, a Byzantine-Greek alchemist around 730 A.D., gives us a poem reminding the acolytes of alchemy to seek divine guidance and to purify and perfect themselves in order to complete the Work:

With inspiration from above take heart
And strive with certain aim to reach the mark.
The work which thou expectest to perform
Will bring thee easily great joy and gain
When soul and body thou dost beautify
With chasteness, fasts and purity of mind,
Avoiding life’s distractions and, alone
In prayerful service, giving praise to God,
Entreating him with supplicating hands
To grant thee grace and knowledge from above
That thou, O mystic, may‘st more quickly know
How from one species to complete this work....
Thy body mortify by serving God :
Thy soul let wing to look on godliness :
So shalt thou never have at all the wish
To do or think a thing that is not right.
For strength of soul is manliness of mind,
Sagacious reasoning and prudent thought.
All passions purify and wash away
The stain of carnal joys with streams of tears
Which flood thy weeping eyes, revealing thus
The pain and anguish of a contrite heart.
Mind well Gehenna’s fire and Judgement Day.
So live that thou deservedly may’st see
The shadowless and everlasting light.
And from thy lips let tuneful praise ascend
With choirs of angels unto God most high,
Who rules above with wisdom, king of all,
The Father with the Word and Holy Ghost,
For all eternity and endless time
Forever and forever more. Amen.

This might be the first time the idea of "As above, so below" of Hermes applies directly to the alchemist himself. This idea isn't expressed very often, but it continues throughout alchemy. It's a difficult idea for me to sort through because it was very confused in the mid-1800's when the Victorian Spiritualists grabbed this idea to explaining why so few could perform spiritualistic rituals (seances, spirit photography, ouija boards) successfully. They were a big influence on the late 1800's students of alchemy, A. E. Whaite particularly, who then pulled this interpretation headlong into alchemy and started the idea that alchemy was highly secretive. But historical alchemy was not secretive! The alchemist wrote profusely, and explained, though poorly, what they were doing. They were great fans of Aristotle, who explained the why's of everything he said, and emulated Aristotle in their writings.

Some confusion comes from the fact that no one says what the starting material is: but in Aristotle all substances were determined from their properties, and in any process if you impart 99.9% of the properties during the process itself, what does it matter what you start with? So I don't think the alchemists were too bothered about the starting material. Start with anything; we'll get rid of the original properties and impart new ones in the process, and turn it into the Elixir in the end. I think early interpreters of alchemy didn't follow this aspect of the philosophy of the alchemists. When they read the process described by the alchemists, and see no starting material listed, they mistook that absence as being a secret, and the typographical and literary symbolism as obfuscation.

In my reading I see something entirely different: I see typographical symbolism as a shorthand, and literary symbolism as having fun with the ideas. I see no secrets when reading alchemists; I see cleverness, and joy, and excitement in the effort. I see curiosity about nature, and about language.

Supporting this idea is an observation by one of the early scholars of alchemical history, Sherwood Taylor, who noticed that in the alchemical literature there is no mention of black magic, invocation of demons, necromancy, and other old evil practices known to be contemporaneously practiced. Alchemists were good men, righteous men, literate and curious, clever and hard working. Most were tremendously wealthy and weren't in it for the money. Atheist alchemists are rare; most consider alchemy the work of God and that by doing alchemy they are themselves reaching a higher level of divinity, as a priest would by doing priestly duties.

This is Archeleos again, using literary symbolism to describe the overall process:

A dragon springs therefrom which, when exposed
In horse’s excrement for twenty days,
Devours his tail till naught thereof remains.
This dragon, whom they Ouroboros [‘Tail-biter’] call,
Is white in looks and spotted in his skin.
And has a form and shape most strange to see.
When he was born he sprang from out the warm
And humid substance of united things.
The close embrace of male and female kind
— A union which occurred within the sea —
Brought forth this dragon, as already said;
A monster scorching all the earth with fire,
With all his might and panoply displayed,
He swims and comes unto a place within
The currents of the Nile; his gleaming skin
And all the bands which girdle him around
Are bright as gold and shine with points of light.
This dragon seize and slay with skilful art
Within the sea, and wield with speed thy knife
With double edges hot and moist, and then
His carcass having cleft in twain, lift out
The gall and bear away its blackened form,
All heavy with the weight of earthy bile;
Great clouds of steaming mist ascend therefrom
And these become on rising dense enough
To bear away the dragon from the sea
And lift him upward to a station warm,
The moisture of the air his lightened shape
And form sustaining; be most careful then
All burning of his substance to avoid
And change its nature to a stream divine
With quenching draughts; then pour the mercury
Into a gaping urn, and when its stream
Of sacred fluid stops to flow, then wash
Away with care the blackened dross of earth.
Thus having brightened what the darkness hid
Within the dragon’s entrails thou wilt bring
A mystery unspeakable to light;
For it will shine exceeding bright and clear,
And, being tinged a perfect white throughout,
Will be revealed with wondrous brilliancy,
Its blackness having all been changed to white;
For when the cloud-sent water flows thereon
It cleanses every dark and earthy stain.
Thus he doth easily release himself
By drinking nectar, though completely dead;
He poureth out to mortals all his wealth
And by his help the Earth-born are sustained
Abundantly in life, when they have found
The wondrous mystery, which, being fixed
Will turn to silver, dazzling bright in kind,
A metal having naught of earthy taint,
So brilliant, clear, and wonderfully white.

I love the way that ends, "So brilliant, clear and wonderfully white." That's how I see alchemy. There is no darkness there, save when I misread what they have written. 

Frontline, the PSB documentary series, broadcast a four-hour show called "From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians" about how the Church grew from a small band of believers into multiple empires. In that documentary there is a short discussion by one of the historians about scripture:

Prof. JOHN DOMINIC CROSSAN: The major issue for me is whether the people who told us the stories in the ancient world took them all literally, and now we're so smart that we know to take them symbolically, or they all intended them symbolically and we're so dumb that we've been taking them literally? And I really am with the second option. I think we have been misinterpreting these stories because the people who write them don't seem the least bit worried about their diversity. We see the problem and then we want to insist that they're literal. I think we have misread the Scriptures, not that they have miswritten them.

Transcript, Frontline: From Jesus to Christ, Part 2

The same applies to alchemy. Alchemists did not miswrite their works; any fault in interpretation is ours. That documentary, by the way, is very much worth your time to watch.

I'll talk about the pictorial symbolism in a future post on Emblem Books, the picture books in the early days of printing.

Symbolism can be taken the wrong way. Due to the inexact way symbols represent an idea, they can easily be taken the wrong way. I take them all as enjoyment, not as being literal. carl Jung, a very famous psychologist, spent a huge amount to effort to demonstrate that symbolism was literal, so literal what all humanity shared a common set of symbols. these symbols were present in dreams. In volume 12 of a 20-volume set devoted to this idea, Psychology and Alchemy, Jung spends most of his time describing the alchemical symbolism of one of his clients, a vivid dreamer names Wolfgang Pauli. Pauli was famous on his own right, as one of the founders of quantum theory (the Pauli exclusion principle is named after him). I think most psychologists look back at Jung's work as being mostly silly; we do not all dream using the same symbolism. We dream about ourselves. Everything in our dreams is us, and is probably more literal than we think. In dreams, a pen is just a pen.

40 Alchemical Cons

There is a long history of alchemists conning the gullible out of their riches. We've just seen a papal bull telling the Church that alchemy is not to be practiced because the alchemist cannot produce what is promised. 

But the art of the con goes far deeper than this. In Canterbury tales from 1400 AD, Geoffrey Chaucer has two stories, from the Canon's Yeoman, about an alchemist (the Canon) who can't produce the gold he seeks. By the way of introduction, Chaucer is writing in Middle English, which has both the look and feel of German. Middle English was a vernacular language, for the common man, not for the scholar, to be read in pubs around London. It's the story of a group of pilgrims who travel together, and at night tell stories as a contest two see who gets his dinner for free. One of the travelers, the Canon (church person of some sort in Britain) who is an alchemist, and who has as an assistant a yeoman. It's the yeoman telling the story, and he's the only character in the book who gets to tell two stories.

The best version is from Harvard's wonderful website on Chaucer: https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/canons-yeomans-prologue-and-tale

A YouTube animated version: 

Here I have omitted the prologue. Notes are in angled brackets.

 

THE TALE. <1> With this Canon I dwelt have seven year,
And of his science am I ne'er the near* *nearer
All that I had I have lost thereby,
And, God wot, so have many more than I.
Where I was wont to be right fresh and gay
Of clothing, and of other good array
Now may I wear an hose upon mine head;
And where my colour was both fresh and red,
Now is it wan, and of a leaden hue
(Whoso it useth, sore shall he it rue);
And of my swink* yet bleared is mine eye; *labour
Lo what advantage is to multiply!
That sliding* science hath me made so bare, *slippery, deceptive
That I have no good,* where that ever I fare; *property
And yet I am indebted so thereby
Of gold, that I have borrow'd truely,
That, while I live, I shall it quite* never; *repay
Let every man beware by me for ever.
What manner man that casteth* him thereto, *betaketh
If he continue, I hold *his thrift y-do;* *prosperity at an end*
So help me God, thereby shall he not win,
But empty his purse, and make his wittes thin.
And when he, through his madness and folly,
Hath lost his owen good through jupartie,* *hazard <2>
Then he exciteth other men thereto,
To lose their good as he himself hath do'.
For unto shrewes* joy it is and ease *wicked folk
To have their fellows in pain and disease.* *trouble
Thus was I ones learned of a clerk;
Of that no charge;* I will speak of our work. *matter
When we be there as we shall exercise
Our elvish* craft, we seeme wonder wise, *fantastic, wicked
Our termes be so *clergial and quaint.* *learned and strange
I blow the fire till that mine hearte faint.
Why should I tellen each proportion
Of thinges, whiche that we work upon,
As on five or six ounces, may well be,
Of silver, or some other quantity?
And busy me to telle you the names,
As orpiment, burnt bones, iron squames,* *scales <3>
That into powder grounden be full small?
And in an earthen pot how put is all,
And, salt y-put in, and also peppere,
Before these powders that I speak of here,
And well y-cover'd with a lamp of glass?
And of much other thing which that there was?
And of the pots and glasses engluting,* *sealing up
That of the air might passen out no thing?
And of the easy* fire, and smart** also, *slow **quick
Which that was made? and of the care and woe
That we had in our matters subliming,
And in amalgaming, and calcining
Of quicksilver, called mercury crude?
For all our sleightes we can not conclude.
Our orpiment, and sublim'd mercury,
Our ground litharge* eke on the porphyry, *white lead
Of each of these of ounces a certain,* *certain proportion
Not helpeth us, our labour is in vain.
Nor neither our spirits' ascensioun,
Nor our matters that lie all fix'd adown,
May in our working nothing us avail;
For lost is all our labour and travail,
And all the cost, a twenty devil way,
Is lost also, which we upon it lay.
There is also full many another thing
That is unto our craft appertaining,
Though I by order them not rehearse can,
Because that I am a lewed* man; *unlearned
Yet will I tell them as they come to mind,
Although I cannot set them in their kind,
As sal-armoniac, verdigris, borace;
And sundry vessels made of earth and glass; <4>
Our urinales, and our descensories,
Phials, and croslets, and sublimatories,
Cucurbites, and alembikes eke,
And other suche, *dear enough a leek,* *worth less than a leek*
It needeth not for to rehearse them all.
Waters rubifying, and bulles' gall,
Arsenic, sal-armoniac, and brimstone,
And herbes could I tell eke many a one,
As egremoine,* valerian, and lunary,** *agrimony **moon-wort
And other such, if that me list to tarry;
Our lampes burning bothe night and day,
To bring about our craft if that we may;
Our furnace eke of calcination,
And of waters albification,
Unslaked lime, chalk, and *glair of an ey,* *egg-white
Powders diverse, ashes, dung, piss, and clay,
Seared pokettes,<5> saltpetre, and vitriol;
And divers fires made of wood and coal;
Sal-tartar, alkali, salt preparate,
And combust matters, and coagulate;
Clay made with horse and manne's hair, and oil
Of tartar, alum, glass, barm, wort, argoil,* *potter's clay<6>
Rosalgar,* and other matters imbibing; *flowers of antimony
And eke of our matters encorporing,* *incorporating
And of our silver citrination, <7>
Our cementing, and fermentation,
Our ingots,* tests, and many thinges mo'. *moulds <8>
I will you tell, as was me taught also,
The foure spirits, and the bodies seven,
By order, as oft I heard my lord them neven.* *name
The first spirit Quicksilver called is;
The second Orpiment; the third, y-wis,
Sal-Armoniac, and the fourth Brimstone.
The bodies sev'n eke, lo them here anon.
Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe* *name <9>
Mars iron, Mercury quicksilver we clepe;* *call
Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin,
And Venus copper, by my father's kin.
This cursed craft whoso will exercise,
He shall no good have that him may suffice;
For all the good he spendeth thereabout,
He lose shall, thereof have I no doubt.
Whoso that list to utter* his folly, *display
Let him come forth and learn to multiply:
And every man that hath aught in his coffer,
Let him appear, and wax a philosopher;
Ascaunce* that craft is so light to lear.** *as if **learn
Nay, nay, God wot, all be he monk or frere,
Priest or canon, or any other wight;
Though he sit at his book both day and night;
In learning of this *elvish nice* lore, * fantastic, foolish
All is in vain; and pardie muche more,
Is to learn a lew'd* man this subtlety; *ignorant
Fie! speak not thereof, for it will not be.
And *conne he letterure,* or conne he none, *if he knows learning*
As in effect, he shall it find all one;
For bothe two, by my salvation,
Concluden in multiplication* *transmutation by alchemy
Alike well, when they have all y-do;
This is to say, they faile bothe two.
Yet forgot I to make rehearsale
Of waters corrosive, and of limaile,* *metal filings
And of bodies' mollification,
And also of their induration,
Oiles, ablutions, metal fusible,
To tellen all, would passen any Bible
That owhere* is; wherefore, as for the best, *anywhere
Of all these names now will I me rest;
For, as I trow, I have you told enough
To raise a fiend, all look he ne'er so rough.
Ah! nay, let be; the philosopher's stone,
Elixir call'd, we seeke fast each one;
For had we him, then were we sicker* enow; *secure
But unto God of heaven I make avow,* *confession
For all our craft, when we have all y-do,
And all our sleight, he will not come us to.
He hath y-made us spende muche good,
For sorrow of which almost we waxed wood,* *mad
But that good hope creeped in our heart,
Supposing ever, though we sore smart,
To be relieved by him afterward.
Such supposing and hope is sharp and hard.
I warn you well it is to seeken ever.
That future temps* hath made men dissever,** *time **part from
In trust thereof, from all that ever they had,
Yet of that art they cannot waxe sad,* *repentant
For unto them it is a bitter sweet;
So seemeth it; for had they but a sheet
Which that they mighte wrap them in at night,
And a bratt* to walk in by dayelight, *cloak<10>
They would them sell, and spend it on this craft;
They cannot stint,* until no thing be laft. *cease
And evermore, wherever that they gon,
Men may them knowe by smell of brimstone;
For all the world they stinken as a goat;
Their savour is so rammish and so hot,
That though a man a mile from them be,
The savour will infect him, truste me.
Lo, thus by smelling and threadbare array,
If that men list, this folk they knowe may.
And if a man will ask them privily,
Why they be clothed so unthriftily,* *shabbily
They right anon will rownen* in his ear, *whisper
And sayen, if that they espied were,
Men would them slay, because of their science:
Lo, thus these folk betrayen innocence!
Pass over this; I go my tale unto.
Ere that the pot be on the fire y-do* *placed
Of metals, with a certain quantity
My lord them tempers,* and no man but he *adjusts the proportions
(Now he is gone, I dare say boldely);
For as men say, he can do craftily,
Algate* I wot well he hath such a name, *although
And yet full oft he runneth into blame;
And know ye how? full oft it happ'neth so,
The pot to-breaks, and farewell! all is go'.* *gone
These metals be of so great violence,
Our walles may not make them resistence,
*But if* they were wrought of lime and stone; *unless*
They pierce so, that through the wall they gon;
And some of them sink down into the ground
(Thus have we lost by times many a pound),
And some are scatter'd all the floor about;
Some leap into the roof withoute doubt.
Though that the fiend not in our sight him show,
I trowe that he be with us, that shrew;* *impious wretch
In helle, where that he is lord and sire,
Is there no more woe, rancour, nor ire.
When that our pot is broke, as I have said,
Every man chides, and holds him *evil apaid.* *dissatisfied*
Some said it was *long on* the fire-making; *because of <11>*
Some saide nay, it was on the blowing
(Then was I fear'd, for that was mine office);
"Straw!" quoth the third, "ye be *lewed and **nice, *ignorant **foolish
It was not temper'd* as it ought to be." *mixed in due proportions
"Nay," quoth the fourthe, "stint* and hearken me; *stop
Because our fire was not y-made of beech,
That is the cause, and other none, *so the'ch.* *so may I thrive*
I cannot tell whereon it was along,
But well I wot great strife is us among."
"What?" quoth my lord, "there is no more to do'n,
Of these perils I will beware eftsoon.* *another time
I am right sicker* that the pot was crazed.** *sure **cracked
Be as be may, be ye no thing amazed.* *confounded
As usage is, let sweep the floor as swithe;* *quickly
Pluck up your heartes and be glad and blithe."
The mullok* on a heap y-sweeped was, *rubbish
And on the floor y-cast a canevas,
And all this mullok in a sieve y-throw,
And sifted, and y-picked many a throw.* *time
"Pardie," quoth one, "somewhat of our metal
Yet is there here, though that we have not all.
And though this thing *mishapped hath as now,* *has gone amiss
Another time it may be well enow. at present*
We muste *put our good in adventure; * *risk our property*
A merchant, pardie, may not aye endure,
Truste me well, in his prosperity:
Sometimes his good is drenched* in the sea, *drowned, sunk
And sometimes comes it safe unto the land."
"Peace," quoth my lord; "the next time I will fand* *endeavour
To bring our craft *all in another plight,* *to a different conclusion*
And but I do, Sirs, let me have the wite;* *blame
There was default in somewhat, well I wot."
Another said, the fire was over hot.
But be it hot or cold, I dare say this,
That we concluden evermore amiss;
We fail alway of that which we would have;
And in our madness evermore we rave.
And when we be together every one,
Every man seemeth a Solomon.
But all thing, which that shineth as the gold,
It is not gold, as I have heard it told;
Nor every apple that is fair at eye,
It is not good, what so men clap* or cry. *assert
Right so, lo, fareth it amonges us.
He that the wisest seemeth, by Jesus,
Is most fool, when it cometh to the prefe;* *proof, test
And he that seemeth truest, is a thief.
That shall ye know, ere that I from you wend;
By that I of my tale have made an end.
There was a canon of religioun
Amonges us, would infect* all a town, *deceive
Though it as great were as was Nineveh,
Rome, Alisandre,* Troy, or other three. *Alexandria
His sleightes* and his infinite falseness *cunning tricks
There coulde no man writen, as I guess,
Though that he mighte live a thousand year;
In all this world of falseness n'is* his peer. *there is not
For in his termes he will him so wind,
And speak his wordes in so sly a kind,
When he commune shall with any wight,
That he will make him doat* anon aright, *become foolishly
But it a fiende be, as himself is. fond of him*
Full many a man hath he beguil'd ere this,
And will, if that he may live any while;
And yet men go and ride many a mile
Him for to seek, and have his acquaintance,
Not knowing of his false governance.* *deceitful conduct
And if you list to give me audience,
I will it telle here in your presence.
But, worshipful canons religious,
Ne deeme not that I slander your house,
Although that my tale of a canon be.
Of every order some shrew is, pardie;
And God forbid that all a company
Should rue a singular* manne's folly. *individual
To slander you is no thing mine intent;
But to correct that is amiss I meant.
This tale was not only told for you,
But eke for other more; ye wot well how
That amonges Christe's apostles twelve
There was no traitor but Judas himselve;
Then why should all the remenant have blame,
That guiltless were? By you I say the same.
Save only this, if ye will hearken me,
If any Judas in your convent be,
Remove him betimes, I you rede,* *counsel
If shame or loss may causen any dread.
And be no thing displeased, I you pray;
But in this case hearken what I say.
In London was a priest, an annualere, <12>
That therein dwelled hadde many a year,
Which was so pleasant and so serviceable
Unto the wife, where as he was at table,
That she would suffer him no thing to pay
For board nor clothing, went he ne'er so gay;
And spending silver had he right enow;
Thereof no force;* will proceed as now, *no matter
And telle forth my tale of the canon,
That brought this prieste to confusion.
This false canon came upon a day
Unto the prieste's chamber, where he lay,
Beseeching him to lend him a certain
Of gold, and he would quit it him again.
"Lend me a mark," quoth he, "but dayes three,
And at my day I will it quite thee.
And if it so be that thou find me false,
Another day hang me up by the halse."* *neck
This priest him took a mark, and that as swithe,* *quickly
And this canon him thanked often sithe,* *times
And took his leave, and wente forth his way;
And at the thirde day brought his money;
And to the priest he took his gold again,
Whereof this priest was wondrous glad and fain.* *pleased
"Certes," quoth he, *"nothing annoyeth me* *I am not unwiling*
To lend a man a noble, or two, or three,
Or what thing were in my possession,
When he so true is of condition,
That in no wise he breake will his day;
To such a man I never can say nay."
"What," quoth this canon, "should I be untrue?
Nay, that were *thing y-fallen all of new!* *a new thing to happen*
Truth is a thing that I will ever keep,
Unto the day in which that I shall creep
Into my grave; and elles God forbid;
Believe this as sicker* as your creed. *sure
God thank I, and in good time be it said,
That there was never man yet *evil apaid* *displeased, dissatisfied*
For gold nor silver that he to me lent,
Nor ever falsehood in mine heart I meant.
And Sir," quoth he, "now of my privity,
Since ye so goodly have been unto me,
And kithed* to me so great gentleness, *shown
Somewhat, to quite with your kindeness,
I will you shew, and if you list to lear,* *learn
I will you teache plainly the mannere
How I can worken in philosophy.
Take good heed, ye shall well see *at eye* *with your own eye*
That I will do a mas'try ere I go."
"Yea," quoth the priest; "yea, Sir, and will ye so?
Mary! thereof I pray you heartily."
"At your commandement, Sir, truely,"
Quoth the canon, "and elles God forbid."
Lo, how this thiefe could his service bede!* *offer
Full sooth it is that such proffer'd service
Stinketh, as witnesse *these olde wise;* *those wise folk of old*
And that full soon I will it verify
In this canon, root of all treachery,
That evermore delight had and gladness
(Such fiendly thoughtes *in his heart impress*) *press into his heart*
How Christe's people he may to mischief bring.
God keep us from his false dissimuling!
What wiste this priest with whom that he dealt?
Nor of his harm coming he nothing felt.
O sely* priest, O sely innocent! *simple
With covetise anon thou shalt be blent;* *blinded; beguiled
O graceless, full blind is thy conceit!
For nothing art thou ware of the deceit
Which that this fox y-shapen* hath to thee; *contrived
His wily wrenches* thou not mayest flee. *snares
Wherefore, to go to the conclusioun
That referreth to thy confusion,
Unhappy man, anon I will me hie* *hasten
To telle thine unwit* and thy folly, *stupidity
And eke the falseness of that other wretch,
As farforth as that my conning* will stretch. *knowledge
This canon was my lord, ye woulde ween;* *imagine
Sir Host, in faith, and by the heaven's queen,
It was another canon, and not he,
That can* an hundred fold more subtlety. *knows
He hath betrayed folkes many a time;
Of his falseness it doleth* me to rhyme. *paineth
And ever, when I speak of his falsehead,
For shame of him my cheekes waxe red;
Algates* they beginne for to glow, *at least
For redness have I none, right well I know,
In my visage; for fumes diverse
Of metals, which ye have me heard rehearse,
Consumed have and wasted my redness.
Now take heed of this canon's cursedness.* *villainy
"Sir," quoth he to the priest, "let your man gon
For quicksilver, that we it had anon;
And let him bringen ounces two or three;
And when he comes, as faste shall ye see
A wondrous thing, which ye saw ne'er ere this."
"Sir," quoth the priest, "it shall be done, y-wis."* *certainly
He bade his servant fetche him this thing,
And he all ready was at his bidding,
And went him forth, and came anon again
With this quicksilver, shortly for to sayn;
And took these ounces three to the canoun;
And he them laide well and fair adown,
And bade the servant coales for to bring,
That he anon might go to his working.
The coales right anon weren y-fet,* *fetched
And this canon y-took a crosselet* *crucible
Out of his bosom, and shew'd to the priest.
"This instrument," quoth he, "which that thou seest,
Take in thine hand, and put thyself therein
Of this quicksilver an ounce, and here begin,
In the name of Christ, to wax a philosopher.
There be full few, which that I woulde proffer
To shewe them thus much of my science;
For here shall ye see by experience
That this quicksilver I will mortify,<13>
Right in your sight anon withoute lie,
And make it as good silver, and as fine,
As there is any in your purse, or mine,
Or elleswhere; and make it malleable,
And elles holde me false and unable
Amonge folk for ever to appear.
I have a powder here that cost me dear,
Shall make all good, for it is cause of all
My conning,* which that I you shewe shall. *knowledge
Voide* your man, and let him be thereout; *send away
And shut the doore, while we be about
Our privity, that no man us espy,
While that we work in this phiosophy."
All, as he bade, fulfilled was in deed.
This ilke servant right anon out yede,* *went
And his master y-shut the door anon,
And to their labour speedily they gon.
This priest, at this cursed canon's biddIng,
Upon the fire anon he set this thing,
And blew the fire, and busied him full fast.
And this canon into the croslet cast
A powder, I know not whereof it was
Y-made, either of chalk, either of glass,
Or somewhat elles, was not worth a fly,
To blinden* with this priest; and bade him hie** *deceive **make haste
The coales for to couchen* all above lay in order
The croslet; "for, in token I thee love,"
Quoth this canon, "thine owen handes two
Shall work all thing that here shall be do'."
*"Grand mercy,"* quoth the priest, and was full glad, *great thanks*
And couch'd the coales as the canon bade.
And while he busy was, this fiendly wretch,
This false canon (the foule fiend him fetch),
Out of his bosom took a beechen coal,
In which full subtifly was made a hole,
And therein put was of silver limaile* *filings
An ounce, and stopped was withoute fail
The hole with wax, to keep the limaile in.
And understande, that this false gin* *contrivance
Was not made there, but it was made before;
And other thinges I shall tell you more,
Hereafterward, which that he with him brought;
Ere he came there, him to beguile he thought,
And so he did, ere that they *went atwin;* *separated*
Till he had turned him, could he not blin.* *cease <14>
It doleth* me, when that I of him speak; *paineth
On his falsehood fain would I me awreak,* *revenge myself
If I wist how, but he is here and there;
He is so variant,* he abides nowhere. *changeable
But take heed, Sirs, now for Godde's love.
He took his coal, of which I spake above,
And in his hand he bare it privily,
And while the prieste couched busily
The coales, as I tolde you ere this,
This canon saide, "Friend, ye do amiss;
This is not couched as it ought to be,
But soon I shall amenden it," quoth he.
"Now let me meddle therewith but a while,
For of you have I pity, by Saint Gile.
Ye be right hot, I see well how ye sweat;
Have here a cloth, and wipe away the wet."
And while that the prieste wip'd his face,
This canon took his coal, — *with sorry grace,* — *evil fortune
And layed it above on the midward attend him!*
Of the croslet, and blew well afterward,
Till that the coals beganne fast to brenn.* *burn
"Now give us drinke," quoth this canon then,
"And swithe* all shall be well, I undertake. *quickly
Sitte we down, and let us merry make."
And whenne that this canon's beechen coal
Was burnt, all the limaile out of the hole
Into the crosselet anon fell down;
And so it muste needes, by reasoun,
Since it above so *even couched* was; *exactly laid*
But thereof wist the priest no thing, alas!
He deemed all the coals alike good,
For of the sleight he nothing understood.
And when this alchemister saw his time,
"Rise up, Sir Priest," quoth he, "and stand by me;
And, for I wot well ingot* have ye none; *mould
Go, walke forth, and bring me a chalk stone;
For I will make it of the same shape
That is an ingot, if I may have hap.
Bring eke with you a bowl, or else a pan,
Full of water, and ye shall well see than* *then
How that our business shall *hap and preve* *succeed*
And yet, for ye shall have no misbelieve* *mistrust
Nor wrong conceit of me, in your absence,
I wille not be out of your presence,
But go with you, and come with you again."
The chamber-doore, shortly for to sayn,
They opened and shut, and went their way,
And forth with them they carried the key;
And came again without any delay.
Why should I tarry all the longe day?
He took the chalk, and shap'd it in the wise
Of an ingot, as I shall you devise;* *describe
I say, he took out of his owen sleeve
A teine* of silver (evil may he cheve!**) *little piece **prosper
Which that ne was but a just ounce of weight.
And take heed now of his cursed sleight;
He shap'd his ingot, in length and in brede* *breadth
Of this teine, withouten any drede,* *doubt
So slily, that the priest it not espied;
And in his sleeve again he gan it hide;
And from the fire he took up his mattere,
And in th' ingot put it with merry cheer;
And in the water-vessel he it cast,
When that him list, and bade the priest as fast
Look what there is; "Put in thine hand and grope;
There shalt thou finde silver, as I hope."
What, devil of helle! should it elles be?
Shaving of silver, silver is, pardie.
He put his hand in, and took up a teine
Of silver fine; and glad in every vein
Was this priest, when he saw that it was so.
"Godde's blessing, and his mother's also,
And alle hallows,* have ye, Sir Canon!" *saints
Saide this priest, "and I their malison* *curse
But, an'* ye vouchesafe to teache me *if
This noble craft and this subtility,
I will be yours in all that ever I may."
Quoth the canon, "Yet will I make assay
The second time, that ye may take heed,
And be expert of this, and, in your need,
Another day assay in mine absence
This discipline, and this crafty science.
Let take another ounce," quoth he tho,* *then
"Of quicksilver, withoute wordes mo',
And do therewith as ye have done ere this
With that other, which that now silver is. "
The priest him busied, all that e'er he can,
To do as this canon, this cursed man,
Commanded him, and fast he blew the fire
For to come to th' effect of his desire.
And this canon right in the meanewhile
All ready was this priest eft* to beguile, *again
and, for a countenance,* in his hande bare *stratagem
An hollow sticke (take keep* and beware); *heed
Of silver limaile put was, as before
Was in his coal, and stopped with wax well
For to keep in his limaile every deal.* *particle
And while this priest was in his business,
This canon with his sticke gan him dress* *apply
To him anon, and his powder cast in,
As he did erst (the devil out of his skin
Him turn, I pray to God, for his falsehead,
For he was ever false in thought and deed),
And with his stick, above the crosselet,
That was ordained* with that false get,** *provided **contrivance
He stirr'd the coales, till relente gan
The wax against the fire, as every man,
But he a fool be, knows well it must need.
And all that in the sticke was out yede,* *went
And in the croslet hastily* it fell. *quickly
Now, goode Sirs, what will ye bet* than well? *better
When that this priest was thus beguil'd again,
Supposing naught but truthe, sooth to sayn,
He was so glad, that I can not express
In no mannere his mirth and his gladness;
And to the canon he proffer'd eftsoon* *forthwith; again
Body and good. "Yea," quoth the canon soon,
"Though poor I be, crafty* thou shalt me find; *skilful
I warn thee well, yet is there more behind.
Is any copper here within?" said he.
"Yea, Sir," the prieste said, "I trow there be."
"Elles go buy us some, and that as swithe.* *swiftly
Now, goode Sir, go forth thy way and hie* thee." *hasten
He went his way, and with the copper came,
And this canon it in his handes name,* *took <15>
And of that copper weighed out an ounce.
Too simple is my tongue to pronounce,
As minister of my wit, the doubleness
Of this canon, root of all cursedness.
He friendly seem'd to them that knew him not;
But he was fiendly, both in work and thought.
It wearieth me to tell of his falseness;
And natheless yet will I it express,
To that intent men may beware thereby,
And for none other cause truely.
He put this copper in the crosselet,
And on the fire as swithe* he hath it set, *swiftly
And cast in powder, and made the priest to blow,
And in his working for to stoope low,
As he did erst,* and all was but a jape;** *before **trick
Right as him list the priest *he made his ape.* *befooled him*
And afterward in the ingot he it cast,
And in the pan he put it at the last
Of water, and in he put his own hand;
And in his sleeve, as ye beforehand
Hearde me tell, he had a silver teine;* *small piece
He silly took it out, this cursed heine* *wretch
(Unweeting* this priest of his false craft), *unsuspecting
And in the panne's bottom he it laft* *left
And in the water rumbleth to and fro,
And wondrous privily took up also
The copper teine (not knowing thilke priest),
And hid it, and him hente* by the breast, *took
And to him spake, and thus said in his game;
"Stoop now adown; by God, ye be to blame;
Helpe me now, as I did you whilere;* *before
Put in your hand, and looke what is there."
This priest took up this silver teine anon;
And thenne said the canon, "Let us gon,
With these three teines which that we have wrought,
To some goldsmith, and *weet if they be aught:* *find out if they are
For, by my faith, I would not for my hood worth anything*
*But if* they were silver fine and good, *unless
And that as swithe* well proved shall it be." *quickly
Unto the goldsmith with these teines three
They went anon, and put them in assay* *proof
To fire and hammer; might no man say nay,
But that they weren as they ought to be.
This sotted* priest, who gladder was than he? *stupid, besotted
Was never bird gladder against the day;
Nor nightingale in the season of May
Was never none, that better list to sing;
Nor lady lustier in carolling,
Or for to speak of love and womanhead;
Nor knight in arms to do a hardy deed,
To standen in grace of his lady dear,
Than had this priest this crafte for to lear;
And to the canon thus he spake and said;
"For love of God, that for us alle died,
And as I may deserve it unto you,
What shall this receipt coste? tell me now."
"By our Lady," quoth this canon, "it is dear.
I warn you well, that, save I and a frere,
In Engleland there can no man it make."
*"No force,"* quoth he; "now, Sir, for Godde's sake, *no matter
What shall I pay? telle me, I you pray."
"Y-wis,"* quoth he, "it is full dear, I say. *certainly
Sir, at one word, if that you list it have,
Ye shall pay forty pound, so God me save;
And n'ere* the friendship that ye did ere this *were it not for
To me, ye shoulde paye more, y-wis."
This priest the sum of forty pound anon
Of nobles fet,* and took them every one *fetched
To this canon, for this ilke receipt.
All his working was but fraud and deceit.
"Sir Priest," he said, "I keep* to have no los** *care **praise <16>
Of my craft, for I would it were kept close;
And as ye love me, keep it secre:
For if men knewen all my subtlety,
By God, they woulde have so great envy
To me, because of my philosophy,
I should be dead, there were no other way."
"God it forbid," quoth the priest, "what ye say.
Yet had I lever* spenden all the good *rather
Which that I have (and elles were I wood*), *mad
Than that ye shoulde fall in such mischief."
"For your good will, Sir, have ye right good prefe,"* *results of your
Quoth the canon; "and farewell, grand mercy." *experiments*
He went his way, and never the priest him sey * *saw
After that day; and when that this priest should
Maken assay, at such time as he would,
Of this receipt, farewell! it would not be.
Lo, thus bejaped* and beguil'd was he; *tricked
Thus made he his introduction
To bringe folk to their destruction.
Consider, Sirs, how that in each estate
Betwixte men and gold there is debate,
So farforth that *unnethes is there none.* *scarcely is there any*
This multiplying blint* so many a one, *blinds, deceive
That in good faith I trowe that it be
The cause greatest of such scarcity.
These philosophers speak so mistily
In this craft, that men cannot come thereby,
For any wit that men have how-a-days.
They may well chatter, as do these jays,
And in their termes set their *lust and pain,* *pleasure and exertion*
But to their purpose shall they ne'er attain.
A man may lightly* learn, if he have aught, *easily
To multiply, and bring his good to naught.
Lo, such a lucre* is in this lusty** game; *profit **pleasant
A manne's mirth it will turn all to grame,* *sorrow <17>
And empty also great and heavy purses,
And make folke for to purchase curses
Of them that have thereto their good y-lent.
Oh, fy for shame! they that have been brent,* *burnt
Alas! can they not flee the fire's heat?
Ye that it use, I rede* that ye it lete,** *advise **leave
Lest ye lose all; for better than never is late;
Never to thrive, were too long a date.
Though ye prowl aye, ye shall it never find;
Ye be as bold as is Bayard the blind,
That blunders forth, and *peril casteth none;* *perceives no danger*
He is as bold to run against a stone,
As for to go beside it in the way:
So fare ye that multiply, I say.
If that your eyen cannot see aright,
Look that your minde lacke not his sight.
For though you look never so broad, and stare,
Ye shall not win a mite on that chaffare,* *traffic, commerce
But wasten all that ye may *rape and renn.* *get by hook or crook*
Withdraw the fire, lest it too faste brenn;* *burn
Meddle no more with that art, I mean;
For if ye do, your thrift* is gone full clean. *prosperity
And right as swithe* I will you telle here *quickly
What philosophers say in this mattere.
Lo, thus saith Arnold of the newe town, <18>
As his Rosary maketh mentioun,
He saith right thus, withouten any lie;
"There may no man mercury mortify,<13>
But* it be with his brother's knowledging." *except
Lo, how that he, which firste said this thing,
Of philosophers father was, Hermes;<19>
He saith, how that the dragon doubteless
He dieth not, but if that he be slain
With his brother. And this is for to sayn,
By the dragon, Mercury, and none other,
He understood, and Brimstone by his brother,
That out of Sol and Luna were y-draw.* *drawn, derived
"And therefore," said he, "take heed to my saw. *saying
Let no man busy him this art to seech,* *study, explore
*But if* that he th'intention and speech *unless
Of philosophers understande can;
And if he do, he is a lewed* man. *ignorant, foolish
For this science and this conning,"* quoth he, *knowledge
"Is of the secret of secrets <20> pardie."
Also there was a disciple of Plato,
That on a time said his master to,
As his book, Senior, <21> will bear witness,
And this was his demand in soothfastness:
"Tell me the name of thilke* privy** stone." *that **secret
And Plato answer'd unto him anon;
"Take the stone that Titanos men name."
"Which is that?" quoth he. "Magnesia is the same,"
Saide Plato. "Yea, Sir, and is it thus?
This is ignotum per ignotius. <22>
What is Magnesia, good Sir, I pray?"
"It is a water that is made, I say,
Of th' elementes foure," quoth Plato.
"Tell me the roote, good Sir," quoth he tho,* *then
"Of that water, if that it be your will."
"Nay, nay," quoth Plato, "certain that I n'ill.* *will not
The philosophers sworn were every one,
That they should not discover it to none,
Nor in no book it write in no mannere;
For unto God it is so lefe* and dear, *precious
That he will not that it discover'd be,
But where it liketh to his deity
Man for to inspire, and eke for to defend'* *protect
Whom that he liketh; lo, this is the end."
Then thus conclude I, since that God of heaven
Will not that these philosophers neven* *name
How that a man shall come unto this stone,
I rede* as for the best to let it gon. *counsel
For whoso maketh God his adversary,
As for to work any thing in contrary
Of his will, certes never shall he thrive,
Though that he multiply term of his live. <23>
And there a point;* for ended is my tale. *end
God send ev'ry good man *boot of his bale.* *remedy for his sorrow*

The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems (pp. 554-574). Kindle Edition.

 And the notes:

1. The Tale of the Canon's Yeoman, like those of the Wife of Bath and the Pardoner, is made up of two parts; a long general introduction, and the story proper. In the case of the Wife of Bath, the interruptions of other pilgrims, and the autobiographical nature of the discourse, recommend the separation of the prologue from the Tale proper; but in the other cases the introductory or merely connecting matter ceases wholly where the opening of "The Tale" has been marked in the text.

2. Jupartie: Jeopardy, hazard. In Froissart's French, "a jeu partie" is used to signify a game or contest in which the chances were exactly equal for both sides.

3. Squames: Scales; Latin, "squamae."

4. Descensories: vessels for distillation "per descensum;" they were placed under the fire, and the spirit to be extracted was thrown downwards. Croslets: crucibles; French, "creuset.". Cucurbites: retorts; distilling-vessels; so called from their likeness in shape to a gourd — Latin, "cucurbita." Alembikes:stills, limbecs.

5. Seared pokettes: the meaning of this phrase is obscure; but if we take the reading "cered poketts," from the Harleian manuscript, we are led to the supposition that it signifies receptacles — bags or pokes — prepared with wax for some process. Latin, "cera," wax.

6. Argoil: potter's clay, used for luting or closing vessels in the laboratories of the alchemists; Latin, "argilla;" French, "argile."

7. Citrination: turning to a citrine colour, or yellow, by chemical action; that was the colour which proved the philosopher's stone.

8. Ingots: not, as in its modern meaning, the masses of metal shaped by pouring into moulds; but the moulds themslves into which the fused metal was poured. Compare Dutch, "ingieten," part. "inghehoten," to infuse; German, "eingiessen," part. "eingegossen," to pour in.

9. Threpe: name; from Anglo-Saxon, "threapian."

10. Bratt: coarse cloak; Anglo-Saxon, "bratt." The word is still used in Lincolnshire, and some parts of the north, to signify a coarse kind of apron.

11. Long on: in consequence of; the modern vulgar phrase "all along of," or "all along on," best conveys the force of the words in the text.

12. Annualere: a priest employed in singing "annuals" or anniversary masses for the dead, without any cure of souls; the office was such as, in the Prologue to the Tales, Chaucer praises the Parson for not seeking: Nor "ran unto London, unto Saint Poul's, to seeke him a chantery for souls."

13. Mortify: a chemical phrase, signifying the dissolution of quicksilver in acid.

14. Blin: cease; from Anglo-Saxon, "blinnan," to desist.

15. Name: took; from Anglo-Saxon, "niman," to take. Compare German, "nehmen," "nahm."

16. Los: praise, reputataion. See note 5 to Chaucer's tale of Meliboeus.

17. Grame: sorrow; Anglo-Saxon, "gram;" German, "Gram."

18. Arnaldus Villanovanus, or Arnold de Villeneuve, was a distinguished French chemist and physician of the fourteenth century; his "Rosarium Philosophorum" was a favourite text-book with the alchemists of the generations that succeeded.

19. Hermes Trismegistus, counsellor of Osiris, King of Egypt, was credited with the invention of writing and hieroglyphics, the drawing up of the laws of the Egyptians, and the origination of many sciences and arts. The Alexandrian school ascribed to him the mystic learning which it amplified; and the scholars of the Middle Ages regarded with enthusiasm and reverence the works attributed to him — notably a treatise on the philosopher's stone.

20. Secret of secrets: "Secreta Secretorum;" a treatise, very popular in the Middle Ages, supposed to contain the sum of Aristotle's instructions to Alexander. Lydgate translated about half of the work, when his labour was interrupted by his death about 1460; and from the same treatise had been taken most of the seventh book of Gower's "Confessio Amantis."

21. Tyrwhitt says that this book was printed in the "Theatrum Chemicum," under the title, "Senioris Zadith fi. Hamuelis tabula chymica" ("The chemical tables of Senior Zadith, son of Hamuel"); and the story here told of Plato and his disciple was there related of Solomon, but with some variations.

22. Ignotum per ignotius: To explain the unknown by the more unknown.

23. Though he multiply term of his live: Though he pursue the alchemist's art all his days.

The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems (pp. 574-576). Kindle Edition.

41 Nicolas Flamel

Nicholas Flamel is probably the most famous non-existent alchemist. I think he didn't not exist, but stories of Flamel abound in alchemy and even into our culture. perhaps a real Frenchman, we don't know his birth and death dates because no record exists of his existence that I trust. A will, a tombstone and the story of an arch that isn't in the churchyard he said it was is what we have, and all could have been faked later. We guess 1330-1415. All we have is one peculiar tract where he describes buying a book he can't read. But this book has pictures, so he describes the pictures and gives his guess as to what they mean. Hardly an auspicious and important alchemical work.  His wife Perrennelle is always included in the narrative, and Flamel claims she could do the work, but she acts as an assistant only.

An imaginative version of Flamel, from the 1600's.

Laurinda Dixon published his sort-of biography in 1994 and claims there he is one of the most well-documented medieval alchemists. I haven't read it. Documented in legend?

Part 1: Flamel's book.

Flamel's Exposition of the Hieroglyphical Figures (first French edition, 1612) is dated to 1413, I don't know how.  These are from His Exposition of the Hieroglyphicall Figures . . . Faithfully, and . . . religiously done into English out of the French and Latine copies. By Eirenæus Orandus (London, 1624). The text describes his buying a book he could not read, an emblem book of 21 pages (shorter than most emblem books by over half) with many illustrations. Despite not knowing even which language it is, he can read the title. The introduction says the book had seven figures, that the letters were Latin, and that he went to Spain to get it translated in 1378.

The Introduction.

Although that I Nicholas Flammel, Notary, and abiding in Paris, in this yeere one thousand three hundred fourescore and nineteene, and dwelling in my house in the street of Notaries, neere unto the Chappell of St. James of the Bouchery; although, I say, that I learned but a little Latine, because of the small meanes of my Parents, which nevertheless were by them that envie me the most, accounted honest people; yet by the grace of God, and the intercession of the blessed Saints in Paradise of both sexes, and principally of Saint James of Gallicia, I have not wanted the understanding of the Bookes of the Philosophers, and in them learned their so hidden secrets. And for this cause, there shall never bee any moment of my life, when I remember this high good, wherein upon my knees (if the place will give me leave) or otherwise, in my heart with all my affection, I shall not render thanks to this most benigne God, which never suffereth the child of the Just to beg from doore to doore, and deceiveth not them which wholly trust in his blessing.

Whilest therefore, I Nicholas Flammel, Notary, after the decease of my Parents, got my living in our Art of Writing, by making Inventories, dressing accounts, and summing up the Expenses of Tutors and Pupils, there fell into my hands, for the sum of two Florens, a guilded Booke, very old and large; It was not of Paper, nor Parchment, as other Bookes bee, but was onely made of delicate Rindes (as it seemed unto me) of tender yong trees: The cover of it was of brasse, well bound, all engraven with letters, or strange figures; and for my part, I thinke they might well be Greeke Characters, or some such like ancient language: Sure I am, I could not reade them, and I know well they were not notes nor letters of the Latine nor of the Gaule, for of them wee understand a little. As for that which was within it, the leaves of barke or rinde, were ingraven, and with admirable diligence written, with a point of Iron, in faire and neate Latine letters coloured. It contained thrice seven leaves, for so were they counted in the top of the leaves, and alwayes every seventh leafe was without any writing, but in stead thereof, upon the first seventh leafe, there was painted a Virgin, and Serpents swallowing her up; In the second seventh, a Crosse, where a Serpent was crucified; and in the last seventh, there were painted Desarts, or Wildernesses, in the middest whereof ran many faire fountaines, from whence there issued out a number of Serpents, which ran up and downe here and there. Upon the first of the leaves, was written in great Capitall Letters of gold, ABRAHAM THE JEW, PRINCE, PRIEST, LEVITE, ASTROLOGER, AND PHILOSOPHER, TO THE NATION OF THE JEWES, BY THE WRATH OF GOD DISPERSED AMONG THE GAULES, SENDETH HEALTH. After this it was filled with great execrations and curses (with this word MARANATHA, which was often repeated there) against every person that should cast his eyes upon it, if hee were not Sacrificer or Scribe.

Hee that sold mee this Booke, knew not what it was worth, no more than I when I bought it; I beleeve it had beene stolne or taken from the miserable Jewes; or found hid in some part of the ancient place of their abode. Within the Booke, in the second leafe, hee comforted his Nation, counceling them to flie vices, and above all, Idolatry, attending with sweete patience the coming of the Messias, which should vanquish all the Kings of the Earth, and should raigne with his people in glory eternally. Without doubt this had beene some very wise and understanding man. In the third leafe, and in all the other writings that followed, to helpe his Captive nation to pay their tributes unto the Romane Emperours, and to doe other things, which I will not speake of, he taught them in common words the transmutation of Mettalls; hee painted the Vessels by the sides, and hee advertised them of the colours, and of all the rest, saving of the first Agent, of the which hee spake not a word, but onely (as he said) in the fourth and fifth leaves entire hee painted it, and figured it with very great cunning and workemanship; for although it was well and intelligibly figured and painted, yet no man could ever have beene able to understand it, without being well skilled in their Cabala, which goeth by tradition, and without having well studied their bookes. The fourth and fifth leafe therefore, was without any writing, all full of faire figures enlightened, or as it were enlightened, for the worke was very exquisite. First he painted a yong man, with wings at his anckles, having in his hand a Caducæan rodde, writhen about with two Serpents, wherewith hee strooke upon a helmet which covered his head; he seemed to my small judgement, to be the God Mercury of the Pagans: against him there came running and flying with open wings, a great old man, who upon his head had an houre-glasse fastened, and in his hands a hooke (or sithe) like Death, with the which, in terrible and furious manner, hee would have cut off the feet of Mercury. On the other side of the fourth leafe, hee painted a faire flowre on the top of a very high mountaine, which was sore shaken with the North wind; it had the foot blew, the flowres white and red, the leaves shining like fine gold: And round about it the Dragons and Griffons of the North made their nests and abode. On the fifth leafe there was a faire Rose-tree flowred in the middest of a sweet Garden, climbing up against a hollow Oake; at the foot wherof boyled a fountaine of most white water, which ranne head-long downe into the depths, notwithstanding it first passed among the hands of infinite people, which digged in the Earth seeking for it; but because they were blinde, none of them knew it, except here and there one which considered the weight.

On the last side of the first leafe, there was a King with a great Fauchion, who made to be killed in his presence by some Souldiers a great multitude of little Infants, whose Mothers wept at the feet of the unpittifull Souldiers: the bloud of which Infants was afterwards by other Souldiers gathered up, and put in a great vessell, wherein the Sunne and the Moone came to bathe themselves. And because that this History did represent the more part of that of the Innocents slaine by Herod, and that in this Booke I learned the greatest part of the Art, this was one of the causes, why I placed in their Churchyard these Hieroglyphick Symbols of this secret science. And thus you see that which was in the first five leaves: I will not represent unto you that which was written in good and intelligible Latine in all the other written leaves, for God would punish me, because I should commit a greater wickednesse, then he who (as it is said) wished that all the men of the World had but one head that hee might cut it off at one blow.8 Having with me therefore this faire Booke, I did nothing else day nor night, but study upon it, understanding very well all the operations that it shewed, but not knowing with what matter I should beginne, which made me very heavy and sollitary, and caused me to fetch many a sigh. My wife Perrenelle, whom I loved as my selfe, and had lately married, was much astonished at this, comforting mee, and earnestly demanding, if shee could by any meanes deliver mee from this trouble: I could not possibly hold my tongue, but told her all, and shewed her this faire Booke, whereof at the same instant that shee saw it, shee became as much enamored as myselfe, taking extreame pleasure to behold the faire cover, gravings, images, and portraicts, whereof notwithstanding shee understood as little as I: yet it was a great comfort to mee to talke with her, and to entertaine my selfe, what wee should doe to have the interpretation of them. In the end I caused to bee painted within my Lodging, as naturally as I could, all the figures and portraicts of the fourth and fifth leafe, which I shewed to the greatest Clerkes in Paris, who understood thereof no more then my selfe; I told them they were found in a Booke that taught the Phylosophers stone, but the greatest part of them made a mocke both of me, and of that blessed Stone, excepting one called Master Anselme, which was a Licentiate in Physick, and studied hard in this Science: He had a great desire to have seene my Book, and there was nothing in the world, which he would not have done for a sight of it; but I alwayes told him, that I had it not; onely I made him a large description of the Method. He told mee that the first portraict represented Time, which devoured all; and that according to the number of the sixe written leaves, there was required the space of sixe yeeres, to perfect the stone; and then he said, wee must turne the glasse, and seeth it no more. And when I told him that this was not painted, but onely to shew and teach the first Agent, (as was said in the Booke) hee answered me, that this decoction for sixe yeeres space, was, as it were a second Agent; and that certainely the first Agent was there painted, which was the white and heavy water, which without doubt was Argent vive, which they could not fixe, nor cut off his feete, that is to say, take away his volatility, save by that long decoction in the purest bloud of young Infants; for in that, this Argent vive being joined with gold and silver, was first turned with them into an herb like that which was there painted, and afterwards by corruption, into Serpents: which Serpents being then wholly dried, and decocted by fire, were reduced into powder of gold, which should be the stone. This was the cause, that during the space of one and twenty yeeres, I tried a thousand broulleryes,9 yet never with bloud, for that was wicked and villanous: for I found in my Booke, that the Phylosophers called Bloud, the minerall spirit, which is in the Mettals, principally in the Sunne, Moone, and Mercury, to the assembling whereof, I alwayes tended; yet these interpretations for the most part were more subtile then true. Not seeing therefore in my workes the signes, at the time written in my Booke, I was alwayes to beginne againe. In the end having lost all hope of ever understanding those figures, for my last refuge, I made a vow to God, and St. James of Gallicia, to demand the interpretation of them, at some Jewish Priest, in some Synagogue of Spaine: whereupon with the consent of Perrenelle, carrying with me the Extract of the Pictures, having taken the Pilgrims habit and staff, in the same fashion as you may see me, without this same Arch in the Church-yard, in the which I put these hyeroglyphicall figures, where I have also set against the wall, on the one and the other side, a Procession, in which are represented by order all the colours of the stone, so as they come & goe, with this writing in French.

Moult plaist a Dieu procession,
S’elle est faicte en devotion: that is,
Much pleaseth God procession,
If’t be done in devotion.

Which is as it were the beginning of King Hercules his Book, which entreateth of the colours of the stone, entituled Iris, or the Rainebow, in these termes, Operis processio multum naturæ placet, that is The procession of the worke is very pleasant unto Nature: the which I have put there expressly for the great Clerkes, who shall understand the Allusion. In this same fashion, I say, I put my selfe upon my way; and so much I did, that I arrived at Montjoy,10 and afterwards at Saint James, where with great devotion I accomplished my vow. This done, in Leon at my returne I met with a Merchant of Boloyn, which made me knowne to a Physician, a Jew, by Nation, and as then a Christian, dwelling in Leon aforesaid, who was very skilfull in sublime Sciences, called Master Canches. As soone as I had showen him the figures of my Extraict, hee being ravished with great astonishment and joy, demanded of me incontinently, if I could tell him any newes of the Booke, from whence they were drawne? I answered him in Latine (wherein hee asked me the question) that I hoped to have some good newes of the Book, if any body could decipher unto me the Enigmaes: All at that instant transported with great Ardor and joy, hee began to decipher unto mee the beginning: But to be short, hee wel content to learn newes where this Book should be, and I to heare him speake; and certainly he had heard much discourse of the Booke, but (as he said) as of a thing which was beleeved to be utterly lost, we resolved of our voyage, and from Leon we passed to Oviedo, and from thence to Sanson, where wee put our selves to Sea to come into France: Our voyage had beene fortunate enough, & all ready, since we were entred into this Kingdome, he had most truly interpreted unto mee the greatest part of my figures, where even unto the very points and prickes, he found great misteries, which seemed unto mee wonderfull, when arriving at Orleans, this learned man fell extreamely sicke, being afflicted with excessive vomitings, which remained still with him of those he had suffered at Sea, and he was in such a continuall feare of my forsaking him, that hee could imagine nothing like unto it. And although I was alwayes by his side, yet would he incessantly call for mee, but in summe hee dyed, at the end of the seventh day of his sicknesse, by reason whereof I was much grieved, yet as well as I could, I caused him to be buried in the Church of the holy Crosse at Orleans, where hee yet resteth; God have his soule, for hee dyed a good Christian: And surely, if I be not hindered by death, I will give unto that Church some revenew, to cause some Masses to bee said for his soule every day. He that would see the manner of my arrivall, and the joy of Perenelle, let him looke upon us two, in this City of Paris, upon the doore of the Chappell of St James of the Bouchery, close by the one side of my house, where wee are both painted, my selfe giving thankes at the feet of Saint James of Gallicia, and Perrenelle at the feet of St John, whom shee had so often called upon. So it was, that by the grace of God, and the intercession of the happy and holy Virgin, and the blessed Saints, James and John, I knew all that I desired, that is to say, the first Principles, yet not their first preparation, which is a thing most difficult, above all the things in the world: But in the end I had that also, after long errours of three yeeres, or thereabouts, during which time, I did nothing but study and labour, so as you may see me without this Arch, where I have placed my Processions against the two Pillars of it, under the feet of St. James and St. John, praying alwayes to God, with my Beades in my hand, reading attentively within a Booke, and poysing the words of the Philosophers: and afterwards trying and prooving the diverse operations, which I imagined to my selfe, by their onely words. Finally, I found that which I desired, which I also soone knew by the strong sent and odour thereof. Having this, I easily accomplished the Mastery, for knowing the preparation of the first Agents, and after following my Booke according to the letter I could not have missed it, though I would. Then the first time that I made projection, was upon Mercurie, whereof I turned halfe a pound, or thereabouts, into pure Silver, better than that of the Mine, as I my selfe assayed, and made others assay many times. This was upon a Munday, the 17. of January about noone, in my house, Perrenelle only being present; in the yeere of the restoring of mankind, 1382. And afterwards, following alwayes my Booke, from word to word, I made projection of the Red stone upon the like quantity of Mercurie, in the presence likewise of Perrenelle onely, in the same house, the five and twentieth day of Aprill following, the same yeere, about five a clocke in the Evening; which I transmuted truly into almost as much pure Gold, better assuredly than common Golde, more soft, and more plyable. I may speake it with truth, I have made it three times, with the helpe of Perrenelle, who understood it as well as I, because she helped mee in my operations, and without doubt, if shee would have enterprised to have done it alone, shee had attained to the end and perfection thereof. I had indeed enough when I had once done it, but I found exceeding great pleasure and delight, in seeing and contemplating the Admirable workes of Nature, within the Vessels. To signifie unto thee then, how I have done it three times, thou shalt see in this Arch, if thou have any skil to know them, three furnaces, like unto them which serve for our opperations: I was afraid along time, that Perrenelle could not hide the extreme joy of her felicitie, which I measured by mine owne, and lest shee should let fall some word amongst her kindred, of the great treasures which wee possessed: for extreme joy takes away the understanding, as well as great heavinesse; but the goodnesse of the most great God, had not onely filled mee with this blessing, to give mee a wife chaste and sage, for she was moreover not onely capeable of reason, but also to doe all that was reasonable, and more discreet and secret, than ordinarily other women are. Above all, shee was exceeding devout, and therefore seeing her selfe without hope of children, and now well stricken in yeeres, she began as I did, to thinke of God, and to give our selves to the workes of mercy. At that time when I wrote this Commentarie, in the yeere one thousand foure hundred and thirteene, in the end of the yeere, after the decease of my faithfull companion, which I shall lament all the dayes of my life: she and I had already founded, and endued with revenewes. Hospitals in this Citie of Paris, wee had new built from the ground three Chappels, we had inriched with great gifts and good rents, seven Churches with many reparations in their Church-yards, besides that which we have done at Boloigne, which is not much lesse than that which we have done heere. I will not speake of the good which both of us have done to particular poore folkes, principally to widdowes and poore Orphans, whose names if I should tel, and how I did it, besides that my reward should be given mee in this World, I should likewise doe displeasure to those good persons, whom I pray God blesse, which I would not doe for any thing in the World. Building therefore these Churches, Churchyards, and Hospitals in this City, I resolved my selfe, to cause to be painted in the fourth Arch of the Church-yard of the Innocents, as you enter in by the great gate in St. Dennis street, and taking the way on the right hand, the most true and essentiall markes of the Arte, yet under vailes, and Hieroglyphicall covertures, in imitation of those which are in the gilded Booke of Abraham the Jew, which may represent two things, according to the capacity and understanding of them that behold them: First, the mysteries of our future and undoubted Resurrection, at the day of judgement, and comming of good Jesus, (whom may it please to have mercy upon us) a Historie which is well agreeing to a Churchyard. And secondly, they may signifie to them, which are skilled in Naturall Philosophy, all the principall and necessary operations of the Maistery. These Hieroglyphicke figures shall serve as two wayes to leade unto the heavenly life: the first and most open sence, teaching the sacred Mysteries of our salvation; (as I will shew hereafter) the other teaching every man that hath any small understanding in the Stone, the lineary way of the worke; which being perfected by any one, the change of evill into good, takes away from him the roote of all sinne (which is covetousnesse) making him liberall, gentle, pious, religious, and fearing God, how evill soever hee was before, for from thence forward, hee is continually ravished with the great grace and mercy which hee hath obtained from God, and with the profoundnesse of his Divine & admirable works. These are the reasons which have mooved mee to set these formes in this fashion, and in this place which is a Churchyard, to the end that if any man obtaine this inestimable good, to conquere this rich golden Fleece,11 he may thinke with himselfe (as I did) not to keepe the talent of God digged in the Earth, buying Lands and Possessions, which are the vanities of this world: but rather to worke charitably towards his brethren, remembring himselfe that hee learned this secret amongst the bones of the dead, in whose number hee shall shortly be found; and that after this life, hee must render an account, before a just and redoubtable Judge, which will censure even to an idle and vaine word. Let him therefore, which having well weighed my words, and well knowne and understood my figures, hath first gotten elsewhere the knowledge of the first beginnings and Agents, (for certainely in these Figures and Commentaries, he shall not finde any step or information thereof) perfect to the glory of God, the Maistery of Hermes, remembring himself of the Church Catholike, Apostolike, and Romane; and of all other Churches, Churchyards, adi Hospitals; and above all, of the Church of the Innocents in this Citie, (in the Churchyard whereof hee shall have contemplated these true demonstrations) opening bounteously his purse, to them that are secretly poore, honest people desolate, weake women, widdowes, and forlorne orphanes. So be it.

Chap. 1: Of the Theologicall Interpretations, which may be given to these Hieroglyphickes, according to the sence of mee the Authour.

I have given to this Churchyard, a Charnell-house, which is right over against this fourth Arch, in the middest of the Churchyard, and against one of the Pillers of this Charnell house, I have made bee drawne with a coale, and grosely painted, a man all blacke, which lookes straight upon these Hieroglyphickes, about whom there is written in French; Je voy merveille donc moult Je m’esbahi: that is, I see a marveile, whereat I am much amazed: This, as also three plates of Iron and Copper gilt, on the East, West, and South of the Arch, where these Hieroglyphickes are, in the middest of the Church-yard, representing the holy Passion and Resurrection of the Sonne of God; this ought not to be otherwise interpreted, than according to the common Theologicall sence, saving that this black man, may as well proclaime it a wonder to see the admirable workes of God in the transmutation of Mettals, which is figured in these Hieroglyphicks, which he so attentively lookes upon, as to see buried so many bodies, which shall rise againe out of their Tombes at the feareful day of judgement. On the other part I doe not thinke it needfull to interpret in a Theological sence, that vessell of Earth on the right hand of these figures, within the which there is a Pen and Inkhorne, or rather a vessell of Phylosophy, if thou take away the strings, and joyne the Penner to the Inkhorne: nor the other two like it, which are on the two sides of the figures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, within one of the which, there is an N. which signifieth Nicholas, and within the other an F. which signifieth Flammell. For these vessels signifie nothing else, but that in the like of them, I have done the Maistery three times. Moreover, he that will also beleeve, that I have put these vessels in forme of Scutchions, to represent this Pen and Inkhorne, and the capitall letters of my name, let him beleeve it if he will, because both these interpretations are true.

Neither must you interpret in a Theological sence, that writing which followeth, in these termes, NICHOLAS FLAMMEL, ET PERRENELLE SA FEMME, that is Nicholas Flammel, and Perrenelle his wife, in as much as that signifieth nothing, but that I and my wife have given that Arche.

As to the third, fourth, and fifth Tables following, by the sides whereof is written, COMMENT LES INNOCENTS FURENT OCCIS PAR LE COMMANDEMENT DU ROY HERODES, that is, How the Innocents were killed by the commandement of King Herod. The theologicall sence is well enough understood by the writing, we must onely speake of the rest, which is above.

The two Dragons united together the one within the other, of colour blacke and blew, in a field sable, that is to say, blacke, whereof the one hath the wings gilded and the other hath none at all, are the sinnes which naturally are enterchayned, for the one hath his originall and birth from another: Of them some may be easily chased away, as they come easily, for they flie towards us every houre; and those which have no wings, can never be chased away, such as is the sinne against the holy Ghost. The gold which is in the wings, signifieth that the greatest part of sinnes commeth from the unholy hunger after gold; which makes so many people diligently to hearken from whence they may have it: and the colour black and blew, sheweth that these are the desires that come out of the darke pits of hell, which we ought wholly to flye from. These two Dragons may also morally represent unto us the Legions of evill spirits which are alwayes about us, and which will accuse us before the just Judge, at the feareful day of judgement, which doe aske, nor seeke nothing else but to sift us.

The man and the woman which are next them, of an orange colour, upon a field azure and blew, signifie that men and women ought not to have their hope in this World, for the orange colour intimates despaire, or the letting goe of hope, as here; and the colour azure and blew, upon the which they are painted, shewes us that we must thinke of heavenly things to come, and say as the roule of the man doth, HOMO VENIET AD JUDICIUM DEI, that is, Man must come to the judgement of God, or as that of the woman, VERE ILLA DIES TERRIBILIS ERIT, that is, That day will be terrible indeed, to the end that keeping our selves from the Dragons, which are sinnes, God may shew mercy unto us. Next after this, in a field of Synople, that is greene, are painted two men and one woman rising againe, of the which one comes out of a Sepulchre, the other two out of the Earth, all three of colour exceeding white and pure, lifting their hands towards their eyes, & their eyes towards Heaven on high: Above these three bodies there are two Angels sounding musicall Instruments, as if they had called these dead to the day of judgement; for over these two Angels is the figure of our Lord Jesus Christ, holding the world in his hand, upon whose head an Angell setteth a Crowne, assisted by two others, which say in their roules, O pater Omnipotens, O Jesu bone, that is O Father Almighty, O good Jesu. On the right side of this Saviour is painted St Paul, clothed with white & yellow, with a Sword, at whose feete there is a man clothed in a gowne of orange colour, in which there appeared pleights or folds of blacke and white, (which picture resembleth mee to the life) and demandeth pardon of his sinnes, holding his hands joined together, from betweene which proceed these words written in a roule, DELE MALA QUÆ FECI, that is to say, Blot out the evils that I have done: On the other side on the left hand is Saint Peter with his Key, clothed in reddish yellow, holding his hand upon a woman clad in a gown of orange colour, which is on her knees, representing to the life Perrenelle, which holdeth her hands joyned together, having a rowle where is written, CHRISTE PRECOR ESTO PIUS, that is, Christ I beseech thee be pittifull: Behind whom there is an Angell on his knees, with a roule, that saith, SALVE DOMINE ANGELORUM, that is, All haile thou Lord of Angels. There is also another Angel on his knees, behinde my Image, on the same side that S. Paul is on, which likewise holdeth a roule, saying, O REX SEMPITERNE, that is O King everlasting. All this is so cleere, according to the explication of the Resurrection and future judgement, that it may easily be fitted thereto. So it seemes this Arch was not painted for any other purpose, but to represent this. And therefore we needed not stay any longer upon it, considering that the least and most ignorant, may well know how to give it this interpretation.

Next after the three that are rising againe, come two Angels more of an Orange colour upon a blew field, saying in their rowles, SURGITE MORTUI, VENITE AD JUDICIUM DOMINI MEI, that is, Arise you dead, come to the Judgment of my Lord. That also serves to the interpretation of the Resurrection: As also the last Figures following, which are, A man red vermillion, upon a field of Violet colour, who holdeth the foot of a winged Lyon, painted of red v ermillion also, opening his throate, as it were to devoure the man: For one may say that this is the Figure of an unhappy sinner, who sleeping in a Lethargy of his corruption and vices, dieth without repentance and confession; who without doubt, in this terrible Day shall bee delivered to the Devill, heere painted in forme of a red roaring Lyon, which will swallow and devoure him.

Chap. 2: The interpretations Philosophicall, according to the Maistery of Hermes.

I desire with all my heart, that he who searcheth the secrets of the Sages, having in his Spirit passed over these Idæa’s of the life and resurrection to come, should first make his profit of them: And in the second place, that hee bee more advised than before, that hee sound and search the depth of my Figures, colours, and rowles; principally of my rowles, because that in this Art they speake not vulgarly. Afterward let him aske of himselfe, why the Figure of Saint Paul is on the right hand, in the place where the custome is to paint S. Peter? And on the other side that of Saint Peter, in the place of the figure of Saint Paul? Why the Figure of Saint Paul is clothed in colours white and yellow, and that of S. Peter in yellow and red? Why also the man and the woman which are at the feet of these two Saints, praying to God, as if it were at the Day of Judgement, are apparrelled in divers colours, and not naked, or else nothing but bones, like them that are rising againe? Why in this Day of Judgement they have painted this man and this woman at the feet of the Saints? For they ought to have beene more low on earth, and not in heaven. Why also the two Angels in Orange colour, which say in their rowles, SURGITE MORTUI, VENITE AD JUDICIUM DOMINI MEI, that is, Arise you dead, come unto the Judgment of my Lord, are clad in this colour, and out of their place, for they ought to bee on high in heaven, with the two other which play upon the Instruments? Why they have a field Violet and blew? but principally why their roule, which speaks to the dead, ends in the open throate of the red and flying Lyon? I would then that after these, and many other questions which may justly bee made, opening wide the eyes of his spirit, he come to conclude, that all this, not having beene done without cause, there must bee represented under this barke, some great secrets, which hee ought to pray God to discover unto him. Having then brought his beliefe by degrees to this passe, I wish also that he would further beleeve, that these figures and explications are not made for them that have never seene the Bookes of the Philosophers, and who not knowing the Mettallicke principles, cannot bee named Children of this Science; for if they thinke to understand perfectly these figures, being ignorant of the first Agent, they will undoubtedly deceive themselves, and never bee able to know any thing at all. Let no man therefore blame me, if he doe not easily understand mee, for hee will be more blame-worthy than I, inasmuch as not being initiated into these sacred and secret interpretations of the first Agent, (which is the key opening the gates of all Sciences) he would notwithstanding, comprehend the most subtile conceptions of the envious Philosophers, which are not written but for them who already know these principles, which are never found in any booke, because they leave them unto God, who revealeth them to whom he please, or else causeth them to bee taught by the living voyce of a Maister, by Cabalisticall tradition, which happeneth very seldome. Now then, my Sonne, let mee so call thee, both because I am now come to a great age, and also for that, it may be, thou art otherwise a child of this knowledge, (God enable thee to learne, and after to worke to his glory) Hearken unto mee then attentively, but passe no further if thou bee ignorant of the foresaid Principles.

This Vessell of earth, in this forme, is called by the Philosophers, their triple Vessell, for within it, there is in the middest a Stage, or a floore, and upon that a dish or a platter full of luke-warm ashes, within the which is set the Philosophicall Egge, that is, a viall of glasse full of confections of Art (as of the scumme of the red Sea, and the fat of the Mercuriall winde:) which thou seest painted in forme of a Penner and Inkehorne. Now this Vessell of earth is open above, to put in the dish and the viall, under which by the open gate, is put in the Philosophicall fire, as thou knowest. So thou hast three vessels; and the threefold vessell: The envious have called an Athanor, a sive, dung, Balneum Mariæ, a Furnace, a Sphære, the greene Lyon, a prison, a grave, a urinall, a phioll, and a Bolts-head: I my selfe in my Summarie or Abridgement of Philosophy, which I composed foure yeeres and two moneths past, in the end thereof named it the house and habitation of the Poulet, and the ashes of the Platter, the chaffe of the Poulet; The common name is an Oven, which I should never have found, if Abraham the Jew had not painted it, together with the fire proportionable, wherein consists a great part of the secret. For it is as it were the belly, or the wombe, containing the true naturall heate to animate our yong King: If this fire be not measured Clibanically, saith Calid the Persian, sonne of Jasichus; If it be kindled with a sword, saith Pithagoras: If thou fire thy Vessell, saith Morien, and makest it feele the heate of the fire, it will give thee a box on the eare, and burne his flowres before they be risen from the depth of his Marrow, making them come out red, rather than white, and then thy worke is spoiled; as also if thou make too little fire, for then thou shalt never see the end, because of the coldnesse of the natures, which shall not have had motion sufficient to digest them together.

The heate then of thy fire in this vessell, shall be (as saith Hermes and Rosinus) according to the Winter; or rather, as saith Diomedes, according to the heate of a Bird, which beginnes to flie so softly from the signe of Aries to that of Cancer: for know that the Infant at the beginning is full of cold flegme, and of milke, and that too vehement heate is an enemy of the cold and moisture of our Embrion, and that the two enemies, that is to say, our two elements of cold and heate will never perfectly imbrace one another, but by little and little, having first long dwelt together, in the middest of the temperate heate of their bath, and being changed by long decoction, into Sulphur incombustible. Govern therefore sweetly with equality and proportion, thy proud and haughty natures, for feare lest if thou favour one more then another, they which naturally are enemies, doe grow angry against thee through Jelousy, and dry Choller, and make thee sigh for it a long time after. Besides this, thou must entertain them in this temperate heate perpetually, that is to say, night and day, until the time that Winter, the time of the moisture of the matters, be passed, because they make their peace, and joyne hands in being heated together, whereas should these natures finde themselves but one onely half houre without fire, they would become for ever irreconcileable. See therefore the reason why it is said in the Book of the seventy precepts, Looke that their heate continue indefatigably without ceasing, and that none of their dayes bee forgotten. And Rasis, the haste, saith hee, that brings with it too much fire, is alwaies followed by the Divell, and Errour. When the golden Bird, saith Diomedes, shall be come just to Cancer, and that from thence it shall runne toward Libra, then thou maist augment the fire a little: And in like manner, when this faire Bird, shall fly from Libra towards Capricorne, which is the desired Autumne, the time of harvest and of the fruits that are now ripe.

[The next five chapters present alchemical interpretations of individual details of the arch diagram; the two chapters printed below, the last in Flamel’s treatise, concern the figures of St. Peter and Perrenelle on the right-hand side of the illustration and the winged lion atop a man at the far right.]

Chap. 8: The figure of a man, like unto Saint Peter, cloathed in a robe Citrine red, holding a key in his right hand, and laying his left hand upon a woman, in an orange coloured robe, which is on her knees at his feete, holding a Rowle.

Looke upon this woman clothed in a robe of orange colour, which doth so naturally resemble Perrenelle as she was in her youth; Shee is painted in the fashion of a suppliant upon her knees, her hands joyned together, at the feete of a man which hath a key in his right hand, which heares her graciously, and afterwards stretcheth out his left hand upon her. Wouldest thou know that this meaneth? This is the Stone, which in this operation demandeth two things, of the Mercury of the Sunne, of the Philosophers, (painted under the forme of a man) that is to say Multiplication, and a more rich Accoustrement; which at this time it is needfull for her to obtaine, and therefore the man so laying his hand upon her shoulder accords & grants it unto her. But why have I made to bee painted a woman? I could as well have made to bee painted a man, as a woman, or an Angell rather (for the whole natures are now spirituall and corporall, masculine and foeminine:) But I have rather chosen to cause paint a woman, to the end that thou mayest judge, that shee demaunds rather this, than any other thing, because these are the most naturall and proper desires of a woman. To shew further unto thee, that shee demandeth Multiplication, I have made paint the man, unto whom shee addresseth her prayers in the forme of Saint Peter, holding a key, having power to open and to shut, to binde and to loose; because the envious Phylosophers have never spoken of Multiplication, but under these common termes of Art, APERI, CLAUDE, SOLVE, LIGA, that is Open, shut, binde, loose; opening and loosing, they have called the making of the Body (which is alwayes hard and fixt) soft fluid, and running like water: To shut and to bind, is with them afterwards by a more strong decoction to coagulate it, and to bring it backe againe into the forme of a body.

It behoved mee then, in this place to represent a man with a key, to teach thee that thou must now open and shut, that is to say, Multiply the budding and encreasing natures: for look how often thou shalt dissolve and fixe, so often will these natures multiply, in quantity, quality, and vertue according to the multiplication of ten; comming from this number to an hundred, from an hundred to a thousand, from a thousand to ten thousand, from ten thousand to an hundred thousand, from an hundred thousand to a million, and from thence by the same operation to Infinity, as I have done three times, praised be God. And when thy Elixir is so brought unto Infinity, one graine thereof falling upon a quantity of molten mettall as deepe and vaste as the Ocean, it will teine it, and convert it into most perfect mettall, that is to say, into silver or gold, according as it shall have been imbibed and fermented, expelling & driving out farre from himself all the impure and strange matter, which was joyned with the mettall in the first coagulation: for this reason therefore have I made to bee painted a Key in the hand of the man, which is in the forme of Saint Peter, to signifie that the stone desireth to be opened and shut for multiplication; and likewise to shew thee with what Mercury thou oughtest to doe this, & when; I have given the man a garment Citrine red, and the woman one of orange colour. Let this suffice, lest I transgresse the silence of Pythagoras, to teach thee that the woman, that is, our stone, asketh to have the rich Accoustrements and colour of Saint Peter. Shee hath written in her Rowle, CHRISTE PRECOR ESTO PIUS, that is Jesu Christ be pittifull unto mee, as if shee said, Lord be good unto mee, and suffer not that hee that shal be come thus farre, should spoile all with too much fire; It is true, that from henceforward I shal no more feare mine enemies, and that all fire shall be alike unto me, yet the vessell that containes me, is alwaies brittle and easie to be broken: for if they exalt the fire overmuch, it will cracke, and flying apieces, will carry mee, and sow mee unfortunately amongst the ashes. Take heed therefore to thy fire in this place, and governe sweetly with patience, this admirable quintessence, for the fire must be augmented unto it, but not too much. And pray the soveraigne Goodnesse, that it will not suffer the evill spirits, which keepe the Mines and Treasures, to destroy thy worke, or to bewitch thy sight, when thou considerest these incomprehensible motions of this Quintessence within thy vessell.

Chap. 9: Upon a darke violet field, a man red purple, holding the foote of a Lyon red as vermillion, which hath wings, & it seemes would ravish and carry away the man.

The field violet and darke, tels us that the stone hath obtained by her full decoction, the faire Garments, that are wholy Citrine and red, which shee demanded of Saint Peter, who was cloathed therewith, and that her compleat and perfect digestion (signified by the entire Citrinity) hath made her leave her old robe of orange colour. The vermilion red colour of this flying Lyon, like the pure & cleere skarlet in graine, which is of the true Granadored, demonstrates that it is now accomplished in all right and equality. And that shee is now like a Lyon, devouring every pure mettallicke nature, and changing it into her true substance, into true & pure gold, and more fine then that of the best mines. Also shee now carrieth this man out of this vale of miseries, that is to say, out of the discommodities of poverty & infirmity, and with her wings gloriously lifts him up, out of the dead and standing waters of Ægypt (which are the ordinary thoughts of mortall men), making him despise this life and the riches thereof, and causing him night and day to meditate on God and his Saints, to dwell in the Emperiall Heaven, and to drinke the sweet springs of the Fountains of everlasting hope. Praised be God eternally, which hath given us grace to see this most fair & all-perfect purple colour; this pleasant colour of the wilde poppy of the Rocke, this Tyrian, sparkling and flaming colour, which is incapable of Alteration or change, over which the heaven it selfe, nor his Zodiacke can have no more domination nor power, whose bright shining rayes, that dazle the eyes, seeme as though they did communicate unto a man some supercoelestiall thing, making him (when he beholds and knowes it) to be astonisht, to tremble, and to be afraid at the same time. O Lord, give us grace to use it well, to the augmentation of the Faith, to the profit of our Soules, and to the encrease of the glory of this noble Realme. Amen.

Of things which actually exist is an old tombstone, now ensconced in the wall of a stairwell in the  Musée de Cluny in Paris. He says he designed an arch for a church, but we don't have it.

Flamel's tombstone, designed by himself

Flamel's house in Paris

A street in Paris named for Flamel

Part II: Stories about Flamel

Far more numerous than Flamel's one tract are the stories about him. Flamel stores are for the most part versions of his making an abundance of gold, and making an elixir that gave he and his wife immortality. 

The validity of this story was first questioned in 1761 by Etienne Villain. He claimed that the source of the Flamel legend was P. Arnauld de la Chevalerie, publisher of Exposition of the Hieroglyphical Figures, who wrote the book under the pseudonym Eiranaeus Orandus. Other writers have defended the legendary account of Flamel’s life, which has been embellished by stories of sightings in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and expanded in fictitious works ever since.

https://www.wikii.org/en/wiki/writer/nicolas-flamel-262703 

Flamel is mentioned in Victor Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris,  Harry Potter (series), Fullmetal Alchemist (2001–2010), The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (2007–2012), and As Above, So Below (2014).

I'll find more stories to quote here. 

42 Bernard of Trevisan

In the 1500's and 1600's, a series of compilations of alchemical texts were published. This has always been a thing since Al-Khalid began summarizing the Alexandrian alchemy back in the 800's. One thing these compilations do is introduce new texts, manuscripts we don't have individually. It also brings some doubt into the reality of the texts: maybe they were written by the compiler when the volume wasn't big enough.

Bernard, Earl of Trevisan, was supposed to have lived and worked in the late 1400's, but based on the content and ideas mentioned, he's not discussing the ideas of the late 1400's, which were influenced by the arrival of the original Greek texts from the fall of Constantinople in 1452. Most of his ideas were current around 1350. So this is probably someone else. The Wikipedia page mentioned several possible authors. 

This is from Collecticanea Chymica: A Collecton of Ten Several Treatises in Chymistry ("London: Printed for William Cooper, at the Pelican in Little Britain, 1684")

Considering the long Desires and Hopes of the Students in the Chymick Art, I will in the present Treatise briefly and openly declare this Art. First therefore the Subject of the Art is to be known; in the second place, the Foundation; in the third, the Progress; fourthly and lastly, the Extraction of the Elements: Which being known, every one may most easily attain the end of the Art.

The Subject of this admired Science is Sol and Luna, or rather Male and Female, the Male is hot and dry, the Female cold and moyst, and know for a certain that our Stone is not compounded of any other thing, although many Philosophers name several other things, of which they speak Sophistically.

Nevertheless by Scotus, Hortulanus, St. Thomas, and Christopher Parisiensis, and very many others, many other things for an other Cause are sophistically reckoned up, that Ignorant Men may be deceived, because it is not fit for Fools to know our Secrets: And this is it, which I thought fit at this time to propound concerning the Subject of our Art.

The Foundation of this Art, is the Knowledge of the four Qualities, and that in the beginning of the work, Coldness and Moysture have the Dominion: For as Scotus saith, As the Sun dryeth up the abundance of Water in Fenny and Boggy Places, after the same manner our Sulphur when it is joyned with its Water or Mercury, doth by little and little consume and drink up the same by the help of the Fire, and that by the assistance of the only living God.

The Progress is nothing else than a certain contrary Action, for the Description of contrary things is one and the same, and if thou shalt have twice made this equality, thou shalt finish the whole Progress.

But now all skill consisteth in drawing forth the Elements, wherefore read over that which followeth so often, until thou canst conceive and understand it; and know that no one ever spoke so plainly as I in this Place, as thou wilt find by what followeth: Therefore give thanks to the great God, and be grateful to thy Friend who communicated to thee this Tractate: Live also according to God and reason, because Divine Wisdom will not enter into a wicked Soul, nor into a Body subjected to Sins.

The Extraction of the Elements is a certain Composition of Blackness, Whiteness, Yellowness, and Redness: And know that Natures ought to be drawn from their Root. But the Root is a certain Congregation of Elements, consisting in Sulphur and Mercury, which they call a confused Mass. But the Natures, which are drawn forth from the Root are Sulphur and Mercury, which when they are joyned together are separated, and purified, that they may be the better mingled afterwards, and united with the Body, out of which they are drawn. And after the Colours have passed, and that which is above, is made like that which is below, and that which is below like that above, then Miracles will from thence appear. Which being done, thou hast a Triangle in a Quadrangle, and a fifth thing which is contained in four.

Now remaineth the Multiplication, in which this briefly is to be noted; That the Elixir ought to be nourished out of the same things, from which at first it had its Composition. No Philosopher before now hath so openly declared this, as I have here done; and that for two Causes, first because from the beginning to the end of the work a long time is required, although some Philosophers do say, the Stone may be made in one day, and others in one month: But know that they speak Enigmatically, and that their words ought not thus to be understood.

Nevertheless I say with Scotus that the Stone or perfect work may be made in one year. Secondly, because Man’s Life is short, and he groweth Old before he comprehendeth and understandeth what is needful to be done in the Composition of the Stone. And therefore I have here so openly explained all things, lest this, so noble a Science, should be lost and perish.

The Theory of the Same Author

Use venerable Nature, for the Philosophers from their own Authority have imposed various Names on this Nature, by reason of divers Colours appearing in its Alteration. For when it appeareth under the form of Water, they have called it Argent vive, Permanent Water, Lead, Spirit, Spittle of Lune, Tinn, &c. And when it’s made dry and becometh white, they have named it Silver, Magnesia, and white Sulphur. And when it groweth red, they call the same Gold and Ferment. But they do not vary in the thing it self, when that is always one thing only, and the same matter, and always of the same Nature, in which nothing entreth which is not drawn from it, and this which is next to it, and of its Nature. And this is most true, to wit, the Stone is one, and one Medicine, and it is a Water clear, and bright, permanent, pure and shining, of a Celestical Colour. And if Water did not enter into our Medicine, it could not purifie nor mend it self, and so thou couldst not obtain thy desire: But that which doth mend it is Sol, for the Water cannot be made better without it: For without Sol and his shadow a tinging Poyson cannot be generated. Whoever therefore shall think that a Tincture can be made without these two Bodyes, to wit Sol and Lune, he proceedeth to the Practice like one that is blind. For Body doth not Act upon Body, nor Spirit upon Spirit: Neither doth Form receive an Impression from Form, nor Matter from Matter, when as like doth not Exercise either Action or Passion upon its like: For one is not more worthy than an other, wherefore there can be no Action betwixt them, when as like doth not bear Rule over like. But a Body doth receive Impression from a Spirit, as Matter doth from its Form, and a Spirit from its Body, because they are made and created by God, that they may Act and suffer each from other. For Matter would flow infinitely, if a Form did not retard and stop its Flux. Wherefore when the Body is a Form informing, it doth inform and retain the Spirit, that it afterwards cannot flow any more.

The Body therefore doth tinge the Spirit, and the Spirit doth penetrate the Body, whereas one Body cannot penetrate an other Body, but a subtil Spiritual congealed Substance doth penetrate and give Colour to the Body. And this is that Gummy and Oleaginous Stone, proportioned in its Natures, containing a Spiritual nature occultly in it self together with the Elements purifyed. Therefore the Philosophers Stone is to be wholy reduced into this Gumminess by the last Reiteration or Inceration of a certain gentle Flux, resolving all the Elements, that they flow like Wax. But when it is the Stone, it appeareth like Copper, whereas nothwithstanding it is a certain Spiritual Substance, penetrating and colouring or tinging all Metallick Bodys.

From hence thou mayst easily guess, that this doth not proceed from the crassitude and grossness of the Earth; but from a Spiritual Metallick Substance, which doth penetrate and enter. Wherefore it behoveth thee to resolve the Body into a subtil Metallick Spirit, and afterwards to congeal and fix, retain and incerate it, that it may flow before it tinge. For Gold doth Colour nothing besides it self, unless first its own Spirit be extracted out of its own Belly; and it be made Spiritual.

And know that our Mercurial Water is a living Water, and a burning Fire, mortifying and tearing in pieces Gold more than common Fire. And therefore by how much more it is better mixed, rubbed and ground with it, by so much more it destroyeth it, and the living fiery Water is more attenuated. But now when three are made one in the Form of a congealed Substance, then it hath in it a true Tincture, which can endure the Violence of the Fire. Therefore when the Body is so tinged, it can tinge another, and it hath in it self all Tincture and Virtue. And from hence all they who tinge with Sol and his Shadow, (viz.) with the Poyson,5 that is Argent vive, do perfectly compleat our Stone, which we call the great and perfect Gumm. And know for certain that it is not necessary, that our Stone or Gumm lose its first Mercurial Nature in the Sublimation of its crude and first Spirit: for the Oyl and Gumm pertaining to this Stone are nothing else, then the Elements themselves Mercurialized, and made equal together, shut up and coagulated, resoluble and living, retained or bound in the viscosity of the Oyly Earth, and inseparably mixed. And we ought to know that that Gum or Oyl is first drawn out of the Bodys, which being added, it is reduced into a Spirit, until the superfluous humidity of the Water be turned into Air, drawing one Element out of another by digestion until the Form of Water be converted into the Nature of Oyl, and so our Stone in the end getteth the Name of Gumm and Sulphur.

But whosoever hath brought the Stone thus far, that it appear like a mixing Gumm, and suffereth it self to be mixed with all imperfect Bodies, he verily hath found a great Secret of Nature, because that is a perfect Stone, Gum and Sulphur.

This stone then is compounded of a Body and Spirit, or of a volatile and fixed Substance, and that is therefore done, because nothing in the World can be generated and brought to light without these two Substances, to wit, a Male and Female: From whence it appeareth, that although these two Substances are not of one and the same species, yet one Stone doth thence arise, and although they appear and are said to be two Substances, yet in truth it is but one, to wit, Argent vive. But of this Argent vive a certain part is fixed and digested, Masculine, hot, dry, and secretly informing: But the other which is the Female, is Volatile, crude, cold and moyst; and from these two Substances the whole may easily be known, and the whole Stone intirely understood. Wherefore if our Stone did only consist of one Substance, in it there could be no Action and passion of one thing towards the other; for one would neither touch nor come nigh or enter into the other: As a Stone and piece of Wood have no Operation on each other, since they do consist of a different matter, and hence they can by no means, no not in the least be mixed together, and there is the same reason for all things that differ in matter. Wherefore it is evident and certain that it should be necessary for the Agent and Patient to be of one and the same Genus; but of a different species, even as a man differeth from a Woman. For although they agree in one and the same Genus, yet nevertheless they have diverse Operations and Qualities, even as the Matter and Form. For the Matter suffereth, and the Form acteth assimulating the matter to it self, and according to this manner the Matter naturally thirsteth after a Form, as a Woman desireth an Husband, and a Vile thing a precious one, and an impure a pure one, so also Argent vive coveteth a Sulphur, as that which should make perfect which is imperfect: So also a Body freely desireth a Spirit, whereby it may at length arrive at its perfection. Therefore Learn thou the Natural Roots, and those that are better, with which thou oughtest to reduce thy Matter, whereby thou mayst perfect thy work. For this blessed Stone hath in it all things necessary to its perfection.

The Practick of the same Author

If we well consider the Words of Morienus that great Philosopher in Alchimy, who saith, Mix together Water, Earth, Air, and Fire in a due weight, without doubt thou wilt obtain all the Secrets of this Divine Science. And first, when he saith, put into the Water, or putrifie the Earth in Water, this signifieth nothing else, then the Extraction of Water out of Earth, and the pouring of Water upon the Earth, so long until the Earth putrifie and be cleansed, otherwise it would not bring forth its Fruit. Secondly when he saith, mix Water and Air, it’s no more then if he should have said, mix Water now prepared with Air dissolved, or joyn and mix together dissolved Air with Water. Judge ye your selves: For you know that Air is warm and moyst, and ye have the saying of Morienus concerning the dissolution of Air, Earth, Fire and Water. Some when they speak of Dissolution, say that the Solution of the Fire is better, because whatsoever is dissolved in the Fire, that floweth in the Air. And Note that the Fire of the Philosophers is nothing else then the Air dissolved and congealed. This you may better comprehend from similitude, and suppose that first you have Air dissolved and congealed, to which add Fire. The Earth ought to be first prepared, and the Fire dissolved, before they are mixed.

For the Earth together with the Fire ought to be put into a fit Vessel, and after is to be introduced the inextinguishable Fire of Nature, which when it descendeth upon the Earth, devoureth the whole together with its Gumm, and converteth it into its own Nature. Wherefore if ye consider well the Sayings and Precepts of the Philosophers, and understand their Mystical Sence, ye shall come to all the Secrets of the Divine Chymick Art.

43 George Ripley

George Ripley (1415 - 1490) holds a semi-special spot in my alchemical education. He wrote a long alchemical poem to King Edward IV, which I didn't understand, called The Compound of Alchymy. But later, George Starkey, an American alchemist writing under the pseudonym Erinaeus Philalathes, explained stanza X in his Ripley Reviv'd (1678), and it's in his explanation that I realized what the alchemists were trying to accomplish.

Ripley wrote a lot, and we have many manuscripts. The Compound was first printed 120 years after it was written.

1. O Honorable Lord, and most victorious Knight,
With grace and vertue abundantly endewed,
The safegard of England, and maintainer of right;
That God you loveth, indeed he hath well shewed:
Wherefore I trust this land shalbe renewed
With joy and riches, with charitie and peace,
So that olde ranckors new understrewed,
Tempestuous troubles, and wretchednes shall cease.

2. And therefore sith I see by tokens right evident,
That God you guideth, and how that you be vertuous,
Hating sinne, and all such as be insolent,
How that also manslaughter to you is odious,
Upon the judgement also that you be piteous:
Me seemeth ruthe it were but that you should live long;
For of your great fortune you are not presumptuous,
Nor vengeable of spirit to revenge you of each wrong.

3. These considered with others in your most noble State,
Like as God knoweth, and people doo witnes beare,
So entirely me mooveth, that I must algate
Record the same, and therein be no flatterer:
And not that only, but also to write here
Unto your Highnes, humbly to present
Great secrets, which in farre countries I did learne,
And which by grace to me most unworthie are lent.

4. Once to your Lordship such things I did promise,
What time you did commaund to send unto me,
And sith that I wrote it in secret wise,
Unto your grace from the Universitie
Of Lovaine, when God fortuned me by grace to see
Greater secrets and much more perfite,
Which onely to you I will disclosed to be,
That is the great Elixer both red and white.

5. For like it you to trust that truly I have found,
The perfect way of most secret Alchymie,
Which I will never truly for marke nor for pound
Make common but to you, and that conditionally,
That to youre selfe you shall keepe it full secretly,
And only to use it as may be to Gods pleasure,
Else in time comming to God I should abye,
For my discovering of his secret treasure.

6. Therefore be you well advised and with good deliberation,
For of this secret shall know no other creature,
But onely you as I make faithfull protestation,
For all the time that herein life I shall endure,
Whereto I will your Lordship me ensure,
To my desire in this my oath for to agree,
Least I to me the wrath of God procure,
For such revealing of his great gift and privitie.

7. If God fortune you by me to win this treasure,
Serve him devowtly with more lawde and thanking,
Praying his Godhead in life that you may so endure,
His gifts of grace, and fortune to use to his pleasing,
Most especially intending over all thing,
To your power and cunning his precepts ten
So to observe, that into no danger your selfe you bring,
But that you in glory may see him hereafter, Amen.

8. And yet moreover I will your Lordship to pardon me,
For openly with pen I will it never it write,
But whensoever you list by practise you shall see,
By mouth also this precious secret, most of delight,
How may be made perfect Elixers both red and white,
Plaine unto your Lordship it shall declared be,
And if it please you, with easie expences and respite,
I will them worke by grace of the Trinitie.

9. But notwithstanding for perill that may befall,
If I dare not here plainely the knotte unbinde,
Yet in my writing I will not be so misticall,
But that by studie the true knowledge you may finde,
How that each thing is multiplied in his kinde,
And how the likenes of bodies metaline be transmutable
I will declare, that if you feele me in your minde,
My writing you shall finde true and no fained fable.

10. As Philosophers in the metheors doe write,
The likenes of bodies metaline be not transmutable,
But after he added these wordes of more delight,
Without they be reduced to their beginning materiable,
Wherefore such bodies within nature be liquiable,
Minerall and metaline may be mercurizate,
Conceive you may this science is not opinionable,
But very true, by Raymond8 and others determinate,

11. In the saide booke the Philosophers speake also,
Therein if it please your Highnes for to reade,
Of divers sulphures, and especially of two,
And of two mercuries joyned to them indeed,
Whereby he doth true understanders leade,
To the knowledge of the principle which is onely trew,
Both red, moist, pure, and white, as I have espied,
Which be neverthelesse found but of verie few.

12. And these two things be best, he addeth anone
For him that worketh the Alchymie to take:
Our golde and our silver therewith to make all one,
Wherefore I say who will our pearle and Ruby make,
The said principles looke he not forsake:
For at the beginning, if his principles be true,
And if so be by craft he can them also bake,
In th’end truly his worke he shall not rue.

13. But one great secret right needfull to be knowne,
That though the Philosophers speake plurally,
All is but one thing you may me well trowe,
In kinde which is our base principally,
Whereof doth spring both white and red naturally,
And yet the white must come first out of the red,
Which thing is not wrought manually,
But naturally, craft helping out of our lead.

14. For all the partes of our most precious stone,
As I can prove, be coessentiall and concrete,
Moreover there is no true principle but one,
Full long it was ere I therewith could meete,
Who can reduce him and knoweth his heate,
And onely kinde with kinde can well redresse,
Till filthie originall be clensed from his seate,
He likely is to finde our secrets more and lesse.

15. Therefore worke kinde onely with his owne kinde,
And so your Elements joyne that they not strive.
This poynt also for any beare in minde,
That passive natures you turne into active,
Of water, fire, and winde of earth make blive,
And of the quadrangle make a figure round,
Then have thou the honie of our bee-hive,
One ounce well worth one thousand pound.

16. The principall secret of secrets all,
Is true proportion which may not be behinde,
Wherein I counsell thee be not superficiall,
The true conclusion if you thinke to finde,
Turne earth into water and water into winde,
Therefore make fire and beware of the flood
Of Noah, wherein many men are so blinde,
That by this science they get little good.

17. I counsell you eate and drink temperately,
And beware well that Iposarcha11 come not in place.
Neshe not your wombe by drinking immoderately,
Least you quench naturall heate in little space,
The colour will tell appearing in your face,
Drinke no more therefore than you may eate,
Walke up and downe after an easie pace,
Chafe not your bodie too sore to sweate.

18. With easie fire after moving when you sweate,
Warme your bodie and make it drie againe,
By rivers and fountaines walke after meate,
At morning time visit the high mountaine,
That Phisick so biddeth I read certaine,
So high the mountaines yet doe you not ascend,
But that you may downwardes your way have plaine,
And with your mantle from colde ye you defend.

19. Such labour is wholesome your sweat for to drie
With napkin, and after it see you take no colde,
For grosse humors be purged by sweate kindely,
Use Diacameron then confect with perfect golde,
Hermidocles for watry humors good I holde, Use
Ipericon perforat with milke of tithimall,
And sperma Cæti with red wine, and when you wax olde,
And Goats milke sod with wine nourisheth moysture radicall.

20. But a good Phisition who so intendeth to be,
Our lower Astronomie needeth well to know,
And after that to learne well urine in a glasse to see,
And if it neede to be chafed the fire for to blow,
Then wittily it by divers wayes for to throw
After the cause to make a medicine blive,
Truly telling the infirmities all on a row,
Who this can doe by his Phisick is like to thrive.

21. We have our heaven incorruptible of the quintessence,
Ornate with signes, Elements, and starres bright,
Which moysteth our earth by subtill influence,
And of it a secret sulphure hid from sight,
It fetcheth by vertue of his active might,
Like as the Bee fetcheth honey out of the flower,
Which thing could doe no other worldly wight.
Therefore to God be all glory and honour.

22. And like as yce to water doth relent,
Where it was congealed by violence of colde,
When Phœbus yet shineth with his heate influent,
Even so to water minerall reduced is our golde,
As witnesseth plainely, Albert, Raymond, and
Arnold, By heate and moysture and by craft occasionate,
Which congelation of the spirits, loe now I have tolde,
How our materialls together must be proportionate.

23. At the dyers craft you may learne this science,
Beholding with water how decoction they make
Upon the wad or madder18 easily and with patience,
Till tinctures doe appeare which then the cloth doth take,
Therein so fixed that they will never forsake
The cloth, for washing after they joyned be,
Even so our tinctures with the water of our lake,
We draw by boyling with the ashes of Hermes tree.

24. Which tinctures when they by craft are made perfite,
So dyeth mettles with colours aye permanent,
After the qualitie of the medicine, red or white,
That never away with anie fire wilbe brent:
To this example if you take good tent,
Unto your purpose the rather you shall winne.
And let your fire be easie, and not too fervent,
Where nature did leave what time you did beginne.

25. First calcine, and after that putrifie,
Dissolve, distill, sublime, discend, and fixe,
With Aqua vitæ oft times both wash and drie,
And make a marriage the bodie and spirite betwixt,
Which thus together naturallie if you can mixe,
In loosing of the bodie the water congeald shalbe,
Then shall the bodie die utterlie of the flixe,
Bleeding and changing his colours, as you shall see.

26. The third day againe to life he shall arise,
And devoure birds, and beasts of the wildernesse,
Crowes, popingaies, pies, peacocks, and mavois,
The Phœnix, with the Eagle, and the Griffin of fearfulnesse,
The greene Lion, with the red Dragon he shall distresse,
With the white Dragon, and the Antelop, Unicorne & Panther,
With other beasts and birds both more and lesse,
The Basiliske also, which almost each one doth feare.

27. In bus and nibus he shall arise and descend, Up to the
Moone, and sith up to the Sunne, Through the
Ocean sea, which round is withouten end,
Onely shippen within a little glassen tunne;
When he is there come, then is the mastrie wonne:
About which journey, great goods you shall not spend,
And yet you shall be glad that ever it was begunne,
Patiently if you list to your worke attend.

28. For then both bodie and spirite with oyle and water,
Soule, and tincture, one thing both white and red,
After colours variable it containeth, whatsover men clatter;
Which also is called after he hath once been dead
And is revived, our Markaside, our Magnet, and our lead,
Our Sulphur, our Arsinike, and our true Calx vive,
Our Sunne, our Moone, our ferment and our bread,
Our toad, our Basiliske, our unknowen bodie, our man, our wife.

29. Our bodie thus naturally by craft when he is renovate
Of the first order, is medicine called in our Philosophie;
Which oftentimes againe must be spiritualizate,
The round wheele turning of our Astronomie,
And so to the Elixer of spirits you must come: for why
Till the sonne of the fixed by the sonne of the fixer be overgone,
Elixer of bodies, named it is onely,
And this found secret poynt, deceaveth manie one.

30. This naturall process by helpe of craft thus consummate,
Dissolveth Elixer spirituall in our unctuous humiditie,
Then in Balneo Mare together let them be circulate,
Like new honie or oyle, till perfectly they be thickned.
Then will that medicine heale all infirmitie,
And turne all mettals to Sunne and Moone perfectly,
Thus you shall make the great Elixer, and Aurum potabile,
By the grace and will of God, to whom be all honour and glorie.

Amen. quod George Ripley.

Ripley also made a scroll, depicting the sequence of alchemy:

44 The Fall of Constantinople

On May 29th, 1453, the great city of Constantinople, which stood for over 1000 years, assaulted by the Arabs and Turks for most of that time, finally fell. When the Roman Church moved to Byzantium in 330 with the power and wealth of the Constantine empire, they brought all the books with them, mostly written in the original Greek. With the fall of Constantinople, the Roman Empire ended.

The scholars of Constantinople fled, and took their books with them. They arrived in Southern Italy, and their arrival was a Big Deal. Cosimo deMedici, wealthy banker in Florence, bought many of the books and began hiring translators. He loved books, and as the biographical entry in Wikipedia states, bought entire libraries to stock his own, using 45 copyists:

Cosimo had grown up with only three books, but by the time he was thirty, his collection had grown to 70 volumes. After being introduced to humanism by a group of literati who had asked for his help in preserving books, he grew to love the movement and gladly sponsored the effort to renew Greek and Roman civilization through literature, for which book collecting was a central activity. "Heartened by the romantic wanderlust of a true bibliophile, the austere banker even embarked on several journeys in the hunt for books, while guaranteeing just about any undertaking that involved books. He financed trips to nearly every European town as well as to Syria, Egypt, and Greece organized by Poggio Bracciolini, his chief book scout."[34] He engaged 45 copyists under the bookseller Vespasiano da Bisticci to transcribe manuscripts and paid off the debts of Niccolò de' Niccoli after his death in exchange for control over his collection of some 800 manuscripts valued at around 6,000 florins.[35] These manuscripts that Cosimo acquired from Niccoli would later be the cornerstone of the Laurentian Library, a library in Florence founded by Cosimo's grandson, Lorenzo de' Medici.

Wikipedia: Cosimo de Medici

Cosimo had already established a Platonic Academy in 1445, "powered," as it were, by the books coming into Europe via the Arabic, and later, Latin translation movements. Thus, the Renaissance ("the Renewing") was already taking place.

And then the Constantinople scholars arrived with the original Greek volumes. Cosimo went ape. He told his copyists, those who could learn Greek, to drop what they were doing, and translate. The most prolific were Marsillio Ficino, and Lodovico Lazzarelli. These new old copies of the originals were a huge boost to the Renaissance, and introduced many ideas of the original Alexandrian/Gnostic alchemies into Europe. This brand of Renaissance alchemy was highly associated with astrology and magic, so the Italian alchemy has astrology and magic as part of the practice. Like most Italian scientists, Galileo was an astrologer, and gave horoscopes to family, friends, and even in the preface to his books. As Brent Swancer put it back in December 2021:

It may seem pretty strange that the father of modern astronomy and such a groundbreaking frontiersman of science as Galileo should be into horoscopes, but back in Galileo’s time it actually was not all that strange that mathematicians and astronomers should believe in astrology. For centuries astrology was a discipline intrinsically tied to the studies of mathematics and astronomy, being taught right alongside them at the finest Italian universities. Indeed, Galileo, like Ptolemy and Kepler before him, held a position known as a mathematicus, a term which had a threefold meaning as referring to mathematics, astronomy, and astrology. Indeed, at the time one of the reasons for studying the movement of planets relative to the stars to begin with was for the purpose of predicting their positions and pinpointing their relation to each other in order to make oracular predictions or fashion horoscopes. At the time it was not uncommon for medical students to be taught astrology in order to cast horoscopes to predict the onset of a disease and indicate the appropriate remedy, and this kind of medical astrology was not all that unusual for the era.

The Church worked hard to stamp out the magic, and alchemy was in part caught up in the net. But the astrology didn't die until after Aristotle was displaced in the late 1600's.

The most important alchemy works were those of Hermes Trismegistus, and in Renaissance Italy is perhaps when his fame was trumpeted loudest. Ficino's translation, which he titled Pimander, after the character in the first book, was the first thing he translated. It's a good translation into Italian, too.

45 Paracelsus

Behind Nicholas Flamel in popularity as an alchemist is Paracelsus, born Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hoenheim in 1493 in Switzerland. A wandering physician, alchemist, theologian, anti-extablishementarian, contrarian, and generally unlikeable fellow, his writings, all in German, were gathered after his death to be published for the first time. Some of what he says makes sense, and consequently he is elevated to Early Scientist. But some of what he says makes no sense at all, and he is labeled the worst sort of alchemist.

At this point I'll say: I started writing an extensive biography, but then realized that it just wasn't needed. One thing about the writings of Paracelsus is that his personality really comes through, so let's just read him. Watch for when he speaks as a strict Aristotelian, or as an alchemical reformer, or as a looney. If you want the biography, read a book or read the Wikipedia page on him.

A New Light of Alchymie . . . Written by Micheel Sandivogius [sic] . . . Also Nine Books of the Nature of Things, written by Paracelsus . . . Translated by J. F. M. D. "London: printed by Richard Cotes, 1650."

Of the nature of things 

From Book I: of the generations of Naturall things.

The generation of all natural things is twofold: Naturall and without Art; and Artificiall, viz. by Alchymie. Although in generall it may bee said that all things are naturally generated of the Earth by means of putrefaction. For Putrefaction is the chiefe degree and first step to Generation. Now Putrefaction is occasioned by a moist heat. For a continuall moist heat causeth putrefaction, and changeth all naturall things from their first form and essence, as also their vertues and efficacy, into another thing. For as putrefaction in the stomach changeth and reduceth all meats into dung; so also putrefaction out of the stomach in a glasse, changeth all things from one form into another, from one essence into another, from one colour into another, from one smell into another, from one vertue into another, from one power into another, from one property into another, and generally from one quality into another. For it is evident and proved by daily experience that many good things which are wholsome and medicinable, become after putrefaction naught, unwholsome, and meer poison. So on the contrary, there are many bad, unwholsome, poisonous, and hurtfull things, which after their putrefaction become good, lose all their unwholsomnesse, and become wonderfull medicinable: because putrefaction produceth great matters, as of this wee have a most famous example in the holy Gospel, where Christ saith: Unless a grain of Wheat bee cast into the Earth, and be putrefied, it cannot bring forth fruit in a hundred fold.1 Hence also we must know that many things are multiplyed in putrefaction so as to bring forth excellent fruit. For putrefaction is the change and death of all things, and destruction of the first essence of all Naturall things; whence there ariseth a regeneration, and new generation a thousand times better, &c . . .

And here wee must take notice of something that is greater and more then this: viz. if that living Chicke be in a vessell of glasse like a gourd, and sealed up, burnt to powder, or ashes in the third degree of Fire, and afterward so closed in, be putrefied with the exactest putrefaction of Horse-dung, into a mucilaginous flegm, then that flegm may be brought to maturity and become a renewed and new made Chicke: to wit, if that flegm bee again inclosed in its former shell or receptacle. This is to revive the dead by regeneration and clarification, which indeed is a great and profound miracle of Nature . . .

Wee must also know that after this manner men may bee generated without naturall Father, or Mother, i.e., not of a Woman in a naturall way: but by the Art and industry of a skilfull Alchymist may a Man bee borne and grow, as afterwards shall bee shewed.

It is possible also that men may be born of beasts, according to naturall causes, but yet this cannot bee done without much impiety and heresie; to wit, if a man should couple with a beast, and that beast should, as a woman doth, receive the Sperm of the man with desire and lust into her matrix, and conceive: then the sperm doth of necessity putrefie, and by the continual heat of the body, a man and not a beast is thence produced. For alwaies as the seed is that is sown, so also is the fruit that is brought forth; and unlesse it should be so, it would be contrary to the light of Nature, and to Philosophy . . .

In like manner also it is possible, and not contrary to Nature, that an irrationall bruit should bee produced by a woman and a man. Neither are wee to judge of, or censure the woman, as the man (in the former case); shee therefore is not to bee accounted impious or hereticall, as if shee acted contrary to Nature, but it is to be imputed to her imagination. For her imagination is alwaies the cause of it. And the imagination of a breeding woman is so powerful, that in conceiving the seed into her body, shee may change her infant divers wayes: because her inward starres are so strongly bent upon the infant that they beget an impression and influence upon it. Wherefore the infant in the Mothers wombe in its forming is put into the hand and will of its Mother, as clay in the hand of the Potter, who thence frames and makes what his will and pleasure is: so the Woman that is breeding forms the fruit in her body according to her imagination and her starres. Therefore it often falls out, that of the seed of a man, Cattle, and other horrid Monsters are begot, according as the imagination of the Mother is strongly directed upon the Embryo, &c. . . .

But wee must by no means forget the generation of Artificiall men. For there is some truth in this thing, although it hath been a long time concealed, and there have been no small doubts and questions raised by some of the ancient Philosophers, whether it were possible for Nature or Art to beget a Man out[side] of the body of a Woman, and naturall matrix? To this I answer, that it is no way repugnant to the Art of Alchymy and Nature; yea it is very possible; but to effect it, we must proceed thus.

Let the Sperm of a man by it selfe be putrefied in a gourd glasse, sealed up, with the highest degree of putrefaction in Horse dung, for the space of forty days, or so long untill it begin to bee alive, move, and stir, which may easily be seen. After this time it will bee something like a Man, yet transparent and without a body. Now after this, if it bee every day warily and prudently nourished and fed with the Arcanum4 of Mans blood, and bee for the space of forty weeks kept in a constant, equall heat of Horse-dung, it will become a true and living infant, having all the members of an infant which is born of a woman, but it will bee far lesse. This wee call Homunculus, or Artificiall. And this is afterwards to be brought up with as great care and diligence as any other infant, untill it come to riper years of understanding. Now this is one of the greatest secrets that God ever made known to mortall, sinfull man. For this is a miracle and one of the great wonders of God, and secret above all secrets, and deservedly it ought to bee kept amongst the secrets until the last times when nothing shall be hid, but all things be made manifest . . .

Here it is necessary that we speak something of the generation of Metalls; but because we have wrote sufficiently of that in our book of the generation of Metals, wee shall very briefly treat of it here, only briefly adding what was omitted in that book. Know that all the seven Metalls are brought forth after this manner, out of a threefold matter, viz. Mercury, Sulphur, & Salt, yet in distinct and peculiar colours. For this reason Hermes did not speak amisse when he said, that of three substances are all the seven Metalls produced and compounded, as also the Tinctures and Philosophers Stone. Those 3 substances he calls the Spirit, Soul, and Body: but hee did not shew how this is to be understood, or what hee did mean by this, although haply hee might know the three Principles, but did not make mention of them. Wherefore we do not say that he was here in an error, but only was silent now, that those 3 distinct substances may be rightly understood, viz. Spirit, Soul, and Body, we must know, that they signifie nothing else but the three Principles, i.e. Mercury, Sulphur, Salt, of which all the seven Metalls are generated. For Mercury is the Spirit, Sulphur the Soule, and Salt the Body, but a Metall is the Soul betwixt the Spirit and the Body (as Hermes saith) which Soule indeed is Sulphur; and unites these two contraries, the Body and Spirit, and changeth them into one essence, &c.

Now this is not to bee understood so as that of every Mercury, every Sulphur, or of every Salt, the seven Metalls may be generated, or the Tincture, or the Philosophers Stone by the Art of Alchymie, or industry, with the help of Fire; but all the seven Metalls must be generated in the mountains by the Archeius5 of the Earth. For the Alchymist shall sooner transmute Metalls, then generate or make them.

Yet neverthelesse living Mercury is the Mother of all the seven Metalls, and deservedly it may be called the Mother of the Metalls. For it is an open Metall, and as it contains all colours, which it manifests in the Fire, so also occultly it contains all Metalls in it selfe, but without Fire it cannot shew them, &c.

But generation and renovation of Metalls is made thus: As a man may return into the womb of his Mother, i.e. into the Earth, out of which hee was first made a man, and shall again bee raised at the last day: so also all Metalls may returne into living againe, and become , and by Fire bee regenerated and purified, if for the space of forty weeks they bee kept in a continuall heat, as an infant is in his Mothers wombe. So that now there are brought forth not common Metalls, but Tinging Metalls. For if Silver bee regenerated (after the manner as wee have spoken) it will afterward tinge all other Metalls into Silver, so will Gold into Gold, and the like is to be understood of all the other Metalls.

Now forasmuch as Hermes said that the soule alone is that medium which joines the spirit to the body, it was not without cause hee said so. For seeing Sulphur is that soule, and doth like Fire ripen and digest all things; it can also bind the soule with the body, incorporating and uniting them together, so that from thence may bee produced a most excellent body. Now the common combustible Sulphur is not to bee taken for the soule of metalls, for the soule is another manner of thing then a combustible and corruptible body. Wherefore it can bee destroyed by no Fire, seeing indeed it is all Fire itself: and indeed it is nothing else but the quintessence of Sulphur, which is extracted out of reverberated Sulphur by the spirit of wine, being of a red colour and as transparent as a Rubie: and which indeed is a great and excellent Arcanum, for the transmuting of white metalls, and to coagulate living into fixt and true Gold. Esteeme this as an enriching treasure, and thou maist bee well contented with this onely secret in the Transmutation of Metalls. . . .

Book 2: Of the growth, and increase of Natural things.

It is sufficiently manifest and knowne to every one, that all naturall things grow and are ripned through heat and moisture, which is sufficiently demonstrated by rain and the heat of the sun. For no man can deny that rain doth make the Earth fruitfull, and it is granted by all that all fruits are ripened by the sun.

Seeing therefore this is by divine ordination naturally possible, who can gain-say or not beleeve that a man is able, through the wise and skilfull Art of Alchymy, to make that which is barren, fruitfull, and that which is crude, to ripen, and all things to grow, and to be increased . . .

It is possible also that Gold, through industry and skill of an expert Alchymist, may bee so far exalted that it may grow in a glasse like a tree, with many wonderfull boughs and leaves, which indeed is pleasant to behold and most wonderful.

The process is this. Let Gold bee calcined with Aqua Regis, till it becomes a kind of chalke, which put into a gourd glasse and poure upon it good new Aqua Regis, so that it may cover it foure fingers breadth, then again draw it off with the third degree of fire, untill no more ascend. The water that is distilled off, poure on againe, then distill it off againe. This doe so long untill thou seest the Gold to rise in the glasse and grow after the manner of a tree, having many boughes and leaves: and so there is made of Gold a wonderful and pleasant shrub, which the Alchymists call their Golden hearb and the Philosophers Tree. In like manner you may proceed with Silver and other Metalls, yet so that their calcination bee made after another manner, by another Aqua fortis, which I leave to thine experience. If thou art skilled in Alchymie, thou shalt not erre in these things.

Book 4: Of the life of Naturall things.

No man can deny that Aire gives life to all things, bodies, and substances that are produced and generated of the Earth. Now you must know what, and what manner of thing the life of every thing in particular is; and it is nothing else then a spirituall essence, a thing that is invisible, impalpable, a spirit, and spirituall. Wherefore there is no corporeall thing which hath not a spirit lying hid in it, as also a life, which, as I said before, is nothing but a spirituall thing. For not only that hath life which moves and stirres, as Men, Animalls, Vermine of the earth, Birds in the Aire, Fish in the sea, but also all corporeall and substantiall things. For here wee must know that God in the beginning of the Creation of all things, created no body at all without its spirit, which it secretly contains in it.

For what is the body without a spirit? Nothing at all. Wherefore the spirit contains in it secretly the vertue and power of the thing, and not the body. For in the body there is death, and the body is the subject of death, neither is any else to be sought for in the body but death.

For that may severall wayes bee destroyed and corrupted, but the spirit cannot. For the living spirit remains for ever, and also is the subject of life: and preserves the body alive; but in the ruine of the body it is separated from it, and leaves behind it a dead body, and returnes to its place from whence it came, viz. into the Chaos, and the Aire of the upper and lower Firmament. Hence it appears that there are divers spirits, as well as divers bodies.

For there are spirits Celestiall, Infernall, Humane, Metalline, Minerall, of Salts, of Gemmes, of Marcasites, of Arsenicks, of Potable things, of Rootes, of Juices, of Flesh, of Blood, of Bones, &c. Wherefore also know that the spirit is most truly the life and balsome of all Corporeall things. But now wee will proceed to the species, and briefly describe to you in this place the life of every naturall thing in particular.

The life therefore of all men is nothing else but an Astrall balsome, a Balsamick impression, and a celestiall invisible Fire, an included Aire, and a tinging spirit of Salt. I cannot name it more plainly, although it bee set out by many names. And seeing wee have declared the best and chiefest, wee shall bee silent in these which are lesse materiall.

The life of Metalls is a secret fatnesse which they have received from Sulphur, which is manifest by their flowing, for every thing that flowes in the fire, flowes by reason of that secret fatnesse that is in it: unlesse that were in it, no Metall could flow, as wee see in Iron and Steel, which have lesse Sulphur and fatnesse then all the other Metalls, wherefore they are of a dryer Nature then all the rest . . .

 

The death of all naturall things is nothing else but an alteration and destruction of their powers and vertues, a predominancy of that which is evill and an overcoming of what is good, an abolishing of the former nature and generation of a new, and another nature. For you must know that there are many things that, whilst they are alive, have in them severall vertues, but when they are dead retaine little or nothing of their vertue, but become unsavory and unprofitable. So on the contrary many things, whilest they live, are bad, but after they are dead and corrupted, manifest a manifold power and vertue, and are very usefull. Wee could bring many examples to confirme this, but that doth not belong to our purpose. But that I may not seem to write according to mine own opinion only, but out of my experience, it will be necessary that I produce one example, with which I shall silence those Sophisters, who say that wee can receive nothing from dead things, neither must we seek or expect to find any thing in them. The reason is because they do esteem nothing of the preparations of Alchymists, by which many such like great secrets are found out. For looke upon Mercury, crude Sulphur, and crude Antimony, as they are taken out of their Mines, i.e. whilest they are living, and see what little vertue there is in them, how slowly they put forth their vertues; yea they do more hurt then good, and are rather poison then a Medicine. But if through the industry of a skilfull Alchymist they bee corrupted in their first substance, and wisely prepared (viz. if Mercury be coagulated, precipitated, sublimed, dissolved, and turned into an oyle; if Sulphur bee sublimed, calcined, reverberated, and turned into an oyle; also if Antimony bee sublimed, calcined, and reverberated and turned into oyle) you shall see how usefull they are, how much strength and vertue they have, and how quickly they put forth and shew their efficacy, which no man is able to speak enough in the commendation of, or to describe. For many are their vertues, yea more then will ever bee found out by any man. Wherefore let every faithfull Alchymist and Physitian spend their whole lives in searching into these three: For they will abundantly recompense him for all his labour, study, and costs.

But to come to particulars, and to write particularly of the death and destruction of every naturall thing, and what the death of every thing is, and after what manner every thing is destroyed: you must know therefore in the first place, that the death of man is without doubt nothing else but an end of his daily work, the taking away of the Aire, the decaying of the Naturall balsome, the extinguishing of the naturall light, and the great separation of the three substances, viz. the body, soule, and spirit, and their return from whence they came. For because a naturall man is of the earth, the Earth also is his Mother, into which hee must return, and there must lose his natural earthly flesh, and so be regenerated at the last day in a new celestiall and purified flesh, as Christ said to Nicodemus when hee came to him by Night. For thus must these words bee understood of regeneration.

The death and destruction of Metalls is the disjoining of their bodies and sulphureous fatnesse, which may bee done severall ways, as by calcination, reverberation, dissolution, cementation, and sublimation . . . [The balance of this chapter provides many examples of metallic death or mortification; its sequel, the sixth book, treats “Of the Resurrection of Naturall things.”]

Book 7: Of the Transmutation of Naturall things.

If wee write of the Transmutation of all Naturall things, it is fit and necessary that in the first place wee shew what Transmutation is. Secondly, what bee the degrees to it. Thirdly, by what Mediums, and how it is done.

Transmutation therefore is when a thing loseth its form and is so altered that it is altogether unlike to its former substance and form, but assumes another form, another essence, another colour, another vertue, another nature, or property, as if a Metall bee made glasse or stone: if a stone bee made a coale: if wood be made a coal: clay be made a stone or a brick: a skin bee made glew: cloth be made paper, and many such like things. All these are Transmutations of Naturall things.

After this, it is very necessary also to know the degrees to Transmutation, and how many they be. And they are no more then seven. For although many doe reckon more, yet there are no more but seven which are principall, and the rest may bee reckoned betwixt the degrees, being comprehended under those seven: And they are these, Calcination, Sublimation, Solution, Putrefaction, Distillation, Coagulation, Tincture. If any one will climbe that Ladder, he shall come into a most wonderfull place, that hee shall see and have experience of many secrets in the Transmutation of Naturall things.

The first degree therefore is Calcination, under which also are comprehended Reverberation, and Cementation. For betwixt these there is but little difference as for Matter of Calcination: wherefore it is here the chiefest degree. For by Reverberation and Cementation, many corporeall things are calcined and brought into Ashes, and especially Metalls. Now what is calcined is not any further reverberated or cemented.

By Calcination therefore all Metalls, Mineralls, Stones, Glasse, &c. and all corporeall things are made a Coal and Ashes, and this is done by a naked strong Fire with blowing, by which all tenacious, soft, and fat earth is hardened into a stone. Also all stones are brought into a Calx, as wee see in a Potters furnace of lime and bricks.

Sublimation is the second degree and one of the most principall for the Transmutation of many Naturall things: under which is contained Exaltation, Elevation, and Fixation; and it is not much unlike Distillation. For as in Distillation the water ascends from all flegmatick and watery things and is separated from its body; so in Sublimation, that which is spirituall is raised from what is corporeall, and is subtilized, volatile from fixed, and that in dry things, as are all Mineralls, and the pure is separated from the impure . . .

Let that which is sublimed be ground and mixed with its feces, and bee againe sublimed as before, which must bee done so long, till it will no longer sublime, but all will remaine together in the bottom and be fixed.

So there will bee afterward a stone, and oyle when and as oft as thou pleasest, viz. if thou puttest it into a cold place, or in the aire in a Glass. For there it will presently bee dissolved into an Oyle. And if thou puttest it againe into the fire, it will againe bee coagulated into a Stone of wonderfull and great vertue. Keep this as a great secret and mystery of Nature, neither discover it to Sophisters . . .

The third degree is Solution, under which are to bee understood Dissolution and Resolution, and this degree doth most commonly follow Sublimation and Distillation, viz. that the matter be resolved which remaines in the bottome. Now Solution is twofold: the one of Cold, the other of Heat; the one without Fire, the other in Fire.

A cold dissolution dissolves all Salts, all Corrosive things, & all calcined things. Whatsoever is of a Salt and Corrosive quality is by it dissolved into Oyle, Liquor, or Water. And this is in a moist, cold cellar or else in the Aire on a marble or in a glasse. For whatsoever is dissolved in the cold contains an Airy spirit of Salt, which oftentimes it gets, and assumes in Sublimation or Distillation. And whatsoever is dissolved in the cold, or in the Aire, may again by the heat of the Fire bee coagulated into powder or a stone . . .

Putrefaction is the fourth degree, under which is comprehended Digestion and Circulation. Now then Putrefaction is one of the principall degrees, which indeed might deservedly have been the first of all, but that it would be against the true order and mystery, which is here hid and known to few: For those degrees must, as hath been already said, so follow one the other, as links in a chain or steps in a ladder.

For if one of the linkes should bee taken away, the chain is discontinued and broken, and the prisoners would bee at liberty and runne away. So in a ladder, if one step bee taken away in the middle and bee put in the upper or lower part, the ladder would be broken and many would fall down headlong by it with the hazard of their bodies, and lives . . .

Now putrefaction is of such efficacy, that it abolisheth the old Nature and brings in a new one. All living things are killed in it, all dead things putrefied in it, and all dead things recover life in it.

Putrefaction takes from all Corrosive spirits, the sharpnesse of the Salt and makes them mild and sweet, changeth the colours, and separates the pure from the impure; it places the pure above and the impure beneath.

Distillation is the first degree to the Transmutation of all naturall things. Under it are understood Ascension, Lavation, and Fixation.

By Distillation all Waters, Liquors, and Oyles are subtilized; out of all fat things Oyle is extracted, out of all Liquors, Water, and out of all Flegmaticke things Water and Oyle are separated.

Besides there are many things in Distillation fixed by Cohobation, and especially if the things to bee fixed containe in them Water, as Vitriall doth, which if it bee fixed is called Colcothar . . .

Moreover, in Distillation many bitter, harsh, and sharp things become as sweet as Honey, Sugar, or Manna; and on the contrary, many sweet things, as Sugar, Honey, or Manna may bee made as harsh as Oyle of Vitriall or Vineger, or as bitter as Gall or Gentian, as Eager as a Corrosive . . .

Coagulation is the sixt degree: now there is a twofold Coagulation, the one by Cold, the other by Heat, i.e. one of the Aire, the other of the Fire: and each of these again is twofold, so that there are foure sorts of Coagulations, two of Cold, and two of Fire . . . the Coagulation of Fire, which alone is here to bee taken notice of, is made by an Artificiall and Graduall Fire of the Alchymists, and it is fixed and permanent. For whatsoever such a Fire doth coagulate, the same abides so.

The other Coagulation is done by the Aetnean and Minerall Fire in the Mountains, which indeed the Archeius of the Earth governs and graduates not unlike to the Alchymists, and whatsoever is coagulated by such a Fire is also fixed and constant; as you see in Mineralls and Metalls, which indeed at the beginning are a mucilaginous matter, and are coagulated into Metalls, Stones, Flints, Salts, and other bodies, by the Aetnean fire in the Mountaines, through the Archeius of Earth, and operator of Nature . . .

Tincture is the seventh and last degree, which concludes the whole worke of our mystery for Transmutation, making all imperfect things perfect and transmuting them into a most excellent essence, and into a most perfect soundnesse, and alters them into another colour.

Tincture therefore is a most excellent matter, wherewith all Minerall and Humane bodies are tinged and are changed into a better and more noble essence and into the highest perfection and purity.

For Tincture colours all things according to its own nature and colour. Now there are many Tinctures and not only for Metalline but Humane bodies, because every thing which penetrates another matter, or tingeth it with another colour, or essence, so that it bee no more like the former, may bee called a Tincture . . .

For if a Tincture must tinge, it is necessary that the body or matter which is to bee tinged, bee opened and continue in flux, and unless this should bee so, the Tincture could not operate . . .

Now these are the Tinctures of Metalls, which it is necessary must bee turned into an Alcool by the first degree of Calcination, then by the second degree of Sublimation, must get an easy and light flux. And lastly, by the degree of Putrefaction and Distillation are made a fixt and incombustible Tincture and of an unchangeable colour.

Now the Tinctures of Mens bodies are that they bee tinged into the highest perfection of health and all Diseases bee expelled from them, that their lost strength and colour bee restored and renewed, and they are these, viz. Gold, Pearles, Antimony, Sulphur, Vitriall, and such like, whose preparation wee have diversly taught in other books . . .

Book 8: Of the Separation of Naturall things.

In the Creation of the world, the first separation began from the foure Elements, seeing the first matter of the world was one Chaos.

Of this Chaos God made the greater world, being divided into four distinct Elements, viz. Fire, Aire, Water, and Earth. Fire is the hot part, Aire the moist, Water the cold, and Earth the dry part of the greater world.

But that you may in brief understand the reason of our purpose in the 8th book, you must know that we doe not purpose to treat here of the Elements of all Naturall things, seeing wee have sufficiently discoursed of those Arcana in the Archidoxis of the separation of Naturall things: whereby every one of them is apart and distinctly separated, and divided materially and substantially, viz. seeing that two, three, or foure, or more things are mixed into one body, and yet there is seen but one matter. Where it often falls out that the corporeall matter of that thing cannot bee known by any, or signified by any expresse name, untill there bee a separation made. Then sometimes two, three, four, five or more things come forth out of one matter, as is manifest by daily experience in the Art of Alchymie.

As for example, you have an Electrum, which of it selfe is no Metall, but yet it hides all Metalls in one Metall. That if it be anatomized by the industry of Alchymie and separated: all the seven Metalls, viz. Gold, Silver, Copper, Tinne, Lead, Iron, and Quicksilver come out of it and that pure and perfect.

But that you may understand what Separation is, note that it is nothing else then the severing of one thing from another, whether of two, three, four, or more things mixed together: I say a separation of the three Principles, as of Mercury, Sulphur, and Salt, and the extraction of pure out of the impure: or the pure, excellent spirit and quintessence from a grosse and elementary body; and the preparation of two, three, four, or more out of one: or the dissolution and setting at liberty things that are bound and compact, which are of a contrary nature, acting one against the other untill they destroy one the other . . .

The first separation of which wee speake must begin from man, because hee is the Microcosme or little world, for whose sake the Macrocosme or greater world was made, viz. that hee might be the separator of it.

Now the separation of the Microcosme begins at his death. For in death the two bodies of Man are separated the one from the other, viz. his Celestial and Terrestial body, i.e. Sacramental and Elementary: one of which ascends on high like an Eagle; the other falls downward to the earth like lead . . .

After this separation is made, then after the death of the Man three substances, viz. Body, Soule, and Spirit are divided the one from the other, every one going to its own place, viz. its own fountaine, from whence it had its originall, viz. the body to the Earth, to the first matter of the Elements: the soul into the first matter of Sacraments, and lastly, the spirit into the first matter of the Airy Chaos . . .

Of the Separation of Vegetables (Book 8), Concerning Physicians.

All these Separations being made according to the Spagiricall Art, many notable and excellent medicines come from thence, which are to be used as well within as without the body.

But now seeing idlenesse is so much in request amongst Physitians, and all labour and study is turned only to insolency, truly I do not wonder that all such preparations are everywhere neglected, and coales sold at so low a price that if Smiths could be so easily without coales in forging and working their Metals, as Physitians are in preparing their Medicines, certainly Colliers would long since have been brought to extream want.

In the mean time I will give to Spagiricall Physitians their due praise. For they are not given to idlenesse and sloth, nor goe in a proud habit or plush and velvet garments, often shewing their rings upon their fingers, or wearing swords with silver hilts by their sides, or fine and gay gloves upon their hands, but diligently follow their labours, sweating whole nights and dayes by their furnaces.

These doe not spend their time abroad for recreation but take delight in their laboratory. They wear Leather garments with a pouch and Apron wherewith they wipe their hands. They put their fingers amongst coales, into clay and dung, not into gold rings. Thy are sooty and black, like Smithes or Colliers, and doe not pride themselves with cleane and beautifull faces. They are not talkative when they come to the sick, neither doe they extoll their Medicines: seeing they well know that the Artificer must not commend his work, but the work the Artificer, and that the sick cannot be cured with fine words.

Therefore laying aside all these kinds of vanities, they delight to bee busied about the fire and to learn the degrees of the science of Alchymie . . .

[Conclusion of Book 8: On the “final separation” / Last Judgment].

And lastly in the end of all things shall bee the last separation, in the third generation, the great day when the Son of God shal come in majesty and glory, before whom shal be carried not swords, garlands, diadems, scepters, &c. and Kingly jewels with which Princes, Kings, Cesars, &c. doe pompously set forth themselves; but his Crosse, his crown of thorns, and nails thrust through his hands and feet, and spear with which his side was pierced, and the reed and spunge in which they gave him vineger to drinke, and the whips wherewith hee was scourged and beaten. He comes not accompanyed with troopes of Horse and beating of Drums, but foure Trumpets shall bee sounded by the Angells towards the foure parts of the world, killing all that are then alive with their horrible noise, in one moment, and then presently raising these again, together with them that are dead and buryed.

For the voice shall bee heard: Arise yee dead, and come to judgment. Then shal the twelve Apostles sit down, their seats being prepared in the clouds, and shal judge the twelve Tribes of Israel. In that place the holy Angels shall separate the bad from the good, the cursed from the blessed, the goats from the sheep. Then the cursed shall like stones and lead be thrown downward: but the blessed shall like eagles fly on high. Then from the tribunall of God shal go forth this voice to them that stand on his left hand: Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angells from all eternity: For I was an hungry, and yee fed me not; thirsty, and you gave no drink; sick, in prison, and naked, and you visited me not, freed mee not, cloathed me not, and you shewed no pity towards me, therefore shalt you expect no pity from me. On the contrary, hee shall speak to them on his right hand: Come yee blessed, and chosen into my Fathers Kingdome, which hath been prepared for you, and his Angells from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me meat; thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; in prison, and you came unto me. Therefore I will receive you into my Fathers Kingdom, where are provided many mansions for the Saints. You took pity on me, therefore will I take pity on you.

All these being finished and dispatched, all Elementary things will returne to the first matter of the Elements and bee tormented to eternity and never bee consumed, &c. and on the contrary, all holy things shall return to the first matter of Sacraments: i.e. shall be purified, and in eternall joy glorifie God their Creator and worship him from age to age, from eternity to eternity, Amen.

Book 9: Of the Signature of Naturall things (Of Minerall Signes).

. . .But to returne to our purpose concerning Minerall signes, and especially concerning the Coruscation of Metalline veins, we must know that as Metalls which are yet in their first being send forth their Coruscation, i.e. Signes, so also the Tincture of the Philosophers, which changeth all imperfect Metalls into Silver and Gold (or White Metalls into Silver, and Red into Gold) puts forth its proper signs like unto Coruscation, if it be Astrally perfected and prepared. For as soon as a small quantity of it is cast upon a fluxil metall, so that they mixe together in the fire, there ariseth a naturall Coruscation and brightnesse, like to that of fine Gold or Silver in a test, which then is a signe that that Gold or Silver is freed and purged without all manner of addition of other Metalls.

But how the Tincture of Philosophers is made Astrall, you must conceive it after this manner: First of all you must know that every Metall, as long as it lies hid in its first being, hath its certaine peculiar stars.

So Gold hath the stars of the Sun, Silver the stars of the Moon, Copper the stars of Venus, Iron the stars of Mars, Tinne the stars of Jupiter, Lead the stars of Saturne, Quicksilver the starres of Mercury.

But as soon as they come to their perfection and are coagulated into a fixt Metalline body, their stars fall off from them, and leave them as a dead body.

Hence it follows that all such bodies are afterwards dead and inefficacious, and that the unconquered star of Metalls doth overcome them all, and converts them into its nature and makes them all Astrall . . .

For which cause also our Gold and Silver, which is tinged and prepared with our tincture, is much more excellent and better for the preparation of Medicinall secrets then that which is naturall, which Nature generates in the Mines and afterwards is separated from other Metalls.

Paracelsus His Aurora, & Treasure of the Philosophers . . . Faithfully Englished. And Published by J. H. Oxon "London: printed for Giles Calvert, 1569".

The Aurora of the Philosophers

Chap. 1: Of the original of the philosophick stone.

Adam was the first Inventor of Arts, because he had the knowledge of all things, as well after the fall as before the fall; from thence he presaged the worlds destruction by water; Hence also it came to pass that his Successors erected two tables of stone, in the which they ingraved all Natural Arts, and that in Hieroglyphical Characters, that so their Successors might also know this presage, that it might be heeded, and provision of care made in time of danger. Afterwards, Noah found one of the tables in Armenia under the Mount Araroth, when the deluge was over; In which [Table] were described the courses of the superiour Firmament, and of the inferiour Globe, and [also] of the Planets; then at length this Universal Notion of Knowledge was drawn into several particulars, and lessened in its Vigor and Power, in so much that by means of that separation, One became an Astronomer, another a Magus, another a Cabalist, and a fourth an Alchymist: Abraham that most great Astrologer and Arithmetitian conveyed [it] out of the Countrey of Canaan into Aegypt, whereupon the Egyptians arose to so great a head and dignity, that the wisdom [or science] of the same thing was derived from them to other Nations and Countreys. And for as much as the Patriarch Jacob painted [as twere] the sheep with various colours, it was done by a part or member of Magick; for in the Theology of the Chaldeans, Hebrews, Persians and Egyptians, they proposed these arts (as the highest Philosophy) to be learned by their chiefest Nobles and Priests: So it was in Moses his time, wherein both the Priests and even the Physitians were chosen amongst the Magi; they indeed [viz. the Priests] for the Examination or Judging, of what related to soundness or health, especially in the knowledge of the Leprosie; Moses likewise was instructed in the Egyptian Schools at the Costs and Care of Pharaohs daughter, so that he excelled in all their Wisdom or Learning; So was it with Daniel; he in his young dayes suckt in the Learning of the Chaldeans, so that he became a Cabalist, Witness his Divine foretellings, and expounding of those words, Mene Mene Tekel Phares: These words are to be understood by the Prophetick and Cabalistick Art: The Tradition of this Cabalistical Art, was very familiar with Moses and the Prophets, and most of all in use; The Prophet Elias foretold many things by his Cabalistical Numbers. Even so the Antient wise men, by this Natural and Mystical Art, learned to know God rightly, and abode and walked in his Laws and statutes very firmly; It likewise is evident in the Book of Samuel, that the Berelists did not follow the Devils part, but became (by Divine permission) partakers of Visions and true Apparitions, the which we shall treat more largely of in the book of Supercelestials. The gift thereof is granted by the Lord God to the Priests who walk in the divine precepts. It was a custom amongst the Persians, never to admit any one as King, unless a Sophist [or Wise man] exalted both in reality and name; and this is clear by the usual name of their Kings, for they were called Sophists. Such were those Wise men and Persian Magi that came from the East to seek out Christ Jesus, and are called natural Priests. Likewise the Egyptians having obtained this Magick and Philosophy from the Chaldeans and Persians, would that their Priests should also learn the same wisdom, wherein they became so fruitfull and succesfull, that all the neighbouring Countreyes admired them. This was the cause why Hermes was truly stiled Trismegistus because he was both a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, a Magitian, and a Sophist of Natural things; such another also was Zoroastes.

Chap. 3: What was taught in the Schools of the Egyptians.

The Chaldeans, Persians and Egyptians had [all of them] the same knowledge of the secrets of nature and the same Religion, the names only being changed. The Chaldeans & Persians called their doctrine Sophia and Magick; and the Egyptians, because of the sacrifice, called their wisdom the Priest-hood. The Magick of the Persians, and Theology of the Egyptians were both of them heretofore taught in the Schools. Albeit there were many Schools and Learned men in Arabia, Africa & Greece, as Albumazar, Abenzagel [Abenragel?], Geber, Rasis and Avicenna amongst the Arabians; Machaon, Podalirius, Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Plato, Aristotle and Rodianus amongst the Grecians; but yet there were various opinions amongst themselves as to the Egyptian wisdom, wherein they differed, and disagreed from it. For this cause Pythagoras would not be called Sophist, because the Egyptian Priesthood and Wisdom was not at all perfectly taught as was fitting, although he received thence many Mysteries and Arcanums; and Anaxagoras [had received] most or exceeding many. This appears by the disputations which he made of Sol & the stone thereof, & which he left after his death, yet he was in many things contrary to the Egyptians; Wherefore even they would not be called Sophists nor Magi, but imitating Pythagoras in that thing they assumed the name of Philosophy; but yet they reaped no more then a few Glances like shadows, from the Magick of the Persians and Egyptians; but Moses, Abraham, Solomon, Adam, Elias, and the Magi that came from the East to Christ, were true Magi, and Divine Sophists, and Cabalists; which Art and Wisdom the Grecians knew very little of, or none at all; and therefore we shall leave that Philosophical Wisdom of the Grecians as a Speculation widely and largely distant, and separated from other true arts and sciences.

[In chapters 2 - 15, Paracelsus discusses several erroneous approaches to making the philosopher’s stone, as well as the arcanums of arsenic, vitriol, and antimony.]

Chap. 16: Of the universal matter of the stone of the philosophers.

After the mortification of Vegetables [they] by the concurrence of two Minerals, as Sulphur and Salt, are transmuted into a Mineral nature, so that at length they become perfect minerals; for in the Mineral holes and dens and wide fields of the earth, are found Vegetables which in long success of time, and by the continued heat of Sulphur, do put off the Vegetable nature, and put on a Mineral; And that doth chiefly happen, where the appropriate nutriment is taken away from these Vegetables, whereby they are afterwards constrained to take their nourishment from the Sulphurs and Salts of the earth, so long, untill that which was afore a Vegetable, do pass into a perfect Mineral; And thus out of this Mineral condition a certain perfect Mettallick essence doth sometimes arise, and that by the progress of one degree into another; But to return to the stone of the Philosophers, the matter whereof (as some have mentioned) is a most difficult matter of all others to be found out, and abstruse for the understanding; Now the way and the most certain rule of the finding out of this as well as of all other things, what they contain, or are able to do, is a most diligent examination of their Root and Sperm, whereby knowledge is attained; for the accomplishment of which, the consideration of principles is very necessary; as also by what way, and medium nature doth at first go from imperfection to the end of perfection; For the consideration whereof, tis chiefly requisite, most certainly to know, that all things created by nature do consist of three principles, viz. of natural Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt, mixt into one, [so] that in some things they are Volatile, in other things fixt: As often as a corporal Salt is throughly mixt with a spiritual Mercury and Animated Sulphur into one body, then doth nature begin to work in subterranean places, (which serves for its vessels,) by a separating fire, by which the gross and impure Sulphur is separated from the pure, and the Earth from the Salt, and the cloudiness from the Mercury, those purer parts being reserved, the which parts nature doth again decoct together into a pure Geogamick body. The which Operation is accounted [of] by the Magi, as a mixtion and conjunction by the Union of the three, viz. body, soul, and spirit. This Union being compleated, from thence doth result a pure Mercury, the which if it flows through the subterranean passages and Veins thereof, and meets with a Caheick Sulphur, the Mercury is Coagulated by this [Sulphur] according to the condition of the Sulphur. But notwithstanding, tis as yet volatile, and scarce decocted into a mettall for the space of an hundred years. Thence arose this so much common an opinion, that Mercury and Sulphur are the matter of mettals, the which is also evidenced by the Relation of the Miners. Yet common Mercury and common Sulphur are not the matter of mettals, but the Mercury and Sulphur of the Philosophers are incorporated and innate in perfect mettals, and in the forms of them, that they never fly from the fire, nor are depraved by the force of the corruption of the Elements. Verily by the dissolution of that same natural mixtion our Mercury is tamed or subjected, as all the Philosophers speak; Under [or from] this form of words, comes Mercury to be extracted out of perfect bodies, and [out of] the virtues [and puissance] of the earthly planets. The which Hermes affirms in these words, The Sol and Lune (saith he) are the roots of this art. The Son of Hamuel saith that the stone of the Philosophers is a Coagulated water, viz. in Sol and Lune; from whence tis evidently cleer, that the matter of the stone is nothing else but Sol & Lune; this is also hereby confirmed, in that every like thing generates and brings forth its like; And we know that there are no more but two stones, white and red; there are also two matters of the stone, Sol and Lune coupled together in a proper Matrimony, both natural and artificial; And as we see, that either man or woman cannot generate without the seed of both; in like manner, our Man Sol and his Woman Lune cannot conceive, or frame ought for generation without both their Seeds and Spermes; Thence have the Philosophers gathered, that a third thing is necessary, viz. the Animated seed of both, of man and woman, without the which they have judged all their whole work to be vain and foolish: Now such a Sperm is [their] Mercury the which by a natural conjunction of both bodies of Sol and Lune receives their nature into itself in Union; and then at length and not before is the work fitted for congress, ingress and Generation by the manly and feminine virtue and power. On this account the Philosophers took occasion to say, that Mercury is composed of body, soul, and spirit, and that it hath assumed the nature & property of all the Elements. Therefore from a most powerfull ingenuity and discretion or understanding they have affirmed their stone to be animal, the which also they have called their Adam, who carryes his invisible Eve hidden in his own body, from that moment of time wherein they were united by the power of the most high God, the framer of all the creatures; for which cause it may deservedly be said, that the Mercury of Philosophers is nothing else but their most abstruse compounded Mercury, and not that common Mercury: Therefore have they discretly told the wise, that there is in Mercury whatsoever the wise men seek. Almadir the Philosopher saith, we do extract our Mercury out of one perfect body, and two perfect natural conditions incorporated together; the which  indeed doth thrust forth its perfection outwardly, whereby tis able to resist the fire, and that its intrinsecal imperfection may be defended by the extrinsecal perfections; By this place of the most witty Philosopher, is the Adamical matter understood, the Limbus of the Microcosm, the homogeneal, Only matter of all the Philosophers, whose sayings also (which we have aforementioned) are meerly golden, and to be had in most high esteem, because they containe nothing superfluous, or invalid; Briefly therefore the matter of the Philosophers stone is nothing else but a fiery and perfect Mercury, extracted by Nature and Art, that is the artificially prepared and true Hermaphrodite Adam, and Microcosm, That most wise Mercurius the wisest of the Philosophers affirming the same, hath called the stone an Orphan: Therefore our Mercury is that very same that contains in it self the perfections, forces and virtues of the Sun, and which runs through the Streets and houses of all the Planets, and in its regeneration hath acquired or gotten the virtue of things above and beneath; to the marriage also of which [things viz. above and below] it is compared, as is evident from the whiteness and redness wound or heaped up together therein.

17: Of the preparation of the matter of the philosophers stone.

This is that which nature doth most chiefly require, viz. that its own Philosophick man be brought into a Mercurial substance, that it may spring forth into the Philosophick stone. Moreover you are to note, that those common preparations of Geber, Albertus Magnus, Th. Aquinas, Rupescisca, Polidorus, and such like, are nothing else but some particular Solutions, Sublimations and Calcinations, not at all pertaining to our Universal [work] which [work] doth want only the most secret fire of the Philosophers; Therefore the fire and Azoth may suffice thee; [And whereas] the Philosophers do make mention of some preparations, as of putrefaction, distillation, sublimation, calcination, coagulation, dealbation, rubification, ceration, fixation, &c. you are to understand, that in their Universal [work] Nature it self doth accomplish all the operations in the said matter, and not the workman, [and that] only in a Philosophical Vessel, and with a such like fire, not a common fire. The white and the red do proceed out of one root, without any medium. Tis dissolved by it self, coupled by it self, albifyes, and rubifyes; is made saffrony and black by it self, marries itself, and conceives in it self: Tis therefore to be decocted, to be baked, to be fused, it ascends, and descends. All which Operations, are indeed [but] one Operation made by the fire alone; But yet some of the Philosophers have by a most high-graduated essence of Wine, dissolved the body of Sol, have made it Volatile, so as to ascend by an Alembick, supposing that this is the Volatile, true Philosophick matter, whereas it is not; And although it be no contemptible Arcanum, to bring this perfect mettalline body into a Volatile and spiritual Substance, yet notwithstanding they err in the Separation of the Elements; the which process of [those] Monks, viz. Lully, Richard the Englishman, Rupescisca, and others, is erroneous; By which [process] they supposed to separate gold by this way into a subtile, spiritual, and elementary power, each one a part; [and] afterwards by circulation and rectification to couple them again into one, but in vain; for verily, although one Element may after a sort be separated from another, yet nevertheless every element, after this manner separated, may again be separated into another element, the which parts cannot at all (afterwards) either, by pellicanick circulation or distillation, return into one again, but they always remain a certain volatile matter, an Aurum Potabile as they call it; The cause why they could never arrive to their intention, is this; because nature is not in the least willing to be thus distracted or separated, by humane disjunctions, as by terrene [things] glasses and instruments. She her self alone, knows her own operations, and the weights of the Elements, the separations, rectifications and copulations of which she accomplisheth, without the help of any Operator or Manual artifice; Only the matter is to be contained in the secret fire, and in its occult Vessel; The Separation therefore of the Elements is impossible [to be done] by man; which separation should it have some appearance, yet notwithstanding is not true, whatsoever is spoken thereof by Raimond Lully, and his English golden noble Work, which he is falsly supposed to have framed. For Nature it self hath in her self her proper Separater (which doth again conjoyn what it separates) without the help of man, and doth best know all [her Trade] and the proportion of every element, and not man; whatever such erroneous Scriblers do (in their frivolous and false receipts) boast of this their volatile Gold. This [then] is the opinion [or mind] of the Philosophers, that when they have put their matter into the more secret fire, it be all about cherished with its [own] moderate Philosophical heat, that [so] beginning to pass through corruption it may grow black; This operation they call putrefaction, and the blackness they name the head of the Crow: They call the ascension and descension thereof distillation, ascension and descension; they call the exsiccation, coagulation; and the dealbation, calcination: And because it is fluid and soft in the heat, they have made mention of Ceration; when it hath ceased to ascend and remain liquid in the bottom, then they say fixation is present.

After this manner therefore, the Appellations and terms of the Philosophical operations are to be understood, and no otherwise.

18: Of the Instruments and Philosophical Vessel.

The Putatitious Philosophers have rashly understood [and imagined] the Occult and Secret Philosophical Vessel, and Aristotle the Alchymist (not that Grecian Academical Philosopher) hath [conceited it] worser, in that he saith the matter is to be decocted in a threefold Vessel; but he hath worst of all [understood it] that says, viz. that the matter in its first separation, and first degree, requires a Mettalline Vessel; in the second degree of Coagulation and dealbation of its [own] earth, a glass Vessel; and in the third degree, for fixation, an earthen Vessel. Nevertheless the Philosophers do understand by this [Vessel] one Vessel only in all operations, even to the perfection of the Red Stone; seeing therefore, that our matter is our root for the white and the red; tis necessary that our Vessel ought to be on this wise, that the matter therein may be governed by the Celestial Bodies; for the invisible Celestial Influences and impressions of the Stars are exceeding necessary to the Work; otherwise ‘twill be impossible for the invincible Oriental, Persian, Chaldean and Egyptian Stone to be accomplished; by which [Stone] Anaxagoras knew the vertues of the whole Firmament, and foretold of the great Stone that should descend [down] upon the earth out of Heaven, the which also happened after his death. Verily our Vessel is most chiefly known to the Cabalists, because it ought to be framed according to a truly Geometrical proportion and measure, and of [or by] a Certain [and assured] Quadrature of a Circle: or thus, that the Spirit and soul of our matter, may in this Vessel, elevate with themselves (answerable to the altitude of the heaven) the [things] separated from their own body. If the Vessel be narrower or wider, higher or lower then is fit, and then the ruling and operating Spirit and Soul desires the heat of our Philosophical Secret Fire (which is indeed most acute) would stir up the matter too violently, and urge it to overmuch operation, that the Vessel would leap into a thousand pieces, to the hazard and danger of the body and life of the Operator: whereas contrariwise, if it be more wide or capacious then for the heat to operate upon the matter according to proportion, the work will also be frustrate and vain. And therefore our Philosophical Vessel is to be framed with the greatest diligence: But as for the matter of this our Vessel, they alone do understand it, that in the first Solution of our fixt and perfect matter, have adduced or brought this [matter] into its first Essence; and so much for this. The Operator must likewise most accurately note what it is, that the matter (in the first Solution) lets fall, and casts out from it self: The manner of describing the form of the Vessel is difficult; it must be such as nature it self requires [tis] to be sought for and searcht after, out of one and the other, that [so] it may (from the altitude of the Philosophick Heaven, elevated from the Philosophick Earth) be able to operate upon the fruit of its own earthly body. Verily it ought to have this Form, that a separation and purification of the Elements (when the Fire drives the One from the other) may be made, and that each [Element] may possess its own place in which it sticks; and the Sun and the other Planets may exercise their operations round about the Elemental Earth, and the course of them may not be hindred in their circuit, or be stir’d up with too swift a motion: Now according to all these things here spoken of, it must have a just proportion of Roundness and Height: But the Instruments for the first mundification of Mineral Bodies, are melting Vessels, Bellows, Tongs, Capel, Cupels, Tests, Cementatory Vessels, Cineritiums, Cucurbits, Bocia’s for Aq[ua] fort[is] and Aq[ua] regia, and also some things as are necessary for projection in the last Work.

 

46 Francis Anthony

Aurum Potabile, drinkable gold, was a Paracelsian idea based on the perfection of gold being used as a perfect medicine. In reality, it is a deadly poison; the gold, as Au+3 ions, takes the place of iron, Fe+3, but will not change it's charge as iron does, as the Fe+2/Fe+3 couple does with ease to move electrons in biochemical reactions.

It's still being sold.

Francis Anthony, amateur physician, published the method for making Aurum Potabile in his pamphlet Aurum-Potabile: or the Receit of Dr. Fr. Antonie. Shewing, His Way and Method, how he made and prepared that most Excellent Medicine for the Body of Man, in Collectanea Chymica: a collection of Ten Several Treatises in Chymistry, London, 1684.

Take Block-tinn, and burn it in an Iron Pan (making the Pan red-hot before you put it in) and keeping a continual Fire under it, and stirring it always till it be like unto Ashes, some will look red, it will be burning a day, or half a day at the least, it must be stirred with an Iron Cole-rake, a little one, the handle two Foot long.

G. H. M. made an Iron Pan a Foot and half long, and a Foot broad, the Brims two Inches deep, and made an Oven in a Chimney with Bars of Iron in the bottom, whereon he placed the Pan, and a place under to make Fire, and it will after this manner sooner be burned (viz. half a day) the Smoak will not hurt it.

This Ashes keep in a Glass close covered. Take of these Ashes 4 ounces, and of the strongest red Wine Vineger 3 Pints; and put them in a Glass like an Urinal. The Ashes being put in first lute the Vessel, and let him stand in an hot Balneum 10 days, which ended, take it forth, and set it to cool, and let it stand 2 or 3 whole days that the Feces may sink unto the bottom, the glass must be shaken 6 or 7 times every day.

That which is clear let it run forth unfiltred by 2 or 3 Woolen-threds into a Glass Bason, and distil it in a Glasen Still, till the Liquor be stilled all forth; this distilled Water put upon 4 ounces of fresh Ashes, upon the Ashes from which the first Liquor was filtred, put also a Quart of strong red Wine Vinegar, lute the Glass as before, and put him into the Balneum, and there let him stand to digest 10 days, filter this, and distil it as aforesaid, thirdly pour on that Ashes one pint of the like Vineger, and put it in Balneum 10 days, filter it, and distil it as aforesaid, after the third Infusion throw away the Ashes.

Distil all the Infusions apart, till the Liquor be clean distilled forth.

Take this distilled Water as often as it is distilled, and pour it upon new Ashes, keeping the weight and order, their Infusions, Filtrings, and Destillations, reiterate 7 times.

And you shall have of this Water the Menstruum sought for.

You must take heed that the Vineger be of red Wine, and very strong, otherwise your Menstruum will not perform your Expectation.

The Bishop gave Dr. Anthony 30 s. for a quart of Menstruum.

Take an ounce of pure refined Gold, (which costs 3 l. 13 s. 4 d.) cast into a Wedge and File it into small Dust, with a fine File, put this ounce of filed Gold into a Calcined Pot, and put to it so much white Salt as will near fill the Pot, and set it among Charcoals where it may stand continually hot 4 Hours, (if it stand too hot the Salt will melt) which 4 Hours ended take it forth, and let it stand to cool, then put it on a Painters Stone, and grind it very small with a Muller; then put it into the Pot and Calcine it, and grind it again, till you have done it 4 or 5 times; if it look red and blew when you take it forth it is perfect good.

After this calcining, and grinding, put it into a Glass Bason, and put to it the Bason full of scalding hot Water, and stir it a good while, till the thick part is fully settled to the bottom, then pour away that Water, and put the like, stir it, and let it settle as before, and so do again, till the Water when it is settled have no taste of Salt, this will be doing two or three days.

Of this ounce of Gold, there will be hardly above 16 or 17 Grains brought into fine white Calx, but to separate it from the Gold, leave a little of the last fresh Water in the Bason, and stir it well together, the Calx will swim to the top, which softly pour from the Gold into another Bason, if all the white Calx go not forth, put a little more Water and stir it again, and pour it into the Bason to the other Calx, then let it settle, and pour away almost all the Water and Evaporate away all the rest over a heat till it be throughly dry, and so put it up into a Glass.

Then put the Gold which is not yet Calx to Salt as aforesaid, and Calcine it, and grind it four times again, and then wash it, and then take the Calx from it as before, and the Gold remains, calcine and wash, as before till it be all Calx.

Take an ounce of this Calx, and put it into an Urinal like Glass, containing about a pint, and put to it half a pint of the Menstruum. Set this Glass in a hot Balneum, six days (being close luted) and shake it often every day; when the six days are ended, let it stand two or three days, then pour away that which is clear, very gently, for fear of troubling the Feces; to these Feces put fresh menstruum but not fully so much as at the first, and so the third time, but not fully so much as at the second, then take the dry Feces which is the Calx, and keep it lest some Tincture remain in it.

These coloured Liquors put into a Glass Still, and distil them in a Balneum at the first, with a very gentle Fire, till all that which is clear be run forth, and that which remains be as thick as Hony, then take it forth, and set it to cool, then put the Glass into an Earthen Pot, and put Ashes about the Glass into the Pot, and fix the Pot into a little Furnace fast, and make a Fire under, so that the Glass may stand very warm till the Feces be black and very dry, (you may look with a Candle through the Glass Still, and see when it is risen with bunches and dry.) Then take away your Fire, and let the Glass be very cold, then take out the black Earth, this black Earth being taken forth, put it into a Glass Bason, and grind it with the bottom of another round Glass to Powder, then put it into an Urinal-like Glass containing about a pint, and to that put a little above half a pint of the Spirit of Wine, set this Glass in a cold place till it be red, which will be about ten days, shake it often every day, till within three days you pour it forth. Then pour away the clear Liquor gently, and that clear put into a Glass-Still (or other Glass till you have more), then put more Spirit of Wine to that Feces, and order it as before, and if that be much coloured put Spiritus Vini. to it the third time, as at the first, put all these coloured Liquors together, and distil them till the Feces (called the Tincture) be thick as a Syrrup.

Take an ounce of this Tincture, and put it into a pint of Canary Sack, and so when it is clear, you may drink of it, which will be about a day and a half.

The Preparation of the Vineger to make the Menstruum.

Glasses necessary get 3 or 4 Glasen Stills which will hold a gallon or two apiece, the Balneum 2 foot and a halfe square to hold many Glasses. Get about 6 gallons of the strongest red Wine Vinegar (Vineger of Claret or White-Wine are too weak) made of red Wine, Sack or Muscadine, and set as many Stills going at a time as your Balneum will hold, take a pint of that which runneth first, and put it away, as weak and not for this use, then Still out all the rest till the Still be dry, wash the Still with a little of the (flegm) first running, and then wipe him dry, then put in that which was distilled, and do as before, putting away the first pint, and so do five times, so of a gallon you shall have 3 Pints of the Spirit of Vineger, and of your 6 gallons, only two gallons and two Pints, and if your Spirit be yet too weak distill it oftner.

This keep in a Glass close stopped to make your Menstruum with; you may stop it with Cork, and Leather over it.

You must provide three strong green Glasses to make Menstruum, with little Mats round the bottoms, containing four Pints apeice.

To Lute them, fit a Wooden stoppel of dry Wood first boyled, and then dryed in an Oven, to the Mouth, then melt hard Wax to fill the Chinks, then paste a brown Paper next over that, then prepare luting of Clay, Horse-dung and Ashes, and stop over all that.

Glass Stills 2 or 3 to distil the first Infusions on the Earth, cover 3 or 4 Pints a piece of green Glass.

The Rule of all Stillings, you must paste brown Paper to the closing of the head of the Still, and also paste the Receiver and nose of the Still together so that no strength go forth.

Calcining Pots provide about a dozen, for many when they are put into a strong Fire will break, then must you let your Fire slack.

47 Michael Sendivogius

In the early 1600's there was one emperor, Rudolf II in Prague, who funded much alchemy.

The story starts with a Scottish alchemist named Alexander Seton, who bragged about his successful transmutations and was believed by Christian II of Saxony, who imprisoned Seton in 1603 until he would impart the secret  of the transmuting powder. Tourture didn't help, and Michael Sendivogius married Seton's widow in 1605 or so, and soon arrived in the court of Rudolf II. Sendivogius lived high in those days, but died in poverty in Warsaw, 1636 or 1646.

His reputation was built on his writings, one of which, his Dialog between Mercury, the Alchymist and Nature, became the source of Ben Johnson's masterful mockery of alchemy, Mercury Vindicated from the Alchemists Court (1616). Ben Johnson also wrote a comic play, The Alchemist, 1611.

This is the Dialog, plus A New Light of Alchymie: Taken out of the fountaine of Nature, and Manuall Experience . . . Written by Micheel Sandivogius [sic] . . . All of which are faithfully translated out of the Latin into the English tongue. By J. F. M. D., London, 1650.

From A new light of alchymie

The First Treatise. Of Nature, what she is, and what her searchers ought to be..

Many wise and very learned men many ages since, yea (Hermes testifying the same) before the Floud wrote many things concerning the making the Philosophers Stone; and have bequeathed so many writings unto us, that unlesse Nature should daily worke things credible to us, scarce any one would beleeve it as a truth that there were any Nature at all: because in former ages there were not so many devisers of things, neither did our ancestors regard any thing besides Nature it selfe, and the possibility of Nature. And although they were contented with the plaine way alone of Nature, yet they found out those things, which we now imployed about divers things could not with all our wits conceive. This is because Nature, and the generation of things in the world is esteemed of us meane and plaine. And therefore we bend our wits not to things knowne and familiar, but to such things, which not at all, or very hardly can be done. Wherefore it happens that we are more dexterous in devising curious subtilties, and such which the Philosophers themselves did never thinke of, then to attain to the true processe of Nature, & the right meaning of Philosophers. And such is the disposition of mens natures, as to neglect those things they know, and to be alwaies seeking after other things; such also and much more is that of mens wits and fancies, to which their nature is subjected. As for example, you see any Artificer, when he hath attained to the highest perfection of his Art, either searcheth into other Arts, or abuseth the same, which he already hath, or else leaves it off quite. So also is generous Nature alwaies active and doing to its very Iliad2 utmost period, and afterward ceaseth. For there is given to Nature from the beginning a certaine kinde of grant or permission still to attaine to things better and better through her whole progresse, and to come to her full rest, towards which she tends with all her might, and rejoyceth in her end, as a pismire doth in her old age, at which time Nature makes her wings. Even so our wits have proceeded so farre, especially in the Phylosophicall Art, or praxis of the stone, that now we are almost come to the Iliad it selfe. For the Art of Chymistry hath now found out such subtilties, that scarce greater can be invented, and differ as much from the Art of the Ancient Philosophers as a Clock-smith doth from a plaine Black-smith. And although both worke upon Iron, yet neither understands the others labours, although both are masters of their Art. If Hermes himselfe, the father of Philosophers, should now be alive, and subtil-witted Geber, together with most profound Raimundus Lullius, they would not be accounted by our Chymists for Philosophers, but rather for Schollars: they would be ignorant of those so many distillations, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and so many other innumerable operations of Artists now adayes used, which men of this age devised, and found out of their writings. There is one only thing wanting to us, that is, to know that which they effected, viz. the Philosophers Stone or Physicall Tincture, we whilest we seeke that, finde out other things: and unlesse the procreation of man were so usuall as it is, and Nature did in that thing still observe her owne law and rules, we should scarce but not erre. But to returne to which I intended: I promised in this first treatise to explaine Nature, lest every idle fancy should turne us aside from the true and plaine way. Therefore I say Nature is but one, true, plaine, perfect, and entire in its owne being, which God made from the beginning, placing his spirit in it: but know that the bounds of Nature is God himselfe, who also is the originall of Nature. For it is certaine that every thing that is begun, ends no where but in that in which it begins. I say it is that only alone by which God workes all things: not that God cannot worke without it (for truely he himselfe made Nature, and is omnipotent) but so it pleaseth him to doe. All things proceed from this very Nature alone; neither is there any thing in the world without Nature. And although it happens sometimes that there be abortives, this is not Natures fault, but of the Artist or place. This Nature is divided into foure places, in which she workes all these things which appeare to us under shadowes; for truely things may be said rather to be shadowed out to us, then really to appeare. She is changed in male and female, and is likened to Mercury, because she joynes her selfe to various places; and according to the goodnesse or the badnesse of the place she brings forth things; although to us there seeme no bad places at all in the earth. Now for qualities there be only foure and these are in all things but agree not, for one alwaies exceeds another. Moreover, Nature is not visible although she acts visibly; for it is a volatile spirit which executes its office in bodies and is placed and seated in the will and minde of God. Nature in this place serves us for no other purpose but to understand her places, which are more sutable and of nearer affinity to her; that is, to understand how to joyne one thing to another according to Nature, that we mixe not wood and man together, or an oxe or any other living creature and metals together: but let every thing act upon its owne like: and then for certaine Nature shall performe her office. The place of Nature is no other then, as I said before, what is in the will of God.

The searchers of Nature ought to be such as Nature her selfe is: true, plaine, patient, constant, &c. and that which is chiefest of all, religious, fearing God, not injurious to their neighbour. Then let them diligently consider, whether their purpose be agreeable to Nature; whether it be possible, let them learne by cleare examples, viz. out of what things any thing may be made, how, and in what vessell Nature workes. For if thou wilt doe any thing plainly, as Nature her selfe doth doe it, follow Nature; but if thou wilt attempt to doe a thing better then Nature hath done it, consider well in what, and by what it is bettered, and let it alwaies be done in its owne like. As for example, if thou desirest to exalt a metall in vertue (which is our intention) further then Nature hath done, thou must take a metalline nature both in male and female, or else thou shalt effect nothing. For if thou dost purpose to make a metall out of hearbs, thou shalt labour in vaine, as also thou shalt not bring forth wood out of a dog, or any other beast.

The Second Treatise. Of the operation of Nature in our intention, and in Sperme.

I said even now that Nature was true, but one, every where seene, constant, and is knowne by the things which are brought forth, as woods, hearbs, and the like. I said also that the searcher of Nature must be true, simple hearted, patient, constant, giving his minde but to one thing alone, &c. Now we must begin to treat of the acting of Nature. As Nature is the will of God and God created her, or put her upon every imagination, so Nature made her selfe a seed, her will and pleasure in the Elements. She indeed is but one and yet brings forth divers things but workes nothing without a sperme: Nature workes whatsoever the sperme pleaseth, for it is as it were an instrument of some Artificer. The sperme therefore of every thing is better and more advantagious to the Artificer, then Nature her selfe. For by Nature without seed, you shall doe as much as a Goldsmith shall without fire, gold, or silver, or a husbandman without corne or seed. If thou hast the sperme, Nature is presently at hand, whether it be to bad or good. She workes in sperme as God doth in the free will of man: and that is a great mysterie, because Nature obeyes the sperme, not by compulsion but voluntarily; even as God suffers all things which man wills, not by constraint, but out of his owne free pleasure: Therefore he gave man free will whether to bad or to good. The sperme therefore is the Elixir of every thing or Quint-essence, or the most perfect decoction, or digestion of a thing, or the Balsome of Sulphur, which is the same as the Radical moisture in metalls. There might truly be made a large discourse of this sperme; but we shall onely keep to that which makes for our purpose in the Chymicall Art. Four elements beget a sperme through the will and pleasure of God, and imagination of Nature: for as the sperme of man hath its center or vessell of its seede in the kidnies; so the foure Elements by their never ceasing motion (every one according to its quality) cast forth a sperme into the Center of the earth, where it is digested and by motion sent abroad. Now the Center of the earth is a certaine empty place, where nothing can rest. The foure Elements send forth their qualities into excentrall parts of the earth or into the circumference of the Center. As a man sends forth his seed into the entrance of the wombe of the woman, in which place nothing of the seed remaines, but after the wombe hath received a due proportion, casts out the rest; so also it comes to passe in the Center of the earth, that the magnetick vertue of the part of any place drawes to itselfe any thing that is convenient for its selfe, for the bringing forth of any thing; the residue is cast forth into stones and other excrements. For all things have their originall from this fountaine, neither hath any thing in the world any beginning but by this fountaine. As for example, let there be set a vessell of water upon a smooth even table, and be placed in the middle thereof, and round about let there be laid divers things and divers colours, also salt, and every one apart: then let the water be powred forth into the middle, and you shall see that water to runne abroad here and there, and when one streame is come to the red colour, it is made red by it, if to the salt, it takes from it the taste of the salt, and so of the rest. For the water doth not change the place, but the diversity of the place changeth the water. In like manner the seed or sperme being by the foure Elements cast forth from the center into the circumference, passeth through divers places and according to the nature of the place, it makes things: if it comes to a pure place of earth and water, a pure thing is made. The seed and sperme of all things is but one, and yet it produceth divers things, as is evident by the following example. The seed of a man is a noble seed, and was created and ordained for the generation of man onely; yet nevertheless if a man doe abuse it, as is in his free will to doe, there is borne an abortive. For if a man contrary to Gods most expresse command should couple with a cow or any other beast, the beast would presently conceive the seed of the man, because Nature is but one; and then there would not be borne a man, but a beast and an Abortive; because the seed did not find a place sutable to it self. By such an inhumane & detestable copulation of men with beasts there would be brought forth divers beasts, like unto men. For so it is, if the sperme goes into the center, there is made that which should be made there; but when it is come into any other place, and hath conceived, it changeth its forme no more. Now whilest the sperme is yet in the center, there may as easily be brought forth a tree as a metall from the sperme, and as soone an hearbe as a stone, and one more pretious then another, according to the purity of the place. But how the Elements beget a sperme is in the next place to be treated of, and it is done thus: the Elements are foure: two are heavy and two are light, two dry and two moist, but one which is most dry, and another which is most moist, are males, and females &c. Every one of these of it selfe is most apt to produce things like unto it selfe in its owne sphere, and so it pleased God it should be: These foure never are at rest but are alwaies acting one upon another; and every one by it selfe sendeth forth his owne thinness and subtlety, and they all meet in the center: now in the center is the Archeus,4 the servant of Nature, which mixeth those spermes and sends them forth. And how that is done is to be seene more fully in the Epilogue of the 12 treatises.

The Third Treatise. Of the true first matter of Metalls.

. . . . If thou hast eares or any sense, mark well what is here said, and thou shalt be safe, and out of the number not only of those who are ignorant of the place of the sperm, and endeavour to convert the whole corn into seed; but also of them all, who are employed in the fruitlesse dissolution of metalls, and are desirous to dissolve the whole of metalls, that afterwards by their mutuall commixtion they may make a new metall. But these men, if they considered the process of Nature, should see that the case is far otherwise; for there is no metall so pure, which hath not its impurities, yet one more or fewer then another. But thou, friendly Reader, shalt observe the first point of Nature, as is abovesaid, and thou hast enough: but take this caution along with thee; that thou dost not seek for this point in the metalls of the vulgar, in which it is not. For these metalls, especially the gold of the vulgar, are dead, but ours are living, full of spirit, and these wholly must be taken: for know, that the life of metalls is fire whilst they are yet in their mines; and their death is the fire, viz. of melting. Now the first matter of metals is a certaine humidity mixed with warm aire, and it resembles fat water, sticking to every thing pure or impure, but in one place more abundantly then in another, by reason the earth is more open and porous in one place then in another, having also an attractive power. It comes forth into the light sometimes by itself, with some kind of covering, especially in such places where there was nothing that it could well stick to; it is known thus, because every thing is compounded of 3 principles: but in reference to the matter of metalls is but one, without any conjunction to any thing, excepting to its covering or shadow, viz. sulphur, &c.

The Fourth Treatise. How metals are generated in the bowells of the earth.

Metalls are brought forth in this manner. After the foure Elements have sent forth their vertues into the center of the earth, the Archeus by way of distillation sends them up unto the superficies of the earth, by vertue of the heat of its perpetuall motion: for the earth is porous, and this wind, by distilling through the pores of the earth, is resolved into water, out of which all things are made. Therefore let the Sons of Wisdome know, that the sperm of metalls doth not differ from the sperm of all things, viz. the moist vapour: therefore in vain do Artists look after the reducing of metalls into their first matter, which is only a vapour. The Philosophers meant not such a first matter, but only the second matter, as Bernardus Trevisanus learnedly discusseth it, though not so cleerly, because hee speaks of the four Elements, but yet hee did say as much, but he spake only to the Sons of Art. But I, that I might the more cleerly open the Theorie, would have all be admonished here to take heed how they give way to so many solutions, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and reiterations of the same; for in vain is that sought for in a hard thing, when as the thing is soft of itself and every where to be had. Let not the first, but the second matter only be sought after, viz. that, which as soon as it is conceived, cannot be changed into another form. But if thou inquirest how a metall may bee reduced into such a matter, in that I keep close to the intention of the Philosophers: this thing only above all the rest I desire, that the Sons of Art would understand the sense and not the letter of writings, and where Nature doth end, viz. in metallick bodies, which in our eyes seem to be perfect, there must Art begin. But to return to my purpose (for my intention is not here to speak of the stone only), let us now treate of the matter of metalls. A little before I said, that all things were made of the liquid aire or the vapour, which the Elements by a perpetuall motion distill into the bowells of the earth; and then the Archeus of Nature takes and sublimes it through the pores, and according to its discretion distributes it to every place (as we have declared in the foregoing treatises) so from the variety of places proceeds the variety of things. There be some that suppose Saturne to have one kind of seed, and Gold another, and so all the rest of the metalls. But these are foolish fancies; there is but one only seed, the same is found in Saturne which is in Gold, the same in Silver which is in Iron; but the place of the earth is divers, if thou understandest me aright, although in Silver Nature sooner hath done its work, then in Gold, and so of the rest. For when that vapour is sublimed from the center of the earth, it passeth through places either cold or hot: if therefore it passeth through places that are hot and pure, where the fatness of Sulphur sticks to the walls; I say that vapour which the Philosophers have called the Mercury of Philosophers applyes it self to, and is joined to that fatnesse, which then it sublimes with it self; and then becomes an unctuosity, and leaving the name of a Vapour, is called by the name of Fatnesse; which afterward coming by sublimation unto other places, which the fore-going vapour hath cleansed, where the earth is subtill, pure, and moist, fills the pores thereof, and is joined to it, and so it is made Gold; but if that fatnesse come to impure and cold places, it is made Lead; but if the earth bee cold and pure and mixed with sulphur, it is made Copper, &c. For by how much more a place is depurated, or clensed, by so much the more excellent it makes the metalls: for wee must know that that vapour goes out continually from the center to the superficies, and cleanseth those places through which it passeth. Thence it comes to passe, that now there may bee found Mines in those places where a thousand yeers agoe were none; for in its passage it alwaies subtilizeth that which is crude and impure, carrying it by degrees with it; and this is the reiteration and circulation of Nature; it is so long sublimed in producing new things, untill the place be very well purified; and by how much the more it is purified, by so much the nobler things it brings forth. Now in the winter when the air is cold, binding fast the earth, that unctuous vapour is congealed, which afterward when the spring returns, is mixed together with earth and water, and so becomes a Magnesia, drawing to it self the Mercury of air, like unto it selfe, and gives life to all things through the concurrence of the beams of the Sun, Moon and Stars, and so it brings forth grass, flowers, and such like things. For Nature is not one moment of time idle. Now Metalls are thus made, the earth by long distillation is puriefied, then they are generated by the accesse or coming thither of the fatnesse: they are brought forth no other way, as is the foolish opinion of some that mis-interpret the writings of Philosophers.

The Tenth Treatise. Of the Supernaturall Generation of the Son of the Sun.

We have treated of things which Nature makes and which God hath made, that the Searchers of Art might the more easily understand the possibility of Nature. But to delay no longer, I will now enter upon the Manner and Art how to make the Philosophers stone. The Philosophers stone or tincture is nothing else but Gold digested to the highest degree: for vulgar Gold is like an herb without seed, when it is ripe it brings forth seed; so Gold when it is ripe yeelds seed or tincture. But, will some ask, why doth not Gold or any other Metall bring forth seed? The reason given is this, because it cannot bee ripe, by reason of the crudity of the air, it hath not sufficient heat, and it happens that in some places there is found pure Gold, which Nature would have perfected, but was hindred by the crude aire . . . but if at any time Nature be sweetly and wittily helped, then Art may perfect that which Nature could not. The same happens in Metalls: Gold may yeeld fruit and seed, in which it multiplyes it self by the industry of the skilfull Artificer, who knows how to exalt Nature, but if he will attempt to do it without Nature, he will be mistaken. For not only in this art, but also in every thing else, we can doe nothing but help Nature; and this by no other medium then fire or heat. But seeing this cannot be done, since in a congealed Metallick body there appear no spirits, it is necessary that the body be loosed or dissolved, and the pores thereof opened, whereby Nature may work. But what that dissolution ought to be, here I would have the Reader take notice, that there is a twofold dissolution; although there be many other dissolutions, but to little purpose, there is onely one that is truely naturall, the other is violent, under which all the rest are comprehended. The naturall is this, that the pores of the body bee opened in our water, whereby the seed that is digested may bee sent forth, and put into its proper Matrix. Now our water is heavenly, not wetting the hands, not vulgar, but almost rain water:9 The body is gold which yeelds seed; our Lune or Silver (not common Silver) is that which receives the seed of the gold: afterwards it is governed by our continual fire for seven months, and sometimes ten, untill our water consume three, and leave one; and that in duplo, or a double. Then it is nourished with the milk of the earth, or the fatnesse thereof, which is bred in the bowells of the earth and is governed or preserved from putrefaction by the salt of Nature. And thus the infant of the second generation is generated. Now let us passe from the Theorie to the Praxis.

The Eleventh Treatise. Of the Praxis, and making of the Stone, or Tincture by Art.

Through all these foregoing Chapters, our discourse of things hath been scattered by way of examples, that the Praxis might be the more easily understood, which must be done by imitating Nature after this manner.

Take of our earth, through eleven degrees, eleven graines of our Gold, and not of the vulgar one grain; of our Lune, not the vulgar, two grains: but be thou well advised, that thou takest not common Gold and Silver, for these are dead, take ours which are living: then put them into our fire, and let there be made of them a dry liquor; first of all the earth will be resolved into water, which is called the Mercury of Philosophers; and that water shall resolve those bodies of Gold and Silver, and shal consume them so that there shall remain but the tenth part with one part; and this shall be the radicall moisture of Metalls. Then take water of salt-nitre, which comes from our earth, in which there is a river of living water, if thou diggest the pit knee deep, therefore take water out of that, but take that which is cleer; upon this put that radicall moisture; and set it over the fire of putrefaction and generation, not on such a one as thou didst in the first operation. Govern all things with a great deale of discretion, untill colours appear like a Peacocks tail; govern it by digesting it and be not weary, untill these colours be ended and there appear throughout the whole one green colour, and so of the rest; and when thou shalt see in the bottome ashes of a fiery colour and the water almost red, open the vessel, dip in a pen, and smeare some Iron with it; if it tinge, have in readinesse that water, which afterwards I shall speak of, and put in so much of that water as the cold aire was which went in; boil it again with the former fire, untill it tinge again. So far reached my experience, I can doe no more, I found out no more. Now that water must be the menstruum of the world, out of the sphere of the Moon, so often rectified, untill it can calcine Gold: I have been willing here to discover to thee all things; and if thou shalt understand my meaning sometimes and not the letter, I have revealed all things, especially in the first and second work.

Now it remains that we speak next of the fire. The first fire, or of the first operation, is a fire of one degree, continuall, which goes round the matter; the second is a naturall fire, which digests and fixeth the matter: I tell thee truly that I have opened to thee the governance or rules of the fire, if thou understandest Nature. The vessell remains yet to be spoken of. It must be the vessel of Nature, and two are sufficient; the vessel of the first work must be round; but in the second a glasse, a little lesse like unto a viall, or an egge. But in all these know that the fire of Nature is but one, and if it works variously, it is by reason of the difference of places. The vessell therefore of Nature is but one; but wee for brevities sake use a couple: the matter is one, but out of two substances. If therefore thou wilt give thy mind to make things, consider first things that are already made; if thou canst not reach or understand things presented to thy eyes, much lesse things that are to be made, and which thou desirest to make. For know that thou canst create nothing, for that is proper to God alone, but to make things that are not perceived, but lye hid in the shadow, to appear, and to take from them their vaile, is granted to an intelligent Philosopher by God through Nature . . . O wonderfull Nature, which knows how to produce wonderfull fruits out of Water in the earth, and from the Aire to give them life. All these are done, and the eyes of the vulgar doe not see them; but the eyes of the understanding and imagination perceive them, and that with a true sight. The eyes of the wise look upon Nature otherwise then the eyes of common men . . . [A]nd know that if thou dost not follow Nature all is in vain: and here I have spoken to thee through the help of God, what a father should speak to his son; Hee which hath ears let him heare, and he which hath his senses, let him set his mind upon what I say.

The Twelfth Treatise. Of the Stone, and its vertue.

In the foregoing Treatises it hath been sufficiently spoken concerning the production of Naturall things, concerning the Elements, the First matter, and Second matter, Bodies, Seeds, and concerning the Use and Vertue of them: I wrote also the Praxis of making the Philosophers Stone. Now I will discover so much of the vertue of it, as Nature hath granted to me and experience taught me. But to comprehend the argument of all these Treatises briefly and in few words that the Reader which fears God may understand my mind and meaning, the thing is this. If any man doubt of the truth of the Art, let him read the voluminous writings of ancient Philosophers, verified by reason and experience; whom wee may deservedly give credit to in their own Art: but if any will not give credit to them, then we know not how to dispute with them, as denying principles: for deaf and dumbe men cannot speak. What prerogative should all things in this world have before Metalls? Why should these alone by having seed without cause denyed to them, be excluded from Gods universall blessing of multiplication, which holy writ affirms was put in, and bestowed on all created things presently after the world was made? Now if they have Seed, who is so sottish to think that they cannot bee multiplyed in their Seed? The Art of Alchymie in its kind is true, Nature also is true, but the Artificer is seldome true: there is one Nature, one Art, but many Artificers. Now what things Nature makes out of the Elements, she generates them by the will of God out of the first matter, which God onely knowes: Nature makes and multiplies those things of the second matter, which the Philosophers know. Nothing is done in the world without the pleasure of God and Nature. Every Element is in its own sphere; but one cannot be without the other; one lives by vertue of the other, and yet being joined together they doe not agree; but Water is of more worth then all the Elements because it is the mother of all things; upon this swims the spirit of Fire. By reason of Fire, Water is the first matter, viz. by the striving together of Fire and Water, and so are generated Winds, and Vapours apt, and easy to bee congealed with the earth by the help of the crude aire, which from the beginning was separated from it . . .

 

A Dialogue between Mercury, the Alchymist and Nature

Upon a time there were assembled divers Alchymists together, and held a counsel how they should make & prepare the Philosophers stone, and they concluded that every one should declare his opinion with a vow. And that meeting was in the open aire, in a certaine meadow, on a faire cleer day. And many agreed that Mercury was the first matter thereof, others that Sulphur was, and others other things. But the chiefest opinion was of Mercury, and that especially because of the sayings of Philosophers, because they hold that Mercury is the first true matter of the Stone, also of Metalls: For Philosophers cry out and say, OUR MERCURY, &c. And so whilest they did contend amongst themselves for divers operations (every one gladly expecting a conclusion) there arose in the mean time a very great tempest, with stormes, showers of rain, and an unheard of wind, which dispersed that assembly into divers Provinces, every one apart without a conclusion. Yet every one of them fancied to himselfe what the conclusion of that dispute should have been. Every one therefore set upon his work as before, one in this thing, another in that thing seeking the Philosophers Stone, and this is done till this day without any giving over. Now one of them remembring the disputation that the Philosophers Stone is necessarily to be sought after in Mercury, said to himself: Although there was no conclusion made, yet I wil work in Mercury, and will make a conclusion my self in making the blessed Stone; for he was a man that was alwaies wont to talk to himselfe, as indeed all Alchymists usually doe. Hee therefore began to read the books of Philosophers, and fell upon a booke of Alanus, which treats of Mercury; and so that Alchymist is made a Philosopher, but without any conclusion: And taking Mercury he began to work; hee put it into a glass and put fire to it, the Mercury as it is wont to do, vapoured away, the poor silly Alchymist not knowing the nature of it, beat his wife, saying: “No body could come hither besides thee, thou tookest the Mercury out of the glass.” His wife crying excuseth her self and speaks softly to her husband: “Thou wilt make a sir-reverence13 of these.” The Alchymist tooke Mercury again, and put it again into his vessell, and lest his wife should take it away, watched it. But the Mercury, as its manner is, vapoured away again. The Alchymist, remembering that the first matter of the Philosophers Stone must be volatile, rejoiced exceedingly, altogether perswading himselfe that he could not now be deceived, having the first matter. Hee began now to work upon Mercury boldly; he learned afterwards to sublime it and to calcine it divers ways, as with Salt, Sulphur, and Metalls, Mineralls, Bloud, Haire, Corrosive waters, Herbs, Urine, Vineger, but could find nothing for his purpose; he left nothing unassayed in the whole world, with which hee did not work upon good Mercury withall. But when he could doe no good at all with this, hee fell upon this saying, that it is found in the dung-hill. He began to worke upon Mercury with divers sorts of dung, together and asunder: and when hee was weary and full of thoughts he fell into a sleep. And in his sleep there appeared to him a vision: there came to him an old man who saluted him, and said: “Friend, Why art thou sad?” Hee answered, “I would willingly make the Philosophers Stone.” Then said he, “Friend, Of what wilt thou make the Philosophers Stone?”

ALCHYMISTA. “Of Mercury, Sir.”

SENEX. “Of what Mercury?”

ALCH. “There is but one Mercury.”

SEN. “It is true, there is but one Mercury, but altered variously, according to the variety of places; one is purer then another.”

ALCH. “O Sir, I know how to purifie it very well with vinegar and salt, with nitre and vitriall.”

SEN. “I tell thee this is not the true purifying of it; neither is this, thus purifyed, the true Mercury: Wise men have another Mercury and another manner of purifying it,” and so he vanished away. The Alchymist being raised from sleep thought with himselfe what vision this should be, as also what this Mercury of Philosophers should be: hee could bethinke himselfe of no other but the vulgar Mercury. But yet hee desired much that hee might have had a longer discourse with the old man: but yet hee worked continually, sometimes in the dung of living creatures, as boyes dung, and sometimes in his own. And every day hee went to the place where hee saw the vision, that he might speak with the old man again: sometimes hee counterfeited a sleep, and lay with his eyes shut expecting the old man. But when he would not come he thought he was afraid of him and would not beleeve that he was asleep; he swore therefore saying, “My good old Master be not afraid, for truly I am asleep; look upon my eyes, see if I be not”: And the poor Alchymist after so many labours and the spending of all his goods, now at last fell mad, by alwaies thinking of the old man. And when hee was in that strong imagination, there appeared to him in his sleep a false vision, in the likeness of the old man, and said to him, “Doe not despaire, my friend, thy Mercury is good, and thy matter, but if it will not obey thee, conjure it, that it bee not volatile; Serpents are used to be conjured, and then why not Mercury?” and so the old man would leave him. But the Alchymist asked of him, saying, “Sir, expect,” &c. And by reason of a noise this poore Alchymist was raised from sleep, yet not without great comfort. He took then a vessell full of Mercury, and began to conjure it divers wayes, as his dream taught him. And hee remembred the words of the old man, in that hee said, Serpents are conjured, and Mercury is painted with Serpents;14 hee thought, so it must bee conjured as the Serpents. And taking a vessell with Mercury hee began to say, Ux, Vx, Ostas, &c. And where the name of the Serpent should be put, he put the name of Mercury, saying: “And thou wicked beast Mercury,” &c. At which words Mercury began to laugh and to speak unto him saying, “What wilt thou have, that thou thus troublest mee my Master Alchymist?”

ALCH. “O ho, now thou callest me Master, when I touch thee to the quick, now I have found where thy bridle is, wait a little, and by and by thou shalt sing my song,” and he began to speak to him, as it were angerly, “Art thou that Mercury of Philosophers?”

MERC. (as if he were afraid answered) “I am Mercury, my Master.”

ALCH. “Why therefore wilt not thou obey mee? And why could not I fix thee?”

MERC. “O my noble Master, I beseech thee pardon mee, wretch that I am, I did not know that thou wast so great a Philosopher.”

ALCH. “Didst not thou perceive this by my operations, seeing I proceeded so Philosophically with thee?”

MERC. “So it is, my noble Master, although I would hide my selfe, yet I see I cannot from so honourable a Master as thou art.”

ALCH. “Now therefore dost thou know a Philosopher?”

MERC. “Yea, my Master, I see that your worship is a most excellent Philosopher.”

ALCH. (being glad at his heart saith) “Truly now I have found what I sought for.” (Again he spake to Mercury with a most terrible voice:) “Now go to, be now therefore obedient, or else it shall be the worse for thee.”

MERC. “Willingly, my Master, if I am able, for now I am very weake.”

ALCH. “Why dost thou now excuse thy selfe?”

MERC. “I doe not, my Master, but I am faint and feeble.”

ALCH. “What hurts thee?”

MERC. “The Alchymist hurts mee.”

ALCH. “What, dost thou still deride mee?”

MERC. “O Master, no, I speak of the Alchymist, but thou art a Philosopher.”

ALCH. “O wel, well, that is true, but what hath the Alchymist done?”

MERC. “O my Master, hee hath done many evill things to mee, for hee hath mixed mee, poor wretch as I am, with things contrary to mee: from whence I shall never bee able to recover my strength and I am almost dead, for I am tormented almost unto death.”

ALCH. “O thou deservest those things, for thou art disobedient.”

MERC. “I was never disobedient to any Philosopher, but it is naturall to mee to deride fools.”

ALCH. “And what dost thou think of mee?”

MERC. “O Sir, you are a great man, a very great Philosoph er, yea greater then Hermes himself.”

ALCH. “Truly so it is, I am a learned man, but I will not commend my selfe, but my Wife also said to mee, that I am a very learned Philosopher, she knew so much by me.”

MERC. “I am apt to beleeve thee, for Philosophers must be so, who by reason of too much wisdome and pains fall mad.”

ALCH. “Goe to then, tell me therefore what I shall doe with thee; how I shall make the Philosophers Stone of thee.”

MERC. “O my Master Philosopher, I know not, Thou art a Philosopher, I am a servant of the Philosophers, they make of me what they please, I obey them as much as I am able.”

ALCH. “Thou must tell mee how I must proceed with thee, and how I may make of thee the Philosophers Stone.”

MERC. “If thou knowest, thou shall make it, but if thou knowest not, thou shalt doe nothing, thou shalt know nothing by mee, if thou knowest not already my Master Philosopher.”

ALCH. “Thou speakest to mee as to some simple man, perhaps thou dost not know that I have worked with Princes, and was accounted a Philosopher with them.”

MERC. “I am apt to beleeve thee my Master, for I know all this very well, I am yet foul and unclean by reason of those mixtures that thou hast used.”

ALCH. “Therefore tell mee, art thou the Mercury of Philosophers?”

MERC. “I am Mercury, but whether or no the Philosophers, that belongs to thee to know.”

ALCH. “Do but tell me if thou art the true Mercury, or if there be another.”

MERC. “I am Mercury, but there is another,” and so he vanished away.

The Alchymist cries out and speaks, but no body answers him. And bethinking himself saith: “Surely I am an excellent man, Mercury hath been pleased to talke with mee, surely hee loves mee,” and then he began to sublime Mercury, distil, calcine, make Turbith of him, precipitate, and dissolve him divers wayes, and with divers waters, but as hee laboured in vain before, so now also he hath spent his time and costs to no purpose. Wherefore at last hee begins to curse Mercury and revile Nature because shee made him.

Now Nature when she heard these things called Mercury to her, and said to him: “What hast thou done to this man? Why doth he curse and revile me for thy sake? Why dost not thou doe what thou oughtest to doe?”

But Mercury modestly excuseth himself. Yet Nature commands him to be obedient to the Sons of Wisdome that seek after him. Mercury promiseth that he will and saith: “Mother Nature, but who can satisfie fools?”

Nature went away smiling: but Mercury being angry with the Alchymist goes also unto his own place. After a few days it came into the Alchymists mind, that he omitted something in his operations, and again hee hath recourse to Mercury, and now resolves to mix him with hogs dung; but Mercury being angry that he had falsely accused him before his mother Nature, saith to the Alchymist, “What wilt thou have of me, thou foole? Why hast thou thus accused mee?”

ALCH. “Art thou he that I have longed to see?”

MERC. “I am, but no man that is blind can see mee.”

ALCH. “I am not blind.”

MERC. “Thou art very blind, for thou canst not see thy selfe, how then canst thou see mee?”

ALCH. “O now thou art proud, I speak civilly to thee, and thou contemnest mee: thou dost not know perhaps that I have worked with many Princes and was esteemed as a Philosopher amongst them.”

MERC. “Fools flock to Princes Courts, for there they are honoured and fare better then others. Wast thou also at the Court?”

ALCH. “O thou art a devill, and not a good Mercury, if thou wilt speak thus to Philosophers: for before thou didst also seduce me thus.” MERC. “Dost thou know Philosophers?”

ALCH. “I my self am a Philosopher.”

MERC. “Behold our Philosopher” (smiling said: and began to talke further with him saying) “My Philosopher, tell mee therefore what thou seekest after, and what thou wilt have, what dost thou desire to make?”

ALCH. “The Philosophers stone.”

MERC. “Out of what matter therefore wilt thou make it?”

ALCH. “Of our Mercury.”

MERC. “O my Philosopher, now I wil leave you, for I am not yours.”

ALCH. “O thou art but a devill, and wilt seduce mee.”

MERC. “Truly my Philosopher thou art a devill to mee, not I to thee: for thou dost deale most sordidly with mee, after a devillish manner.”

ALCH. “O what doe I heare? This certainly is a devill indeed, for I do all things according to the writings of Philosophers and know very well how to work.”

MERC. “Thou knowest very well, for thou dost more then thou knowest, or readst of: for the Philosophers said that Nature is to be mixed with Natures; and they command nothing to bee done without Nature; but thou dost mix mee with almost all the sordid things that bee, as dung.”

ALCH. “I doe nothing besides Nature: but I sow seed into its own earth, as the Philosophers have said.”

MERC. “Thou sowest me in dung, and in time of harvest I do vanish away, and thou art wont to reap dung.”

ALCH. “Yet so the Philosophers have wrote, that in the dunghill their matter is to be sought for.”

MERC. “It is true what they have written; but thou understandest their letter and not their sense and meaning.”

ALCH. “Now happily I see that thou art Mercury; but thou wilt not obey mee.”

And he began to conjure him again, saying, Ux Vx. But Mercury laughing answered, “Thou shalt doe no good my friend.”

ALCH. “They do not speak without ground, when they say thou art of a strange nature, inconstant and volatile.”

MERC. “Dost thou say that I am inconstant, I resolve thee thus. I am constant unto a constant Artificer; fixed to him that is of a fixed mind, but thou, and such as thou art, are inconstant, running from one thing unto another, from one matter unto another.”

ALCH. “Tell me therefore if thou art that Mercury, which the Philosophers wrote of, which they said was, together with sulphur and salt, the principall of all things, or must I seek another?”

MERC. “Truly the fruit doth not fal far from the tree, but I seek not mine own praise, I am the same as I was, but my years are differing. From the beginning I was young, so long as I was alone, but now I am older, yet the same as I was before.”

ALCH. “Now thou pleasest me because now thou art older: for I alwaies sought after such a one that was more ripe and fixed, that I might so much the more easily accord with him.”

MERC. “Thou dost in vain look after mee in my old age, who didst not know mee in my youth.”

ALCH. “Did not I know thee, who have worked with thee divers wayes, as thou thy selfe hast said? And yet I will not leave off till I have made the Philosophers Stone.”

MERC. “O what a miserable case am I in? What shall I do? I must now be mixed again with dung and be tormented. O wretch that I am! I beseech thee good Master Philosopher, doe not mix me so much with hogs dung; for otherwise I shall be undone, for by reason of this stink I am constrained to change my shape. And what wilt thou have mee doe more? Am not I tormented sufficiently by thee? Doe not I obey thee? Doe not I mixe my self with those things thou wilt have me? Am I not sublimed? Am I not precipitated? Am I not made turbith? An Amalgama? A Past[e]? Now what canst thou desire more of me? My body is so scourged, so spit upon, that the very stone would pity me: By vertue of me thou hast milk, flesh, bloud, butter, oyl, water, and which of all the metalls or minerals can do that which I do alone? And is there no mercy to be had towards me? O what a wretch am I!”

ALCH. “O ho, it doth not hurt thee, thou art wicked, although thou turnest thy self inside out, yet thou dost not change thy selfe, thou dost but frame to thy selfe a new shape, thou dost alwaies return into thy first forme again.”

MERC. “I doe as thou wilt have me, if thou wilt have me be a body, I am a body: if thou will have me be dust, I am dust, I know not how I should abase my self more, then when I am dust and a shadow.”

ALCH. “Tell mee therefore what thou art in thy Center, and I will torment thee no more.”

MERC. “Now I am constrained to tell from the very foundation. If thou wilt, thou maist understand mee: thou seest my shape, and of this thou needest know further. But because thou askest mee of the Center, my Center is the most fixed heart of all things, immortall and penetrating: in that my Master rests, but I my selfe am the way and the passenger; I am a stranger and yet live at home; I am most faithfull to all my companions; I leave not those that doe accompany mee; I abide with them, I perish with them. I am an immortall body: I die indeed when I am slaine, but I rise againe to judgement before a wise Judge.”

ALCH. “Art thou therefore the Philosophers Stone?”

MERC. “My Mother is such a one, of her is born artificially one certain thing, but my brother who dwells in the fort, hath in his will what the Philosophers desire.”

ALCH. “Art thou old?”

MERC. “My Mother begat mee, but I am older then my mother.”

ALCH. “What devill can understand thee, when thou dost not answer to the purpose? thou alwaies speakest Riddles. Tell mee if thou art that fountain of which Bernard Lord Trevisan writ?”

MERC. “I am not the fountaine but I am the water, the fountaine compasseth mee about.”

ALCH. “Is gold dissolved in thee, when thou art water?”

MERC. “Whatsoever is with mee I love as a friend; and whatsoever is brought forth with mee, to that I give nourishment, and whatsoever is naked, I cover with my wings.”

ALCH. “I see it is to no purpose to speak to thee, I ask one thing and thou answerest another thing: if thou wilt not answer to my question, truly I will goe to work with thee again.”

MERC. “O master, I beseech thee be good to me, now I will willingly doe what I know.”

ALCH. “Tell me therefore if thou art afraid of the fire.”

MERC. “I am fire my selfe.”

ALCH. “And why then dost thou fly from the fire?”

MERC. “My spirit, and the spirit of the fire love one another, and whither one goes, the other goes if it can.”

ALCH. “And whither dost thou goe, when thou ascendest with the fire?”

MERC. “Know that every stranger bends towards his own countrey, and when he is returned from whence he came, hee is at rest and alwaies returnes wiser then he was when he came forth.”

ALCH. “Dost thou come back again sometimes?”

MERC. “I doe, but in another forme.”

ALCH. “I do not understand what this is, nor any thing of the fire.”

MERC. “If any one knew the fire of my heart, hee hath seen that fire (a due heat) is my meat: and by how much the longer the spirit of my heart feeds upon fire, it will be so much the fatter, whose death is afterward the life of all things, whatsoever they bee in this Kingdome where I am.”

ALCH. “Art thou great?”

MERC. “I am thus for example, of a thousand drops I shall be one, out of one I give many thousand drops: and as my body is in thy sight, if thou knowest how to sport with mee, thou maist divide me into as much as thou wilt, and I shall be one again: What then is my spirit (my heart) intrinsecally, which alwaies can bring forth many thousands out of the least part?”

ALCH. “And how therefore must one deale with thee that thou maist be so?”

MERC. “I am fire within, fire is my meat, but the life of the fire is aire, without aire the fire is extinguished; the fire prevails over the aire, wherefore I am not at rest, neither can the crude aire constringe or bind mee: adde aire to aire, that both may be one and hold weight, join it to warm fire, and give it time.”

ALCH. “What shall bee after that?”

MERC. “The superfluous shall be taken away, the residue thou shalt burn with fire, put it into water, boyl it, after it is boyled thou shalt give it to the sick by way of physick.”

ALCH. “Thou saist nothing to my questions. I see that thou wilt only delude mee with Riddles. Wife, bring hither the hogs dung, I will handle that Mercury some new wayes, untill hee tell mee how the Philosophers Stone is to bee made of him.” Mercury hearing this begins to lament over the Alchymist, and goes unto his mother Nature: accuseth the ungratefull operator. Nature beleeves her son Mercury, who tells true, and being moved with anger comes to the Alchymist and calls him: “Ho thou, Where art thou?”

ALCH. “Who is that, thus calls mee?”

NAT. “What dost thou with my son, thou fool thou? Why dost thou thus injure him? Why dost thou torment him? who is willing to doe thee any good, if thou couldst understand so much.”

ALCH. “What devill reprehends me, so great a man, and Philosopher?”

NAT. “O fool ful of pride, the dung of Philosophers, I know all Philosophers and wise men, and I love them for they love me and doe all things for me at my pleasure, and whither I cannot goe they help me. But you Alchymists, of whose order thou also art one, without my knowledge and consent, doe all things contrary unto me; wherefore it falls out contrary to your expectation. You think that you deal with my sons rationally, but you perfect nothing; and if you will consider rightly, you do not handle them, but they handle you: for you can make nothing of them, neither know you how to do it, but they of you when they please, make fooles.”

ALCH. “It is not true: I also am a Philosopher and know well how to worke. I have been with more then one Prince and was esteemed a Philosopher amongst them; my wife also knows the same, and now also I have a manuscript, which was hid some hundreds of years in an old wall, now I certainly know I shall make the Philosophers Stone, as also within these few dayes it was revealed to mee in a dreame. O I am wont to have true dreams; Wife thou knowest it!”

NAT. “Thou shalt doe as the rest of thy fellowes have done, who in the beginning know all things, and thinke they are very knowing, but in conclusion know nothing.”

ALCH. “Yet others have made it of thee (if thou art the true Nature.)”

NAT. “It is true, but only they that knew me, and they are very few. But hee which knowes mee doth not torment my Sons; nor disturbe mee, but doth to mee what hee pleaseth, and increaseth my goods, and heals the bodies of my sons.”

ALCH. “Even so doe I.”

NAT. “Thou dost all things contrary to mee, and dost proceed with my Sonnes contrary to my will: when thou shouldst revive, thou killest; when fix, thou sublimest; when calcine, thou distillest; especially my most observant Sonne Mercury, whom thou tormentest with so many corrosive waters and so many poisonous things.”

ALCH. “Then I will proceed with him sweetly by digestion only.”

NAT. “It is well if thou knowest how to doe it, but if not, thou shalt not hurt him but thy selfe, and expose thy selfe to charges, for it is all one with him, as with a gem which is mixed with dung, that is alwaies good, and the dung doth not diminish it although it be cast upon it, for when it is washed, it is the same gemme as it was before.”

ALCH. “But I would willingly know how to make the Philosophers Stone.”

NAT. “Therefore doe not handle my Son in that fashion: for know, that I have many Sonnes and many Daughters, and I am ready at hand to them that seek mee, if they bee worthy of mee.”

ALCH. “Tell me therefore who that Mercury is?”

NAT. “Know that I have but one such Sonne, and hee is one of seven, and hee is the first; and hee is all things, who was but one; he is nothing, and his number is entire; in him are the foure Elements, and yet himselfe is no Element; he is a spirit, and yet hath a body; he is a man, and yet acts the part of a woman; hee is a child, and yet bears the armes of a man; hee is a beast, and yet hath the wings of a bird; hee is poison, yet cureth the leprosie; he is life, yet kills all things; hee is a King, yet another possesseth his Kingdome; hee flyeth from the fire, yet fire is made of him; he is water, yet wets not; hee is earth, yet hee is sowed; hee is aire, yet lives in water.”

ALCH. “Now I see that I know nothing but I dare not say so, for then I should lose my reputation, and my neighbors will lay out no more money upon mee, if they should know that I know that I know nothing: yet I will say that I doe certainly know, or else no body will give mee so much as bread: for many of them hope for much good from mee.”

NAT. “Although thou shouldst put them off a great while, yet what will become of thee at last? and especially if thy neighbours should demand their charges of thee again?”

ALCH. “I will feed all of them with hope, as much as possibly I can.”

NAT. “And then what wilt thou doe at last?”

ALCH. “I will try many ways privately: if either of them succeed, I will pay them; if not, I will goe into some other far Country and doe the like there.”

NAT. “And what will become of thee afterward?”

ALCH. “Ha, ha, ha, there bee many countryes, also many covetous men, to whom I will promise great store of Gold, and that in a short time, and so the time shall passe away, till at last either I, or they must die Kings, or Asses.”

NAT. “Such Philosophers deserve the halter: fie upon thee, make haste and be hanged and put an end to thy self and thy Philosophy; for by this meanes thou shalt neither deceive mee, thy neighbour, or thy self.”

Ben Johnson's Masque is here.

48 Petrus Ramus

Peter Rami, or in Latin, Petrus Ramus, was a student at the Collège de Navarre in 1536. He started there at age 12, and his thesis was titled, 

Quaecumque ab Aristotele dicta essent, commentitia esse (Everything that Aristotle has said is false).

It was the first of a growing discontent with Aristotle and his teachings. Aristotle had been considered the smartest man on Earth for 1800 years, and he had only 100 more years of that fame.

Scholastic teaching methods were in disrepute (debate to establish truth), but some still held Aristotle as the supreme in intellect, and defended that position as the desperate defend themselves. One of these was Jacques Charpentier, professor of medicine, who accused Rami of undermining the foundations of philosophy and religion. This accusation is a consequence of the successful efforts of Thomas Aquinas (pupil of Albertus Magnus) to blend Aristotle into the Church; anyone who challenges Aristotle is by consequence challenging the doctrine of the Church.

The debate between Charpentier and Rami will last until Charpentier killed Rami during the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572.

This is not the last we will hear of Aristotle's cosmology being defended by the Church.

49 The Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross

The Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross, or Rosicrucians, was founded in Germany in 1614 by the publication of three manifestos, all by the pseudonymous "Christian Rosenkreuz." These were the Fama Fraternitatis RC (The Fame of the Brotherhood of RC, 1614), the Confessio Fraternitatis (The Confession of the Brotherhood of RC, 1615), and the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosicross anno 1459 (1617).

The ideas in the manifestos are hermetic, which means alchemy, magic and astrology are all involved. Rosicruicianism will also influence Freemasonry, being developed in Scotland a little later. Most held Rosicruicianism as a hoax, but in Paris, 1622, two different leaflets were pasted all over the town advertising the Brotherhood would be outside Paris on a certain date:

We, the Deputies of the Higher College of the Rose-Croix, do make our stay, visibly and invisibly, in this city (...)

and the second ended with the words,

The thoughts attached to the real desire of the seeker will lead us to him and him to us.

Rosicrucianism became a major influence on a few alchemists, the philosophies of both being tied to a common ancestor, Hermes Trimegistus. This movement is almost certainly a consequence of Pimander, translated by Ficino, coming out of Italy in the mid 1400's.

Below is Fama fraternitatis Roseae Crucis oder Die Bruderschaft des Ordens der Rosenkreuzer, Germany, 1614.

To the Wise and Understanding Reader.

Wisdom (saith Solomon) is to a man an infinite Treasure, for she is the Breath of the Power of God, and a pure Influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almighty; she is the Brightness of Eternal Light, and an undefiled Mirror of the Majesty of God, and an Image of his Goodness; she teacheth us Soberness and Prudence, Righteousness and Strength; she understands the Subtilty of words, and Solution of dark sentences; she foreknoweth Signs and Wonders, and what shall happen in time to come; with this Treasure was our first Father Adam fully endued: Hence it doth appear, that after God had brought before him all the Creatures of the Field, and the Fowls under Heaven, he gave to every one of them their proper names, according to their nature.

Although now through the sorrowful fall into sin this excellent Jewel Wisdom hath been lost, and meer Darkness and Ignorance is come into the World, yet notwithstanding hath the Lord God sometimes hitherto bestowed, and made manifest the same, to some of his Friends: For the wise King Solomon doth testifie of himself, that he upon earnest prayer and desire did get and obtain such Wisdom of God, that thereby he knew how the World was created, thereby he understood the Nature of the Elements, also the time, beginning, middle and end, the increase and decrease, the change of times through the whole Year, the Revolution of the Year, and Ordinance of the Stars; he understood also the properties of tame and wilde Beasts, the cause of the raigning of the Winds, and minds and intents of men, all sorts and natures of Plants, vertues of Roots, and others, was not unknown to him. Now I do not think that there can be found any one who would not wish and desire with all his heart to be a Partaker of this noble Treasure; but seeing the same Felicity can happen to none, except God himself give Wisdom, and send his holy Spirit from above, we have therefore set forth in print this little Treatise, to wit, Famam & Confessionem, of the Laudable Fraternity of the Rosie Cross, to be read by every one, because in them is clearly shewn and discovered, what concerning it the World hath to expect.

Although these things may seem somewhat strange, and many may esteem it to be but a Philosophical shew, and no true History, which is published and spoken of the Fraternity of the Rosie Cross; it shall here sufficienty appear by our Confession, that there is more in recessu then may be imagined; and it shall be easily understood, and observed by every one (if he be not altogether voyd of understanding) what now adays, and at these times, is meant thereby.

Those who are true Disciples of Wisdom, and true Followers of the Spherical Art, will consider better of these things, and have them in greater estimation, as also judg far otherwise of them, as hath been done by some principal Persons, but especially of Adam Haselmeyer, Notarius Publicus to the Arch Duke Maximilian, who likewise hath made an Extract ex scriptis Theologicis Theophrasti, and written a Treatise under the Title of Jesuiter, wherein he willeth, that every Christian should be a true Jesuit, that is, to walk, live, be, and remain in Jesus: He was but ill rewarded of the Jesuits, because in his answer written upon the Famam, he did name those of the Fraternity of the Rosie Cross, The highly illuminated men, and undeceiving Jesuits; for they not able to brook this, layd hands on him, and put him into the Galleis, for which they likewise have to expect their reward.

Blessed Aurora will now henceforth begin to appear, who (after the passing away of the dark Night of Saturn) with her Brightness altogether extinguisheth the shining of the Moon, or the small Sparks of Heavenly Wisdom, which yet remaineth with men, and is a Forerunner of pleasant Phebus, who with his clear and fiery glistering Beams brings forth that blessed Day, long wished for, of many true-hearted; by which Day-light then shall truly be known, and shall be seen all heavenly Treasures of godly Wisdom, as also the Secrets of all hidden and unvisible things in the World, according to the Doctrine of our Forefathers, and ancient Wisemen.

This will be the right kingly Ruby, and most excellent shining Carbuncle, of the which it is said, That he doth shine and give light in darkness, and to be a perfect Medicine of all imperfect Bodies, and to change them into the best Gold, and to cure all Diseases of Men, easing them of all pains and miseries.

Be therefore, gentle Reader, admonished, that with me you do earnestly pray to God, that it please him to open the hearts and ears of all ill hearing people, and to grant unto them his blessing, that they may be able to know him in his Omnipotency, with admiring contemplation of Nature, to his honour and praise, and to the love, help, comfort and strengthening of our Neighbors, and to the restoring of all the diseased.



Fama Fraternitatis,
or, A
Discovery
of the
Fraternity of the most laudable Order
of the Rosy Cross.

Seeing the only Wise and Merciful God in these latter days hath poured out so richly his mercy and goodness to Mankind, wherby we do attain more and more to the perfect knowledg of his Son Jesus Christ and Nature, that justly we may boast of the happy time, wherein there is not only discovered unto us the half part of the World, which was heretofore unknown & hidden, but he hath also made manifest unto us many wonderful, and never-heretofore see, Works and Creatures of Nature, and moreover hath raised men, indued with great Wisdom, which might partly renew and reduce all Arts (in this our Age spotted and imperfect) to perfection; so that finally Man might thereby understand his own Nobleness and Worth, and why he is called Microcosmus, and how far his knowledg extendeth in Nature.

Although the rude World herewith will be but little pleased, but rather smile and scoff thereat; also the Pride and Covetousness of the Learned is so great, it will not suffer them to agree together; but were they united, they might out of all those things which in this our Age God doth so richly bestow upon us, collect Librum Naturae, or a perfect Method of all Arts: but such is their opposition, that they still keep, and are loth to leave the old course, esteeming Porphiry, Aristotle, and Galen, yea and that which hath but a meer shew of learning, more then the clear and manifested Light and Truth; who if they were now living, with much joy would leave their erroneous Doctrines. But here is too great weaknesses for such a great Work: And although in Theologie, Physic, and the Mathematic, the Truth doth oppose it self; nevertheless the old Enemy by his subtilty and craft doth shew himself in hindering every good purpose by his Instruments and contentious wavering people. To such an intent of a general Reformation, the most godly and highly illuminated Father, our Brother, C.R. a German, the chief and original of our Fraternity, hath much and long time laboured, who by reason of his poverty (although descended of Noble Parents) in the fifth year of his age was placed in a Cloyster, where he had learned indifferently the Greek and Latin Tongues, who (upon his earnest desire and request) being yet in his growing years, was associated to a Brother, P.A.L. who had determined to go to the Holy Land.

Although this Brother dyed in Ciprus, and so never came to Jerusalem, yet our Brother C.R. did not return, but shipped himself over, and went to Damasco, minding from thence to go to Jerusalem; but by reason of the feebleness of his body he remained still there, and by his skill in Physick he obtained much favour with the Turks: In the mean time he became by chance acquainted with the Wise men of Damasco in Arabia, and beheld what great Wonders they wrought, and how Nature was discovered unto them; hereby was that high and noble Spirit of Brother C.R. so stired up, that Jerusalem was not so much now in his mind as Damasco; also he could not bridle his desires any longer, but made a bargain with the Arabians, that they should carry him for a certain sum of money to Damasco; he was but of the age of sixteen years when he came thither, yet of a strong Dutch constitution; there the Wise received him (as he himself witnessseth) not as a stranger, but as one whom they had long expected, they called him by his name, and shewed him other secrets out of his Cloyster, whereat he could not but mightily wonder: He learned there better the Arabian Tongue; so that the year following he translated the Book M. into good Latin, which he afterwards brought with him. This is the place where he did learn his Physick, and his Mathematicks, whereof the World hath just cause to rejoyce, if there were more Love, and less Envy. After three years he returned again with good consent, shipped himself over Sinus Arabicus into Egypt, where he remained not long, but only took better notice there of the Plants and Creatures; he sailed over the whole Mediterranean Sea for to come unto Fez, where the Arabians had directed him. And it is a great shame unto us, that wise men, so far remote th'one from th'other, should not only be of one opinion, hating all contentious Writings, but also be so willing and ready under the seal of secrecy to impart their secrets to others.

Every year the Arabians and Affricans do send one to another, inquiring one of another out of their Arts, if happily they had found out some better things, or if Experience had weakened their Reasons. Yearly there came something to light, whereby the Mathematica, Physic and Magic (for in those are they of Fez most skilful) were amended; as there is now adays in Germany no want of learned Men, Magicians, Cabalists, Physicians, and Philosophers, were there but more love and kindness among them, or that the most part of them would not keep their secrets close only to themselves. At Fez he did get acquaintance with those which are commonly called the Elementary Inhabitants, who revealed unto him many of their secrets: As we Germans likewise might gather together many things, if there were the like unity, and desire of searching out of secrets amongst us.

Of these of Fez he often did confess, that their Magia was not altogether pure, and also that their Cabala was defiled with their Religion; but notwithstanding he knew how to make good use of the same, and found still more better grounds of his Faith, altogether agreeable with the Harmony of the whole World, and wonderfully impressed in all Periods of times, and thence proceedeth that fair Concord, that as in every several kernel is contained a whole good tree or fruit, so likewise is included in the little body of Man the whole great World, whose Religion, policy, health, members, nature, language, words and works, are agreeing, sympathizing, and in equal tune and melody with God, Heaven and Earth; and that which is dis-agreeing with them, is error, falsehood and of the Devil, who alone is the first, middle, and last cause of strife, blindness, and darkness in the World: Also, might one examine all and several persons upon the Earth, he should find that which is good and right, is always agreeing with it self; but all the rest is spotted with a thousand erroneous conceits.

After two years Brother R.C. departed the City Fez, and sailed with many costly things into Spain, hoping well, he himself had so well and so profitably spent his time in his travel, that the learned in Europe would highly rejoyce with him, and begin to rule, and order all their Studies, according to those sound and sure Foundations. He therefore conferred with the Learned in Spain, shewing unto them the Errors of our Arts, and how they might be corrected, and from whence they should gather the true Inditia of the Times to come, and wherein they ought to agree with those things that are past; also how the faults of the Church and the whole Philosopia Moralis was to be amended: He shewed them new Growths, new Fruits, and Beasts, which did concord with old Philosophy, and prescribed them new Axiomata, whereby all things might fully be restored: But it was to them a laughing matter; and being a new thing unto them, they feared that their great Name should be lessened, if they should now again begin to learn and acknowledg their many years Errors, to which they were accustomed, and wherewith they had gained them enough: Who so loveth unquietness, let him be reformed.

The same Song was also sang to him by other Nations, the which moved him the more (because it happened to him contrary to his expectation,) being then ready bountifully to impart all his Arts and Secrets to the Learned, if they would have but undertaken to write the true and infallible Axiomata, out of all Faculties, Sciences and Arts, and whole Nature, as that which he knew would direct them, like a Globe, or Circle, to the onely middle Point, and Centrum, and (as it is usual among the Arabians) it should onely serve to the wise and learned for a Rule, that also there might be a Society in Europe, which might have Gold, Silver, and precious Stones, sufficient for to bestow them on Kings, for their necessary uses, and lawful purposes: with which such as be Governors might be brought up, for to learn all that which God hath suffered Man to know, and thereby to be enabled in all times of need to give their counsel unto those that seek it, like the Heathen Oracles: Verily we must confess that the world in those days was already big with those great Commotions, laboring to be delivered of them; and did bring forth painful, worthy men, who brake with all force through Darkness and Barbarism, and left us who succeeded to follow them: and assuredly they have been the uppermost point in Trygono igneo, whose flame now should be more and more brighter, and shall undoubtedly give to the World the last Light.

Such a one likewise hath Theophrastus been in Vocation and Callings, although he was none of our Fraternity, yet nevertheless hath he diligently read over the Book M: whereby his sharp ingenium was exalted; but this man was also hindered in his course by the multitude of the learned and wise-seeming men, that he was never able peaceably to confer with others of his Knowledg and Understanding he had of Nature. And therefore in his writing he rather mocked these busie bodies, and doth not shew them altogether what he was: yet nevertheless there is found with him well grounded the aforenamed Harmonia, which without doubt he had imparted to the Learned, if he had not found them rather worthy of subtil vexation, then to be instructed in greater Arts and Sciences; he then with a free and careless life lost his time, and left unto the World their foolish pleasures.

But that we do not forget our loving Father, Brother C.R. he after many painful Travels, and his fruitless true Instructions, returned again into Germany, the which he (by reason of the alterations which were shortly to come, and of the strange and dangerous contentions) heartily loved: There, although he could have bragged with his Art, but specially of the transmutations of Metals; yet did he esteem more Heaven, and the Citizens thereof, Man, then all vain glory and pomp.

Nevertheless he builded a fitting and neat inhabitation, in the which he ruminated his Voyage, and Philosophy, and reduced them together in a true Memorial. In this house he spent a great time in the Mathematicks, and made many fine Instruments, ex omnibus hujus artis partibus, whereof there is but little remaining to us, as hereafter you shall understand. After five years came again into his mind the wished for Reformation; and in regard he doubted of the ayd and help of others, although he himself was painful, lusty, and unwearisom, he undertook, with some few adjoyned with him, to attempt the same: wherefore he desired to that end, to have out of his first Cloyster (to the which he bare a great affection) three of his Brethren, Brother G.V. Brother J.A. and Brother J.O. who besides that, they had some more knowledg in the Arts, then at that time many others had, he did binde those three unto himself, to be faithful, diligent, and secret; as also to commit carefully to writing, all that which he should direct and instruct them in, to the end that those which were to come, and through especial Revelation should be received into this Fraternity, might not be deceived of the least sillable and word.

After this manner began the Fraternity of the Rosie Cross; first, by four persons onely, and by them was made the Magical Language and writing, with a large Dictionary, which we yet dayly use to Gods praise and glory, and do finde great wisdom therein; they made also the first part of the Book M: but in respect that the labor was too heavy, and the unspeakable concourse of the sick hindred them, and also whilst his new building (called Sancti spiritus) was now finished, they concluded to draw and receive yet others more into their Fraternity; to this end was chosen brother R.C. his deceased fathers brothers son, brother B. a skilful Painter, G. and P.D. their Secretary, all Germains except J.A. so in all they were eight in number, all batchelors and of vowed virginity, by those was collected a book or volumn of all that which man can desire, wish, or hope for.

Although we do now freely confess, that the World is much amended within an hundred years, yet we are assured, that our Axiomata shall unmovably remain unto the Worlds End, and also the world in her highest and last Age shall not attain to see any thing else; for our Rota takes her beginning from that day when God spake Fiat, and shall end when he shall speak Pereat; yet Gods Clock striketh every minute, where ours scarce striketh perfect hours. We also stedfastly beleeve, that if our Brethren and Fathers had lived in this our present and clear light, they would more roughly have handled the Pope, Mahomet, Scribes, Artists, and Sophisters, and had shewed themselves more helpful, not simply with sighs, and wishing of their end and consummation.

When now these eight Brethren had disposed and ordered all things in such manner, as there was not now need of any great labour, and also that every one was sufficiently instructed, and able perfectly to discourse of secret and manifest Philosophy, they would not remain any longer together, but as in the beginning they had agreed, they separated themselves into several Countries, because that not only their Axiomata might in secret be more profoundly examined by the learned, but that they themselves, if in some Country or other they observed anything, or perceived some Error, they might inform one another of it.

Their agreement was this: First, That none of them should profess any other thing, then to cure the sick, and that gratis. 2. None of the Posterity should be constrained to wear one certain kind of habit, but therein to follow the custom of the Country. 3. That every year upon the day C. they should meet together at the house S. Spiritus, or to write the cause of his absence. 4. Every Brother should look out for a worthy person, who after his discease might succeed him. 5. The word C.R. should be their Seal, Mark, and Character. 6. The Fraternity should remain secret one hundred years. These six Articles they bound themselves one to another to keep; and five of the Brethren departed, only the Brethren B. and D. remained with the Father Fra: R.C. a whole year; when these likewise departed, then remained by him his Cousen and Brother J.O. so that he hath all the days of his life with him two of his Brethren. And although that as yet the Church was not cleansed, nevertheless we know that they did think of her, and with what longing desire they looked for: Every year they assembled together with joy, and made a full resolution of that which they had done; there must certainly have been great pleasure, to hear truly and without invention related and rehearsed all the Wonders which God hath poured out here and there through the World. Every one may hold it out for certain, that such persons as were sent, and joined together by God, and the Heavens, and chosen out of the wisest of men, as have lived in many Ages, did live together above all others in highest Unity, greatest Secrecy, and most kindness one towards another.

After such a most laudable sort they did spend their lives; and although they were free from all diseases and pain, yet notwithstanding they could not live and pass their time appointed of God. The first of this Fraternity which dyed, and that in England, was J.O. as Brother C. long before had foretold him; he was very expert, and well learned in Cabala, as his Book called H. witnesseth: In England he is much spoken of, and chiefly because he cured a young Earl of Norfolk of the Leprosie. They had concluded, that as much as possibly could be their burial place should be kept secret, as at this day it is not known unto us what is become of some of them, yet every ones place was supplyed with a fit successor; but this we wil confesse publickly by these presents to the honour of God, That what secret soever we have learned out of the book M. (although before our eyes we behold the image and pattern of all the world) yet are there not shewn unto us our misfortunes, nor hour of death, the which only is known to God himself, who thereby would have us keep in a continual readiness; but hereof more in our Confession, where we do set down 37 Reasons wherefore we now do make known our Fraternity, and proffer such high Mysteries freely, and without constraint and reward: also we do promise more gold then both the Indies bring to the King of Spain; for Europe is with child and will bring forth a strong child, who shall stand in need of a great godfathers gift.

After the death of I.O. Brother R.C. rested not, but as soon as he could, called the rest together, (and as we suppose) then his grave was made; although hitherto we (who were the latest) did not know when our loving father R.C. died, and had no more but the bare names of the beginners, and all their successors to us; yet there came into our memory, a secret, which through dark and hidden words, and speeches of the 100 years, brother A. the successor of D. (who was of the last and second row and succession), and had lived amongst many of us,) did impart unto us of the third row and succession; otherwise we must confess, that after the death of the said A. none of us had in any manner known anything of Brother R.C. and of his first fellow-brethren, then that which was extant of them in our Philosophical Bibliotheca, amongst which our Axiomata was held for the chiefest Rota Mundi, for the most artificial, and Protheus the most profitable. Likewise we do not certainly know if these of the second row have been of the like wisdom as the first, and if they were admitted to all things. It shall be declared hereafter to the gentle Reader, not onely what we have heard of the burial of R.C. but also made manifest publickly by the foresight, sufferance and commandement of God, whom we most faithfully obey, that if we shall be answered discreetly and Christian-like, we will not be afraid to set forth publickly in Print, our names, and sirnames, our meetings, or any thing else that may be required at our hands.

Now the true and fundamental relation of the finding out of the high illuminated man of God, Fra: C.R.C. is this; After that A. in Gallia Narbonensi was deceased, then suceeded in his place, our loving Brother N.N. this man after he had repaired unto us to take the solemn oath of fidelity and scerecy, he informed us bona fide, That A. had comforted him in telling him, that this Fraternity should ere long not remain so hidden, but should be to all the whole German Nation helpful, needful, and commendable; of the which he was not in any wise in his estate ashamed of. The year following after he had performed his School right, and was minded now to travel, being for that purpose sufficiently provided with Fortunatus purse, he thought (he being a good Architect) to alter something of his building, and to make it more fit: in such renewing he lighted upon the memorial Table which was cast of brasse, and containeth all the names of the brethren, with some few other things; this he would transfer in another more fitting vault: for where or when Fra: R.C. died, or in what country he was buried, was by our predecessors concealed and unknown unto us. In this Table stuck a great naile somewhat strong, so that when he was with force drawn out, he took with him an indifferent big stone out of the thin wall, or plaistering of the hidden door, and so unlooked for uncovered the door; wherefore we did with joy and longing throw down the rest of the wall, and cleared the door, upon which that was written in great letters, Post 120 annos patebo, with the year of the Lord under it: therefore we gave God thanks and let it rest that same night, because first we would overlook our Rotam; but we refer our selves again to the confession, for what we here publish is done for the help of those that are worthy, but to the unworthy (God willing) it will be small profit: For like as our door was after so many years wonderfully discovered, also there shall be opened a door to Europe (when the wall is removed) which already doth begin to appear, and with great desire is expected of many.

In the morning following we opened the door, and there appeared to our sight a Vault of seven sides and corners, every side five foor broad, and the height of eight foot; Although the Sun never shined in this Vault, nevertheless it was enlightened with another sun, which had learned this from the Sun, and was scituated in the upper part in the Center of the sieling; in the midst, in stead of a Tomb-stone, was a round Altar covered over with a plate of brass, and thereon this engraven:

A.C. R.C. Hoc universi compendium unius mihi sepulchrum feci.

Round about the first Circle or Brim stood,

Jesus mihi omnia.

In the middle were four figures, inclosed in circles, whose circumscription was,

1. Nequaquam vacuum.
2. Legis Jugum.
3. Libertas Evangelij.
4. Dei gloria intacta.

This is all clear and bright, as also the seventh side and the two Heptagoni: so we kneeled altogether down, and gave thanks to the sole wise, sole mighty, and sole eternal God, who hath taught us more then all mens wit could have found out, praised be his holy name. This Vault we parted in three parts, the upper part or sieling, the wall or side, the gound or floor.

Of the upper part you shall understand no more of it at this time, but that it was divided according to the seven sides in the triangle, which was in the bright center; but what therein is contained, you shall God willing (that are desirous of our society) behold the same with your own eys; but every side or wall is parted into ten squares, every one with their several figures and sentences, as they are truly shewed, and set forth Concentratum here in our book.

The bottom again is parted in the triangle, but because therein is discribed the power and rule of the inferior Governors, we leave to manifest the same, for fear of the abuse by the evil and ungodly world. But those that are provided and stored with the heavenly Antidote, they do without fear or hurt, tread on, and bruise the head of the old and evil serpent, which this our age is well fitted for: every side or wall had a door for a chest, wherein there lay diverse things, especially all our books, which otherwise we had, besides the Vocabular of Theoph: Par. Ho. and these which daily unfalsifieth we do participate. Herein also we found his Itinerarium, and vitam, whence this relation for the most part is taken. In another chest were looking-glasses of divers virtues, as also in other places were little bells, burning lamps, & chiefly wonderful artificial Songs; generally al done to that end, that if it should happen after many hundred years, the Order or Fraternity should come to nothing, they might by this onely Vault be restored again.

Now as yet we had not seen the dead body of our careful and wise father, we therfore removed the Altar aside, there we lifted up a strong plate of brass, and found a fair and worthy body, whole and unconsumed, as the same is here lively counterfeited, with all the Ornaments and Attires; in his hand he held a parchment book, called I. the which next to the Bible, is our greatest treasure, which ought to be delivered to the censure of the world. At the end of this book standeth this following Elogium.

Granum pectori Jesu insitum.

C. Ros. C. ex nobili atque splendida Germaniae R.C. familia oriundus, vir sui seculi divinis revelationibus subtilissimis imaginationibus, indefessis laboribus ad coelestia, atque humana mysteria ; arcanave admissus postquam suam (quam Arabico, & Africano itineribus Collegerat) plusquam regiam, atque imperatoriam Gazam suo seculo nondum convenientem, posteritati eruendam custo divisset et jam suarum Artium, ut et nominis, fides acconjunctissimos herides instituisset, mundum minutum omnibus motibus magno illi respondentem fabricasset hocque tandem preteritarum, praesentium, et futurarum, rerum compendio extracto, centenario major non morbo (quem ipse nunquam corpore expertus erat, nunquam alios infestare sinebat) ullo pellente sed spiritu Dei evocante, illuminatam animam (inter Fratrum amplexus et ultima oscula) fidelissimo creatori Deo reddidisset, Pater dilectissimus, Fra: suavissimus, praeceptor fidelissimus amicus integerimus, a suis ad 120 annos hic absconditus est.

Underneath they had subscribed themselves,

1. Fra: I.A. Fr.C.H. electione Fraternitatis caput.
2. Fr: G.V. M.P.C.
3. Fra: R.C. Iunior haeres S. spiritus.
4. Fra: B.M. P.A. Pictor et Architectus.
5. Fr: G.G. M.P.I. Cabalista.

Secundi Circuli.

1. Fra: P.A. Successor, Fr: I.O. Mathematicus.
2. Fra: A. Successor, Fra. P.D.
3. Fra: R. Successor patris C.R.C. cum Christo triumphant.

At the end was written :-

Ex Deo Nascimur, in Jesu morimur, per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.

At that time was already dead Brother I.O. and Fra: D. but their burial place where is it to be found? we doubt not but our Fra: Senior hath the same, and some especial thing layd in Earth, and perhaps likewise hidden: we also hope that this our Example will stir up others more diligently to enquire after their names (whom we have therefore published) and to search for the place of their burial; for the most part of them, by reason of their practice and physick, are yet known, and praised among very old folks; so might perhaps our Gaza be enlarged, or at least be better cleared.

Concerning Minitum Mundum, we found it kept in another little Altar, truly more finer than can be imagined by any understanding man; but we will leave him undescribed, untill we shal truly be answered upon this our true hearted Famam; and so we have covered it again with the plates, and set the altar thereon, shut the door, and made it sure, with all our seals; besides by instruction and command of our Rota, there are come to sight some books, among which is contained M. (which were made in stead of household care by the praise-worthy M.P.) Finally we departed the one from the other, and left the natural heirs in possession of our Jewels. And so we do expect the answer and judgment of the learned, or unlearned.

Howbeit we know after a time there wil now be a general reformation, both of divine and humane things, according to our desire, and the expectation of others: for it's fitting, that before the rising of the Sun, there should appear and break forth Aurora, or some clearness, or divine light in the sky; and so in the mean time some few, which shall give their names, may joyn together, thereby to increase the number and respect of our Fraternity, and make a happy and wished for beginning of our Philosophical Canons, prescribed to us by our brother R.C. and be partakers with us of our treasures (which never can fail or be wasted) in all humility, and love to be eased of this worlds labor, and not walk so blindly in the knowledge of the wonderful works of God.

But that also every Christian may know of what Religion and belief we are, we confess to have the knowledge of Jesus Christ (as the same now in these last days, and chiefly in Germany, most clear and pure is professed, and is now adays cleansed and voyd of all swerving people, Hereticks, and false Prophets,) in certain and noted Countries maintained, defended and propagated: Also we use two Sacraments, as they are instituted with all Forms and Ceremonies of the first renewed Church. In Politia we acknowledge the Roman Empire and Quartam Monarchiam for our Christian head; albeit we know what alterations be at hand, and would fain impart the same with all our hearts, to other godly learned men; notwithstanding our hand-writing which is in our hands, no man (except God alone) can make it common, nor any unworthy person is able to bereave us of it. But we shall help with secret aid this so good a cause, as God shal permit or hinder us: For our God is not blinde, as the Heathens Fortuna, but is the Churches Ornament, and the honor of the Temple. Our Philosophy also is not a new Invention, but as Adam after his fall hath received it, and as Moses and Solomon used it: also she ought not much to be doubted of, or contradicted by other opinions, or meanings; but seeing the truth is peaceable, brief, and always like herself in all things, and especially accorded by with Jesus in omni parte and all members. And as he is the true Image of the Father, so is she his Image; It shall not be said, this is true according to Philosophy, but true according to Theologie; And wherein Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras and others did hit the mark, and wherein Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Solomon did excel; but especially wherewith that wonderful book the Bible agreeth. All that same concurreth together, and make a Sphere or Globe, whose total parts are equidistant from the Center, as hereof more at large and more plain shal be spoken of in Christianly Conference.

But now concerning (and chiefly in this our age) the ungodly and accursed Gold-making, which hath gotten so much the upper hand, whereby under colour of it, many runagates and roguish people do use great villanies, and cozen and abuse the credit, which is given them: yea now adays men of discretion do hold the transmutation of Mettals to be the highest point, and fastigium in Philosophy, this is all their intent, and desire, and that God would be most esteemed by them, and honored, which could make great store of Gold, and in abundance, the which with unpremeditate prayers, they hope to attain of the alknowing God, and searcher of all hearts: we therefore do by these presents publickly testifie, That the true Philosophers are far of another minde, esteeming little the making of Gold, which is but a parergon; for besides that they have a thousand better things.

And we say with our loving Father R.C.C. Phy: aureum nisi quantum aurum, for unto them the whole nature is detected: he doth not rejoyce, that he can make Gold, and that, as saith Christ, the devils are obedient unto him; but is glad that he seeth the Heavens open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending, and his name written in the book of life. Also we do testifie that under the name of Chymia many books and pictures are set forth in Contumeliam gloriae Dei, as we wil name them in their due season, and wil give to the pure-hearted a Catalogue, or Register of them: And we pray all learned men to take heed of these kinde of Books; for the enemy never resteth, but soweth his weeds, til a stronger one doth root it out. So according to the wil and meaning of Fra: C.R.C. we his brethren request again all the learned in Europe, who shal read (sent forth in five languages) this our Famam and Confessionem, that it would please them with good deliberation to ponder this our offer, and to examine most nearly and most sharply their Arts, and behold the present time with all diligence, and to declare their minde, either Cummunicate consilio, or singulatim by Print.

And although at this time we make no mention either of our names, or meetings, yet nevertheless every ones opinion shal assuredly come to our hands, in what language so ever it be; nor any body shal fail, who so gives but his name to speak with some of us, either by word of mouth, or else if there be some lett in writing. And this we say for a truth, That whosoever shall earnestly, and from his heart, bear affection unto us, it shal be beneficial to him in goods, body and soul; but he that is false-hearted, or onely greedy of riches, the same first of all shal not be able in any manner of wise to hurt us, but bring him to utter ruine and destruction. Also our building (although one hundred thousand people had very near seen and beheld the same) shall for ever remain untouched, undestroyed, and hidden to the wicked world, sub umbra alarum tuarum Jehova.

50 Robert Fludd

Robert Fludd was a great defender of Rosicrucianism, a successful London physician, the punching bag of Kepler, Mersenne and Gassendi, and was friends of William Harvey and William Gilbert. He ran in high circles. He also attacked Aristotle and Galen.

In 1638 his book Mosaicall Philosophy Grounded upon the Essentiall Truth or Eternall Sapience was published the year after he died.

From Bk. 2, Sec. 1, Chap. 3.

Lastly, I will conclude and finish this Chapter, with the miraculous and supernaturall effects it [i.e., the true Sophia or Wisdom] produceth, and the admirable acts which it bringeth to passe, beyond the capacity of mans imagination; for that the man which is partaker of this divine Agent, and can firmly unite it unto his own spirit, may do wonders: . . . [Scriptural passages follow, cited in Latin and English.] To conclude, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, Daniel, Elias, Elisha, with the other prophets; Judas Maccabeus, Christ and his Apostles, which were all the observant disciples unto the true wisdom, did by her secret art and operation, bring to passe all those miracles, which are mentioned in the holy Testament, both New and Old, as each man may find to be true, if he will be pleased to make a due enquiry into that holy story. But all this is most aptly expressed by the Prophet Daniel, in these words: He is the revealer of things that are profound and hidden, and understandeth the things which lurk in darknesse, for light dwelleth with him [Daniel 2:22]. All which being so, it is most apparent, that there is no art or science, whether it be abstruse and mysticall, or manifestly known, be it speculative or practicall, but had his root and beginning from this true wisdom, without the act and vertue whereof, no true and essentiall learning and knowledge can be gotten in this world, but all will prove bastardly or spuriously begotten, having their foundation not upon Christ, the true ground, firm rock, and stable cornerstone, on which all verity is erected, forasmuch as onely in him is the plenitude of divinity; but placing the basis or foundation of their knowledge upon the prestigious sands of imagination; namely, after the inventions or traditions of men, and according unto the elements of this world, from whence they gather the fruits of their worldly or human wisdom, that is quite opposite in effect unto the true wisdom; namely, the eternall one, which hath his root and originall from God, and not from man . . .

From Bk. 3, Sec. 1: Touching the essentiall Principles of the Mosaicall Philosophy. The Argument of this third Book.

In this present Book, the Author teacheth in a generality, the true and essentiall principles of the divine Philosophy; and in particular he expresseth, how various and differing the Ethnick Philosophers have been in their opinions concerning the beginnings of all things; where he proveth, that the wisest amongst those Pagan Naturalists, did steal and derive their main grounds or principles, from the true and sacred Philosopher Moses, whose Philosophy was originally delineated by the finger of God, forasmuch as the fiery characters thereof, were stamped out or engraven in the dark Hyle, by the eternall Wisdom, or divine Word. And sheweth, that although the foresaid pagan philosophers, did usurp the Mosaicall principles unto themselves, and, the better to maske their theft, did assigne unto them new Titles; yet because they were not able to dive into the centrall understanding of them, nor conceive or apprehend rightly, the mystery of the everlasting Word, they erected upon their principles or foundations but a vain and worldly wisdom, carved out, not from the essential Rock of truth, nor relying on Christ, the onely corner-stone, but framed after a human invention, and shaped out according unto the elements of this world; much like a Castle of straw or stubble, which though it be planted on a Rock, yet is subject to mutation, and is easily shaken, and tottered at every blast of winde. In conclusion, here our Author doth set down what the true Mosaicall principles are, namely, Darknesse, Water, and Light: Then, that all plenitude and vacuity in the world, doth consist in the presence or absence of the formall principle, which is Light. And lastly, he sheweth how the two apparent active properties, namely Cold and Heat, do issue from the two fore-said fountaines of Darknesse and Light, as the two passive natures, Moysture and Drought, to challenge their originall from the said active . . .

From Bk. 3, Sec. 1, Chap. 1: Wherein is set down the uncertainty of the ancient Grecian and Arabian Philosophers, in their opinions, touching the principles or beginnings of all things.

Now the main errour of these [pre-Socratic] philosophers in their judgments concerning the [first metaphysical] principles, was, that they did not mark or consider, that the divine puissance or sacred word, was more ancient, and of a greater Antiquity, then were any of their foresaid principles; the which, if by a riper contemplation they had understood they would have confessed, being instructed and directed by reasons produced from the eternal unity, or essential point and beginning of all things, that the divine light, or sacred emanation (which Scriptures entitle by the name of the holy Spirit of wisdom) was the actuall beginning of all things, as nevertheless before it, there was another property in one and the same sacred essence, which was termed the divine puissance, or potentia divina, which did precede his act or emanation, no otherwise than the Father in time, order, and being, is justly said to exist before the Son, or the Creator before the creature: And thereupon the wise man hath it . . . Wisdom was created before all things. And yet it is most apparent, that some of the Greekish and Ægyptian Philosophers, namely, Plato, Pythagoras, Socrates, Hermes, &c. did so instruct their understandings, partly by the observation of their predecessors doctrine, and partly through the experience, which in their long travails and peregrinations they had gathered, among the Æthiopians, Ægyptians, Hebrews, Armenians, Arabians, Babylonians, and Indians, (for, over all or most of these Countries did Plato, Pythagoras, Hippocrates, and others of them travell, for the augmentation and increase of their knowledge, as Historiographers, that are worthy of credit, have related) that without doubt they did discern, though afar off, and as it were in a cloud, the true light in the humid nature. And among the rest it is reported, as also it appeareth by his works, that Plato had the knowledge of the Word, and had read the Books of Moses; and for that reason he was called . . . the divine Plato. In like manner, the excellent Philosopher Hermes, otherwise termed Mercurius Trismegistus, expresseth plainly, that he was not onely acquainted with Moses his books, but also was made partaker of his mysticall and secret practise, as by his Sermons, which he calleth Pymander, a man may plainly discern, where he doth mention the three Persons in Trinity, and sheweth the manner of the worlds creation, with the elements thereof, by the Word. And therefore of all other antient Philosophers, I may justly ascribe divinity unto these two: But in this I cannot much commend them, viz. in that they having had a view of Moses his labours, which were indited by the Spirit of God, did gather out, and confesse the truth of his doctrine, touching the principles of all things, and yet would not in open tearms acknowledge their Master, but altered the names of them; but as Plato served his Master Moses, even so was he dealt with by his schollar Aristotle, who knowing that his Masters three Mosaicall Principles of all things, masked under strange titles, were but truth, would nevertheless arrogate his doctrine unto himself, and for that cause did alter the assumed names of Plato’s principles, gilding them over with new denominations, and did afterward rear up upon them a spurious philosophicall structure, carved and framed out after his own inventions . . . That Principle which Moses termed darknesse, the darke Abysse or potentiall Principle, Aristotle doth call his Materia prima, or first matter, which he averreth to be something in puissance or potentially only, because it is not as yet reduced into act. Again, he seemeth to term it privation, but falsly, being that no position did precede it. On the other side Plato calleth it Hyle, which is esteemed to be nothing, forasmuch as it is invisible and without form. Also he compareth it to a dark body, in respect of the soul and spirit. As for Hermes, he intitleth it by the name of umbra horrenda, or fearfull shadow. Pythagoras maketh it his Symbolicall Unity: From in this its estate, it hath relation unto nothing else but it self, which is mere Unity, and consequently it acquireth not so much as the name of a Father, because it doth not by an emanation respect or attempt the production of a Son . . . Is not this therefore a notable kind of Robbery amongst the choisest Ethnick Philosophers, thus falsly to ascribe and attribute the Principles and Doctrine unto themselves, which were revealed by God’s Spirit, unto the wise Prophet Moses, and that of purpose to make themselves great and eminent, not only in the eies of the Gentiles, but also by subtill allurements, or false and fading suggestions, laid on those foundations, to distract Christian men from the Truth? And yet as for Plato and Hermes, I must excuse them, being that they do both of them acknowledg in express terms with Moses, that the matter or substance whereof the heavens and the earth were made, was a humid nature, and the internall form or act, which did dispose of it into diversity of figures or forms, was the divine Word, as you may find most plainly expressed in Plato’s works, and in the Pimander of Hermes or Mercurius Trismegistus.

From Bk. 4, Sec. 1, Chap. 5: How the lower waters, or catholick sublunary element, were distinguished, ordered, and shaped out into sundry distinct sphears, which are called particular Elements, and that by the foresaid all-working Spirit, or divine word.

Since that it is most certainly proved already, that the universall substance of the world’s machine was made but of one onely thing, namely, of a matter that was produced out of the potentiall bowells of the dark chaos or abyss, by the spagerick vertue of the divine Word: the which matter Moses tearmed Waters, and Hermes the humid nature, of the which in generall (as both Moses and St. Peter aver) the heavens and the earth were made of old, it must needs follow, that out of this catholic masse of waters, the universall sublunary element was derived, which is commonly termed by the name of Aer, as all that humid substance in the celestiall orbe is called Æther. Now this generall element is by the breath of the divine Spirit Ruach Elohim, altered and changed from one shape unto another; for that which is the visible waters, was made first of the aire, which is an invisible water, as again the visible water by condensation is made earth. And this is proved, first, by the words of St. Paul [Heb. 11:3 cited]. But besides these proofs, we are taught by chymicall experience, that earth is nothing else but coagulated waters; nor visible water anything else, but invisible air, reduced by condensation to a visibility; nor fire anything else but rarified aire. And, in conclusion, all the sublunary waters were in the beginning, but an invisible, humid, or watry spirit, which we call by a common name, Aire.

From Bk. I, Sec. 2, Chap. 4: Where it is evidently proved, as well by the ancient Ethnick Philosophers, as by the authority of Holy Scriptures, that there is a soul of the world: Herein also is expressed what this catholick Soul is, and whereof it is composed or made.

In like manner the Platonists did call the generall vertue, which did engender and preserve all things the Anima mundi, or the soul of the world. And to this their opinions, the Arabick Astrologians do seem to adhere: forasmuch as they did maintain, that every particular thing in the world hath his distinct and peculiar soul from this vivifying Spirit. To this opinion also Mercurius Trismegistus, Theophrastus, Avicenna, Algazel, and as well all the Stoicks and Peripateticks, do seem wholly to consent or agree. Again, Zoroaster and Heraclitus, the Ephesian, conclude that the soul of the world is that catholick invisible fire, of which and by the action whereof, all things are generated and brought forth from puissance unto act. Virgil, that excellent Latine Poet, calleth it that mentall Spirit, which is infused through every joint and member of the world, whereby the whole Mass of it, namely the heaven and the earth, or spirit and body, are after an abstruse manner agitated and moved . . .

The wiser sort of Alchymists do make the Soul a certain infinite nature, or power in all things, which doth procreate like things of their like: for this nature doth engender all things, yea, and multiplieth, and nourisheth, or sustaineth them: and they also style it the Ligament, or bond of the elements, since by it they are fastned together with the Symphoniacal accords of peaceable harmony, although of themselves, that is in regard of their matter, they are dissonant. Also it is termed the true virtue, that mingleth and proportionateth every thing in this sublunary world, allotting unto each specifick creature a convenient and well agreeing form, that thereby one thing might be distinguished and made to vary from another: and, in conclusion, the mysticall Rabbies do averre, that this occult fire is that Spirit of the Lord, or fiery love, which when it moved upon the waters, did impart unto them, a certain harmonious and hidden fiery vertue, without whose lovely assistance and favorable heat, nothing could be generated of them, or multiplied in them. Thus you may discern the manifold opinions, as well of Christian as Heathen Philosophers touching this Anima mundi, or soul of the world, which will appear to vary little or nothing at all from the tenet of Holy Scripture in sense, but in words onely . . .

From Bk. 1, Sec. 2, Chap. 5: How all particular Souls are said to spring forth or proceed, and then afterwards to have their preservation and multiplication, from this generall Anima Mundi, or Soul of the World.

Hermes (called also for another reason Mercurius Trismegistus) said rightly, that the world was made after the similitude or Type of God, and therefore as the one is termed Archetypus, so also the other is said to be Typus: For this reason therefore in another place he saith . . . God is the Father of the World, the world is the father of them that are in the world, and the world is the off-spring of God, and it is rightly called Cosmos, because it adorneth with verity every kind of generation, and also with a never ceasing operation of life, and a perpetuall celerity of necessity in the commixtion of the Elements, which by order are brought forth, &c. In all this he varieth not from Scriptures: For that in the beginning, God is said to have made the world of a matter without a form, and to have adorned his humid nature or the heavens with his vivifying Spirit, which filleth and operateth all in all . . . and that from the breath of the self-same Spirit of life, all the creatures of the world are animated, and from the substantiall Elements in the world they receive their matter. So that as God by the pouring forth of his bright vivifying and all-acting Spirit, did make the humid and passive nature of the world to operate, and that so animated Spirit which is mixed, secundum totum & in qualibet ejus parte, in all and every part, with his increated Animatour, is rightly called the Soul of all the Universe; So we ought to make no question at all, but that every particular Soul in this vaulted machine of the world, doth depend and is procreated, preserved, and multiplied from that catholick Soul, because it is an axiom infallible among Philosophers, that the whole doth comprehend each part, and again, each particular hath his existence and being from the whole . . . And therefore Hermes spake not amiss, when he said that the world was the Image of God, and man the image of the world: being that as God created and vivifyed the watery Spirit of the world, by adding unto it his creating Spirit of life, so that Spirit of life (which is all one in essence with the Father) being sent into the world, and filling the Spirit of the world doth vivify, multiply, and preserve, not onely man, but also every other animal, vegetable, and minerall, that is in the world . . .

The spirit of life was by God so inspired into man, that he was made a living creature, no otherwise then when Elohim Ruach was breathed on the waters, they were animated and vivified, and became a great world, which the Platonists for that reason called, Magnum animal, A great living creature. But as the world was made after the image of God, before man was made, and afterwards man by the same Spirit in the world, was framed by the Word, after the pattern of that Spirit of life, and the substance of the waters, which were in the great world. Therefore we must conceive that man hath the vivifying means of his sustentation, preservation, and multiplication, by generation from the soul of the world, and his elements. Wherefore Hermes doth not unadvisedly expresse the descent and ingression of the worlds vivifying spirit into man, after this manner, Aer est in corpore, anima in aere, mens in anima, in mente verbum; Verbum vero est eorum pater. The aire is in the body, the soul or life is in the aire, the mentall Spirit is in the soul, the Word is in the mentall Spirit; and the Word is the Father of them all . . . Whereby we may discern, the admirable tie, which every portion of each dignity in the great world hath unto other, in the composition of the little world . . .

From Bk. 2, Sec. 2, Chap. 1: That Sympathy is the off-spring of Light, as Antipathy hath its beginning from Darkness.

Since the radical and essential Unity, with its two opposite branches or properties, which are the characters of his Nolunty and Volunty, have in generall terms been thus evidently described unto you, with the two catholick effects thereof, namely love and hatred, and all those passions as well spirituall as corporall, which are derived from them, whether they be good or bad, in respect of the creature that suffereth: I think it now most fit, to enter into our main discourse, and to anatomise the secret bowels of that Sympathy and Antipathy, which is not onely seen and made manifest in naturall but also supernaturall creatures by effect. For no man of learning can be so ignorant and blind, being instructed by daily experience, (which is the mother even of very fools) as not to discern the hidden miracles both of heavenly and earthly things, daily shining forth in Sympathy and Antipathy, that is, in concords and discords, which are caused by reason of a secret league or friendship, which is betwixt them, even from their very mixtion in their first creation? But before we presume to enter into this profound discovery, it will be requisite to lay open the signification or Etymology of them both, that thereby we may the better conceive their distinct natures and essences.

[Sympathy] imports a passion, bred of unity, concord, and love, tearmed more properly compassion; and the other [i.e. Antipathy] an odible passion, mooved by two resisting and fighting natures, of a contrary fortitude: I may therefore rightly define Sympathy to be a consent, union, or concord, between two spirits, shining forth, or having their radical emanation from the self-same or the like divine property. As for example: All creatures that participate of those benigne emanations or beams, which are sent out from God, by his Angelicall Organs into the orbe of Jupiter, are from thence emitted down to the earth, and are conferred upon a multitude of creatures, that were created under this property; which, for that reason, do shine forth and emit their beams unto one another here upon earth, lovingly and joyfully, namely because they proceed all from one root; which descendeth unto Jupiter; also such as are friends to Jupiter, or like unto him in condition, send down influences in creatures, which are acceptable unto such as live, from their nativities, and are sustained and have their complexionary faculties from Jupiter, and therefore they send forth beams of friendship or benignity unto one another, as are also Venus, &c. But contrariwise, where the influences which are adverse in property, or of an opposite divine emanation, are sent down unto the Planet Mars, which is enemy to Jupiter, and from thence are poured out on creatures beneath, there will be ill and unwelcome encounters made between the secret emissions of those creatures beams: So that one by a naturall instinct doth seek to fly and escape the encounters of the other, or to resist and fight against the other . . .

From Bk. 3, Sec. 2, Chap. 6: How the feisibility and possibility of the Magneticall manner of cure by the Weapon-salve is produced and demonstrated to be naturall.

If after the wound is made, a portion of the wound’s externall blood, with his inward spirits, or of his internall spirits onely, that have penetrated into the weapon, or any other thing, which hath searched the depth of the wound, be conveyed from the wound, at any reasonable, but unlimited or unknown distance, unto an Ointment, whose composition is Balsamick, and agreeing specifically with the nature of the creature so wounded, and be in a decent and convenient manner adapted, and, as it were, transplanted or grafted into it; the oyntment so animated by those spirits will become forthwith magneticall, and apply with a magneticall aspect or regard unto the beamy spirits, which stream forth invisibly from the wound, being directed thereunto by those spirituall bloody spirits in the weapon, or other thing, which hath received or included them; and the lively and southern beams streaming and flowing from the wound, will with the northern attraction of the oyntment, so magnetically animated, concur and unite themselves with the northern and congealed, or fixed bloody spirits contained in the oyntment, and stir them to act southernly, that is, from the center to the circumference; so that by this reciprocall action, union, or continuity, the lively southern beams will act and revive the chill, fixt, or northern beams, which do animate the oyntment with a magneticall vertue, and quickned spirits of the oyntment, animated by the spirits of them both, and directed by the spirits which were first transplanted into it, doth impart by the said union or continuity, his balsamick and sanative vertue unto the spirits in the wound, being first magnetically attracted; and they afterwards by an unseperable harmony, transfer it back again unto the wound. And this is the reason of that sympatheticall and antipatheticall reference or respect, which is by experience observed to be between the oyntment and the wound, so that if the whole space of the weapon that made the wound, be covered and annointed with the unguent, and the unguent be well wrapped and kept warm, the wound will find consolation, and be at ease; but if a part of the oyntment be pared away, or wiped off from the weapon, it hath been often tryed, that pain or dolour will immediately ensue and afflict the wound. Moreover, if the place anoynted be kept temperately warm, the wound will also rest in temper; but if it be uncovered and left in the open cold aire, then will it happen, that the wound will also be distempered and vexed with cold.

The particulars of the foresaid Proposition are easily proved and maintained by such ocular demonstrations, as may be produced from the vertuous operation of the mineral Load-stone, unto the which we may rightly compare all magneticall bodies, with their actions, because they have their denominations from the mineral magnet, and therefore this weapon-salve is tearmed by some men, Unguentum magneticum, and the cure is also called Magneticall.

51 Gabriel Plattes

Relatively unknown person, published a short leaflet with a long title: A Caveat for Alchymists, or, a Warning to all ingenious Gentlemen, whether Laicks or Clericks, that study for the finding out of the Philosophers Stone; shewing how that they need not to be cheated of their Estates, either by the perswasion of others, or by their own idle conceits.

The First Chapter

Whereas I am shortly to demonstrate before the High and Honourable Court of Parliament in England, that there is such a thing feisible as the Philosophers Stone; or to speak more properly, an Art in the transmutation of Mettals, which will cause many a thousand men to undo and begger themselves, in the searching for the same: I cannot chuse but to publish these advertisements, for that is a fundamental point in my Religion, to do good to all men, as well enemies as friends: If I could be satisfied, that the publishing thereof, would do more good than hurt; then the world should have it in plain terms, and as plain as an Apothecaries receit: But in regard that I have often vowed to God Almighty upon my knees, to do the greatest good with it, that my understanding could perswade me unto, I have craved the advice of the Honourable Parliament, for that I have strongly conceived an opinion, that by the well contriving of the use of it, the worlds ill manners may be changed into better: if this can be done, then I should break my vow to God, if I should not do my best endeavours, and therefore I dare not to cheat God Almighty (having obtained this blessed science of his free gift) and go into a corner, and there eat, drink and sleep like a swine, as many have done before me, upon whom this blessed knowledge, hath been unworthily bestowed: but had rather improve it to his glory, if my counsel craved shall so think fit. But howsoever my meaning is to do some considerable good with it howsoever, that is, to make my self a sea-mark, to the end, that no ingenious Gentleman shall from henceforth be undone by the searching for this noble Art, as many have heretofore been.

Therefore my first Caveat shall be to shew, that no man needs to be damnified above the value of 20.s. to try whether he be in a right way to it, or not?

The second Caveat shall be, to shew a way how to try whether any wandring Alchymist, that promiseth golden mountains, know any thing or not?

The third Caveat shall be, to shew how any mans Judgement ought to be grounded by a Concordance of the best books, before he fall to practice?

The fourth Caveat shall be, to shew which are false books, and which are true ones, to the end that every student in this excellent Art may trouble himself with fewer books, till he hath made a Concordance, and hath gathered the same out of the aenigmatical discourses, and hieroglifical figures, wherein this Art is hidden, and never to be found in plain terms, nor written plainly in any receipt.

Well for the first Caveat, that no man needs to be damnified above 20.s. to know whether he be in a right way, or not, let him be pleased to consider, that without putrefactio unius, there can be no generatio alterius; as in all other sublunary bodies, as well Animals as Vegetables, right so in Minerals and Metals.

Therefore he that cannot take one ounce of the filings of copper, or any other base Mettal, and by an ingenious addition of a Mineral moisture of the same kind, putrefie the same in a few moneths, and make it totally volatil, except a few faeces of no considerable weight, then he is out of the way, and is not to meddle with gold or silver, or any thing of great price: for he shall never obtain his desire (though he spend his whole life, time and estate).

Also he that hath not gathered a Concordance, by reading of books, which cannot be controlled by humane wit, is not fit to begin to practice this noble Art, and not in one part thereof, but in six several parts, which are these that follow.

First, it is clear that he must have a Mineral spirit, before he can dissolve a Mineral body, or else he will work out of kind; and if he think that Quicksilver, which is sold at the Apothecaries shops, is this Mineral spirit, then he is deceived, and will find it to be so; but the truth is, that if nature had not created quicksilver, this Art could never have been found; not that it can be made the Philosophical dissolvent, by any preparation whatsoever, but without it the first dissolvent (for there are three) cannot be gotten: for it only hath power to separate this Mineral spirit, from a crude Mineral, taken from the mine, which the fire hath never touched, and no other thing under heaven can do it else, no more than any creature besides a Bee, can extract hony out of a flower.

Secondly, that he must know the secret of dissolution, which is not by the common way used by Alchymists, but by the way meant by Bernardus Comes Trevisanus, where he saith hujus dissolutionis via paucissimis est nota: and I know not one Alchymist this day, nor ever did, to whom, if I should have given him the true dissolvent in one hand, which is a ponderous bright water, and the dissolvend in the other hand, which is a powder or filings of mettal: yet he knew not how to dissolve it.

Thirdly, he must know what is meant by the hollow Oak, a comparison not very unfit for the furnace, wherein this secret of dissolution, is to be accomplished.

Fourthly, he must know the reason and manner of refixing his bodies when he hath made them volatil, by this secret way of dissolution.

Fifthly, he must know the secret of projection, which hath beguiled many, when by their great charges, study and labour, they have made the Philosophers Stone, so that they could make no use it. For when it is mingled with the imperfect metals, yea, though prepared philosophically, not vulgarly, yet there is another thing to be done, before the mettal transmuted goeth to the test, or else all is lost: and if any one will not believe me, let him read the books of Raymundus Lullius, and he shall finde in three several places, in several books, that after projection, the matter must be put in cineritio, in vasi longo, but he saith also, non intelligas quod ponas plumbum in cineritio: for there is something to be separated by the Art of the Philosopher, before the lead come to do its duty, or else all will be gone according to the saying: totum vertitur in fumum, quicquid ineptus agit.

Sixthly, he must know the fire and the regiment thereof; and also the nature, which is to be gentle, continual, compassing round about the matter, and not burning it.

And now that I have shewed what an Artist must know, or else all his labour and charge is lost, I wish every man to consider what a hazard he undergoeth, if he meddle without the knowledge of these six secrets, for so much as he may very well faile, though he have them, I mean, though he have the Theorick, yet he may fail in the Practick.

Therefore if any smoak seller, or wandring Alchymist, shall come to any ingenious Gentleman that studieth this Art, though he bring with him a recipe that promiseth golden mountains, and maketh affidivit, I mean that searcheth never so deeply, that he hath done it, or seen it done, which is a common trick amongst wandring Alchymists: believe him not, unless he can satisfie you concerning all the six former mentioned secrets, for, if you do believe him having not that knowledge, I will give my word for him, that he shall cozen you. For there is but unica via, unica operatio, to accomplish any work in Alchymie, which is as hard to be found, as the way to heaven in this world, where there are an hundred Religions, or rather an hundred Sects of Religion, wherein the true Religion is smothered and bemisted, even as the way to make the Philosophers Stone is, by the idle conceits of men that are ruled by opinion, more than by knowledge.

As for example, one Petrus Bonus ferrariensis, a great learned man, and a Doctor of the chair of an University, wrote a book called Margarita Pretiosa, and penned it most admirably, concerning the Philosophers stone, and the way to make it; and when he had done, confessed that he never had made it, yet he guessed indifferent well, but all his directions are not worth a button. I would give an impression of his books away freely, that I had his School-learning, but as for his knowledge, I would not give two pence: whereby it may be seen how easily wise men may be deceived, and therefore let fools look about them before they attempt this noble science.

Also one Gaston Dulco Clavens, a great Champion that quarrelled with all opposers of this sacred Art, and wrote a book which is greatly esteemed by Alchymists, and seemeth very rational to all those which have not the practick, wherein he defendeth the truth of this Art by 32 Arguments and many experiments, which are all false, upon my certain knowledge, and if my purse could speak, it should swear it.

And many others have written upon this subject, which knew nothing but what they had collected out of books, to what end, I know not, unless it were to draw other learned men unto them, thinking to gain some knowledge by their conference.

Also another, whose name I have forgotten (for it is a great while since I read any books) wrote a book intituled De interitu Alchymie, which is as foolish as any of the other, unless that when all his hopes were at an end, he thought that some man would have come unto him, and confuted him, by shewing him the experience of it.

Well thus much for false books; now as for true ones, I could name many that could not be written but by those that had made certain trial of the work; but for brevity sake, and to keep this book within the price promised, viz. two pence, I will name onely four, viz. The Compound of Alchymie, written by Georgius Ripleus Anglus, The Hierogliphical Figures of Nicholaus Tilamellus, whose body lieth buried in Paris: The works of Raymundus Lullius; The two books of Bernardus Comes Trevisanus. These four men shewed by their actions, that they had the Art of the transmutation of Mettals. For Georgius Ripleus Anglus maintained an Army of souldiers at Rhodes against the Turks, at his own charge: Nicholaus Tilamellus builded up seven Churches and seven Hospitals at Paris, and endowed them with good revenues, which may be easily proved: Raymundus Lullius made gold in the Tower of London, to furnish an Army to go against the Turks: Bernardus Comes Trevisanus, recovered his Earldome again, which he had formerly spent in the seeking of this Art. And now me thinks, I hear every one demanding, how shall we do to find out this great secret?

But Geber, an Arabian Prince and a famous Philosopher, shall answer in his own words, viz. non per lectionem librorum, sed per immensam cognitionem, per profundam imaginationem, & per assiduam praxim: and when all this is done, he concludeth that est donum Dei Altissimi, qui cui vult, largitur, & subtrahit.

Well now me thinks I hear the cousening Alchymists saying, what shall we do now, we have no other living? To which I answer, that I would gladly rid the world of cheaters if I could: but if they must needs couzen, then let them trade with those that have so little love to art, that they cannot afford to read this book to defend themselves, and that will improve the wits of the world very much, so that it may possibly do more good than hurt: for the truth is that the world is unhappy, only for want of wit, which I have demonstrated in a little book lately printed, which sheweth how any Kingdome may live in great plenty, prosperity, health, peace and happiness, and the King and Governours may live in great honour and riches, and not have half so much trouble, as is usual in these times: and if any one shall be cheated, and lay the fault upon me for discovering of cheats in this book, I cannot help it: for he that is willing to do good, must needs do some hurt, unless men were Angels. But in this case I see not but my action is justifiable: for first, I have given every one an antidote against cheating, and if they will not take it, let them be cheated, and then I will shew them a way to recover their losses, by an experiment tried upon my self: for till I was soundly cheated of divers hundred pounds, I thought my self to be a very knowing man: but then I found that I was a fool, and so disdained not to learn wit at any bodies hands that could teach me, whereby I attained a considerable quantity of knowledge, which I will not give or change, for any mans estate whatsoever; but though I sped so well by being cheated, yet I wish all others to take heed, for fear least that their fortunes prove not so good as mine.

The Second Chapter

Whereas I have professed my self to be an Anti-cheator, it behoveth me to discover the several ways whereby the world is so universally cheated by the cosening Alchymists: and therefore though I could discover fourscore cheats, yet at this time I will onely discover four grand ones, and so conclude.

The first shall be to discover the knavery of [Edward] Kelly, the grand Impostor of the world, whom the Emperour of Germany kept prisoner in a Castle, and maintained him honourably, thinking either by fair means or by foule, to get the Philosophers Stone out of him, who God knows had it not, but made divers cosening projections before great men, which by the report thereof, have caused many to spend all that ever they had; and it cannot be well estimated, how many hundred thousand pounds have been spent in Europe about it, since that time, more than before.

And thus one of his projections was made before three great men sent over by Q Elizabeth, to see the truth of the business. He gave order to them to buy a warming panne, which they did accordingly, and brought it to him; he took a pair of compasses, and marked out a round plate in the middle of the cover thereof, and with a round chisel he took out the piece; then he put it in the fire, and when it was red hot, he put a little pouder upon it, which flowed all over it, and made it to look like to gold, which is an easie matter to be done: but when he came to fit it to the hole, he had a piece of good gold, taken out of a plate of gold by the compasses, not altered, and this by a trick of Legerdemain, or slight of hand (a thing common, for I have known a Porter that could have done it) he conveyed into the place, and delivered the warming panne into the hands of the spectators, who brought it into England, and the noise thereof made almost all mens ears to tingle, and their fingers to itch, till they were at the business, and raised the price of Alchymie books fearfully. Now if he had meant plain dealing, he would have given them some of his pouder home to their lodging, that they might have done the like again themselves at home, but he neither offered it, neither did they desire it, at which I marvel: for if he had denyed that, as it is like that he would, then the knavery had been presently discovered, so that this false news had not been brought into England, whereby many men have received great loss. Some have reported that he clipped out a sheard with a pair of Goldsmiths sheers, and then he took a little more time, and cast one of gold like to it, which is easily done: whethersoever he did, the whole scope of the business argueth cheating, and his meaning was nothing else, but by either of these wayes, to make the spectators to be less suspitious; like to a jugler that foldeth up his sleeves for the like purpose. But admit that he had the true Philosophers Stone, and that the body of a Mettal might be altered by it, and turned into true gold without reduction of it to the first matter, which is altogether unpossible: yet he was a detestable villain to publish it in such manner, to the great dammage of so many men as were thereby irritated to undoe themselves, and not to give them some Advertisements, like to these in this book, whereby they might be preserved from undergoing any considerable loss. But the old saying proved true, qualis vita, finis ita: he lost his ears in London for cheating, when he was a young cousener; and when he was grown too skilfull to be discovered by men, then God Almighty took punishment of him; for he bought as much linnen cloth, pretending to make shirts and other things, as he thought would serve to let him down to the ground out at a window in the Tower of the Castle wherein he was a prisoner; and whether his hold slipped, or the cloth was too short, I could never learn certainly; but it is certain that he fell down and broke his bones and died, and there was an end of him . . .

The third Cheat

An Alchymist travelled with this cheat into many Kingdoms and Countries, and it may be done by one that hath not the Art of Legerdemain, or slight of hand; and thus it was done. He filed a twenty shilling piece of gold into dust, and put it into the bottom of a crucible, or a Goldsmiths melting pot, then he made a thin leaf of wax of a fit breadth, and rammed it down a little hollow in the middle, & with an hot iron sodered it, then he painted it over with a paint hereafter mentioned, and dried it, and painted it again, and thus did till it was like the crucible; and when he wanted mony, he would go to a rich hostess in some City, and take a chamber for a week, and when he had been there a day or two, and had payed royally, the next morning he would be sick, and keep his bed, and when his Hostess came to visit him, he would ask her, if she could help him to a Goldsmith, that would do some business for him, and he would pay him for his pains very largely, so she was ready, and brought one. He asked him if he could do him one hours work or two presently, the Goldsmith answered him, yes Sir, with all my heart: so he took his purse from under his pillow, and gave him half a crown, and prayed him to buy half an ounce of quicksilver, and bring it to him presently. The Goldsmith did so; then he gave him his key, and prayed him to open his portmantle, and take out a little box and open it, where he found a crucible, and a little Ivory box, filled with the red pouder of Vermillion; the Cheater prayed him to weigh out a grain of the red pouder, with his gold weights, which he did; then he bid him look well upon the crucible if it were a good one, and not cracked in the carryage; the Goldsmith said it was as sound an one as he had seen, and had a good strong bottom. Then he bid him to put it into the quicksilver, and the grain of red pouder, and set it into the fire, and by degrees melt it down. The Goldsmith did so; when it was melted, he bid him set it by to cool, and then break it; then he lay down in his bed, and after a little while, he asked the Goldsmith what he found in the bottom, to which the Goldsmith answered that he found a little lump of gold, as good as ever he saw, so he prayed him to help him to money for it, for his money was almost all spent; that I will, said the Goldsmith presently, and went home, and weighed it, and brought him nineteen shillings in silver, and was desirous to know, how that red pouder was made; he said it was an extract out of gold, which he carried with him in his long travels, for ease of carriage, and that there was no other grain in it, or else he would tell it him. So the Goldsmith asked him how much he would have again of his half crown, and he should have all if he please; for he was well enough paid for his work, in seeing that rare piece of Art: no said the Alchymist, take it all, and I thank you too; so the Goldsmith took his leave, with great respect: then he laid down in his bed a little while, and by and by he knocked for his Hostess, who came immediately, and he prayed her to call for a porter; whilst that he wrote a note, she did so. When the porter came, he sent him to his fellow cheater, who lay in the other end of the Town, who presently brought him a letter formally framed betwixt them; upon the reading whereof, he called for his Hostess again, and desired her to fetch the Goldsmith again, she did so; when she brought him, he [the Alchymist] was rising, and gruntled and groaned, and told the goldsmith, that though he was not well, yet necessity forced him to go about earnest business, and shewed him the Letter, and prayed him to read it whilst he put on his cloaths, and when the Goldsmith had read it, he said, you see what a strait I am in for twenty pounds, can you furnish me, and to morrow or next day you shall work for me, and pay your self, and I will leave you my box in pawn, which now you know how to make five hundred pounds of it, as well as I? The Goldsmith answered, it shall be done, and went down and told the Hostess all things; and also told her, that the Gentleman was in great distress for twenty pounds, and that he had promised to furnish him instantly, but he had but ten pounds by him; if she pleased to furnish him with the other ten pounds, she should be sure enough to have it with great advantage, for so short a time: for saith he, we shall have his box in pawn and will make bold with twice as much of his pouder, as our money comes to; and besides that, he will pay us royally I warrant you; and all the while I can do the work so well, that I should be glad never to hear of him more. So she agreed, and they brought him up twenty pounds presently, whereupon he delivered them the box, and made a motion to have it sealed up; but at length he said, that because they had furnished him in his necessity, and because he esteemed them to be honest people, in regard of his Host, he would not stay to seal it and so took his leave, and prayed the Goldsmith to be ready within a day or two, to help him to work, but from that day to this, they never saw him. So when he came not again within a week or fortnight, they concluded that some misfortune had happened to him, or that he had taken cold by going abroad so hastily, being not well, and so was dead, for else he would have sent about it before that time, if he were but sick; so they resolved to make use of it and fell to work with great alacrity; but when they could make no gold, their hearts were cold, and they found themselves to be miserably cheated.

The fourth Cheat

This Cheat is described in old Chawcer, in his Canterbury Tale; but because everyone hath not that book, I will relate it briefly, and those that would see it more largely described, shall be referred to the said book. And thus it was done: The Cheater took a charcoal about two inches long and one inch thick, and did cleave it through the middle, and made a little concavity in the middle thereof, and put in a little ingot of gold, weighing an ounce, into the middle of it, and glewed it up again, so that it seemed to be nothing, but a very coal. Then before [i.e. in the presence of] the cheated, he put in one ounce of quicksilver into a crucible, and a little red powder with it, and bid the cheated to set it into the fire, and when it began to smoak, oh saith he, I must stir it a little, to mingle the pouder with the Mercury, or else we shall have great loss; so he took up a coal from the heap with the tongs, like to his coal which he had prepared, and let it fall out of the tongs by the side of the heap, and dropped down his own coal by it, and took it up in room of the other, and stirred the quicksilver and the pouder together with it, and left the coal in the pot, and then bid the cheated to cover the pot with charcoals, and to make a good fire, and after a little space to blow it strongly with a pair of good hand bellows, til it was melted, for he assured him, that the quicksilver would be fixed and turned into gold, by the vertue of that small quantity of pouder; which the cheated found by experience, as he verily thought, and so was earnest with the cheater to teach him his Art, but what bargain they made I have forgotten, for it is twenty years since I read Chawcers book.

Now whereas I have received the reports of some of these Cheaters in divers manners, yet I am sure that they being wrought according to my prescription, will cheat almost any man that hath not read this book or Chawcers, unless a man should happen upon one that knoweth the great work, which is hardly to be found in ten Kingdoms; for he knoweth that none of these things can be done unless they be meer albifications or citrinations, but are nought else but sophistications and delusions, and will abide no triall, unless it be the eyes of an ignorant man that hath no skill in mettals.

Well now I will adde some more Caveats to fill up my book, and so make a short conclusion.

And first, To sum up all, Let men beware of all books and receipts that teach the multiplication of gold or silver with common quicksilver by way of animation or minera, for they cannot be joyned inseparably by any medium, or means whatsoever.

2. Let all men beware of any books or receipts which teach any dissolutions into clear water like unto gold or silver dissolved in aqua fortis, or aqua regis, or spirit of salt, made by any way whatsoever, or any dissolution whatsoever, which is not done cum congelatione spiritus, according to the manner used in the great work.

3. Let all men take heed of books that teach any operations in vegetable, or animals, be they never so gloriously penned; for it is as possible for a bird to live in the water, or for a fish to live in the air, as for any thing that is not radically mettallical, to live in the lead upon the test.

And lastly, let all men beware of his own conceit of wisdom, for that hath undone many a man in this Art. Therefore let every one take notice that though it be a thousand to one odds, that any seeker shal not obtain his desire, that is because many men being unfit and not quallified sufficiently to take in hand this great business; let these remember what Salomon, the wisest of men saith, into a wicked heart wisdom shall not enter, and he saith not great wisdom, not much wisdom, but ordinary wisdom; then how can any wicked or foolish man hope to find out this great secret, which being the most sublime knowledge that God hath given to men, requireth the greatest wisdome to accomplish it, that God hath bestowed upon men.

Therefore if any man attempteth this Art, which hath not attained to such a perfection in the knowledge of nature, especially in minerals, that by his own speculation and practice, without the help of books, he can write a rational discourse of either animals, vegetables, or minerals, in such a solid way that no man can contradict it, without shame upon fair tryal, the questions being rightly stated, then his labour and charge is the cause why so many men fail and undo themselves in this Art; for if the search be quallified sufficiently, then it is ten to one odds, that he speedeth . . . I did not write this book with an intent to teach the Art absolutely, but onely to preserve men from undoing themselves foolishly; which if it be well considered of, will be found to be large charity.

52 Emblem Books

With the advent of printing, 1440, and etching to make sturdy images, came the emblem books. Printers needed a market, and the unread populace weren't buying books. So they came up with the obvious solution: picture books, called emblem books. These involved simplistic images at first, but became much more ornate. The most expensive were hand-colored, most were black and white. They are very artistic, with the image attempting to communicate through symbols, much information about the picture.

You can find many beautiful colored emblems at https://www.alchemywebsite.com/amclglr1.html. I'll include a few here. Splendor Solis is probably the most beautiful. 

Slendor Solis.pdf (3.79 mb)

53 Early Science

We have reached the point in the history of science that events considered fundamental to the development of early science overlap in time with those at the close of alchemy. In this Alchemy series I will concentrate on the alchemy alone, but will mention in Interludes the simultaneous development of early science. Early Science will get its own series here, and its own timeline.

Early Science we've passed over so far:

1255? Roger Bacon states something similar to the Law of Refraction on optics.  This is based largely on his reading of the Arabic optical work of Avicenna (Abū ibn Sīnā) and Alhazen (Ḥasan Ibn al-Haytham).

1543 Nicholaus Copernicus proposes a sun-centered solar system in an effort to rid the system of Ptolemaic epicycles, where a planet circles a point that circles the Earth. He does not dare publish this while he is alive, as the Church would eat him alive with no proof of it beyond the simplicity of the model even though he lived in Northern Europe where the Church's hold was weak.

1600 William Gilbert publishes his study of the lodestone, which is magnetic. He mentions the sun-centered solar system, and that the Earth might be magnetic. He also studies static electricity.

1576-1601 Tycho Brahe (pronounced "tee-ko") builds a naked-eye observatory with equipment to measure angles and times. He records all his observations for 25 years in notebooks, a first as far as we know. He is assisted at the end by Johannes Kepler. Tycho does nothing with his data, but wills it to his family. Kepler instead keeps the notebooks, and...

1609 Kepler publishes the first two of his three celestial laws: (1) Planets move in an ellipse around the sun, with the sun at one focal point, (2) Each planet sweeps an equal area in a given time, no matter it's position in its orbit. He bases all his work on the movement of Mars only. He confirms the Copernican model. The Aristotelian ideal cosmology is deeply challenged by this. It took five years just to get it published while he worked out the legal rights to use Tycho's data with the Brahe family.

1619 Kepler publishes his third law of planetary motion, the square of the a planets orbital period is proportional to the cube of the length of the minor axis. Like all early astronomers, Kepler is also an astrologer.

1620 Francis Bacon, the Lord Chancellor to the King of England, James I (the King James Version guy), publishes an early version of the Scientific Method. But it's not really a good method, as he designed it to fit within the bounds set by the Empirical Philosophers, who thought that yes, observation of nature was the only way to learn truth, but observations were trustworthy only if nature was left unmolested. Hence, experiments were forbidden.

1628 Snellius rediscovers Bacon's Law of Refraction.

1628 William Harvey publishes a description of the operation of the heart and the circulatory system, the beginning of anatomical studies, rather than the previous anatomical guesses.

1632 Galileo Galilei publishes a retelling of the Copernicus' sun-centered system in the form of a dialog, with weak and suspect reasoning. He puts his own view into the mouth of Sagatio, the Wise One, and the Church's Aristotelian view into the mouth of Simplicio, the Simpleton. This of course angers the Pope, Galileo's friend and the man who funded Galileo's work. Brought up on charges, Galileo recants, promises he won't do it again, then then does it again.

1637 Descartes, probably reading the mathematical texts of Al-Khwārizmī translated in Toledo centuries earlier, invents algebraic geometry, which becomes algebra, from al-jabr, "reunion of broken parts."

1638 Galileo publishes his work on motion, including gravity. Again, weak and suspect reasoning, no experiments to show the behavior of motion but does describe timing of a pendulum with his heartbeat, and dropping two weights from the Tower of Piza, which almost demonstrates what he says happens.

1643 Torricelli invents the mercury barometer to measure the pressure of the atmosphere.

And in other news: the Thirty-years War started in 1618 and will last until 1648, consuming most of the spare wealth of Europe. Patronage of alchemy dries up.

1662 Boyle's Law of Gasses, the first experimentally-determined law.

1663 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society publishes scientific work and is peer reviewed. For the first time, alchemists can tell each other what they are doing.

1669 Steno introduces the idea that the layers of earth were lain down over time, which he calls the Stratographic Column. It will take a while before that timing is worked out.

1673 Huygens invents the pendulum clock

1675 Leeuenhoek invents the microscope.

1675 Leibnitz invents the calculus we use today.

54 John French

We recently read some blogs here "translated by J.F.M.D." This is John French, M.D., Paracelcian physician and huge fan of alchemy. He translated a number of important alchemical works from Latin into English which drove British alchemy to great heights. French is admired by those who will develop early chemistry, like Robert Boyle.

What follows is his preface to his English translation of The Divine Pymander, Ficino's Italian translation from the Greek.

[John French] To the Reader

This Book may justly challenge the first place for antiquity, from all the Books in the World, being written some hundreds of yeers before Moses his time, as I shall endevor to make good. The Original (as far as is known to us) is Arabick, and several Translations thereof have been published, as Greek, Latine, French, Dutch, &c. but never English before. It is pity the Learned Translator had not lived, and received himself, the honor, and thanks due to him from Englishmen; for his good will to, and pains for them, in translating a Book of such infinite worth, out of the Original, into their Mother-tongue.

Concerning the Author of the Book it self, Four things are considerable, viz. His Name, Learning, Countrey, and Time. 1. The name by which he was commonly stiled is, Hermes Trismegistus, i.e. Mercurius ter Maximus, or, The thrice greatest Intelligencer. And well might he be called Hermes, for he was the first Intelligencer in the World (as we read of) that communicated Knowledg to the sons of Men, by Writing, or Engraving. He was called Ter Maximus, for some Reasons, which I shall afterwards mention. 2. His Learning will appear, as by his Works; so by the right understanding the Reason of his Name. 3. For his Countrey, he was King of Egypt. 4. For his Time, it is not without much Controversie, betwixt those that write of this Divine, ancient Author, what time he lived in. Some say he lived after Moses his time, giving this slender Reason for it, viz. Because he was named Ter Maximus; for being preferred (according to the Egyptian Customs) being chief Philosopher, to be chief of the Priesthood; and from thence, to be chief in Government, or King. But if this be all their ground, you must excuse my dissent from them, and that for this reason, Because according to the most learned of his followers, he was called Ter Maximus; for having perfect, and exact Knowledg of all things contained in the World; which things he divided into Three Kingdoms (as he calls them), viz. Mineral, Vegetable, Animal; which Three, he did excel in the right understanding of; also, because he attained to, and transmitted to Posterity (although in an Ænigmatical and obscure stile) the Knowledge of the Quintessence of the whole Universe (which Universe, as I said before, he divided into Three Parts) otherwise called, The great Elixir of the Philosophers; which is the Receptacle of all Celestial and Terrestial Vertues; which Secret, many ignorantly deny, many have chargeably sought after, yet few, but some, yea, and Englishmen, [marginal note: “Ripley, Bacon, Norton, &c.”] have happily found. The Description of this great Treasure, is said to be found ingraved upon a Smaragdine Table, in the Valley of [H]ebron, after the Flood. So that the Reason before alleaged to prove this Author to live after Moses, seems invalid; neither doth it any way appear, that he lived in Moses his time, although it be the opinion of some, as of John Functius, who saith in his Chronology, That he lived Twenty one yeers before the Law was given by Moses in the Wilderness: But the Reasons that he, and others, give are far weaker then those that I shall give, for his living before Moses his time. My reasons for that are these; First, because it is received amongst the Ancients, that he was the first that invented the Art of communicating Knowledg to the World, by Writing or Engraving. Now if so, then in all probability he was before Moses; for it is said of Moses that he was from his childehood skilled in all the Egyptian Learning, which could not well have been without the help of Literature, which we never read of any before that invented by Hermes. Secondly, He is said by himself, to be the son of Saturn, and by others to be Scribe of Saturn. Now Saturn according to Historians, lived in the time of Sarug, Abrahams great Grand-Father. I shall but take in Suidas his judgment, and so rest satisfied that he did not live onely before, but long before Moses: His words are these, Credo Mercurium Trismegistum sapientem Egyptium floruisse ante Pharaonem.

In this Book, though so very old, is contained more true knowledg of God and Nature, then in all the Books in the World besides, I except onely Sacred Writ: And they that shall judiciously read it, and rightly understand it, may well be excused from reading many Books; the Authors of which pretend so much to the knowledg of the Creator and Creation. If God ever appeared in any man, he appeared in him, as it appears by this Book. That a man who had not the benefit of his Ancestors knowledg, being as I said before, the first inventer of the Art of Communicating Knowledg to Posterity by writing, should be so high a Divine, and so deep a Philosopher, seems to be a thing more of God, then of Man; and therefore it was the opinion of some, that he came from Heaven, not born upon Earth. There is contained in this Book, that true Philosophy, without which, it is impossible ever to attain to the height and exactness of Piety and Religion. According to this Philosophy, I call him a Philosopher that shall learn and study the things that are, and how they are ordered and governed, and by whom, and for what cause, or to what end; and he that doth so, will acknowledg thanks to, and admire the Omnipotent Creator, Preserver, and Director of all these things. And he that shall be thus truly thankful, may truly be called Pious and Religious; and he that is Religious, shall more and more, know where, and what the Truth is: And learning that, he shall yet be more and more Religious.

The glory and splendor of Philosophy is an endevoring to understand the chief Good, as the Fountain of all Good: Now how can we come neer to, or finde out the Fountain, but by making use of the Streams as a conduct to it? The operations of Nature are Streams running from the Fountain of Good, which is God. I am not of the ignorant and foolish opinion of those that say, the greatest Philosophers are the greatest Atheists; as if to know the Works of God, and to understand his goings forth in the Way of Nature, must necessitate a man to deny God. The Scripture disapproves of this as a sottish tenet, and experience contradicts it: For behold! Here is the greatest Philosopher, and therefore the greatest Divine.

Read understandingly this ensuing Book (and for thy help, thou mayest make use of that voluminous Commentary written upon it [marginal note: “Hannibal Rosseli Calabar”] then it will speak more for its Author, then can be spoken by any man, at least by me.

Thine in the love of the Truth,

J[ohn] F[rench]

55 George Starkey

George Starkey was an American, Harvard-educated, who moved to England in 1650 to be closer to the Alchemy hot-spot. Starkey is the guy who got Robert Boyle interested in alchemy.

After his arrival to England he began to promote the works of one Eirenaeus Philalethes, "Peaceful lover of truth," a publishing alchemist of some reputation. Starkey was, of course, both of them. He was a Paracelsian medicinal alchemist.

The Admirable efficacy, and almost incredible Virtue of true Oyl

Of this most noble Liquor, and not vulgar Medicine, the noble Helmont writeth thus in his excellent Discourse concerning the Tree of Life.

In the year 1600, a certain man belonging to the Camp, whose Office was to keep account of the Provision of Victuals which was made for the Army, being charged with a numerous Family of small Children, unable to shift for themselves, himself being then 58 years of Age, was very sensible of the great care and burden which lay upon him to provide for them, while he lived, and concluded, that should he dye, they must be inforced to beg their bread from door to door, whereupon he came (saith Helmont) and desired of me something for the preservation of his life. I then (being a young man) pityed his sad condition, and thus thought with my self, the fume of burning Sulphur, is by experience found powerfully effectual, to preserve Wines from corruption. Then I recollecting my thoughts, concluded that the acid liquor or Oyl, which is made of Sulphur Vive,2 set on fire, doth of necessity contain in it self this fume, yea, and the whole odor of the Sulphur, in as much as it is indeed nothing else, but the very Sulphurous fume imbibed, or drunk up in its Mercurial Salt, and so becomes a condensed liquor. Then I thought with my self, Our blood being (to us) no other then as it were the Wine of our life, that being preserved, if it prolong not the life, at least it will keep it sound from those many Diseases which proceed originally from corruption, by which means the life being sound, and free from diseases, and defended from pains and grief, might be in some sort spun out to a further length than otherwise. Upon which meditated resolution, I gave him a Viol glass, with a small quantity of this Oyl, distilled from Sulphur Vive burning, and taught him (moreover) how to make it as he should afterward need it; I advised him of this liquor, he should take two drops before each Meal in a small draught of Beer, and not ordinarily to exceed that Dose, nor to intermit the use of it, taking for granted, that two drops of that Oyl contained a large quantity of the fume of Sulphur, the man took my advice, and at this day in the year 1641 he is lusty and in good health, walks the Streets at Brussels, without complaint, and is likely longer to live, and that which is most remarkable, in this whole space of forty one years, he was not so much as ill, so as to keep his Bed, yea, although (when of great age) in the depth of Winter, he broke his Leg, near to his Ancle-Bone, by a fall upon the Ice, yet with the use of this Oyl, he recovered without the least Symptome of a Fever, and although in his old age, poverty had reduced him to great straits, and hardship, and made him feel much want of things necessary for the comfort and conveniency of Life; yet he lives healthy and sound, though spare and lean. The old mans name is John Mass, who waited upon Rithovius Bishop of Ypre, in his Chamber, where the Earls of Horne, and Egmondon were beheaded by the Duke of Alva, and he was then 25 years of age, so that now he is compleat 99 years of age, healthy and lusty, and still continues the use of that liquor daily.

Thus far Helmont, which relation as it is most remarkable, so it gives the Philosophical reason of his advice, on which it was grounded: And elsewhere the same Author relates how by this liquor he cured many dangerous deplorable Fevers, which by other Doctors had been given over for desperate. And in other places he commends it as a peerless remedy to asswage the insatiable thirst which accompanies most Fevers.

To which relation and testimony of this most learned Doctor, and acute Philosopher, I shall add my own experience.

I find it a rare preservative against corruption, not only in living Creatures, but even in dead flesh, Beer, Wine, Ale &c. a recoverer of dying Beer, and Wines that are decayed, a cure for Beer, when sick and roping; Flesh by this means may be preserved so incorruptible, as no embalming in the World can go beyond it, for the keeping of a dead Carcase, nor Salting come near its efficacy, as to the conserving Meat, or Fowles, or Fish, which by this means, are not only kept from corruption, but made a mumial Balsome, which is itself a preservative from corruption, of such as shall eat thereof, which being a curious rarity and too costly for to be made a vulgar experiment, I shall pass it over, and come to those uses which are most beneficial and desirable.

It is an excellent cleanser of the Teeth, being scoured with it, they will become as white as the purest Ivory, and the mouth being washed with Oyl dropped in water or white-Wine, so as to make it only of the sharpness of Vinegar, it prevents the growing of that yellow scale which usually adheres to the Teeth, and is the forerunner of their putrefaction. It prevents their rottenness for future, and stops it (being begun) from going farther, takes away the pain of the teeth, diverts Rheums, and is a sure help for the strong favour of the Breath, making it very sweet. In a word, there is not a more desireable thing can be found, for such who would have clean or sound Teeth, or sweet Breath, or to be free from Rheums: for which use let the water be made by dropping this Oyl into it, as sharp as Vinegar, as I said before.

Against a tickling cough and hoarsness, it is a rare remedy, not only taken two or three drops, twice a day inwardly, in the usual drink one useth before each meal, but also by gargling the Throat with it, and (so used) it is excellent against swelled Throats, Angina’s, Struma’s, Palates of the mouth inflamed, or the Uvula of the Throat, or the Almonds of the Ears, which are (usually said then to be) fallen; It is excellent also against the Head-ach, and to divert Rheums from the Eyes, to wash the Temples therewith, likewise to take away Tetters, Morphew, Itch, or Scabs, this dropped in water is a pleasant, safe, and effectual remedy.

Besides which outward applications, it is a Lord internally taken, preventing corruption, rooting out the seeds thereof, though never so deeply concealed in the body, and upon that score opening inveterate obstructions, eradicating old pains, and preventing otherwise usual relapses into Stranguretical, Colical, or Arthritical pains: it is abstersive, cleansing all Excrementitian setlings in the Mesaraick or Mesenterial Vessels, and so cutting off the original sourse, and taking away the cause of putrefactive corruption, which is the productive beginner of very many diseases.

On this score it lengthens the life, and frees the body from many Pains and Ailes, to which otherwise it would be subject. It is a pleasant remedy, having only a little sharpness, which to the Palate is most gratefull, and yet this Acidity is contradistinct from that Acidity which is the forerunner of putrefaction, which it kills and destroys, as the Acidity of Spirit of Vitriol is destroyed by the fixed Acrimony of its own Caput mortuum, or that of Vinegar, by the touch of Cerusse or Minium.

Præternatural heat and thirst in Fevers is no way allayed so speedily and easily, as by this, nor is there any thing that for a constant continuance may be more safely and profitably taken; Spirit of Salt (such as the noble Helmont speaks of) alone may be joyned with this, for its safety, and continual use with profit, especially in Nephritical distempers and the heat or sharpness of Urine.

Now as this is so noble a medicine, so there is none in the World more basely adulterated and counterfeited, our wise Doctors commending for it (quid pro quo) an adulterated mineral acidity of Vitriol, distilled in a Retort from vulgar Sulphur, which the Apostate Chemists prepare, and sell for, and the Knavish Apothecarries use, and give to their Patients instead of this true Spirit, which if sincere is clear as water, ponderous, and exquisitely acide, made of Sulphur Vive only, set on Fire without any other mixture, and the fumes received in a broad Glass, fitted for the purpose, vulgarly called a Campana or Bell, from its shape or likeness.

Most sottish is that Maxime of the Doctors, that Spirit of Sulphur and Vitriol are of one nature, when experience teacheth, that the meer Acetosity of Vitriol (which brings over nothing of its excellent vertue) will dissolve Argent Vive, which the strongest Spirit of Sulphur, truly, and not sophistically made, will not touch, nor will that recover Beer or Wines, or preserve them, as this will do, one therefore is an unripe Esurine Acetosity, of little vertue: the other a Balsom of an Antidotary vertue, a preservative against corruption, and upon that score nothing can be used more effectually as a preservative against, or a remedy in, Contagious Fevers, Small-Pox, Measles, or Pestilence than this, nor more ridiculously than the other, which being drawn from the vulgar Sulphur, that hath an infection of malignity mixed with it (which it took from the Arsenical nature of the Minerals from which it was melted) adds nothing of vertue to the crude vitriolate Spirits, but only that which was before of little vertue, to become a Medicine of more danger and hazard, but not a jot more goodness, than it was when first drawn from the Vitriol; which being of it self clear and crude, is for to deceive the ignorant (by its Colour) tincted with some Root or Bark. Thus the credulous world is imposed on and cheated, while instead of most noble remedies (in name promised) adulterated trifles are produced, to the Disparagement of Art, and the scandal and reproach of the professors [of] Medicine.

To discover which abuses, and vindicate true Art, I have made my Præludium, concerning this Oyl or Spirit of Sulphur, the vertues of which (if truly and faithfully made) are so eminently remarkable, and almost incredibly efficatious, that I thought it not unworthy my pains, in a few lines to communicate to the studious Reader, both what real benefit is to be expected from the true, and what injury is done to deluded (at least) if not destroyed Patients, by the Sophisticate Oyl of Sulphur.

Note that spelling has improved drastically from that of John French, since the publication of several English Dictionaries in the 1650's of up to 10,000 words. Some words are still out there in the wild.

My reading of the following is when I realized what the alchemists were up to. It is Starkey's commentary on George Ripley's poetic epistle to the king on the subject of transmutation. 

From An Exposition Upon Sir George Ripley’s Epistle to King Edward IV

This Epistle as it was immediately written to a King, who was in his Generation, both wise and valiant; so it doth comprize the whole secret, both learnedly described, and yet artificially vailed. Yet as the Author testifieth, that in this Epistle he doth plainly untie the main knot; So I can, and do testifie with him, that there is nothing desirable for the true attaining of this Mystery, both in the Theory and Practick of it, which is not in this short Epistle fully taught. This then I intend as a Key to all my former writings, and assure you on my faithful word, that I shall not speak one word doubtfully or Mystically, as I have in all my other writings, seeming to aver some things, which taken without a Figure, are utterly false, which we did only to conceal this Art. This Key therefore we intend not to make common; and shall intreat you to keep it secret to your self, and not to communicate it, except it be to a sure friend, who you are confident will not make it publick: And this request we make upon very good grounds, knowing that all our writings together, are nothing to this, by reason of the contradictions, which we have woven into them, which here is not done in the least measure. I shall therefore in this Epistle take up a new Method, and that different from the former, and shall first draw up the substance of the Philosophy couched in this Epistle, into several conclusions, and after elucidate the same.

The first Conclusion is drawn from the Ninth Stave [i.e. stanza] of this Epistle, the eight first Staves being only complementall; and that is, That as all things are multiplied in their kind, so may be Metalls, which have in themselves a capacity of being transmuted, the imperfect into perfect.

The second Conclusion in the Tenth Stave is, That the main ground for the possibility of transmutation, is the possibility of reduction of all Metalls, and such Minerals as are of metallick principles, into their first Mercurial matter.

The third Conclusion is in the Eleventh Stave, that among so many Metaline and Mineral Sulphurs, and so many Mercuries there are but two Sulphurs that are related to our work, which Sulphurs have their Mercuries essentially united to them.

The fourth Conclusion from the same Stave is, That he who understands these two Sulphurs & Mercuries aright, shal find that the one is the most pure red Sulphur of Gold, which is Sulphur in manifesto, and Mercurius in occulto, and that other is most pure white Mercury, which is indeed true Quicksilver in manifesto, and Sulphur in occulto, these are our two Principles.

The fifth Conclusion from the Twelfth Stave is, That if a mans Principles be true, and his Operations regular, his Event will be certain, which Event is no other then the true Mystery.

These Conclusions are but few in number, but of great weight or concernment; the Amplification, Illustration and Elucidation therefore of them, will make a son of Art truly glad.

Stave IX.

For the First; Forasmuch as it is not for our purpose here to invite any to the Art, only intending to lead and guide the sons of Art; We shall not prove the possibility of Alchymy, by many Arguments, having done it abundantly in another Treatise. He then that will be incredulous, let him be incredulous; he that will cavil, let him cavil; But he whose mind is perswaded of the truth of this Art and of its Dignity, let him attend to what is in the Illustration of these Five Conclusions discovered, and his heart shall certainly rejoyce. We shall therefore briefly illustrate this 1st Conclusion, and insist there more largely, where the secrets of the Art are most couched.

For this first, which concludes in effect the truth of the Art, and its validity; he that would therein be more satisfied in it, let him read the Testimony of the Philosophers: And he that will not believe the Testimony of so many men, being most of them men of renown in their own times, he will cavil also against all other Arguments.

We shall only hold to Ripley’s Testimony in this our Key, who in the Fourth Stave, assures the King that at Lovain he first saw the greatest and most perfect secrets, namely, the two Elixirs; and in his following Verses, craved his confident credit, that he himself hath truly found the way of secret Alchymy, and promiseth the discovery of it to the King, only upon condition of secrecy.

And in the Eighth Stave, though he protests never to write it by Pen, yet proffers the King at his pleasure, to shew him occularly the Red and White Elixir, and the working of them, which he promiseth will be done for easie costs in time. So then, he that will doubt the truth of this Art, must account this Famous Author for a most simple mad Sophister, to write and offer such things to his Prince, unless he were able in effect to do what he promised; from which imputation, his Writings, and also the History of him, of his Fame, Gravity, and Worth, will sufficiently clear him.

Stave X quoted; selections from commentary

We come to the second Conclusion; the substance of which is, that all Metalls, and Bodies of Metalline Principles, may be reduced to their first Mercurial Matter; And this is the main and chief ground for the possibility of Transmutation. On this we must insist largly and fully, for (trust me) this is the very hinge on which our secrets hang.

First, Then know that all Metalls, and several Minerals have Mercury for their next matter, to which (for the most part, nay indeed always) there adheres, and is Con-coagulated an external Sulphur, which is not Metalline, but distinguishable from the internal Kernal of the Mercury.

This Sulphur is not wanting even in common Argent Vive, by the Mediation of which, it may be precipitated into the form of a drie Powder: Yea, and by a Liquor well known to us, (though nothing helping the Art of Transmutation) it may be so fixed, that it may endure all Fires, the Test and Coppel, and this without the addition of any thing to it, but the Liquor (by virtue whereof it is fixed) coming away intire, both in its Pondus and Virtue. This Sulphur in Gold and Silver is pure, in the other Metalls less pure; Therefore in Gold and Silver it is fixed, in others it is fugitive: in all the Metalls it is coagulated, in Mercury or Argent Vive, it is coagulable; in Gold, Silver and Mercury this Sulphur is so strongly united, that the Antients did ever judge Sulphur and Mercury to be all one; but we by the help of a Liquor, the Invention of which in these parts of the world we owe to Paracelsus, (though among the Moors and Arabians, it hath been, and is (at this day) commonly known to the acuter sort of Chymists). By this I say, we know that the Sulphur which is in Mercury coagulable, and in the Metals coagulated, is external to the Internal nature of Mercury, and may be separated in the form of a tincted Metallick Oyl, the remaining Mercury being then void of all Sulphur, save that which may be called its Inward or Central Sulphur, and is now incoagulable of it self, (though by our Elixir it is to be coagulated) but of itself, it can neither be fixt nor precipitated, nor sublimed, but remains un-altered in all corrosive waters, and in all digestions of heat . . . There is then but one only humidity, which is applicable unto our Work, which certainly is neither of Saturn nor Venus, nor is drawn from any thing, which nature hath formed, but from a substance compounded by the Art of the Philosopher . . .

Our Art therefore is to compound two Principles (one in which the Salt, and another in which the Sulphur of Nature doth abound), which are not yet perfect, nor yet totally imperfect, and (by consequence) may therefore (by our Art) be changed or exalted . . . and then by Common Mercury to extract not the Pondus, but the Coelestial virtue out of the compound; which virtue (being Fermental) begets in the common Mercury an Offspring more noble then it self, which is our true Hermaphrodite, which will congeal it self, and dissolve the Bodies: Observe but a grain of Corn, in which, scarce a discernable part is Sprout, and this Sprout, if it were out of the Grain, would die in a moment; the whole grain is sown, yet the Sprout only produceth the Herb: So is it in our Body, the Fermental Spirit that is in it, is scarce a third part of the whole, the rest is of no value, yet all is joyned (in the composition) and the faeculent corporeous parts of the Body come away with the dregs of the Mercury . . . In all truth I tell you, that if you should take our imperfect compound Body, per se, and Mercury per se, and Ferment them alone, though you might bring out of the one a most pure Sulphur, and out of the other Mercury of Mercury, which is the Nut of Mercury, yet with these thou couldest effect nothing, for Fermental virtue is the wonder of the world, and it is by it, that water becomes Herbs, Trees, and Plants, Fruits, Flesh, Blood, Stones, Minerals, and every thing; seek then for it only, and rejoyce in it, as in a deservedly invaluable treasure . . . We conclude then, that all operations for our Mercury, but by common Mercury, and our Body according to our Art, are erroneous, and will never produce our Mysterie, although they be otherwise, Mercuries never so wonderfully made. For as the Author of the New Light, saith, No Water in any Island of the Philosophers was wholsom, but that which was drawn out of the reigns of Sol and Luna. Wilt thou know what that means, Mercury in its pondus and incombustibility is Gold fugitive, our Body in its purity is called the Philosophers Luna, being far more pure than the imperfect Metals, and its Sulphur also as pure as the Sulphur of Sol, not that it is indeed Luna, for it abides not in the fire . . .

Stave XII Quoted

Thus come we to the last Conclusion, which is, that if a Mans Operations be Regular and his Principles true, his end will be certain, (viz.) the Mastery.

O Fools and Blind that do not consider how each thing in the world hath his proper Cause and Progress in Operation; Think you, if a Seaman should with a gallant Coach, intend to Sail to any place beyond Sea, he would not find his attempt to be foolish; Or if with a Ship gallantly furnished, he should Row at Random, he may not sooner stumble on an infortunate Rock, then arrive at the golden Coast: Such fools are they who seek our secret in trivial matters, and yet hope to find the Gold of Ophir. For the more exact Guiding of your practice, take notice of these Twenty Rules following.   

1. Whatever any Sophister may suggest unto you, or you may read in any Sophistical Author; yet let none take you from this ground, (viz.) That as the end you look for is Gold: so let Gold be the subject on which you work, and none other.   

2. Let none deceive you with telling you, that our Gold is not common, but Philosophical; for common Gold is dead, which is true: But as we order it, there is made a quickening of it, as a grain of Corn in the Earth is quickened.

So then in our work, after six Weeks, Gold that was dead, becomes quick, living, and spermatical; and in our composition, it may be called Our Gold, because it is joyn’d with an Agent that will certainly quicken it: So a Condemned Man, is called a Dead Man, though at present living.   

3. Besides Gold, which is the Body or Male, you must have another Sperm, which is the Spirit and Soul, or Female, and this is Mercury, in Flux and Form like to common Argent Vive, yet more clean and pure.

There are many, who instead of Mercury, will have strange Waters or Liquors, which they stile by the name of Philosophical Mercury; Be not deceived by them, for what a Man sows, that he must look to reap: If thou shalt sow thy Body in any Earth, but that which is Metalline and Homogeneal to it; thou shalt instead of a Metalline Elixir, reap an unprofitable Calx, which will be of no value.   

4. Our Mercury is in substance one with common Argent Vive, but far different in Form; For it hath a Form Coelestial, Fiery, and of excellent Virtue: and this is the Nature which it receives by our Artificial Preparation.   

5. The whole Secret of our Preparation, is, that thou take that Mineral which is next of kin to Gold, and to Mercury; Impregnate this with Volatile Gold, which is found in the reins of Mars, with this purifie your Mercury until seaven times are past, then it is fitted for the Kings Bath.   

7. This Mercury thus actuated, is after to be distilled in a Glass retort twice or thrice; and that for this reason, because some Atoms of the Body may be in it, which were insensibly left in the Preparation of the Mercury, afterwards it is to be cleansed well with Vinegar and Sal-armoniack, then is it fit for the work.

10. . . . Our Sophism lies only in the two kinds of Fire in our work: the Internal secret Fire, which is Gods Instrument, hath no qualities perceptible to man, of that Fire we speak often, and seem yet to speak of the External heat; and hence arise among the unwary many Errours. This is our Fire which is graduated, for the External heat, is almost linear all the work, to the white work, it is one without alteration, save that in the seaven first days we keep the heat a little slack for certainty and security sake, which an experienced Philosopher need not do.

But the Internal governing heat is insensibly graduated hourly, and by how much that is daily vigorated by the continuance of Decoction, the Colours are altered, and the Compound maturated: I have unfolded a main knot unto you; take heed of being insnared here again.

11. Then you must provide a Glass Tun, in which you may perfect your work, without which you could never do any thing; Let it be either Oval or Spherical, so big in reference to your Compound, that it may hold about twelve times the quantity of it within its Sphere, let your Glass be thick and strong, clear, and free of flaws, with a neck about a Span or Foot long; In this Egg put your matter, sealing the neck carefully, without flaw, or crack, or hole, for the least vent will let out the subtile Spirit, and destroy the work . . .

12. You must then provide your self with a Furnace, by wise men called an Athanor, in which you may accomplish your work; nor will any one serve in your first work; But such a one in which you may give a heat obscurely red at your pleasure, or lesser, and that in its highest degree of heat, it may endure twelve hours at the least.

This if you would obtain; Observe, First, that your nest be no bigger then to contain your dish with about an Inch vacancy at the side where the Vent-hole of your Athanor is for the Fire to play.

Secondly, Let your Dish be no bigger then to hold one Glass with about an inch thickness of Ashes between the Glass and side, remembring the word of the Philosopher, One Glass, One Thing, One Furnace; for such a Dish standing with the bottom level to the vent-hole, which in such a Furnace ought to be but one, about three Inches Diameter, sloping upwards, will with the stream of Flame, which is always playing to the top of the Vessel, and round about the bottom, be kept always in a glowing heat . . .

Fifthly, Let the top of your Furnace be closed to an hole which may but just serve for casting in of Coals about three Inches Diameter or Square, which will keep down the heat powerfully.

13. . . . . Since then you know that your work appertains all to the Mineral Kingdom, you must know what heat is fit for Mineral Bodies, and may be called a gentle heat, and what violent; First, now consider, where Nature leaves you, not only in the Mineral Kingdom, but in it to work on Gold and Mercury, which are both incombustible: Yet Mercury being tender, will break all Vessels, if the Fire be over extreme; Therefore though it be incombustible, and so no Fire can hurt it, yet also it must be kept with the Male Sperm in one Glass, which if the Fire be too big, cannot be, and by consequence the work cannot be accomplished. So then from the degree of heat that will keep Lead or Tin constantly molten, and higher, so high as the Glass will endure without danger of breaking, is a temperate heat; and so you begin your degrees of heat according to the Kingdom in which Nature hath left you . . .

14. Know, that all your progress in this Work is to ascend in Bus & Nubi, from the Moon up to the Sun; that is in Nubibus, or in Clouds: Therefore I charge thee to sublime in a continual vapour, that the Stone may take Air, and live.

15. Nor it this enough, but for to attain our permanent Tincture, the water of our Lake must be boyled with the Ashes of Hermes Tree; I charge thee then to boyl night and day without ceasing, that in the troubles of the stormy Sea, the Heavenly Nature may ascend, and the Earthly descend. For verily, if we did not Boyl, we would never name our work Decoction, but Digestion; For where the Spirits only Circulate silently, and the Compound below moves not by an Ebullition, that is only properly to be named Digestion.

16. Be not over hasty, expecting Harvest too soon, or the end soon after the beginning: For if thou be patiently supported, in the space of fifty days at the farthest, thou shalt see the Crows Bill . . . Dost think then, that Gold, the most solid Body in the world, will change its Form in a short time? Nay, thou must wait and wait until about the 40th day utter blackness begins to appear; when thou seest that, then conclude thy Body is destroy’d, that is, made a living Soul, and thy Spirit is dead, that is Coagulated with the Body; But till this sign of Blackness, both the Gold and the Mercury retain their Forms and Natures.

17. Beware that thy Fire go not out, no not for a moment, so as to let thy Matter be cold, for so Ruine of the Work will certainly follow.

By what has been said, thou mayst gather that all our work is nothing else but an uncessant boyling of thy Compound in the first degree of liquifying heat, which is found in the Metalline Kingdom, in which the Internal Vapours shall go round about thy matter, in which fume it shall both die and be revived.

18. Know, that when the White appears, which will be about the end of Five Months, that then the accomplishment of the White Stone approacheth; Rejoyce then, for now the King hath overcome Death, and is rising in the East with great Glory.

19. Then continue your Fire until the Colours appear again, then at last you shall see the fair Vermillion, the Red Poppy; Glorifie God then, and be thankful.

20. Lastly, you must boyl this Stone in the same water, in the same proportion, with the same Regimen, (only your Fire shall then be a little slacker) and so you shall increase Quantity and Goodness at your pleasure.

Now the only God the Father of light, bring you to see this Regeneration of the light, and make us to rejoyce with him for ever hereafter in light. Amen.

And to give you an idea of how Starkey wrote, and how he thought, here are passages from a text he wrote, Open Entrance to the Closed Palace of the King (1667), followed by a letter he wrote to Robert Boyle describing the same operation.

Take our Fiery Dragon that hides the Magical Steel in its belly, four parts, of our Magnet, nine parts, mix them together with torrid Vulcan . . . throw away the husk and take the kernel, purge thrice with fire and Sun, which will be easily done if Saturn sees his form in the mirror of Mars. Thence is made the Chamaeleon or our Chaos, in which all secrets are hidden in virtue not in act. This is the Hermaphroditical Infant infected with the biting of the Corascene mad dog. . . . Yet there are two doves in the wood of Diana that assuage his mad rabies.

And more clearly, in 1651; 

of antimony nine ounces, and of iron four ounces (which is the true proportion) . . . let the fire be so strong as to cause the matter to flow . . . poure it into a horne, and in the bottom wil be the Regulus, and a shining slag above it. Separate them when they are cold. . . . You must have the mediation of Virgine Diana, that is, pure silver. . . . Now Sir take of this Regulus one part, of pure silver two parts . . .

Boyle worked on this particular instruction for nearly forty years trying to get it right.

56 Elias Ashmole

Elias Ashmole, like his contemporary Robert Boyle, bridges alchemy and chemistry. He loved old things and collected them, giving them all to Oxford University as the foundation of the Ashmolean Museum. His manuscript collection went to the Bodleian Library. His collection was immense, as he collected all he could find to produce the greatest assembly of alchemical texts ever, the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, Containing Severall Poeticall Pieces of our Famous English Philosophers, who have written the Hermetique Mysteries in their owne Ancient Language to preserve all English-language alchemical works. He also wrote The Institution, Laws and Ceremonies of the Order of the Garter (1672) as the rulebook for bestowing the highest Royal favors. He was an astrologer and student of the Rosicrucians.

This is the "Prolegomena" to his Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum.

The subject of this ensuing worke is a philosophicall account of that eminent secret treasur’d up in the bosome of nature; which hath been sought for of many, but found by a few, notwithstanding experience’d antiquity hath afforded faithfull (though not frequent) discoveries thereof. Past ages have like rivers conveied downe to us, (upon the floate) the more light and sophisticall pieces of learning; but what were profound and misterious, the weight and solidity thereof, sunke to the bottome; whence every one who attempts to dive, cannot easily fetch them up: so, that what our Saviour said to his disciples, may (I hope without offence) be spoken to the Elected Sons of Art; unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God; but to others in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Our English philosophers generally (like prophets) have received little honour (unlesse what hath beene privately paid them) in their owne countrey; nor have they done any mighty workes amongst us, except in covertly administring their medicine to a few sick, and healing them. (For greater experiments then what it performes in physick, they never publikely made shew of.) This did I. O. (one of the first foure Fellowes of the Fratres R. C.) in curing the young Earle of Norfolke, of the leprosie; and Doctor B. in carrying off the virulency of the small-pox, twice, from Queen Elizabeth; insomuch that they never appeared. But in parts abroad they have found more noble reception, and the world greedy of obteyning their workes; nay, (rather then want the sight thereof) contented to view them through a translation, though never so imperfect. Witnesse what Maierus, Hermannus, Combachius, Faber,3 and many others have done; the first of which came out of Germanie, to live in England; purposely that he might so understand our English tongue, as to translate Norton’s Ordinall into Latin verse, which most judiciously and learnedly he did; Yet (to our shame be it spoken) his entertainement was too too coarse for so deserving a scholler.

How great a blemish is it then to us, that refuse to reade so famous authors in our naturall language, whilst strangers are necessitated to read them in ours, to understand them in their own, yet think the dignity of the subject, much more deserving, then their paines.

If this we do but ingeniously consider, we shall judge it more of reason that we looke back upon, then neglect such pieces of learning as are native of our owne countrey, and by this inquisition, finde no nation hath written more, or better, although at present (as well through our owne supinenesse, as the decrees of fate,) few of their workes can be found. John Leland tooke very much paines, even at the yeilding up of the ghost, of our English learning, to preserve its latest (but weakest, ‘cause almost spent) breath; and from him John Bale, with John Pitts (who indeed is but Bale’s plagiary) hath left us a Catalogue of the Writers of this Nation, and that’s neere all. Yet posterity for this is deeply obliged. What punishment then did their pestilent malice deserve, who rob’d us of their whole workes?

A juditious author speaking of the Dissolution of our Monasteries, saith thus: Many manuscripts, guilty of no other superstition then red letters in the front, were condemned to the fire; and here a principall key of antiquity was lost to the great prejudice of posterity. Indeed (such was Learnings misfortune, at that great devastation of our English libraries, that) where a red letter or a mathematicall diagram appeared, they were sufficient to intitle the booke to be popish or diabolicall.

Our English nation hath ever beene happy for learning and learned men, and to illustrate this, I hope it will not prove distastfull.

As first, the Druydæ (the famous and mysterious Druydæ) that were priests, diviners, and wise men: and took their originall and name from Druys Sarronyus the fourth king of the Celts, (styled Sapientum & Augurum Doctor) who dyed Anno Mundi, 2069.

Next the Bardi, who celebrated the illustrious deeds of famous men, which they ingeniously dispos’d in heroique verse, and sung them to the sweete melody of the harpe: amongst other testimonies hereof receive Chaucer’s:

The old gentle Brittons in her dayes
Of divers aventures maden Layes,
Rymed erst in her Mother Tongue,
Whych Layes, with her Instruments they songe.

These philosophers had their name from Bardus Druydus (the 5[th] King of the Celts) who was the first inventor of verses, as Berosius tells us; and dyed An. Mundi 2138. Neither of these sects of philosophers used any writing (indeed it was not lawfull) for such was the policy and curiosity of elder ages (to defend their learning and mysteries from the injury of ignorant interpretations) that they delivered them to posterity by tradition only.

Cæsar testifies (and tis a noble testimony) that the learning of the Druydi was first invented in Britaine and thence transferr’d into France; and that, in all his time, those of France came over hither to be instructed. Agricola (in Tacitus) preferrs the Britaines before the Students of France (nothwithstanding that they were of a docible wit, and apt to learne) in that they were curious in attaining the eloquence of the Latin tongue.

As for magick, Pliny tells us, it flourished in Britaine, and that the people there were so devoted to it (yea, with all complements of ceremony) a man would think that even the Persian learned his magick thence. A German poet sayes that when the World was troubled with Pannonick invasions, England flourished in the knowledge of all good arts; and was able to send of her learned men into other countries to propagate learning; and instances Winifrid (alias Boniface the Devonshire man) and Willebroad (the Northerne man) that were sent into Germany.

Nay more, England was twice schoole-mistress to France (for so saith Peter Ramus) viz. First by the Druydæ (who taught them their discipline) and afterwards by Alcunius, in Charles the Great’s time, through whose perswasions the Emperour founded the University of Paris.

For the Saxons, it is not to be denied but that many of them, after their conversion to Christianity, were exceedingly learned, and before that, much addicted to soothsaying, augury, divination by the neighing of horses, &c. And tis worth the enquiry (there being more in it then we ordinarily apprehend) why they in generall worshipped Herthus [i.e. Dame Earth] for a goddess, and honoured Mercury above all the gods of the Germanes, whom they called Wooden, (hence Wodensday now our Wednesday). For, they believed that this Dame Herthus intermediated in humane affaires and relieved the poore; whose image was made armed, standing among flowers, having in its right hand a staffe, and in it a banner wherein was painted a rose; in the other hand a ballance, and upon the head thereof a cock; on the brest a carved beare, and before the midle, a fixed scutchion; in chiefe whereof was also a ballance; in face, a lion; and in point, a rose. And for their god Wooden they esteemed him as their god of battaile, representing him by an armed man. Insomuch that wee to this very day retaine the word “wood” [i.e., “wode”] among us, to signifie fierce, furious, raging, [as when one is in a great rage, we usually say he is wode:] So the Mercury of the philosophers is shaddowed under the fierce and terrible names of lion, dragon, poyson, &c. But this is not all, although it be something.

And now to come yet neerer to our selves; we must needs say that of later times (since the Conquest) our nation hath produced such famous and eminently learned men, as have equall’d (if not surpast) the greatest schollers of other nations, and happy were we if now we could but partake of those legacies they left, and which envy and ignorance has defrauded us of: Howsoever the small remainder which is left, we have good reason to prize,

For out of olde Fields as Men saythe,
Cometh alle this new Corne from yeare to yeare;
And out of olde Bokes in good faythe
Cometh all this Scyence, that Men leare.

That England hath been successively enrich’d with such men our country man John Leland (and I never heard he was partiall) abundantly testifies; who avers, that generally we have had a great number of excellent wits and writers, learned with the best as times served, who besides their knowledge in the four tongues, in which part of them excelled, there was no liberall science or any feate concerning learning, in which they have not shewed certaine arguments of great felicity and wit. And thus much for the generality of learning.

Now for a particular account of the hermetique science, vouchsafe (Ingenious Reader) to accept the ensuing collections, yet not so, as if therein were contained all the workes of our English hermetique philosophers, (for more are design’d in a second part to follow and compleate this a full Theatrum; the which God allowing me further time and tranquility to run through it, as I have already this, I intend shortly to make ready for the presse). Whereby yet more to manifest what men we have had, no lesse famous for this kinde of philosophy, then for all other commendable arts and sciences.

To adde any thing to the praise thereof, were but to hold a candle before the sunne; or should I here deliver a full account of the marvellous operations and effects thereof, it would be as far beyond the limits of a preface, as remote from the beliefe of the generality of the world. Nor doe I expect that all my readers should come with an engagement, to believe what I here write, or that there was ever any such thing in rerum natura as what we call a Philosophers Stone, nor will I perswade them to it, (though I must tell them I have not the vanity to publish these sacred and serious mysteries and arcana, as Romances) tis enough that I know incredulity is given to the world as a punishment. Yet Ile tell them what one of our ancient poeticall philosophers sayes,

If yow wyl lysten to my Lay,
Something thereby yow maie finde,
That may content your minde:
I will not sweare to make yow give credence,
For a Philosopher will finde, here in Evidence
Of the Truth; and to Men that be Lay,
I skill not greatly what they say.

I must professe I know enough to hold my tongue, but not enough to speake; and the no lesse reall then miraculous fruits I have found in my diligent enquiry into these arcana, lead me on to such degrees of admiration, they command silence, and force me to lose my tongue. Yet, as one greatly affecting my native countrey, and the satisfaction of all ingenious artists, I have published (for their use) these ensuing collected antiquities; and shall here say something more then they speak of.

He who shall have the happiness to meet with S. Dunstans worke De Occulta Philosophia, (a booke which E. G. A. I. made much use of, and which shall chiefly back what here I am about to say) may therein reade such stories as will make him amaz’d to think what stupendious and immense things are to be performed by vertue of the Philosophers Mercury, of which a taste onely and no more.

And first, of the Minerall Stone, the which is wrought up to the degree onely that hath the power of transmuting any imperfect earthy matter into its utmost degree of perfection; that is, to convert the basest of metalls into perfect gold and silver; flints into all manner of precious stones; [as rubies, saphirs, emeralds, and diamonds, &c.] and many more experiments of the like nature. But as this is but a part, so it is the least share of that blessing which may be acquired by the philosophers materia, if the full vertue thereof were knowne. Gold I confesse is a delicious object, a goodly light, which we admire and gaze upon ut Pueri in Junonis avem, but, as to make gold (saith an incomparable authour) is the cheifest intent of the alchimists, so was it scarce any intent of the ancient philosophers, and the lowest use the adepti made of this materia.

For they being lovers of wisdome more then worldly wealth, drove at higher and more excellent operations: and certainly he to whom the whole course of nature lyes open, rejoyceth not so much that he can make gold and silver, or the divells to become subject to him, as that he sees the heavens open, the angells of God ascending and descending, and that his own name is fairely written in the book of life.

Next, to come to the Vegitable, Magicall, and Angelicall Stones; the which have in them no part of the Minerall Stone (Quatenus a stone, fermented with metalline and earthy nature) for they are marvelously subtile, and each of them differing in operation and nature, because fitted and fermented for severall effects and purposes. Doubtlesse Adam (with the Fathers before the Flood, and since) Abraham, Moses, and Solomon, wrought many wonders by them, yet the utmost of their vertues they never fully understood, nor indeed any but God the Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth, blessed for evermore.

For, by the Vegitable [stone] may be perfectly known the nature of man, beasts, foules, fishes, together with all kinds of trees, plants, flowers, &c. and how to produce and make them grow, flourish & beare fruit; how to encrease them in colour and smell, and when and where we please, and all this not onely at an instant, Experimenti gratia, but daily, monethly, yearly, at any time, at any season; yea, in the depth of winter. And therefore not unlike, but the Wall-nut Tree which anciently grew in Glastenbury church-yard, and never put forth leaves before S. Barnabies Day, yet then was fully loaded with them, as also the Hawthorne there, so greatly fam’d for shooting forth leaves and flowers at Christmas, together with the oake in New-Forrest in Hampshire that bore greene leaves at the same season; may be some experiments made of the Vegitable Stone.

Besides the masculine part of it which is wrought up to a solar quality, and through its exceeding heat will burne up and destroy any creature, plant, &c. That which is lunar & feminine (if immediately applyed) will mitigate it with its extreme cold: and in like manner the lunar quality benums and congeals any animall, &c. unlesse it be presently helped and resolved by that of the Sun; for though they both are made out of one natural substance; yet in working they have contrary qualities: neverthelesse there is such a naturall assistance between them, that what the one cannot doe, the other both can, and will perform.

Nor are their inward vertues more then their outward beauties; for the solar part is of so resplendent, transparent lustre, that the eye of man is scarce able to indure it; and if the lunar part be expos’d abroad in a dark night, birds will repaire to (and circulate about) it, as a fly round a candle, and submit themselves to the captivity of the hand: And this invites mee to believe, that the stone which the ancient Hermet (being then 140 years old) tooke out of the wall in his cell, and shewed Cornelius Gallus, Ann. 1602 was of the nature of this Vegitable Stone: For, (upon the opening his Golden Box wherein it was inclosed) it dilated its beames all over the roome, and that with so great splendor, that it overcame the light that was kindled therein; besides the Hermet refused to project it upon metall (as being unworthy of it) but made his experiment upon Veronica and Rue.

By the Magicall or Prospective Stone it is possible to discover any person in what part of the world soever, although never so secretly concealed or hid; in chambers, closets, or cavernes of the Earth: for there it makes a strict inquisition. In a word, it fairely presents to your view even the whole world, wherein to behold, heare, or see your desire. Nay more, it enables man to understand the language of the creatures, as the chirping of birds, lowing of beasts, &c., to convey a spirit into an image, which by observing the influence of heavenly bodies, shall become a true oracle; And yet this as E. A. assures you, is not any wayes necromanticall or devilish; but easy, wonderous easy, naturall and honest.

Lastly, as touching the Angelicall Stone, it is so subtill, saith the aforesaid author, that it can neither be seene, felt, or weighed; but tasted only. The voyce of man (which bears some proportion to these subtill properties) comes short in comparison; nay the air itself is not so penetrable, and yet (Oh mysterious wonder!) a stone, that will lodge in the fire to eternity without being prejudiced. It hath a Divine power, celestiall, and invisible, above the rest; and endowes the possessor with Divine gifts. It affords the apparition of angells, and gives a power of conversing with them, by dreames and revelations: nor dare any evill spirit approach the place where it lodgeth. Because it is a quintessence wherein there is no corruptible thing; and where the elements are not corrupt, no devill can stay or abide.

S. Dunston calls it the Food of Angels, and by others it is tearmed The Heavenly Viaticum; The Tree of Life; and is undoubtedly (next under God) the true Alchochodon, or Giver of Years; for by it mans body is preserved from corruption, being thereby inabled to live a long time without foode: nay ‘tis made a question whether any man can dye that uses it. Which I doe not so much admire, as to think why the possessors of it should desire to live, that have those manifestations of glory and eternity, presented unto their fleshly eyes; but rather desire to be dissolved, and to enjoy the full fruition, then live where they must be content with the bare speculation.

After Hermes had once obtained the knowledge of this stone, he gave over the use of all other stones, and therein only delighted: Moses and Solomon (together with Hermes) were the only three that excelled in the Knowledge thereof, and who therewith wrought wonders.

That there is a gift of prophesie hid in the Red-stone, Racis [Rhazes] will tell you; for thereby (saith he) philosophers have foretold things to come: And Petrus Bonus avers, that they did prophesie, not only generally but specially; having a fore-knowledge of the Resurrection, Incarnation of Christ, Day of Judgement, and that the world should be consumed with fire: and this not otherwise, then from the insight of their operations.

In briefe, by the true and various use of the philosophers prima materia (for there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit) the perfection of liberall sciences are made known, the whole wisdome of nature may be grasped: and (nothwithstanding what has been said, I must further adde) there are yet hid greater things then these, for we have seen but few of his workes.

Howbeit, there are but a few Stocks that are fitted to inoculate the grafts of this science on: they are mysteries incommunicable to any but the adepti, and those that have beene devoted even from their cradles to serve and waite at this altar: and how rarely such have been heard of, may appear by Norton:

For few (saith he) or scarsely
One In fifteene kingdomes had our Red Stone.

And they perhaps were (with S. Paul) caught up into Paradice, and as he, heard unspeakeable words, so they wrought unoperable workes such as it is not lawfull to utter.

Of such as these therefore will I glory, yet of my selfe I will not glory, but of mine infirmities. And truly whether such were in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth, doubtlesse they were not far from the kingdom of God.

But I feare I have waded too farre; and therefore now to give some particular account, as well touching the publication of this worke, as also the disposition thereof, and the nature of the obsolete language wherein tis written: I shall in the first place acquaint the reader, that the kinde acceptance my former endeavours received at the hands of candid artists, in publishing some chemicall collections, very earnestly invited me to finde out a seconde piece wherewith to present those gratefull persons. Whereupon I intended to rally up some of my own conceptions in this science, and expose them also to the test: but (to this end, reviewing the philosophers) I found that many (assuming that name) wrote what their fancies, not their hands had wrought, and further then in apprehension had not seene Projection; (amongst whom our Ripley was sometimes one, as appears by his ingenious Retraction, hereafter mentioned:) and being truly sensible of the great injury such workes have done young students (at the first not able to distinguish, who have written upon their undeceveable experience, who not; and consequently, not which to follow, or which to avoyde) I withdrew my thoughts (having never as yet set my selfe effectually upon the manuall practise) lest I should adde to the many injuries the world has already suffered, by delivering the bare medley of my dubious apprehensions, without the confident attestation of practise: and be justly esteemed as indiscreete as those whom Ripley mentions, that prate

Of Robin Hode and of his Bow,
Which never shot therein I trow.

Yet still casting about what to make choyce of, at length (by the incouragement of some that are industrious after publique benefit) centred my thoughts, and fix’d them on this designe of collecting all (or as many as I could meet with) of our own English hermetique philosophers, and to make them publique.

Nor did I change this resolution with my clothes, notwithstanding the difficulties I saw, ready to encounter and obstruct the undertaking: for besides the paines and care that was thereunto requisite, the feare of not meeting with, or obtaining the originall manuscripts, or authentique copies of this nature (which I knew to be in some mens hands, yet wanting them my selfe) shrewdly beset, though nothing discourag’d me: yet was I therewith freely and plentifully supplyed by some worthy and intimate friends, whom I would gladly here mention, but that I well know they delight not to see their names in print. These had, my care was next to dispose them in such a series as might be answerable to the respective times, wherein each author flourished; and withall to the best advantage of the laborious student: the which I have manag’d with so just an adequation, as (I hope) will neither detract from the due honour of the one, nor yet disturbe or darken the direct path of the other.

But whilst I was doing this, I made a question (in regard some philosophers had writ in verse, others in prose) which of these should take precedency; and after some consideration adjudged it to the poetique part: and that, not only because its originall may probably anticipate the time of Orpheus, (although he be noted by Maierus, Primus Antistes, Sacerdos, Theologus, VATES, & Doctor totius Græcorum nationis) because that Linus is said to be the most perite of any lyrick poet, and so ancient that some suppose him master to Orpheus, who writ that admirable allegory of the Golden Fleece, and was the first of all the Grecians that brought the chemick learning (with other sciences) out of Ægipt, as the other the first that brought the Phœnician learning to the Grecians: I say not only for that it is the ancientest, and prose but of latter use with other nations: but because poetry hath bin most anciently used with us, and (as if from a grant of Nature) held unquestionable.

Again, the excellent melody thereof is so naturall and universall, as that it seemes to be borne with all the nations of the world, as an hereditary eloquence proper to all mankinde: nor was this all, for I considered that it claimes a generall succession, and reception, in all nations, all ages, who were never without a Homer, a Virgil, or an Ovid: No not this small segment of the world [England] without a Rasis Cestrensis and an Hortulanus; for the first of these, his Liber Luminum, and his Lumen de Luminum are the ancientest now extant in Latine verse: in the latter of which, I cannot omit this title of his, [Responsio Rasis Cestrensis Filio suo Merlino;] whereby it appeares he was Merlin’s contemporary (at least) if not his master, in this abstruse mystery. These workes of his are both published by Hermannus, but very imperfectly, as I found by comparing them with a manuscript, as ancient as King John’s time. And for the second [i.e. Hortulanus], he was the first Christian philosopher after Morienus, who (travelling abroad, and returning hither in the raigne of William the Conqueror) because he was the first that transplanted the Chemicall Muses from remotest parts into his own country; is called Garland, ab Coronam Hermeticam & Poeticam. But to return to our matter.

If neither its antiquity, nor the naturall ratification, generall succession, and reception thereof, were enough to allow it the right hand of fellowship, yet I suppose the effects thereof, (which so affect and delight the eare, rejoyce the heart, satisfie the judgement and indulge the hearers) justly may: in regard poesy has a life, a pulse, and such a secret energy, as leaves in the minde, a far deeper impression, then what runs in the flow and evenlesse numbers of prose: whereby it won so much upon the world, that in rude times, and even amongst barbarous nations, when other sorts of learning stood excluded, there was nothing more in estimation. And for that we call Rythme, the custome of divers of our Saxon and Norman poets, shewes the opinion they had thereof; whilst the Latine (notwithstanding its excellency) could not sufficiently delight their eares, unlesse their verses (in that language) were form’d with an harmonicall cadence, and brought into rythme: nor did the Ancients wrap up their chiefest mysteries, any where else, then in the parobolical & allusive part of poetry, as the most sacred, and venerable in their esteeme, and the securest from prophane and vulgar wits. For such was the goodnesse of our fathers, that they would not willingly hazard (much lesse throw) their childrens bread among dogs; and therefore their wisdome and policy was, first, to finde out a way to teach, and then an art (which was this) to conceale. In a word, to prefer prose before poetry, is no other, or better, then to let a rough-hewen-clowne, take the wall of a rich-clad Lady-of-Honour: or to hang a presence chamber with tarpalin, instead of tapestry.

And for these reasons, and out of these respects, the poeticall (as I conceiv’d) deserved the precedency.

Howbeit probably some of these pieces (now brought to publique light) had welnigh perish’d in a silent ruine; and destruction got a compleate victory over them, but that my diligence and laborious inquisition rescued them from the jawes thereof; being almost quite shrouded in the dust of antiquity, and involv’d in the obscurity of forgotten things, with their leaves halfe worm-eaten. And a wonder it is, that (like the creatures in Noahs Arke) they were hitherto so safely preserved from that universall deluge, which (at the Dissolution of abbies) overflowed our greatest libraries.

And in doing this, I presume it no arrogance to challenge the reputation of performing a worke, next that of a mans own: and something more, in that (as if having the Elixir it selfe) I have made old age become young and lively, by restoring each of the ancient writers not only to the Spring of their severall beauties, but to the Summer of their strength and perfection.

As for the whole worke it selfe, it is sheav’d up from a few gleanings in part of our English fields; where though I have bestowed my industry to pick up here and there, what I could finde in my way, yet I believe there are many other pieces of this nature in private hands, which if any are pleas’d (out of the same ingenious score that I have published these) to communicate to me: I shall set thereon a value sutable to the worth of their favours, and let the world know its obligation to them besides.

The style and language thereof, may, I confesse (to some) seeme irksome and uncouth, and so it is indeed to those that are strangers thereunto; but withall very significant: old words have strong emphasis; others may look upon them as rubbish or trifles, but they are grossly mistaken: for what some light braines may esteem as foolish toys; deeper judgements can and will value as sound and serious matter.

We English have often varied our fashions (such is the levity of our fancies) and therefore if you meet with spellings different from those in use; or uncouth words as strangely ridiculous, as a maunch, hood, cod-piece, or trunke hose, know; as they were the fashionable attyres, so these the usuall dialects of those times: and posterity will pay us in our own coyne, should we deride the behaviour and dresse of our ancestors. For we must consider that languages which are daily used in our discourse, are in as continuall mutation; what custome brings into habit, is best lik’d for the present, whether it be to revive what is lost, or introduce something new; or to piece up the present, with the retained shreds of what preceded; but learned tongues (which are contain’d in books) injoy a more immutable fate, because not subject to be washt away with the daily tyde and current of times. They are like the fashion and drapery wrought on marble statues which must ever be retained without alteration.

And therefore that the truth and worth of their workes might receive no diminution by my transcription, I purposely retain’d the old words and manner of their spelling, as I found them in the originalls (except only some palpable mistakes and blemishes of former transcribers, which I took upon me to correct and purge as litle more then litterall imperfections:) yet not to leave the reader unsatisfied, have added a compendious table, for the interpretation of old, unusuall, and obsolete words, and thereby smooth’d (as I suppose) the passage for such as have not hitherto bin conversant in these ancient rough-hew’d expressions.

Wherefore you that love to converse with the dead, or consult with their monuments, draw near: perhaps you may find more benefit in them, then the living; there you may meet with the genii of our hermetique philosophers, learne the language in which they woo’d and courted Dame Nature, and enjoy them more freely, and at greater command, (to satisfie your doubts) then when they were in the flesh; for, they have written more then they would speake; and left their lines so rich, as if they had dissolved gold in their inke, and clad their words with the soveraign moysture.

My annotations are limited within the bounds of what is historicall, or what occasionally must needs intrench on the confines of other arts, and all glosses upon the philosophicall worke purposely omitted, for the same reasons that I chose to send forth other mens children into the world, rather then my own. And what presumptuous mistaks, or errors, the candid reader shall meet with, will (I hope) be censured with no lesse favour and charity, then that whereby they are wont to judge the faults of those they esteem their friends and well-wishers.

And now to conclude: May the God of Nature be gratiously pleased (out of the immense treasury of his goodness) to vouchsafe all such (whose good angells direct them to, or have already religiously engaged them in this mysterious knowledge) the full and entire accomplishments of a true and pious philosopher, [To wit, learning, humility, judgement, courage, hope, patience, discretion, charity & secrecie:] That so they may enjoy the fruits of their labours, which otherwise will be but vain, and unpleasant: and causelessly render the Divine Science and secret it selfe, contemptible.

Farewell (Industrious Students) and let your goodnesse still invite me to accomplish the end I have proposed: in doing which, (I presume) you may one day esteeme me, better deserving your patronage; at least-wise, your charitable censure: which is all the recompence expected or merited, by him, who is.

Yours Really Devoted,
E. Ashmole
26 Jan. 1651/2

57 Robert Boyle

If we didn't have a Robert Boyle, we'd have needed to invent one. Boyle was the son of the wealthiest man in Great Britain, the Earl of Cork. Irish, he liked pubs, and chose his drinking buddies well: they called themselves the "Invisible College" and went on to help found the Royal Society, the first scientific society in the world with faculty from Gresham College.

Boyle was introduced to alchemy by George Starkey, a friend of a friend, and practiced alchemy almost his entire life. Boyle was an alchemist, but not wholly: he liked the experiments, but not the philosophy of alchemy.

In 1659 Robert Hooke, of the Greatorex instrument makers, constructed for Boyle an air pump. It was a simple, awkward pump using rack and pinion gears to drive down a piston in a long, small cylinder. By repeatedly resetting the pump and taking another stroke, a chamber could be evacuated efficiently. Using the biggest glass hemisphere that could be made, Boyle put Torricelli's new barometer inside, and began to pump out the air. Observations of the pressure in the barometer showed that each stroke diminished the pressure about the same amount, until the limit of the pump was reached given the air leaks. What Boyle had done was the first scientific experiment.

A graph of Boyle’s actual experimental results. Reciprocal Volume is plotted vs.
Pressure, producing a straight line. The data for the graph were taken from
Boyle’s work: A Defence of the Doctrine Touching the Spring And Weight of the Air.

His results were not welcomed in all quarters. Thomas Hobbes, one of the Empirical philosophers who believed that only by observation of nature could truths be obtained, had a huge problem with Boyles method. Boyle, Hobbs said, was not observing nature. He was observing not-nature, something man-made and manipulated and thus any conclusion was spurious. 

Boyle continued with other work on air, but turned aside to alchemy. He wrote a few papers, then wrote a book that some still think is an effort to trash alchemy; it wasn't. His book, The Skeptical Chymist (1661), was an attack on just a few parts of alchemy, particularly Paracelsian alchemy. His goal in studying alchemy was to take from alchemy the best of the experimental knowledge. Boyle had, since 1650, been thinking about experimentalism as a source of knowledge. He concluded that the only known information was experimentally-derived, and that is all one can trust. Gone are the philosophical mansions and "alchemical closets" of the past. His was pure experimentalism. He even went so far as to make sure the readers knew when he described an experiment that he had no intention of saying why the phenomenon occurred nor what it means. 

From Experiment XXVII of New Experiments we have some philosophical musings:

Your Lordship will here perhaps expect, that as those who have treated of the Torricellian Experiment, have for the most part maintained the Affirmative, or the Negative of that famous Question, Whether or no that Noble Experiment infer a Vacuum? so I should on this occasion interpose my Opinion touching that Controversie, or at least declare whether or no, in our Engine, the exsuction of the Air do prove the place deserted by the Air suck'd out, to be truly empty, that is, devoid of all Corporeal Substance. But besides, that I have neither the leasure, nor the ability, to enter into a solemn Debate of so nice a Question; Your Lordship may, if you think it worth the trouble, in the Dialogues not long since referr'd to, find the Difficulties on both sides represented; which then made me yield but a very wavering assent to either of the parties contending about the Question: Nor dare I yet take upon me to determine so difficult a Controversie.

And somewhat more clearly in New Experiments:

And thought I pretend not to acquaint you, on this occasion, with any store of new Discoveries, yet possibly I shall be so happy, as to assist you to know somethings which you did formerly but suppose; and shall present you, if not with new Theories, at least with new Proofs of such as are not yet become unquestionable.

He's not doing this for the philosopher's sake, this is new, different. This is experimental endeavor for its own sake, to learn by observing.

[Oddly, Boyle again uses the word "theory" when he introduces, in 1662, what we now call Boyle's Law. You really need to read Wooton's The Invention of Science to make sense of the new usage of scientific words like 'law,' 'experiment,' 'hypothesis,' 'theory,' and 'discovery' that happen between 1650 and 1665.]

He also made a big point of how to argue and debate experimental information:

  1. Always argue the experimental facts, and that only, since that is all that matters. Never argue the person, because then you have at least three things you need to argue: the facts, the other person's ego, and all his supporters. Just stick to the facts and you job is three-times easier.
  2. When you do an experiment, always have in mind having witnesses. Witnesses can support you by simply being there and later telling honestly what they saw. Invite a few wise natural philosophers, or better yet, form a Society full of such people and perform the experiment there. Or better even than that, invite hundreds to attend and make a show of it. The more the merrier, because witnesses turn into your supporters.
  3. When you publish, try to describe your experiment in such detail that any reader can replicate your experiment. But since Boyle himself recognized that he would not be replicating his own fundamental work no one else was gong to either, so instead describe experiment so that the reader can picture himself there, observing the experiment himself, making himself a witness. Pictures are needed, and a very humble and non-egotistical writer, else the reader might think the writer is trying to convince without proof. 

All these principles are now the core of chemistry writing. Boyle went so far as to demonstrate all these principles in his writing and in his experimentation, the most important of which are New Experiments and Continuation:

He sets forth four propositions:

Proposition I.
It seems not absurd to conceive that at the first production of mixt bodies, the universal matter whereof they among other parts of the universe consisted, was actually divided into little particles of several sizes and shapes variously moved.
Proposition II.
Neither is it impossible that of these minute particles divers of the smallest and neighboring ones were here and there associated into minute masses or clusters, and did by their coalitions constitute great store of such little primary concretions or masses as were not easily dissipable into such particles as composed them.
Proposition III.
I shall not peremptorily deny, that from most such mixt bodies as partake either of animals or vegetable nature, there may by the help of the fire be actually obtained a determinate number (whether three, four, or five, or fewer or more) of substances, worthy of differing denominations.
Proposition IV.
It may likewise be granted, that those distinct substances, which concretes generally either afford or are made up of, may without very much inconvenience be called the elements or principles of them.

He is interested in what makes a compound vs. an element. In the end he will propound Corpuscular Theory, a predecessor of atomic theory that will come 145 years later. The major themes in Skeptical Chymist are, to quote Wikipedia, 

Boyle first argued that fire is not a universal and sufficient analyzer of dividing all bodies into their elements, contrary to Jean Beguin and Joseph Duchesne. To prove this he turned for support to Jan Baptist van Helmont whose Alkahest was reputed to be a universal analyzer.

Boyle rejected the Aristotelian theory of the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and also the three principles (salt, sulfur, and mercury) proposed by Paracelsus. After discussing the classical elements and chemical principles in the first five parts of the book, in the sixth part Boyle defines chemical element in a manner that approaches more closely to the modern concept:

I now mean by Elements, as those Chymists that speak plainest do by their Principles, certain Primitive and Simple, or perfectly unmingled bodies; which not being made of any other bodies, or of one another, are the Ingredients of all those call'd perfectly mixt Bodies are immediately compounded, and into which they are ultimately resolved.[4]

However, Boyle denied that any known material substances correspond to such "perfectly unmingled bodies." In his view, all known materials were compounds, even such substances as gold, silver, lead, sulfur, and carbon.

I won't quote from Skeptical Chymist. It is, in my reading, the most difficult book to read in the English language. It's odd, too, since we have many exampled of Boyle making perfect sense. Overlong, overworked, obtuse to a fault, wasting more words in unneeded phraseology than it used profitably. Find a copy and try to read it yourself. You can't.

I'll quote one of his works, from [An Historical Account] of a Degradation of Gold Made by an Anti-Elixir: A Strange Chymical Narative (London 1678). By "Chymists" he means alchemists.

“The Publisher to the Reader”

Having been allowed the liberty of perusing the following paper at my own lodging, I found myself strongly tempted by the strangeness of the things mention’d in it, to venture to release it: the knowledge I had of the author’s inclination to gratifie the Virtuosi, forbidding me to despair of his pardon, if the same disposition prevail’d with me, to make the curious partakers with me of so surprising a piece of philosophical news. And, though it sufficiently appear’d that the insuing conference was but a continuation of a larger discourse; yet, considering that this part consists chiefly, not to say only, of a narrative, which (if I may so speak) stands upon its own legs, without any need of depending upon any thing that was deliver’d before; I thought it was no great venture, nor incongruity, to let it come abroad by itself. And, I the less scrupled to make this publication because I found that the Honorable Mr. Boyle confesses himself to be fully satisfied of the Truth, of as much of the matter of fact, as delivers the phoenomena of the tryal; the truth whereof was further confirm’d to me, by the testimony and particular account, which that most learned and experience’d physitian, who was assistant to Pyrophilus in making the experiment, and with whom I have the honor to be acquainted (being now in London) gave me with his own mouth, of all the circumstances of the tryal. And, where the truth of that shall be once granted, there is little cause to doubt that the novelty of the thing will sufficiently indear the relation: especially to those that are studious of the higher arcana of the Hermetick Philosophy. For most of the phoenomena here mentioned will probably seem wholly new, not only to vulgar Chymists, but also to the greatest part of the more knowing Spagyrists [the current word for Paracelsian alchemists] and Natural Philosophers themselves: none of the orthodox authors, as far as I can remember, having taken notice of such an Anti-Elixir. And, though Pyrophilus’s scrupulousness (which makes him very unwilling to speak the utmost of a thing) allowes it to be a deterioration into an imperfect mettal onely; yet, to tell the truth, I think it was more imbas’d than so; for the part left of it (and kept for some farther discoveries) which I once got a sight of, looks more like a mineral, or Marchasite, then like any imperfect mettal: and therefore this degradation is not the same, but much greater, than that which Lullius doth intimate in some places. These considerations make me presume it will easily be granted, that the effects of this Anti-Philosophers Stone, as I think it may not unfitly be call’d, will not only seem very strange to Hermetick, as well as other Philosophers, but may prove very instructive to speculative wits; especially if Pyrophilus shall please to acquaint them with that more odd Phoenomenon, which he mentions darkly in the close of his discourse.

An Historical Account of the Degradation of Gold by an Anti-Elixir

After the whole Company had, as it were by common consent, continued silent for some time, which others spent in reflections upon the preceding conference, and Pyrophylus, in the consideration of what he was about to deliver; this Virtuoso at length stood up, and addressing himself to the rest, “I hope, Gentlemen,” sayes he, “that what has been already discoursed, has inclin’d, if not perswaded you to think, that the exaltation or change of other metals into Gold is not a thing absolutely impossible; and, though I confess, I cannot remove all your doubts, and objections, or my own, by being able to affirm to you, that I have with my own hands made projection (as Chymists are wont to call the sudden transmutation made by a small quantity of their admirable Elixir) yet I can confirm much of what hath been argued for the possibility of such a sudden change of a metalline body, by a way, which, I presume, will surprize you. For, to make it more credible, that other metals are capable of being graduated, or exalted into gold by way of projection; I will relate to you that by the like way, Gold has been degraded, or imbased.”

The novelty of this Preamble having much surprised the auditory, at length, Simplicius, with a disdainful smile, told Pyrophilus, “that the Company would have much thanked him, if he could have assured them, that he had seen another mettal exalted into Gold; but that to find a way of spoiling Gold, was not onely an useless discovery, but a prejudicial practice.”

Pyrophilus was going to make some return to this animadversion, when he was prevented by Aristander, who, turning himself to Simplicius, told him, with a countenance and tone that argued some displeasure, “If Pyrophilus had been discoursing to a company of goldsmiths or of merchants, your severe reflection upon what he said would have been proper: but, you might well have forborn it, if you had considered, as I suppose he did, that he was speaking to an assembly of Philosophers and Virtuosi, who are wont to estimate experiments, not as they inrich mens purses, but their brains, and think knowledge especially of uncommon things very desirable, even when ‘tis not accompanyed with any other thing, than the light that still attends it and indears it. It hath been thought an useful secret, by a kind of retrogradation to turn Tin and Lead into brittle bodies, like the ores of those metals. And if I thought it proper, I could shew, that such a change might be of use in the investigation of the nature of those metals, besides the practical use that I know may be made of it. To find the nature of wine, we are assisted, not only by the methods of obtaining from it a spirit; but by the ways of readily turning it into vinegar; the knowledge of which ways hath not been despised by Chymists or Physitians, and hath at Paris, and divers other places, set up a profitable trade. ‘Tis well known that divers eminent Spagyrists have reckon’d amongst their highest Arcana the ways by which they pretended (and I fear did but pretend) to extract the Mercury of Gold, and consequently destroy that metal; and ‘twere not hard to shew by particular instances, that all the experiments wherein bodies are in some respects deteriorated, are not without distinction to be rejected or despis’d; since in some of them, the light they may afford may more than countervail the degradation of a small quantity of matter, though it be Gold itself. And indeed,” continues he, “if we will consider things as philosophers, and look upon them as nature hath made them, not as opinion hath disguised them; the prerogatives and usefulness of Gold, in comparison of other metals, is nothing near so great as alchymists and usurers imagine. For, as it is true, that Gold is more ponderous, and more fix’d, and perhaps more difficult to be spoiled, than Iron; yet these qualities (whereof the first makes it burthensom, and the two others serve chiefly but to distinguish the true from counterfeit) are so balanced by the hardness, stiffness, springiness, and other useful qualities of Iron; that if those two metals I speak of, (Gold and Iron) were equally plentiful in the world, it is scarce to be doubted, but that men would prefer the more useful before the more splendid, considering how much worse it were for mankind to want hatchets and knives and swords, than coin and plate? Wherefore,” concludes he, “I think Pyrophilus ought to be both desired and incouraged to go on with his intended discourse, since whether Gold be or not be the best of metals, an assurance that it may be degraded, may prove a novelty very instructive and perhaps more so than the transmutation of a baser metal into a nobler . . .”

Pyrophilus perceiving by several signs that he needed not add anything of apologetical to what Aristander had already said for him, resumed his discourse by saying, “I was going, Gentlemen, when Simplicius diverted me, to tell you that looking upon the vulgar objections that have been wont to be fram’d against the possibility of metalline transmutations, from the authority and prejudices of Aristotle and the School Philosophers, as arguments that in such an assembly as this need not now be solemnly discuss’d; I consider that the difficulties that really deserve to be call’d so, and are of weight even with Mechanical Philosophers, and judicious Naturalists, are principally these. First, that the great change that must be wrought by the Elixir (if there be such an agent) is effected upon bodies of so stable and almost immutable a nature as metals. Next, that this great change is said to be brought to pass in a very short time. And thirdly (which is yet more strange), that this great and suddain alteration is said to be effected by a very small, and perhaps inconsiderable proportion of the transmuting powder. To which three grand difficulties, I shall add another that to me appears, and perhaps will seem to divers of the new Philosophers, worthy to be lookt upon as a fourth, namely, the notable change that must by a real transmutation be made in the Specifick Gravity of the matter wrought upon: which difficulty I therefore think not unworthy to be added to the rest, because upon several trials of my own and other men, I have found no known quality of Gold (as its colour, malleableness, fixity, or the like) so difficult, if not so impossible, to be introduc’d into any other metalline matter, as the great Specifick Gravity that is peculiar to Gold. So that, Gentlemen,” concludes Pyrophilus, “if it can be made appear that Art has produc’d an Anti-Elixir, (if I may so call it) or agent that is able in a very short time, to work a very notable, though deteriorating, change upon a metal; in proportion to which, its quantity is very inconsiderable; I see not why it should be thought impossible that Art may also make a true Elixir, or powder capable of speedily transmuting a greater proportion of a baser metal into Silver or Gold; especially if it be considered, that those that treat of these Arcana, confess that ‘tis not every matter which may be justly called the Philosophers Stone, that is able to transmute other metals in vast quantities; since several of these writers (and even Lully himself) make differing orders or degrees of the Elixir, and acknowledge that a Medicine or tincture of the first or lowest order will not transmute above ten times its weight of an inferior metal.”

Pyrophilus having at this part of his discourse made a short pawse to take breath, Crattippus took occasion from his silence to say to him, “I presume, Pyrophilus, I shall be disavowed by very few of these Gentlemen, if I tell you that the Company is impatient to hear the narrative of your experiment, and that if it do so much as probably make out the particulars you have been mentioning, you will in likelyhood perswade most of them, and will certainly oblige them all. I shall therefore on their behalf as well as my own, sollicite you to hasten to the historical part of a discourse that is so like to gratifie our curiosity.”

The Company having by their unanimous silence testified their approbation of what Crattippus had said; and appearing more than ordinarily attentive,

“As I was one day abroad,” saith Pyrophilus, “to return visits to my friends, I was by a happy providence (for it was beside my first intention) directed to make one to an ingenious foreigner, with whom a few that I had received from him, had given me some little acquaintance.

Whilst this gentleman and I were discoursing together of several matters, there came in to visit him a stranger, whom I had but once seen before; and though that were in a promiscuous company, yet he addressed himself to me in a way that quickly satisfied me of the greatness of his civility; which he soon after also did of that of his curiosity. For the Virtuoso, in whose lodgings we met, having (to gratifie me) put him upon the discourse of his voyages, the curious stranger entertained us an hour or two with pertinent and judicious answers to the questions I askt him about places so remote, or so much within land, that I had not met with any of our English navigators or travellers that had penetrated so far as to visit them . . . I made the more haste to propose such questions to him, as I most desired to be satisfied about; and among other things, enquiring whether in the Eastern parts [of the world] he had travers’d, he had met with any Chymists; he answered me that he had; and that though they were fewer, and more reserved than ours, yet he did not find them all less skilful. And on this occasion, before he left the town to go aboard the ship he was to overtake; he in a very obliging way put into my hands at parting a little piece of paper, folded up, which he said contained all that he had left of a rarity he had received from an Eastern Virtuoso, and which he intimated would give me occasion both to remember him, and to exercise my thoughts in uncommon speculations.

The great delight I took in conversing with a person that had travelled so far, and could give me so good an account of what he had seen, made me so much resent the being so soon deprived of it, that though I judg’d such a Vertuoso would not, as a great token of his kindness, have presented me a trifle, yet the present did but very imperfectly consoal me for the loss of so pleasing and instructive a conversation.

Nevertheless, that I might comply with the curiosity he himself had excited in me, and know how much I was his debtor, I resolved to see what it was he had given me, and try whether I could make it do what I thought he intimated, by the help of those few hints rather than directions how to use it, which the parting haste he was in (or perhaps some other reason best known to himself) confin’d him to give me. But in regard that I could not but think the experiment would one way or other prove extraordinary, I thought fit to take a witness or two and an assistant in the trying of it; and for that purpose made choice of an experienced Doctor of Physick, very well vers’d in the separating and copelling8 of metals.”

“Though the Company,” says Heliodorus, “be so confident of your sincerity and wariness, that they would give credit even to unlikely experiments upon your single testimony; yet we cannot but approve your discretion in taking an assistant and a witness, because in nice and uncommon experiments we can scarce use too much circumspection, especially when we have not the means of reiterating the tryal: for in such new, as well as difficult cases, ’tis easie even for a clear-sighted experimenter to overlook some important circumstance, that a far less skilful bystander may take notice of.”

“As I have ever judged,” saith Pyrophilus, “that cautiousness is a very requisite qualification for him that would satisfactorily make curious experiments; so I thought fit to imploy a more than ordinary measure of it in making a tryal, whose event I imagined might prove odd enough. And therefore having several times observed that some men are prepossessed, by having a particular expectation rais’d in them, and are inclined to think that they do see that happen which they think they should see happen, I resolved to obviate this prejudication as much as innocently I could, and (without telling him any thing but the truth, to which philosophy as well as religion obliges us to be strictly loyal) I told him but thus much of the truth, that I expected that a small proportion of a powder presented me by a foreign Virtuoso would give a brittleness to the most flexible and malleable of metals, Gold itself. Which change I perceiv’d he judged so considerable and unlikely to be effected, that he was greedy of seeing it severely try’d.

Having thus prepared him not to look for all that I my self expected, I cautiously opened the paper I lately mentioned, but was both surprized and troubled (as he also was), to find in it so very little powder, that in stead of two differing tryals that I designed to make with it, there seem’d very small hope left that it would serve for one (and that but an imperfect one neither). For there was so very little powder that we could scarce see the colour of it (save that as far as I could judge it was of a darkish red) and we thought it not only dangerous but useless to attempt to weigh it, in regard we might easily lose it by putting it into, and out of the balance; and the weights we had were not small enough for so despicable a quantity of matter, which in words I estimated at an eighth part of a grain: but my assistant (whose conjecture I confess my thoughts inclin’d to prefer) would allow it to be at most but a tenth part of a grain. Wherefore seeing the utmost we could reasonably hope to do with so very little powder was to make one tryal with it, we weighed out in differing balances two drams of Gold that had been formerly English coyn, and that I caused by one that I usually imploy to be cupell’d with a sufficient quantity of Lead, and quarted, as they speak, with refin’d Silver, and purg’d Aqua fortis, to be sure of the goodness of the Gold: these two drams I put into a new crucible, first carefully annealed, and having brought them to fusion by the meer action of the fire, without the help of Borax, or any other Additament (which course, though somewhat more laborious than the most usual we took to obviate scruples) I put into the well-melted metal with my own hand the little parcel of powder lately mentioned, and continuing the vessel in the fire for about a quarter of an hour, that the powder might have time to defuse itself every way into the metal, we poured out the well-melted Gold into another crucible that I had brought with me, and that had been gradually heated before to prevent cracking. But though from the first fusion of the metal, to the pouring out, it had turn’d in the crucible like ordinary Gold, save that once my assistant told me he saw that for two or three moments it lookt almost like an Opale; yet I was somewhat surpriz’d to find when the matter was grown cold, that though it appear’d upon the balance that we had not lost anything of the weight we put in, yet in stead of fine Gold, we had a lump of metal of a dirty colour, and as it were overcast with a thin coat, almost like half vitrified Litharge; and somewhat to increase the wonder, we perceived that there stuck to one side of the crucible a little globule of metal that lookt not at all yellowish, but like coarse Silver, and the bottom of the crucible was overlaid with a vitrified substance whereof one part was of a transparent yellow, and the other of a deep brown, inclining to red; and in this vitrified substance I could plainly perceive sticking at least five or six little globules that lookt more like impure Silver than pure Gold. In short, this stuff look[ed] so little like refin’d, or so much as ordinary, Gold, that though my Friend did much more than I marvel at this change, yet I confess I was surpriz’d at it myself. For though in some particulars it answered what I lookt for, yet in others, it was very differing from that which the donor of the powder had, as I thought, give[n] me ground to expect. Whether the cause of my disappointment were that (as I formerly intimated) this Virtuoso’s haste or design made him leave me in the dark; or whether it were that finding my self in want of sufficient directions, I happily pitcht upon such a proportion of materials, and way of operating, as were proper to make a new discovery, which the excellent giver of the powder had not design’d or perhaps thought of . . .

[Pyrophilus next descibes the testing of the newly transmuted metal.] And first, having rubb’d it upon a good touchstone, whereon we had likewise rubb’d a piece of Coyn’d silver, and a piece of Coyn’d Gold, we manifestly found that the mark left upon the stone by our mass between the marks of the two other metals, was notoriously more like the touch of the Silver than to that of the Gold. Next, having knockt our little lump with a hammer, it was (according to my prediction) found brittle, and flew into several pieces. Thirdly, (which is more) even the insides of those pieces lookt of a base dirty colour, like that of Brass or worse, for the fragments had a far greater resemblance to Bell-metal,12 than either to Gold or to Silver. To which we added this fourth, and more considerable, examen; that having carefully weigh’d out one dram of our stuff (reserving the rest for trials to be suggested by second thoughts) and put it upon an excellent new and well-neal’d cupel, with about half a dozen times its weight of Lead, we found, somewhat to our wonder, that though it turn’d very well like good Gold, yet it continued in the fire above an hour and an half, (which was twice as long as we expected) and yet almost to the very last the fumes copiously ascended, which sufficiently argu’d the operation to have been well carried on . . .”

“There yet remain’d,” saith Heliodorus, “one examen more of your odd metal, which would have satisfied me, at least as much as any of the rest, of its having been notably imbas’d: for if it were altered in its specifick gravity, that quality I have always observ’d (as I lately perceiv’d you also have done) to stick so close to Gold, that it could not by an additament so inconsiderable in point of bulk, be considerably altered without a notable and almost essential change in the texture of the metal.”

To this pertinent discourse, Pyrophilus, with the respect due to a person that so worthily sustain’d the dignity he had of presiding in that choice Company, made this return: “I owe you, Sir, my humble thanks for calling upon me to give you an account I might have forgotten, and which is yet of so important a thing, that none of the other Phænomena of our experiment seem’d to me to deserve so much notice. Wherefore I shall now inform you, that having provided my self of all the requisites to make hydrostatical tryals (to which perhaps I am not altogether a stranger) I carefully weighed in the water the ill-lookt mass (before it was divided for the coupelling of the above-mentioned dram) and found, to the great confirmation of my former wonder and conjectures, that in stead of weighing about nineteen times as much as a bulk of water equal to it, its proportion to that liquor was but that of fifteen, and about two thirds to one: so that its specifick gravity was less by about 3 1/3 than if it had been pure Gold it would have been.”

At the recital of this notable circumstance, superadded to the rest, the generality of the Company, and the President too, by looking and smiling upon one another, express’d themselves to be as well delighted as surpriz’d; and after the murmuring occasion’d by the various whispers that pass’d amongst them, was a little over, Heliodorus address’d himself to Pyrophilus, and told him, “I need not, and therefore shall not, stay for an express order from the Company to give you their hearty thanks: for as the obliging stranger did very much gratifie you by the present of his wonderful powder, so you have not a little gratified us by so candid and particular a narrative of the effects of it; and I hope,” continues he, “that if you have not yet otherwise dispos’d of that part of your deteriorated Gold that you did not cupel, you will sometime or other favour us with a sight of it . . .”

[Crattippus then comments on the larger implications of Pyrophilus’s report.] “And though I freely grant that some old copper metals are of good use in history, to keep alive by their inscriptions the memory of the taking of a town, or the winning of a battel; though these be but things that almost every day are somewhere or other done, yet I think Pyrophilus’s imbas’d metal is much to be preferr’d, as not only preserving the memory, but being an effect of such a victory of Art over Nature, and the conquering of such generally believ’d insuperable difficulties, as no story that I know of gives us an example of . . .” [Heliodorus then calls upon Pyrophilus to present “what Corrollaries he thinks fit to propose from what he hath already delivered.”] Pyrophilus responds, “our experiment plainly shews that Gold, though confessedly the most homogeneous, and the least mutable of metals, may be in a very short time (perhaps not amounting to many minutes) exceedingly chang’d, both as to malleableness, colour, homogeneity, and (which is more) specific gravity; and all this by so very inconsiderable a proportion of injected powder, that since the Gold that was wrought on weighed two of our English drams, and consequently an hundred and twenty grains, an easie computation will assure us that the Medicine did thus powerfully act, according to my estimate, (which was the modestest) upon near a thousand times, (for ‘twas above nine hundred and fifty times) its weight of Gold, and according to my assistants estimate, did (as they speak) go on upon twelve hundred; so that if it were fit to apply to this Anti-Elixir (as I formerly ventur’d to call it) what is said of the true Elixir by divers of the Chymical Philosophers, who will have the virtue of their Stone increas’d in such a proportion, as that at first ‘twill transmute but ten times its weight; after the next rotation an hundred times, and after the next to that a thousand times, our powder may in their language be stil ‘d a Medicine of the third order.”

[Aristander provides a final defense of pursuing the arcana of chemistry.] “The Computation,” saith Aristander, “is very obvious, but the change of so great a proportion of metal is so wonderful and unexampled, that I hope we shall among other things learn from it this lesson, That we ought not to be so forward as many men otherwise of great parts are wont to be, in prescribing narrow limits to the power of Nature and Art, and in condemning and deriding all those that pretend to, or believe, uncommon things in Chymistry, as either Cheats or Credulous. And therefore I hope, that though (at least in my opinion) it be very allowable to call Fables, Fables, and to detect and expose the impostures or deceits of ignorant or vain-glorious pretenders to chymical mysteries, yet we shall not be too hasty and general censur[er]s of the sober and diligent indigators of the Arcana of chymistry, [to] blemish (as much as in us lies) that excellent Art itself, and thereby disoblige the genuine Sons of it, and divert those that are indeed possessors of noble secrets, from vouchsafing to gratifie our curiosity, as we see that one of them did Pyrophilus’s, with the sight at least, of some of their highly instructive rarities.”

 From New Experiments, where Boyle is describing experiments using a partial vacuum: 

EXPERIMENT XXXIII.

BUt in regard we have not yet been able to empty so great a Vessel as our Receiver, so well as we can the Cylinder it self; our Pump alone may afford us a nobler instance of the force of the Air we live in, insomuch, that by help of this part of our Engine, we may give a pretty near ghess at the strength of the Atmosphere, computed as a weight. And the way may be this; First, the Sucker being brought to move easily up and down the Cylinder, is to be impelled to the top of it: Then the Receiver must be taken off from the Pump, that the upper Orifice of the Cylinder remaining open, the Air may freely succeed the Sucker, and therefore readily yield to its motion downwards. This done, there must be fasten'd to one of the Iron Teeth of the Sucker, such a weight as may just suffice to draw it to the bottom of the Cylinder. And having thus examin'd what weight is necessary to draw down the Sucker, when the Atmosphere makes no other than the ordinary resistance of the Air against its descent; the Sucker must be again forc'd to the top of the Cylinder, whose upper Orifice must now be exactly closed; and then (the first weight remaining) we easily may, by hanging a Scale to the above-mention'd Iron (that makes part of the Sucker) cast in known weights so long, till in spight of the reluctancy of the Atmosphere the Sucker be drawn down. For to these weights in the Scale, that of the Scale it self being added, the sum will give us the weight of a Column of Air, equal in Diameter to the Sucker, or to the cavity of the Cylinder, and in length to the height of the Atmosphere.

According to this method we did, since the writing of the last Experiment, attempt to measure the pressure of the Atmosphere, but found it more difficult than we expected, to persorm it with any accurateness; for though by the help of the Manubrium the Sucker moved up and down with so much ease, that one would have thought that both its convex surface, and the concave one of the Cylinder were exquisitely smooth, and as it were slippery; yet when the Sucker came to be moved onely with a dead weight or pressure (that was not (like the force of him that pumped) intended as occasion required) we found that the little rufnesses or other inequalities, and perhaps too, the unequal pressure of the Leather against the cavity of the Cylinder, were able, now and then, to put a stop to the descent or ascent of the Sucker, though a very little external help would easily surmount that impediment; and then the Sucker would, for a while, continue its formerly interrupted motion, though that assistance were withdrawn. But this discouragement did not deter us from prosecuting our Experiment, and endeavouring, by a carefull trial, to make it as instructive as we could. We found then that a Leaden Weight, of 28 pounds (each consisting of sixteen Ounces) being fastned to one of the teeth of the Sucker, drew it down closely enough, when the upper Orifice of the Cylinder was left open: though by the help of Oyl and Water, and by the frequent moving the Sucker up and down with the Manubrium, its motion in the Cylinder had been before purposely facilitated. This done, the upper Orifice of the Cylinder was very carefully and closely stopped, the Valve being likewise shut with its wonted Stopple well oyl'd, after the Sucker had been again impell'd up to the top of the Cylinder. Then to the precedent twenty eight pound, we added a hundred and twelve pounds more; which forcing down the Sucker, though but leisurely, we took off the twenty eight pound weight; and being unable to procure just such weights as we would have had, we hung on, instead of it, one of fourteen pound: but found that, with the rest, unable to carry down the Sucker. And to satisfie our selves, and the Spectators, that it was the resistance of the ambient Air that hinder'd the descent of so great a weight, after that we had try'd that upon unstopping the Valve, and thereby opening an access to the external Air, the Sucker would be immediately drawn down. After this, I say, we made this farther Experiment, That having by a Man's strength forcibly depress'd the Sucker to the bottom of the Cylinder, and then fastned weights, to the above-named Iron that makes part of that Sucker, the pressure of the external Air finding little or nothing in the cavity of the evacuated Cylinder to resist it, did presently begin to impell the Sucker, with the weights that clogg'd it, towards the upper part of the Cylinder; till some such accidental Impediment, as we formerly mention'd, check'd its course. And when that rub, (which easily might be,) was taken out of the way, it would continue its ascent to the top, to the no small wonder of those By-standers, that could not comprehend how such a weight could ascend, as it were, of it self; that is, without any invisible force, or so much as Suction to list it up. And indeed it is very considerable, that though possibly there might remain some particles of Air in the Cylinder, after the drawing down of the Sucker; yet the pressure of a Cylinder of the Atmosphere, somewhat less than three Inches in Diameter (for, as it was said in the description of our Engine, the cavity of the Cylinder was no broader) was able, uncompress'd, not only to sustain, but even to drive up a weight of an hundred and odd pounds: for besides the weight of the whole Sucker it self, which amounts to some pounds, the weights annexed to it made up an hundred and three pounds, besides an Iron Bar, that by conjecture weighed two pounds more; and yet all these together fall somewhat short of the weight which we lately mention'd, the resistance of the Air, to have held suspended in the cavity of the Cylinder.

And though (as hath been already acknowledg'd (we cannot peradventure, obtain by the recited means so exact an account as were to be wish'd, of what we would discover: Yet, if it serve us to ground conjectures more approaching to the Truth, than we have hitherto met with, I hope it will be consider'd (which a famous Poet judiciously says)

Est quoddam prodire tenus, si non datur ultra.

Peradventure it will not be impertinent to annex to the other circumstances that have been already set down concerning this Experiment, That it was made in Winter, in Weather neither Frosty nor Rainy, about the change of the Moon, and at a place whose latitude is near about 51 degrees and a half: For perhaps the force or pressure of the Air may vary, according to the Seasons of the Year, the temperature of the Weather, the elevation of the Pole, or the phases of the Moon; all, or even any of them seeming capable to alter either the height or consistence of the incumbent Atmosphere: And therefore it would not be amiss if this Experiment were carefully tried at several times and places, with variety of circumstances. It might also be tried with Cylinders of several Diameters, exquisitely fitted with Suckers, that we might know what proportion several Pillars of the Atmosphere bear to the weights they are able to sustain or lift up; and consequently, whether the increase or decrement of the resistance of the ambient Air, can be reduced to any regular proportion to the Diameters of the Suckers: These, and divers other such things which may be try'd with this Cylinder, might most of them be more exactly try'd by the Torricellian Experiments, if we could get Tubes so accurately blown and drawn, that the cavity were perfectly Cylindrical.

To dwell upon all the several Reflexions, that a speculative Wit might make upon this and the foregoing Experiment, (I mean the thirty third and thirty second) would require almost a Volume; whereas our occasions will scarce allow us time to touch upon three or four of the chief Inferences that seem deducible from them, and therefore we shall content our selves to point at those few.

And first, as many other Phaenomena of our Engine, so especially, the two lately mention'd Experiments, seem very much to call in question the received Opinion of the nature or cause of Suction. For it's true indeed, that when men suck, they commonly use some manifest endeavour by a peculiar motion of their Mouths, Chests, and some other conspiring parts, to convey to them the body to be suck'd in. And hence perhaps they have taken occasion, to think that in all Suction there must be some endeavour or motion in the sucking to attract the sucked Body. But in our last Experiment it appears not at all how the upper part of the empty'd Cylinder that remains moveless all the while, or any part of it, doth at all endeavour to draw to it the depressed Sucker and the annexed weights. And yet those that behold the ascension of the Sucker, without seriously considering the cause of it, do readily conclude it to be raised by something that powerfully Sucks or attracts it, though they see not what that may be or where it lurks. So that it seems not absolutely necessary to Suction, that there be in the Body, which is said to suck, an endeavour or motion in order thereunto, but rather that Suction may be at least for the most part reduced to Pulsion, and its effects ascrib'd to such a pressure of the neighbouring Air upon those Bodies (whether Aërial, or of other natures) that are contiguous to the Body that is said to attract them, as is stronger, than that substance, which possesseth the cavity of that sucking Body, is able to resist. To object here, that it was some particles of Air remaining in the emptied Cylinder that attracted this weight to obviate a Vacuum, will scarce be satisfactory; unless it can be clearly made out by what little hooks, or other grappling Instruments, the internal Air could take hold of the Sucker; how so little of it obtained the force to lift up so great a weight; and why also, upon the letting in of a little more Air into one of our evacuated Vessels, the attraction is, instead of being strengthened, much weakned; though, if there were danger of a Vacuum before, it would remain, notwithstanding this ingress of a little Air. For that still there remained in the capacity of the exhausted Cylinder store of little rooms, or spaces empty or devoid of Air, may appear by the great violence wherewith the Air rusheth in, if any way be open'd to it. And that 'tis not so much the decrement of the Vacuum within the cavity of the vessel that debilitates the attraction, as the Spring of the included Air (whose presence makes the decrement) that doth it by resisting the pressure of the external Air, seems probable, partly from the Disability of vacuities, whether greater or lesser, to resist the pressure of the Air; and partly by some of the Phaenomena of our Experiments, and particularly by this Circumstance of the Three and Thirtieth, that the Sucker was, by the pressure of the Ambient Air, impell'd upwards with its weight hanging at it, not onely when it was in the bottom of the Cylinder, and consequently left a great Vacuum in the cavity of it; but when the Sucker had been already impell'd almost to the top of the Cylinder, and consequently, when the Vacuum that remain'd was become very little in comparison of that which preceded the beginning of the Sucker's ascension.

In the next place, these Experiments may teach us, what to judge of the vulgar Axiom received for so many Ages as an undoubted Truth in the Peripatetick Schools; That Nature abhors and flyeth a Vacuum, and that to such a degree, that no humane power (to go no higher) is able to make one in the Universe; wherein Heaven and Earth would change places, and all its other Bodies rather act contrary to their own Nature, than suffer it. For, if by a Vacuum we will understand a place perfectly devoid of all corporeal Substance, it may indeed then, as we formerly noted, be plausibly enough maintained that there is no such thing in the world; but that the generality of the Plenists, (especially till of late years some of them grew more wary) did not take a Vacuum in so strict a sense, may appear by the Experiments formerly, and ev'n to this day imploy'd by the Deniers of a Vacuum, to prove it impossible that there can be any made. For when they alledge (for Instance) that when a man sucks Water through a long Pipe, that heavy Liquor, contrary to its Nature, ascends into the Sucker's mouth, only, to fill up that room made by the Dilatation of his Breast and Lungs, which otherwise will in part be empty. And when they tell us, that the reason why if a long Pipe exactly clos'd at one end be filled top-full of Water, and then inverted, no Liquor will fall out of the open Orifice; Or, to use a more samiliar Example, when they teach, that the cause, why in a Gardiner's watering Pot shaped conically, or like a Sugar-Loaf, fill'd with Water, no Liquor falls down through the numerous holes at the bottom, whilst the Gardiner keeps his Thumb upon the Orifice of the little hole at the top, and no longer; must be that if in the case proposed the Water should descend, the Air being unable to succeed it, there would be le•t at the upper and deserted part of the Vessel a Vacuum, that would be avoided if the hole at the top were open'd. When (I say) they alledge such Experiments, the tendency of them seems plainly to import, that they mean, by a Vacuum, any space here below that is not filled with a visible body, or at least with Air though it be not quite devoy'd of all Body whatsoever. For why should Nature, out of her detestation of a Vacuum, make Bodies act contrary to their own tendency, that a place may be fill'd with Air, if its being so were not necessary to the avoiding of a Vacuum.

Taking then a Vacuum in this vulgar and obvious sense, the common opinion about it seems lyable to several Exceptions, whereof some of the chief are suggested to us by our Engine.

It will not easily then be intelligibly made out, how hatred or aversation, which is a passion of the Soul, can either for a Vacuum, or any other object, be supposed to be in Water, or such like inanimate Body, which cannot be presumed to know when a Vacuum would ensue; if they did not bestir themselves to prevent it: nor to be so generous as to act contrary to what is most conducive to their own particular preservation for the publique good of the Universe. As much then of intelligible and probable Truth, as is contain'd in this Metaphorical Expression, seems to amount but to this; That by the Wise Authour of Nature (who is justly said to have made all things in number, weight and measure,) the Universe, and the parts of it, are so contriv'd, that it is as hard to make a Vacuum in it, as if they studiously conspir'd to prevent it. And how far this it self may be granted, deserves to be farther consider'd.

For in the next place, our Experiments seem to teach, that the supposed Aversation of Nature to a Vacuum is but accidental, or in consequence, partly of the Weight and Fluidity, or, at least, Fluxility of the Bodies here below; and partly, and perhaps principally, of the spring of the Air, whose restless endeavour to expand it self every way, makes it either rush in it self, or compel the interposed Bodies into all spaces, where it finds no greater resistance than it can surmount. And that in those motions which are made ob fugam Vacui (as the common phrase is) Bodies act without such generosity and consideration, as is wont to be ascrib'd to them, is apparent enough in our 32d Experiment, where the torrent of Air, that seem'd to strive to get into the empty'd Receiver, did plainly prevent its own design by so impelling the Valve, as to make it shut the only Orifice the Air was to get out at. And if afterwards either Nature, or the internal Air, had a design the external Air should be attracted, they seem'd to prosecute very unwisely by continuing to suck the Valve so strongly; when they found that by that Suction the Valve it self could not be drawn in: Whereas by forbearing to suck, the Valve would by its own weight have fallen down, and suffer'd the excluded Air to return freely, and to fill again the exhausted Vessel.

And this minds me to take notice of another deficiency, pointed at by our Experiments in the common Doctrine of those Plenists we reason with; for many of those unusual motions in Bodies, that are said to be made to escape a Vacuum, seem rather made to fill it. For why, to instance in our newly mention'd Experiment, as soon as the Valve was depressed by the weight we hung at it, should the Air so impetuously and copiously rush into the cavity of the Receiver; if there were before no vacant room there to receive it? and if there were, then all the while the Valve kept out the Air, those little spaces in the Receiver, which the corpuscles of that Air afterwards fill'd, may be concluded to have remain'd empty. So that the seeming violence, imploy'd by Nature on the occasion of the evacuating of the Vessel, seems to have come too late to hinder the making of Vacuities in the Receiver, and only to have, as soon as we permitted, fill'd up with Air those that were already made.

And as for the care of the publique good of the Universe ascrib'd to dead and stupid Bodies, we shall only demand, why in our 19th Experiment, upon the Exsuction of the ambient Air, the Water deserted the upper half of the Glass-Tube; and did not ascend to fill it up, till the external Air was let in upon it: whereas by its easie and sudden regaining that upper part of the Tube, it appeared both that there was there much space devoid of Air, and that the Water might with small or no resistance have ascended into it, if it could have done so without the impulsion of the re-admitted Air; which, it seems, was necessary to mind the Water of its formerly neglected Duty to the Universe.

Nay, for ought appeareth, even when the excluded Air, as soon as 'twas permitted, rush'd violently into our exhausted Receiver, that flowing in of the Air proceeded rather from the determinate Force of the Spring of the neighbouring Air, than from any endeavour to fill up, much less to prevent vacuity's. For though when as much Air as will, is gotten into our Receiver our present Opponents take it for granted that it is full of Air; yet if it be remembred that when we made our 17th Experiment we crouded in more Air to our Receiver than it usually holds; and if we also consider (which is much more) that the Air of the same consistence with that in our Receiver may in Wind-guns, as is known, and as we have tryed, be compressed at least into half its wonted room (I say at least, because some affirm, that the Air may be thrust into an 8th, or a yet smaller part of its ordinary extent) it seems necessary to admit either a notion of condensation and rarefaction that is not intelligible, or that in the capacity of our Receiver when presumed to be full of Air, there yet remain'd as much of space as was taken up by all the Aërial corpuscles, unpossessed by the Air. Which seems plainly, to infer that the Air that rush'd into our empty'd vessel did not doe it precisely to fill up the Vacuities of it, since it left so many unfill'd, but rather was thrust in by the pressure of the contiguous Air: which as it could not, but be always ready to expand it self, where it found least resistance, so was it unable to fill the Receiver any more, than untill the Air within was reduc'd to the same measure of Compactness with that without.

We may also from our two already often mention'd Experiments farther deduce, that, (since Natures hatred of a Vacuum is but Metaphorical and Accidental, being but a consequence or result of the pressure of the Air and of the Gravity, and partly also of the Fluxility of some other Bodies) The power she makes use of to hinder a Vacuum, is not (as we have else-where also noted) any such boundless thing as men have been pleased to imagine. And the reasons why in the former Experiments, mentioned in favour of the Plenists, Bodies seem to forget their own Natures to shun a Vacuum, seems to be but this; That in the alledged cases the weight of that Water that was either kept from falling or impell'd up, was not great enough to surmount the pressure of the contiguous Air; which, if it had been, the Water would have subsided, though no Air could have succeeded. For not to repeat that Experiment of Monsieur Paschal (formerly mention'd to have been tryed in a Glass exceeding 32. Foot) wherein the inverted Pipe being long enough to contain a competent-weight of Water, that Liquor freely ran out at the lower Orifice: Not to mention this (I say) we saw in our nineteenth Experiment, that when the pressure of the ambient Air was sufficiently weakn'd, the Water would fall out apace at the Orifice even of a short Pipe, though the Air could not succeed into the room deserted by it. And it were not amiss if tryal were made on the tops of very high Mountains, to discover with what case a Vacuum could be made near the confines of the Atmosphere, where the Air is probably but light in comparison of what it is here below. But our present (three and thirtieth) Experiment seems to manifest, not onely that the power, exercis'd by Nature, to shun or replenish a Vacuum, is limitted, but that it may be determin'd even to Pounds and Ounces: Insomuch that we might say, such a weight Nature will sustain or will lift up to resist a Vacuum in our Engine; but if an Ounce more be added to that weight, it will surmount Her so much magnifi'd detestation of Vacuities. And thus, My Lord, our Experiments may not onely answer those of the Plenists, but enable us to retort their Arguments against themselves: since, if that be true which they alleadge, that, when Water falls not down according to its nature, in a Body wherein no Air can succeed to fill up the place it must leave, the suspension of the Liquor is made Ne detur Vacuum, (as they speak) it will follow, that if the Water can be brought to subside in such a case, that deserted space may be deem'd empty, according to their own Doctrine; especially, since Nature (as they would perswade us) bestirs her self so mightily to keep it from being deserted.

I hope I shall not need to remind Your Lordship, that I have all this while been speaking of a Vacuum, not in the strict and Philosophical sense, but in that more obvious and familiar one that hath been formerly declar'd.

And therefore I shall now proceed to observe in the last place, that our 33d Experiment affords us a notable proof of the unheeded strength of that pressure which is sustain'd by the Corpuscles of what we call the free Air, and presume to be uncompressed. For, as fluid and yielding a Body as it is, our Experiment teacheth us, That ev'n in our Climate, and without any other compression than what is (at least here below) Natural, or (to speak more properly) ordinary to it, it bears so strongly upon the Bodies whereunto it is contiguous, that a Cylinder of this free Air, not exceeding three Inches in Diameter is able to raise and carry up a weight, amounting to between sixteen and seventeen hundred Ounces. I said even in our Climate, because that is temperate enough; * and as far as my observations assist me to conjecture, the Air in many other more Northern Countries may be much thicker, and able to support a greater weight: which is not to be doubted of, if there be no mistake in what is Recorded concerning the Hollanders, that were forc'd by the Ice to Winter in Nova Zembla, namely, That they found there so condens'd an Air, that they could not make their Clock goe, ev'n by a very great addition to the weights that were wont to move it.

I suppose Your Lordship will readily take notice, that I might very easily have discoursed much more fully and accurately than I have done, against the common opinion touching Suction, and touching natures hatred of a Vacuum. But I was willing to keep my self to those considerations touching these matters, that might be verified by our engine it self, especially, since, as I said at first, it would take up too much time to insist particularly upon all the Reflexions that may be made even upon our two last Experiments. And therefore passing to the next, I shall leave it to Your Lordship to consider how far these tryals of ours will either confirm or disfavour the new Doctrine of several eminent Naturalists, who teach, That in all motion there is necessarily a Circle of Bodies, as they speak, moving together; and whether the Circles in such motion be an Accidental or Consequential thing or no.

John Freind, the Newtonian chemist, lectured

No Body has brought more Light into this Art than Mr. Boyle, that famous Restorer of Experimental Philosophy: Who nevertheless has not so much laid a new Foundation of Chymistry, as he has thrown down the old; he has left us plentiful Matter, from whence we may draw out a true Explication of things, but the Explication it self he has but very sparingly touch'd upon.

Chymical Lectures, London, 1712, p. 4.

58 Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton was an alchemist. In terms of years of work, he was far more an alchemist than a physicist or mathematician.

While at Cambridge University there was an outbreak of the plague. Newton went home for a year, his Annus Mirabilus (Year of Wonders, 1666) where he worked out calculus, the operation of the prism, the laws of motion, and universal gravity. After he wrote these up in Principia Mathematica (the 'c' is hard, as in all Latin), "The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy," he began his study of alchemy, theology, church history and prophecy.

About that year Newton applied himself to a cure for the plague: "the best is a toad suspended by the legs in a chimney for three days, which at last vomited up earth with various insects in it, on to a dish of yellow wax, and shortly after died. Combining powdered toad with the excretions and serum made into lozenges and worn about the affected area drove away the contagion and drew out the poison." This was in Newton's analysis of the alchemist van Helmont's book, de Peste.

In 1727 Humphrey Newton wrote: 

About 6 weeks at spring, and 6 at the fall, the fire in the elaboratory scarcely went out, which was well furnished with chemical materials as bodies, receivers, heads, crucibles, etc., which was made very little use of, the crucibles excepted, in which he fused his metals; he would sometimes, tho’ very seldom, look into an old mouldy book which lay in his elaboratory, I think it was titled Agricola de Metallis, the transmuting of metals being his chief design#x00A0;. . . His brick furnaces, pro re nata, he made and altered himself without troubling a bricklayer. [Quoted in Betty Jo Dobbs, Foundations 8.]

Even while the President of the Royal Society he practiced his alchemy in secret. 

This is his Clavis, or Key to his interpretation of the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus. 

The Key

[f. 1r] First of all know antimony to be a crude and immature mineral having in itself materially what is uniquely metallic, even though otherwise it is a crude and indigested mineral. Moreover, it is truly digested by the sulfur that is found in iron and never elsewhere.

Two parts of antimony [combined] with iron give a regulus which in its fourth fusion exhibits a star; by this sign you may know that the soul of the iron has been made totally volatile by the virtue of the antimony. If this stellate regulus is melted with gold or silver by an ash heat in an earthen pot, the whole regulus is evaporated, which is a mystery. Also, if this regulus is amalgamated with common mercury and is digested in a sealed vessel on a slow fire for a short time – two or three hours – and then ground for 1/8 of an hour in a mortar without moisture while being warmed moderately, until it spits out its blackness, then it may be washed to deposit the greatest part of its blackness, until the water, which in the beginning becomes quite black, is scarcely more tinged by the blackness. This can be done by flushing it with water many times. Let the amalgam be dried, again placed near the fire, and kept in the above-mentioned heat for three hours. Afterwards let it be ground again as before in a dry and warm mortar. It pushes out new blackness, which must be washed away again; this must be repeated continually until the whole amalgam becomes like shining and cupellated silver, whereas at first it had a dark leaden color.

Then distill this mercury which has been so washed and amalgamate over again seven or nine times, and in each amalgamation see to the heating, grinding, and washing as many times as before, Distill the whole as before. On the seventh time you will have a mercury dissolving all metals, particularly gold. I know whereof I write, for I have in the fire manifold glasses with gold and this mercury. They grow in these glasses in the form of a tree, and by a continued circulation the trees are dissolved again with the work into new mercury. I have such a vessel in the fire with gold thus dissolved, where the gold was visibly not dissolved by a corrosive into atoms, but extrinsically and intrinsically into a mercury as living and mobile as any mercury found in the world. For it makes gold begin to swell, to be swollen, and to putrefy, and to spring forth into sprouts and branches, changing colors daily, the appearances of which fascinate me every day. I reckon this a great secret in Alchemy, and I judge it is not rightly to be sought from artists who have too much wisdom to decide that common mercury ought to be attacked through reiterated cohobation by the regulus of leo [that is, of iron or antimony]. That unique body, that regulus, however, is familial with mercury seeing that it is closest to that mercury you have known and recognized in the whole mineral kingdom, and hence most closely related to [f. 1V] gold. And this is the philosophical method of meliorating nature in nature, consanguinity in consanguinity.

With regard to this operation, look at the Letter responding to Thomas of Bologna, and you will find this question fully solved.

Another secret is that you need the mediation of the virgin Diana [quintessence, most pure silver]; otherwise the mercury and the regulus are not united.

The regulus is made from antimony four ounces /nine parts/, iron two ounces /four parts/; this is a good proportion. Do not neglect to have a mass of antimony greater than that of iron, for if an error is made here you will be disappointed. Make the regulus by casting in nitre bit by bit; cast in between three and four ounces of nitre so that the matter may flow.

It is not a good idea to prepare in one crucible a greater quantity than the above measure of antimony. The antimony is ground, then cupelled together with iron, whatever others may say or write.

Little nails may be used and especially the ends of those broken from horn shoes. Let the fire be strong so that the matter may flow [like water], which is easily done. When it flows, cast in a spoonful of nitre; and when that nitre has been destroyed by the fire, cast in another. Continue that process until you have cast in three or four ounces. Then pile up the charcoals about the crucible, taking care that they do not fall into it. Increase the fire as much as the fusion of common silver requires, and keep it in that state for 1/8 of an hour. [The matter ought to be like a subtle water if you have labored correctly.] Then pour the matter out into a cone. The regulus will subside. Separate the ashy scoria from it. Keep the cooled material in a dry vessel.

It is a sign of a good fusion if the iron is completely fused and if the scoriae break up by themselves into powder.

Beat the regulus and add to it two, or at most 2½, ounces of nitre. Grind the regulus and the nitre together completely and again melt. Throw away the arsenical and useless scoriae.

Grind the regulus a third and fourth time with at most one ounce of nitre and melt in a new crucible, and on the fourth time you will have scoriae tinged with a golden color and a stellate regulus.

NB In the last three times the scoriae must be thrown away because they are arsenical; however, they are useful in surgery.

NB In the last three fusions the regulus must be beaten, and ground and mixed with nitre. Some cast the nitre into the crucible, but this is not recommended, for, firstly, the fusion is as a result prolonged and the regulus is not without some loss of itself by exhalation. Secondly, nitre thrown in in this way stays on the surface and in time it cools the regulus. And since nitre flows easily, [f. 2r] it may flow at first and encrust so that it will not flow again without a large fire. If that happens, the best part of the regulus perishes in the conflagration, whence it is that sometimes a star perishes because it is falsely ascribed to a constellation. You will see that the regulus mixed with nitre in this way flows easily with it; and you will not see it become hard in any manner, except for the difference in the depuration, which is far greater if it is mixed than if the nitre is just tossed in.

Take of this regulus one part, of silver two parts, and melt them together until they are like fused metal. Pour out, and you will have a friable mass of the color of lead.

NB If the regulus is joined with the silver, they flow more easily than either one separately and they remain fused as long as lead even though there are thus two parts of silver, which is then changed into the nature of antimony, friable and leaden.

Beat this friable mass, this lead, and cast it together with the mercury of the vulgar into a marble mortar. The mercury should be washed (say ten times) with nitre and distilled vinegar and likewise dried (twice), and the mortar should be constantly heated just so much as you are able to bear the heat of with your fingers. Grind the mercury ¼ of an hour with an iron pestle and thus join the mercury, the doves of Diana mediating,8 with its brother, philosophical gold, from which it will receive spiritual semen. The spiritual semen is a fire which will purge all the superfluities of the mercury, the fermental virtue intervening. Then take a little beaten sal ammoniac and grind with the mercury. When it is fully amalgamated, add just enough humidity to moisten it, and this one philosophical sign will appear to you: that in the very making of the mercury there is a great stink. Finally, wash your mercury by pouring on water, grinding, decanting, and again pouring on fresh water, until few feces appear.

Newton's Commentary (early 1680s)

The Commentary on the Emerald Tablet

The things that follow are most true. Inferior and superior, fixed and volatile, sulfur and quicksilver have a similar nature and are one thing, like man and wife. For they differ one from another only by the degree of digestion and maturity. Sulfur is mature quicksilver, and quicksilver is immature sulfur; and on account of this affinity they unite like male and female, and they act on each other, and through that action they are mutually transmuted into each other and procreate a more noble offspring to accomplish the miracles of this one thing. And just as all things were created from one Chaos by the design of one God, so in our art all things, that is the four elements, are born from this one thing, which is our Chaos, by the design of the Artificer and the skillful adaptation of things. And this generation is similar to the human, truly from a father and mother, which are the Sun and the Moon. And when the Infant is conceived through the coition of these, he is borne continuously in the belly of the wind until the hour of birth, and after birth he is nourished at the breasts of foliated Earth until he grows up. This wind is the bath of the Sun and the Moon, and Mercurius, and the Dragon, and the Fire that succeeds in the third place as the governor of the work; and the earth is the nurse, Latona washed and cleansed, whom the Egyptians assuredly had for the nurse of Diana and Apollo, that is, the white and red tinctures. This is the source of all the perfection of the whole world. The force and efficacy of it is entire and perfect if, through decoction to redness and multiplication and fermentation, it be turned into fixed earth. Thus it ought first to be cleansed by separating the elements sweetly and gradually, without violence, and by making the whole material ascend into heaven through sublimation and then through a reiteration of the sublimation making it descend into earth: by that method it acquires the penetrating force of spirit and the fixed force of body. Thus will you have the glory of the whole world and all obscurities and all need and grief will flee from you. For this thing, when it has through solution and congelation ascended into heaven and descended into earth, becomes the strongest of all things. For it will constrain and coagulate every subtle thing and penetrate and tinge every solid thing. And just as the world was created from dark Chaos through the bringing forth of the light and through the separation of the aery firmament and of the waters from the earth, so our work brings forth the beginning out of black Chaos and its first matter through the separation of the elements and the illumination of matter. Whence arise the marvellous adaptations and arrangements in our work, the mode of which here was adumbrated in the creation of the world. On account of this art Mercurius is called thrice greatest, having three parts of the philosophy of the whole world, since he signifies the Mercury of the philosophers, which is composed from the three strongest substances, and has body, soul, and spirit, and is mineral, vegetable, and animal, and has dominion in the mineral kingdom, the vegetable kingdom, and the animal kingdom.

59 The End of Alchemy

There is no date for the death of alchemy. What we see is a long series of changes to the four elements until the early chemists arrive at a new way of looking at nature.

After the mercury/sulfur/salt theory of Paracelsus, (still alchemy), the first major change is the Phlogiston theory of Stahl, 1717, when Newton and most alchemists were still practicing alchemy. Phlogiston is the Fire from Empedocles, a substance emanating from the sun, which gathers into wood, and when heated, the phlogiston is released. Metals also contained a great amount of phlogiston, and would burn when heated sufficiently to drive it out.

Joseph Priestly experimented in the 1770's with oxygen gas, which he called "dephogisticated air" because, having no phlogiston in it, would accept phlogiston from almost any source. He also played with carbon dioxide from a nearby brewery, which did not support flame, which he called "phlogisticated air" because it was already saturated with phlogiston and would accept no more from a flame. His efforts meant very little to the practicing alchemists. But they meant a lot to a French tax collector named Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier.


Joseph Priestly

Lavoisier was good at numbers and accounting, which made him very wealthy working for a Paris tax collector. He married the boss's daughter (Marie-Anne, which turned out to be the best thing he could have done; she was amazing), got into minor politics, made gunpowder for the government (and for the American Revolution), made government fertilizer for French farms, and finally, semi-retired, wanted to figure out this alchemy thing. But Lavoisier's approach was not like the alchemists in any way. He did not follow the sequence of colors, nor follow known descriptions of what he should see; he bought the best balance he could get, from a London instrument maker, and applied accounting to his measurements.


Marie-Anne Lavoisier and Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, painted by David, who mentored Marie-Anne in art.

At a social dinner Marie-Anne sat between Lavoisier and Joseph Priestly. She knew English and translated for Lavoisier as Priestly talked at length about dephlogisticated air. Marie-Anne was beautiful and I think Priestly got a little carried away with himself impressing her, so Lavoisier walked away with a huge amount of information about the gas he would call "oxygen."

Lavoisier's experiments were of this type: start with a weighed sample of metal and with oxygen, and let them react in a closed vessel. Weigh them again (the weight was the same), then using a higher heat, separate them again (it was the same weight again). From this he got the second law in chemistry, the Law of Conservation of Mass. He also learned a lot about what things can be broken into multiple other substances, and which could not, leaning hard into a new theory of elements, but not stating it well.

Lavoisier then wrote a book on how to do chemistry in 1779, which his wife illustrated (she was a student of the painter David, who did the portrait of them seen above). The illustrations were beautiful, and the book was quickly translated into English and sold fast.

What Lavoisier had done would later be called a paradigm shift, a change in the way of doing and thinking about alchemy that the old alchemists would not have realized was even a thing.

After Lavoisier there were still many practicing alchemists. There still are. But the new chemistry, the science of measurement and of experiments, was alive and well.

Is there a death date? Maybe, but it's not the death of alchemy that marks the date: it's the birth of something better, the reemergence of atomic theory by John Dalton, 1803, and his publication, 1808. More on that in my new blog series, Early Chemistry.

____________________________________

So what of this blog series? I'll update it still, to fill in the many blanks I left open when I could not find good quotations from the many alchemists I skipped over. And there were quite a few. I'm not sure how I'll number them, but maybe 'Alchemy 35.5" or something, to maintain the sequence.

And I'll start a new series, Early Chemistry. I'm not as well read there, so a year of study or so will be needed. Maybe I'll find the topic too big to do. Maybe it's too small and I'll need to extend it to Early Science. Dunno yet.

60 Why Did Alchemy Last?

This is a huge question for me. Why did alchemy persist, as an idea, from 300 B.C. to about 1750 A.D.? Over 2000 years. And it never worked. Why did it last?

Support for Alchemy

There were a few things that could be observed by practicing alchemists to support the ideas of transmutation.

"Transmutations" Chemical reactions typically start with one or two substances which transform into a new substance with entirely new properties. It looks like transmutation when observed. One of the thrills of inorganic lab is the reactions where the colors change: combine burgundy red with clear and you get black, which crystallizes as orange. Magical! It's mostly a property of transition metals, like iron, and the old alchemists worked in iron pans for the high-temperature processes, and iron is thought to have dissolved into the reaction mixture, so they would have seen the colors of iron.

Inorganic salts of iron.

"Copper Mine Effluents" Late in alchemy it was observed by miners that if you put a piece of iron into the water running out of a copper mine that soon the iron was coated with copper. It looked like an alchemical transmutation. We know it to be redox chemistry, specifically a single-replacement electrochemical reaction. But it looks to all the world like a transmutation, at least on the surface.

Even with those few supports, transmutation never worked. Surely the alchemists would have given up in the first hundred years of trying, and it would have never survived past the time of Christ.

Niche Theory

Biologists and botanists observe that some life exists only in certain places and in certain conditions, and cannot live outside that place. This is a biological niche. Particularly frail species can only exist in a niche, and should the niche change, the species is lost.

Social ideas operate on the same principle. Some ideas are impractical, and will not survive a pragmatic world. Business is pragmatic, and rarely supports a niche (unless that niche is willing to spend money for nothing in return other than support the niche; i.e. social media). For example, people who believe that society owes them money for no reason cannot survive in society until they find a place where people are given money for no reason. That place, or situation, or government body, becomes their niche. They are fragile and cannot live outside it.

Academia is a famous niche for liberal ideas, ideas which cannot survive the marketplace because they are unrealistic and few pragmatic citizens support them, citizens operating on principles of practicality for their family's benefit.

Sometimes an idealistic idea propagates into society. But that ideal while disturbing to the practical-minded while it remains avant-garde, will never survive the marketplace. They never have. Idealistic ideas need a niche in which to live. There exists a rich history of temporary large-scale niches: pet rocks (gone), ALAR (gone), vaccine-autism links (small niche), the red menace (gone), witchcraft (gone), civil defense (gone, but for the prepper niche), etc. Some niches become entirely societal, because we managed to make them practical: automobiles, computers, photography, air travel, pens, electronic music, digital photography, digital music, movies; the list is long.

A Social Niche Protects Impractical Ideas

Universities are famous for harboring impracticality, because the work there is to teach ideas, not to live by selling the consequences of those ideas, as business does. This is why liberals flock to the University; at their core liberals are idealists, and idealism needs a niche. 

Alchemy, who's fathers are Plato and Aristotle, were idealists, as Plato and Aristotle were idealists. They both formed a world-view from principles, and forming beliefs from principles is the recipe for idealism. Alchemy is protected in a niche formed by idealism, and propagated by other alchemists, particularly their writings.

This blog series, I see now, is a record of that idealism, of that niche, of how these ideas were protected from practicality.

How did alchemists ignore the fact that they could not perform a transmutation? It is documented here in their writings.

How did they entice the next generation of young people to hold to their ideals over practicality? It is also documented here.

How did alchemists withstand the assault of the practical over the ideal? That is documented here.

Idealism

Idealism has many, many forms, all bad. The crusades were nothing but misery and woe, except if you had the great luck to die early. They were driven by utter idealism. Communism is idealistic, and it has only created misery for the people (though the leaders mostly seem to do well). Most of governments biggest problems are the consequence of policies and programs idealistically set up to alleviate misery, but consequently generated vastly more misery ("let's make sure no one is without money in this temporary economic setback by establishing a permanent program giving away so much money that we create a sub-population who will not work because we will give them money, to the point we need to go further into debt to pay the interest on our debt until it fails when we need to tax away everyone's money").

I think I can categorically state that idealism is bad in every regard. Idealism turns people into fodder. People become impediments to the ideal when they do not agree with the ideals or fail to live up to the perfection demanded by the ideal, impediments that must be removed so the ideals can flourish. Idealism trumps people.

The thing I like most about those I know who are not idealists is that they care about people. This is an honest, practical care for others, because that's all we have for help. This is the sort of care I like most. Idealism makes me fit into the mold shaped by the ideal, and that just isn't me. As a personal observation, I've spent most of my life masking as an autistic person, and I know what it's like to spend most of your time with others being someone you are not. It's misery, and I don't like it at all.

Avoid the niches of the idealistic. They will dehumanize you. Jesus was all about this: spend your time with the homeless, those in jail, the laborers, the wanderers, and avoid those who live in a niche, like the academic and rich. Don't give money to idealistic snake charmers; they are really about personal enrichment and only use the ideal to pry open your wallet. And don't believe any fore-tellers of the future: they are idealists who have proven to be correct (even their conception of current reality is warped by their ideals), and will invariably invoke an ideal to cover their poor prognostication.

In a general sense, the idealist probably prefers deduction, finding specifics from generalist ideas; the realist prefers induction, forming a general rule from many observations, or inference, using past and present observations to form an up-to-date general rule describing all observations so far.

Here is a little joke I saw online today:

So what of University? As I said, it collects the idealists. I'm not one of them. I simply love teaching. Teaching scratches an important autistic itch I have. And it does so very well. There are others in the Chemistry department who are practical, and I love them all. They came to UVU from industry and learned their practicality there. But others at the University, and a few in our department, are idealistic, and largely annoying. Biology has tons of them. Go to a small school, one with an agriculture program, or a plumbing program or some other practical trade. Good work helps keep the idealist away. Find a school with a small administration; the idealists set up huge administrations to maintain their niche. But above all, avoid any place or anyone who takes themselves seriously; they are pretending to an ideal, and they are bad for you.

And avoid cancel culture: those are idealists trying to maintain their niche. In general it's best to support the cancelled; they are being practical, unless they support a different ideal, in which case run away and keep your head down! No good comes from those fights. Diogenes was a realist of the best sort. Find out who he was.

Good luck out there, and keep it real.

61 What Did Alchemy Give Us?

Another important question. Why study it, if it didn't give us chemists anything important? 

I think it did provide something important, something that changes the way chemists do science.

Last November Lawrence Principe, historian and chemist at John Hopkins, received an award from the American Chemical Society. In his award speech he said something that I had never heard which I thought was marvelously true. He said that chemists repugnance for alchemy drove them to develop a form of empirical science that left no doubt that what chemists said was true, a radical empiricism that went beyond just demonstrating facts, but obliterating doubt. Chemistry got good at proving what they said by systematically removing every objection in an obvious way. 

For example, when Glenn Seaborg synthesized (and thus discovered) neptunium, his report needed verifiable evidence that the new element could not possibly be any pre-existing element, so he reported 91 experiments to show that his new element was unlike any known. That's a lot of work. But he did it, in part according to Principe, in an effort to be certain. 

Chemistry, more than physics, biology, earth science, any other science, goes to extreme length to remove doubt. Other sciences tend toward showing what they want to show, and leave doubts in their wake. Sometimes many doubts, and sometimes controversy arises because those doubts are so bothersome.

So what did alchemy give to chemistry? The burning desire to be certain. And when our measurements are not certain, we are experts at expressing just how uncertain we are as significant digits. No scientist worries over significant digits like a chemist. 

The social implications are that chemists can be trusted in what they say. Except when a chemist abuses that trust to hoodwink the regulators, the public, or each other. But that's a different topic.

62 Alchemy Today

Is alchemy gone? To answer that, say exactly what alchemy was.

Alchemy was a complete reliance on the philosophy of the past, specifically Aristotle's philosophy, with no regard to evidence to the contrary or areas where the philosophy fails. This is difficult to do if you are paying attention, so this disregard can only be described as a willful disregard of reality.  And why would anyone do that? 

Now I’m going to discuss how we would look for a new law. In general, we look for a new law by the following process. First, we guess it (audience laughter), no, don’t laugh, that’s the truth. Then we compute the consequences of the guess, to see what, if this is right, if this law we guess is right, to see what it would imply and then we compare those computation results to nature or we say compare to experiment or experience, compare it directly with observations to see if it works.

If it disagrees with experiment, it’s WRONG. In that simple statement is the key to science.

It doesn’t make any difference how beautiful your guess is, it doesn’t matter how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is… If it disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong. That’s all there is to it.

Richard Feynmann, 1964

Ideology

We have a tendency toward ideology. We like a good, clean story that explains our life. We like knowing why the world behaves as it does, and will stick to that explanation even when the explanation fails a little. Or even a lot. As long as we have a "why," an explanation of the behavior, we hold to that explanation until we are forced to abandon it by facts outside of our explanation. 

But what if those facts are just a little off? Or if the theory works most of the time, just not all the time? Will we abandon the theory just for the sake of a few odd observations? Or an unusual situation? We haven't abandoned any theory in my lifetime. And I'm not young. Why have we never in the last 60 years abandoned a theory?

Quantum Theory

There are two quantum theories, matrix mechanics and wave mechanics. Wave mechanics was adopted by chemists who needed a workable quantum theory with definite predictions to describe their molecules (see below). Physics seems to have adopted matrix mechanics to describe the behavior of all subatomic particles (of which they have many), which has made them the most popular because of a number of unreasonable predictions it makes. Those predictions are popular because they are so strange. One of those predictions is superposition, where two discernably-different states exist at the same time. What it means is the electron, flying at great speed, goes through one slit or through the other slit. The observation is that it goes through both. Matrix mechanics interprets that as the "superposition" or blending, of both possibilities. Edwin Schrödinger, inventor of the wave mechanics method, realized how silly this interpretation was and made fun of it in what is now known as the "Schrödinger's Cat" thought experiment. I talk about that here. Wave mechanics is free of ideas like collapsible superposition and the multiverse; matrix mechanics takes pride in them. 

But I want to talk specifically here about matrix mechanics. And despite the efforts of the matrix-mechanicists to justify superposition with the Cat (listen to any popularization of the Cat and they will tell it as an example of how fun and real superposition is) they will leave out one utterly fundamental thing: what caused the Cat to change its state from both-alive-and-dead-at-the-same-time to alive or dead? That event is undefined in matrix mechanics. Can a machine do it? Does it require a conscious being, who can tell the difference between alive and newly-dead? Can it be done by putting something in the box without looking inside? The theory is silent. Wave collapse just isn't part of the theory. This makes matrix mechanics incomplete. And it's a huge hole in the theory when something fundamental like superpositional wave collapse (as it's called) can't be described.

An odder aspect of quantum theory appears when we examine the electron configurations of the transition metals. Scandium,. for example, is listed as [Ar]4s23d1. We tell freshman students the order doesn't matter, but then when we ionize the atom, it's the 4s electron which leaves first, meaning it has the higher energy, so [Ar]3d14s2 is more appropriate. What this means is that the quantum mechanical calculations, which put the 4s subshell below the 3d subshell, are wrong. The situation is further complicated when you look down a column in the transition metals. Periodic theory says that for all these elements to behave chemically similar they must have the same outer-shell electron configurations. But look at the column that starts with nickel; platinum and palladium act chemically similar to nickel, but each have a different outer-shell electron configuration: Ni: [Ar]3d84s2, Pd: [Kr]4d10; Pt: [Xe]4f145d96s1. This breaks the periodic law, and leaves quantum theory in a tight spot when it disagrees with reality. We chemists then have a routine of hand-waving some explanations that never satisfy us, and confuse our students. A theoretical chemist named Schwartz has the best explanation: you need to allow atoms to have multiple ground states then find the average of them to describe the physical behavior (S-G Wang and W. H. E. Schwarz, Angewandte Chemie International Edition 48, no. 3, 404, 2009). This goes against a fundamental aspect of quantum physics, that all systems are stable only at the lowest energy state. In short, the periodic table is not the consequence of quantum theory.

Another observation, that ns2 configurations measures as being more stable than ns1 configurations by about 1 eV (getting larger as n gets higher), has no explanation I've ever seen from quantum theory; it is a purely chemical phenomenon. The situation is complex enough that we can't assign an energy to a specific orbital; to calculate the electron configuration you need to calculate total energy of all possible electron configurations, then select the one configuration (or average multiple configurations) with the lowest total. This is not how quantum mechanics describes electron energies.

Molecular Orbital Theory

Molecular Orbital Theory, MO theory, is chemistry's application of wave mechanics to model the electron orbital energies of a molecule. We chemists chose the wave mechanics approach because it was so approachable. Back in the early 1950's there was a bonding theory that was very popular, the Valence Bond Theory, developed and popularized by one man, Linus Pauling. He had invented it twenty years earlier, and it was a real hit, even though some aspects of the theory weren't all that well thought out. But while Pauling was interested in defending it, it was the only theory known by most chemists. Pauling became interested in another idea, that of the beneficial effects of massive doses of vitamin C. It occupied so much of his time that he dropped work on VB theory and published a book in 1971 bragging up the virtues of vitamin C. The book and Pauling himself was trashed by the scientific and medical communities; it was a silly idea that had very little legitimate proof.

When chemists saw all this going down they turned to another application of wave mechanics to molecules, the Molecular Orbital Theory. This was a more difficult-to-apply use of wave mechanics, but examples were soon produced that demonstrated a remarkable closeness of the MO model of a molecule to the physical measurements of the same molecule. Problematically, the calculation was far more difficult to do, and required massive mainframe computers to run a calculation. Even more problematically, there were so many ways the calculation could be done that the experimenter running the calculation first needed those measurements to assess which of the many options produced a model sufficiently close to the measurements to trust. And that's the way MO calculations are still done: measure a molecule, model it so that you get the same orbital energies and properties of the molecule (like bond lengths and angles, orbital energies, vibrational and rotational frequencies, among others), then use that exact method for a similar, but unmeasured molecule, with the faith that the calculation matches reality. Matching reality is difficult, because quantum mechanical calculations don't use parameters that interest chemists, like bond distance, bond angles, and bond energies. They use electron energy and momentum. We are trying to describe a car race by measuring the frame of the competing cars. So we try our best to take the electron calculations and expand them to describe the molecule and it's properties.

Did you see the problem? The theory does not say how to do the calculation! The theory cannot, on its own, find the correct model of a molecule; only an experimenter can find one. The theory is so incomplete that it cannot by itself do anything; it requires an experimenter who uses both hands and both feet driving the calculation. And the involvement of the experimenter is very worrisome to those who wonder, does the model of a molecule match reality, or does it match what the chemist wants it to be? To me this is a far bigger problem than incompleteness. It introduces experimenter bias as a necessary aspect of the method. Yikes! Molecular orbital theory can best be described as forcing quantum theory into a molecule, a place it does not belong.

Darwinian Evolution

Darwin proposed that one species evolves into another (species being an animal which can no longer mate successfully with the species it used to be before evolving) because of environmental pressures. When the environment changes, some organisms will adapt faster and better to the new situation, and become more successful in reproduction. When enough of those changes happen, a new species is created. The process happens slowly, over time, but it is responsible for all the variety of life we know today.

A satisfactory theory of natural selection must be quantitative. In order to establish the view that natural selection is capable of accounting for the known facts of evolution we must show not only that it can cause a species to change, but that it can cause it to change at a rate which will account for present and past transmutations.

J. B. S. Haldane, “A mathematical theory of natural and artificial selection. Part I,” Transactions, Cambridge Philosophical Society 23, no. 2 (1924): 19.

Until J. B. S. Haldane started doing some math. In 1957 he published a paper which asked, then answered, a simple question: when a new change happens in an individual that gives that individual a reproductive advantage, how many generations will it require for that change to be present in every individual of that species? He actually asked the question as the negative, how many individual which do not have the advantageous mutation need to die before the mutation is present in every individual?

To understand the problem, I'll use cattle, as Haldane did in his introduction to his The Cost of Natural Selection: Ranchers want three characteristics in their cattle: lots of milk, lots of good meat, and lots of healthy calves. If they breed for one characteristic, they will need to sacrifice the other two. So what's the best approach to developing a cow with all three: one at a time, or find one cow with all three already, then improve them? Well, as the calculation verifies, and as ranchers attest, it never happens. Cattle are slow breeding, and Haldane calculated that for a population of 10,000 individuals, the number of generations to get a single mutation in all individuals is more than 300 generations. And if you want all three in one individual, it takes three times as long waiting for it to happen randomly, assuming that the development of one characteristic does not interfere with the development of the next. 

It's the 300 generations part that is the problem. Given the approximately 1000 mutations that mark one species as different from a closely related species, it takes 300,000 generations for those 1000 changes to happen. It's way too long. Darwin has species being generated in a much shorter span, examples are as few as 10 to 20 generations. In the case of chimpanzees to humans, 1.5 genetic changes per generation! The number of generations are even longer when some mutations need to be optimized by mutating a second time, as seems the case in many mutations. It's a big problem. It is Haldane's Dilemma.

Only a few biologists seem interested in resolving Haldane's Dilemma. Some have chosen denial, asserting that 1000 mutations are far too many to explain evolution by lumping many mutations into a single event. That doesn't solve the problem, though it does shorten the discrepancy, because now you need mutations to happen and to survive with no environmental pressure to do so. Others have admitted to an extreme mutation rate, but that brings on a condition known as error catastrophe, when mutations are so rapid that the species can't eliminate bad mutations (by death when young) to help keep the DNA viable, and the species is simply unable to survive in any environment.

Despite Haldane’s work, a massive body of literature has accumulated asserting the primary role of natural selection in evolutionary change, often implying rates of adaptive evolution that exceed plausible limits.

Chase Nelson, https://inference-review.com/article/haldanes-dilemma 
Also see Justin Fay, Gerald Wyckoff, and Chung-I Wu, “Positive and negative selection on the human genome,” Genetics 158 (2001): 1,227–34.

The best solution was proposed by Motoo Kimura in 1968: neutral evolution. In neutral evolution, mutations happen not because they give the organism any advantage to survival and propagation, but simply because they happen. This means that several mutations can happen and the individual still be indistinguishable from it's neighbors. Random genetic drift could have hundreds or thousands of mutations active in a population simultaneously (Kimura calculated the number of mutations which could survive this process at fewer than 527, a small number). This could explain the rate of mutations high enough to account for speciation in the time we observe it in nature. But it does introduce another problem: why do species form now that there is no environmental fitness advantage to the mutations? By solving one problem the underpinning of evolution is kicked out from under foot. This remains a massive problem in evolution, and there are no satisfactory answers.

The Cosmological Constant

Cosmologists are often in error, but never in doubt.

Lev Landau. quoted in Big Bang by Simon Singh (2004)

Otherwise known as Lambda, this was added as a temporary fix by Einstein to his Theory of General Relativity to help explain the expansion of the universe, or at least why a static universe was not being drawn together by gravity, and he later removed it when he showed it was zero. But it wasn't zero, and physicists put it back. They now call it "vacuum energy" and it is probably related to the "dark energy" which is accelerating the expansion of the universe. Measuring this value is very important to cosmology, probably the most important thing in cosmology. Predictions from quantum theory, which operates on the atomic scale, give it a value near 1 (measured in reduced Plank units). When measured in the universe, by observing how fast the universal expansion is accelerating, it has a value of around 10-122! This is a HUGE difference, greater in magnitude than the number of atoms in the universe, including the parts we can't see. This difference between the two measurements of the same number is the biggest number in all of science.

The history of science provides many instances of discoveries which have been made for reasons which are no longer entirely satisfactory...the discovery of the cosmological constant is such a case.

Georges Lemaitre in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist by Paul Arthur Schilpp 1949

Something has to be wrong, but cosmologists hang onto the notion that lambda is a thing, because both quantum theory and big bang theory are well-known and accepted.

Dinosaur Extinction

The dinosaurs went extinct, the story goes, when an enormous asteroid hit the earth. The debris of that asteroid, rich in iridium, is well known around the world as an orange layer less then one inch thick in most places. The layer is known as the K-T boundary. The story has dinosaurs peacefully living until the asteroid arrives. So one might reason that in the boundary layer there should be a massive number of dinosaur fossils. Nope, not one has been found in the layer. Even more oddly, not one has been found in the ten feet below the layer. I don't know how long that is, but enough dust to pack down to ten feet of rock takes a while. Why are there no dinosaurs there? Maybe we missed them all. Or maybe they weren't there any more. Maybe the extinction event was gradual, and all the dinosaurs were gone long before the asteroid arrived.

But ask a scientist what killed the dinosaurs and you get one answer only: the asteroid.

The Grand Unified Theory

The Grand Unified Theory, or GUT, is the effort to combine the two great theories of physics, quantum theory and relativity theory, into a single description of matter and space. It seems reasonable that there is one theory that describes everything. But it's never been done, and really can't be done, because each describes mass in a fundamentally different way.

Other Theories

There are other current theories which have holes in them, or unresolvable problems: In cosmology, is the universe flat, or is space curved over great distances? And why is the distribution of galaxies so homogenous and completely isotropic when there is good reason why they should not be? Why is there still no good explanation of what gravity is, only descriptions of how it behaves? In mathematics, why can no system of mathematics define itself completely? Why does it always take an outside explanation to make it complete? (This is something like assessing the truth of the sentence, "This sentence is false.") There are others, I just haven't studied them yet.

All this was summarized beautifully by Mark Henry:

The inescapable conclusion then is that scientific research tries to find answers to six basic questions:

  1. Q: What is a universe? A: refer to general relativity (GR).
  2. Q: What is a vacuum? A: refer to quantum mechanics (QM).
  3. Q: What is light? A: refer to electromagnetism (EM).
  4. Q: What is matter? A: refer to chemistry (CH).
  5. Q: What is information? A: refer to thermodynamics (TH).
  6. Q: What is life? A: refer to biology (BL).

Mark Henry in a reply to a letter from Eric Scerri at https://inference-review.com/letter/on-the-madelung-rule (an amazing document)

The top three are theories used to describe the universe and everything in it, and the bottom three are described as being wholly dependent on the three theories [chemistry and biology are not theories, and thermodynamics is a set of laws which stand alone from the other theories]. But it doesn't work that way, not here in reality. Maybe it does in the new mythology, where we believe the stories over reality.

Quantum theory is 90 years old, is incomplete, and goes unchallenged. Molecular Orbital theory is incomplete in a different way, and goes unchallenged. Evolution theory has been accepted for 150 years, has been deeply challenged, and the challenge goes ignored. Why?

The answer is, I think, the same as why alchemy existed for 2000 years and never produced gold or metallic transmutation in all that time: idealism. We love holding to an ideal to explain the world around us, to give us an answer to "Why?" When we find a Why we hold it tightly, even when we know it's not working.

Confirmation bias is a name for seeing what we want (or expect) to see. It massively colors how we interpret our observations, and it's likely how the alchemists sustained themselves intellectually. Ideology informed their senses.

Scientists today are doing exactly the same thing.

Are we still alchemists?

We certainly are. We are just like them.

 

An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it makes a better soup.

 H.L. Mencken, A Book of Burlesques

Whenever a theory appears to you as the only possible one, take this as a sign that you have neither understood the theory nor the problem which it was intended to solve.

Karl Popper

Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.

William F. Buckley, Jr.

Idealism is the despot of thought, just as politics is the despot of will.

Mikhail Bakunin

If it disagrees with theory, it's WRONG. That's all there is to it.

Every alchemist, dreamer and lousy scientist, ever