t hpe e

OF IIATURE Al{I) ART

tRacts

OF KINGCALID LIBERTRII'I'IVERBORTT,I THEPHILOSOPHTCAL OF PARACELSUS CANNONS

PRO D U C E D B Y :

&&MA

le g2

OF

N A TU R E

A ND

A RT

A thankf\rl hLightened Trlter

offerLng

of an

of the Heruetlc A.B. C.

of

a well di.sposed Ctrristlan

Scholar .

Hermetle

Wrltten

in

the ltfonth of

November

L?)o
I. C.H.

1.

( ) 1 { IIA T URE

A1{I I ART

we wish to know something of the inner strength of Nature aecording to the measure of Godr w must look for this in every creature beholden to Nature. EVery creature must find his or,{n particular strength and f\rnction through the knowledge of the Universal Substance, the highest Areanum of the whole of Nature and ln which lies the concentrated power of heaven and Earth. Let us see what Nature actually ls and what she ls called, and seeondly how she works r or how through this hidden knowledge the natural ean be overcome and regenerated. This knowledge is the true Alchemy of which one reads. Now through this Art and the new rebirth' man ean contact the Q. E. of the nost secret parts of his being.

If

The highest and most inward strength of tlan lies in his Sulphur or Tincture, bound and held however by the salt of Nature. one must therefor open or unseal this SaIt of Nature, so that the tincture SUIPHURrnay be freed , awaken and made spiritual, that it may be made workable in this arurious and careworn life. This can only come to pass as said before through purlfication and rebirth, to going back and through the 4 Elenents from which it eane The new birth or tincture freed from the Salt of Nature spiritualised and brought into its highest tineture, SUIPIIUR. This separated from the false or cursed earth, is then the highest or Quintessence which in every body is the specificated working and held This new birth of the Universal Substance can be achieved, for though universal it can be individualised. Art must follow ln the way of Nature, for Art eannot achieve b y i t se l f, w h a t N a tu re has not potentially in itself; so w e s ee that unless we have foreknowledger w cannot proceed to show how this rebirth can take place. ff we follow false paths we camot hope to aehieve our aim and will never reach the goal. rn understrength.

2.

standing

Nature

lies

the real

conprehensLon of Alcheny, to Nature so it

and we Is", and

see why the wise so truly we tnrly work with her.

say "Accordlng

If we wish to understand the begirurlng of Nature and see fron what God nade Heaven and Earth, we must seek in Ctrrist what Moses taught when he said in Gen. 1. 'The spirit of God brooded over the waters'. l{e learn fron thls that the Prima Materia, or the first Ctraotic Beginning of All ltrlngs was Water, after 5 days all creatures were brought forth and nade, of which Man was the last a n d e n d o f C re a ti o n ,' P eter . 1. 3. 5. Mans body was created from an earthy mass or as the Tfise say from Adamah, that is from a red earth, from which man received his name and nourishment, and it was called Adam by God. But this watery earthy mass or body is no ordlnary earth, but a tinetured earth, f\rll of fight and living strength, an extract of all ideas of the Spirit of the great world, after heaven and earth and all the riches of nature. ftrat is why man is ln sympathy with the wor1d, for all the forces of nature cone together in hin. The Universal in the Particular, that is why the Wise salr that Man is the Centronrn and Centrrrm. In Man come together the heavenly and earthly false nature. He is the Microcosnos, in him are all the forces that go to make the Macrocosm. fire SouI and life of Man was breathed into hin by the of God, which enabled hin to beeome superrnatural and to spirit make a double stand, both physieally and spiritually: the body the Spiritus }Irrndi, the soul from the eternal God. Both are together in Man; thus is Man above all creation and is beholden to his Maker, for God wished all else t o b e be l o w H i m. In this manner was nan to be master over aI1 creatures, and lrnow nothing of death. After however man broke Godrs law and fell through his false earthly Will, the light of Godrs Tincture Left with it mush of his perfection and sovereignity, so that hlm and he beca:ne receiving strength nature grounded in fron

3.

nore subservient to the great world. Oodrs curse not only fell upon manfs self w111, but on the flults of the earth whlch he tates for his sustenance, and therefore partakes of lnharnonious or eomupted natter. The curse of God then came over rnankind and the world, and with the flooded earth came the judgements God did not wish all to be spoilt but nevertheless dlsorder had come into Perfection' hence the farmer having weeds, thorns and thistles growing beslde the good fmits of the earth. Hence Man had to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, and the farmer to buiLd and grow his erops. Flom thls we see that stlll a llttle of the uncorrupted Light of Nature remained ln the earth, for otherwise the farmer could do no good with his sowingr ?s also in Man remai.n some of the unfallen light. Man must re-awaken this by grace in himself and nature and make a seeond standr so that in this Life, if not entirely, he will in part return to the state from which h e f e l l. It is this light of Grace, this Image of God in us which is the l i f e o f th e so u l , a b e l oved FIRE, of which a little yet r enai ns i n us. Tttough small it ean becone great, if we cast away doubt and of Grace can be ferbelieve in Christ, through which this light nented and multiplied, for through His Incarnation and Death, did He reawaken the inage of God in usr so that coming nearer to Him, this Inage of God can be once more attained. What renains of the light of Nature in man, is that of natures FIRE, which holds mans body together and which is ordained by God. Before the Fall this Fire in illankind was above the elements, and therefore sufficient. This Fire could not be aroused wrongly or become too powerfulr so After the the first man in this plaee knew nothing of sickness. Fal-l it came below the elements, thereby causing tife and death. As in alL things and also in nan, this natural fire has two qualities which are heat and coldl the heat being the in ltself, naking fires spirit, the cold the fires body, the two qualities the fire of nature twofold, one working towards love, the other

4.

towards anger. conplenentary nan an lnborn

lt works when heat and cold are balanced, to each other, ln which case lt ls nourishing, giving warmth to hls powers and keeping the body ln good

In love

health. In anger the flre of nature Is ln disharmony, elther cold or heat being predoninant one over the otherr cBUSiDg strife in nanfs body, either consumlng it with fever, or glving it a rigour caused by excessive cold. Ore force of nature then in man works either toward heaven in lover or towards anger in cold, even unto death. Ihe anger of nature can aLso be brought about by undue enJolment of food and drink, or erratic through a disorganlsed life and many other ways. l{hen these contrasts fight, one against the other' they isolate themselves and cannot reach the harmony o f G o d ts i .n te n ti o n . No sickness can befall man except that which he has brought upon hinself by falling away from God. For this God has created a special antidoter or specificated means to alreviate such siclcness. Man has but a short span of life in which to apply and understand the specificate means of regeneration. God Left a Universal Medicine through which health can be obtained, and this is the Lapis Philosophorum, a noble Tincture, a newborn EARTII, which is but a prelude to the refined Liglrt T{isdom of the regenand Paradisical erated creature, of which thls Stone is a particle, for it cones from the pure elements out of whi.ch it is borrlt. put into of the elements are again through rebirth, The strife Ore can see that nan harmony by the Ore-ness of the Temperatur. is prewith his anger and his natural FIREr or what ever quality dorninant in his nature is torrr this way and that, and to cure ill In as far as man lifts health this must be brought into harmony. of nature and regenerates hls physical body, the darkened light nany great and wonderfirl works can be achieved by the Ti.ncture of the Wise, called the outward Healing Ba1m. As we gain the heavenly Tineture through Christ which God had originally intended for us so ean we through the earthly Tineture

5.

we reach and our elenentary body' until renew the darkened llght We cannot reach the our desired goal and cure our bodlly iIls. deathlessness of Adam or the Oreness, which we had before the FaIl in this wor1d, for God willed to punlsh nan for his sins by l l h e n h o w e ve r w e have r eached Godsr hone for us, w nus t, death. t o u s e a n o l d p h ra se l " Whether her bs or plaster di.e," in order to leave our false homel then the soul wings its way again to God fron whence she ealne. fiie body rnade from the earthr returns and is nade to earth fron whence lt came ln which it putrlfies flnally clean, until at the youngest last day it stands purified and becomes one with the soul for all Eternity. As Man was created on the last day of Creation, so on the first Let us consider this Light. day God created tight. fiery spiritual body of the It is nothing else but the first Threefold God, who in the beginning suspended a fog or nist over the waters, which with its living working strength gave it its Fire, placed God then took this living soul and made it fruitful. God then took this Llght, in the heavens and called it Light. and with its strength impregnated the earth and every creature with His Likeness, so that all created beings should have a porti o n o f th i s l i g h t. is in a 11" . T h e re fo re sa y S o l o mo n, "Godsf inper ishable Spir it it is creatures, lieht is given to alt living Ttris specificated strength which and inexhaustible also a part of the universal Ttris Light is the universal worknourishes and holds all things. ing Fire which the Wise call Nature or the object of all Wonder, for all Sperma, HyIe Archaeum, or the Universal Spirit, Spirit, it the strength of nature is in it, and we see in this spiritual The Hernetists say that "as above so Wisdom the bodily earth. hover s in its own spher e, i t i s beIow". A s l o n g a s th is spir it of forms in three diffdiversity universal and can draw to itself Vegetable and Anlmal, but as soon as erent kingdoms, Metallick, it is no longer univer sal and be c om es i t h a s sp e ci fi ca te d i tself

6.

the body which it inhabits. All creatures have their beglnning ln this spiritual body and through lt comes the magnetism of nature, for the creature has its root in spirit fron which yearnsl and is drawn it brolre off and for whieh it continually too and naintained and also made essential, ve g e ta ti o n . tiplies It augments and mul-

one wlth

or Universal Heavenly Fire of Nature, the llfe and ltris tight novement of all things remai.ns as long as God wills lt, nourishing vegetationl for it is an imperishable strength which the curse of God did not lessen over the Earth and lts substance. For were this not so the heavenly fire could not have increased the cursed earth nor given fruit to vegetation, and the world would have cone and its soulsr to an end. But it gives continious notion and life strenpr"th until God decrees the end of the world and brings it to Judgement. from God in heaven, the planets obtained As this Light was first wh5-ch gave them life this light and passed on this by proximity, of the Planets is life The life to their lower physical bodies. depend.ant upon continious movement, ensured through the influence of the Heavenly Light. Therefore Bechard says; 'The Sun is either hot. " but its novement is naturally hot or cold to itself, fn their movement or path they form a certain figure eircular orderr SATURN,JIJPITER' and stand in the heavens in the following & LUNAI and while the Planets influence MARS, SOL, IIEI{US, MERCURY, that which is below not above, it is apparent that all their strengnaed the source of the Seven spirits, ths are given to all births; the Seven Forms. of nature comes from the Seven For"ms, and thro-. The whole birth although in each thing only characteristics, ugh then take their is As SATURN one Form is predoninant, as Ctrorto-lassaus writes, to catch the lnfluence of the highest planet so he is the first light; which he attracts through his own coLd prothe spiritual perty and which he then shares with the other Planets, of which

7.

the Moon is

the last

of the assenbled planets

to receive

fluenee of the spiritual. light, the latter sharing lt elenentary world to whleh It is closest, the Earth. rhe lower elenent, our world, has two bodily elenents water and earthr ?s against the above two spiritual or working elenents, fire and air, which when broken off their spirltual home becone a substance or body, for the fire rests in the air, and the air in the Water. they are both in the earth which is the eentre of Nature and which firIly eneloses all the elenental powers, for they are mixed in an earth and rest in i.t. Before the Farr the elenents stood in equal harmony, for whire the powers were in harmony there was no strife, therefore the Paradisical fruits were without blemish. After the Fall however, the elements were put off their proper tenperature, and thus cane to stri-fe, through which the fiery tight spirit took substance and thus feIl into matter, and in so doing enkindled the fire in itself, became partly false, and because of that put the air out of its right proportion, and its weakened fire becane mixed with a distastef\rl dead water, which made strife inevitable in the elements. No species in its own kingdon can reach the highest point of fulfillnent, for the spirit of Nature through the faLse SULPHUR and the powerless water cannot perfect nor carqy it through to a greate r p e r fe cti o n , Although the 4 elements strove fiercly against each other after ths paIl, they had to haruonize and cone together in the birth of all things as One Who1e, whieh could not happen unless they cene from one Materia, which separated fron the watery chaos. Ilrere is a close eonnection between the elenents, for one cannot firnction without the other, but indeed energises the other. In the ground of Nature they are ONE. fite earth but without is a eoagulated water, and the water a dissolved earth, air there would be no movement or life whether in

the inwlth the

8.

water

alone Ls the novement and llfe of all things. fire Fire is nothing erse but a thinly nade water, and the water a eontracted or drawn together Air. Now Earth, Tfater and Air would be dead and non active wlthout the Fire which has two extremes nameJ.yheat and cold. With its heat lt dissolves ' all, and nakes the earth into water, and the water to air. With congulates everythlng and turns the alr lnto water, and the water to earth. So much we htcrv, that the fire with the heat of lts agent, is the first cause of the Holy Spiritr contraqyr to the action of the eold, for this fire wlth its two different properties, through its i.nfluence in the left over Planets, brouglrt forth all things in the World. In this knowledge lies the greatest nystery and Source of our whole phiJ-osophy. ft ls however the fire of nature on tlie l+th. day of Creation that was made into a body, and aceording to its property (two-fo1d) was placed in the firmament of heaven, and encounters the two great Lights, na.mely Sun and Moon, which send their strength and pass their influence on to all the other planets and stars and the creatures in the three kingdoms. Ihe Sun consists of the warm eentral fire and from the Moon the sane central one being dependant on the other. cold fire, T{ithout the heat of the sun the cold central fire of the noon would be enclosed ln death, while the warm central Sun is the movement of the cold life, but the warm central heat of the Sun would not be fruitful of itself, for its heat would burn and desof the cold central fire for troy without the eooling tenperature nourishment, but both central fires would be dead were it not for of the world whieh is in between both, energisSpirlt the universal ing and bringing things to life. Ihese two eentral fires with their respective properties and or holy principles constitutes the three spiritual Holy Spirit in the upper elementarlr worldr 4s in the lower elenentary world They are all birth cones into a corporeal body from the centre. its eold it

or ln

earth.

For ln fire

9.

parts of all forms, nanely SAIT, SULPHUR the sra,neessentlal and without whieh the Universe cannot give birth or work. MERCIIRY, In the lower elenentary world these 4 elenents in thens they are a seed or blrth of thens for out of 4 elements come 3, which happens through a separatlon of the weakened water. Nature in the beginning had need of the 3 principles which through nixing was necessary to an outward birth. and uniting' After the conception and union of the srme, there cones to birth a radical being who throws away any superflouosity for the inperfection of all processed. things is caused by not having been sufficiently The differ in the natter of working but in nature they I principles are in reality but One, can be mixed one in another as we see in go back to one principle. the birth of things that eventually In the lower world all creatures are constituted from the cold of which the salt ls the dry basis. central fire, firis i.s under the influence of the first three fiery forns enclosed in the earth. Its working is astringent therefore sulphur and mercury is active, and draws together, coagulates these forces which then become corporeal. Ihe Sulphur or the natural inherent war"nth is the second principle and is the warn central fire, an oily substance or essencel through this essence it holds the salt together in whieh it overcomes a body; in it the sulphur is a subtle earth which can easily become a hard and fiery earth, wherefore it is twofold, both heavenly and false. Through the cold central fire or salt it becornes matter' secret l{hen however it becomes and closed and changed to a fiery earth. the Holy Spirit revealed and awakened through the third Principle power and a working life which brings all gives forth a spiritual things to proper growth and fullfillment. or the first beginning the third principle is MERCURY Finally of moisture the beginning of alL gr.owth. fhis, of the three principles within i s th e mo st fl e e ting heavenly essenee, for !t com pri s es itself all the powers of the upper elementary world' which in fact

10.

cones down to the lower worldr

so that

lt

is

called

the Wisdom

of Godrs abode, without Him is the salt and sulphur dead and wlthout energyt when however He works in thern and opens them, they ferment into a livlng 1lfe. Through this eones a worklng and multiplylng strength. In this strength of power the nercury is a purer spirit in whieh forrn it eannot renain in the lower world, unless it is eaught through the earth, in which a bodily and fleeting salt is mixedr so,rthat it can through its nature reach from spirit to matter, and can come to alJ. creatures, l{hen it receives help from its persevering fire or sulphur, it should not be burnt out and made into air, but increase and strengthen its life. llhen the above two principles, the 2 central fires tolerate each other, the mercury rests in them spiritually, for with its warmth, it opens them out, and with lts co1d, eloses then, for it stays with all things in an active or spiritual maruler, or in a passive moderate mannerl the passive part into the multiplication par t r ests. o f a b o d y, i n which the spir itual trlrorn this we see that not one prineiple ean give birth to anything, but that in every birth the three principles nust come the together. file salt gives the body, the sulphur the life, if it nereury however cleans both and gives it strength to live' cone together, has awakened the central fires and inwardly truly the 2 working central fires are so that from the three principles For through the mercury the opened salt presents the are born. working cold central fire, and in as far as birth is concerned, the increasing or passive power lies in women, the mereury resolves, property, and the sulphur is ftrgitive and the warm central firers then it and the male property activates the cold central fire' comes to fnlL birth. Ylhen these central fires have taken hold of eaeh other, in their most inward essence, the goal is reaehed and brings about a birth in the world which mea.ns that fron the inner ground, each creature in the tenth number, for every has obtained its own understanding,

11.

its natural source fron the 4 elementsl fron these are born the 3 princlples, fron these flow the 2 central fires, ach after lts own fashion, working towards one sinple nurnber, and with the same making every birth possible, for nature when it has obtained its completeness can work no further, but rests stllI and quiet. It is then called the Tenth number of the Wise, the conplete Number. God himself fulfilled the tenth nunber and gave it to all for His creatures, then rested. So this nunber is called Holy, i n i t Go d H i n se l f rests. When philosophers speak of this number, they understand the tight' which is the first root of all things. ltlhen they speak of the second, they mean the 2 working central fires, namely heat and coldr s"lt and sulphur, then they mention the third, they indicate three principles, SaIt, Sulphur, and the noving Mercuplr and the fourth the 4 elements of which fire and ai.r are spirit, and two water and earth are corporeal. of nature As these outward births come in a spiritual manner from ONE out of ligfrt, so also their strength goes again into the ONEafter they were enclosed in a physical body. As the tenth number i.s the highest in its inward essence, so i.s the false and outward principle the number ?, for everything that God created, which ean be found in the world, ean be found under this number. In heaven we have seven plenets, which Light First God has Hinself created, these througlr depending on the light, their essence taken from it, are dependant on one another. Their Essence being obtained in this wa$r is nevertheless different, i-n as far as their greatest strength Lies in the two planets, the Sun and the Moon, and in their two ways divide thenSubstanee. The Sun being the warm central selves into specificated of nature and the Moon the cold central UniversaL Fire. from which they constantly Ttrrough the highest strength of light, spring, they give in turn fight and splendour to certain planets, and to others their exalted strength in the lower world, and to to the acconplishment the three uni-versal kingdoms, their aetivity, fire

body takes

L2.

of productLon,

conservation

creature has lts planet takes his

elther form the planets have the the other planets

and nultlpllcatlont and whlle every blrth under one of the f planets of God, each own circular which nay be strength to hlnself, for these 2 prlnclple Suns or Moons property, powers of the whole of nature, in whl':h universal are particularised, of which the country-nan

speaks ln his Cabaf Oremica. Go we further lnto the nost hidden part of the earthr BS in the nineral kingdomr w find that it harmonises with the upper in the /th. number. For as seven planets reign and govern ln heaven, so they govern the seven netals in the world, which is under i-ts power. dominating planet, and enveloped in its own spiritual What is therefore the sun ln heaven is gold in the earthr 4s it has enelosed itself the other planets. T{e find that seven planetsr in its spiritual strength. f'lris applies to

the vegetable kingdon is also in slrmpathy with the rro tree or vegetable or anything else in this kingdom can be found which is not under one of these heavenly influenees. A certain planet predoninates over one thing, not as strongly as in the mineral kingdon, for in the former the power is more strongly concentrated, We come at Last to the animal kingdon, which harmonises with the planetary kingdon in the seventh number. As man however the Centrum Centro the Q. E, of the great elenentarlr world after heavenr earth and all kingdoms were created. by God, so does he contain the lower and the upper astraL powers fully i.n hinself. Ttrerefore Sun and Moon and all planets are in hin, for he is the lulicrocosm in which they work ln his principal organs. We see the nost harmony and working of the Sun in the heart, the Moon in the brain, Itlars in the gal-l, Venus in the kidneys, Saturn in the liver, Mercury in the lungs, and Jupiter in the spleen, to which they are all attached and drawn by the Light. T}te Light is the heavenly Universal Fire of Nature and the first working Being of whom Morienus said -0f whom there is no beginning

L3.

of the l,lgft the Regsave his Creator. tr Wlthout the penetratlon nrrm Astral cannot of ltself in so far however as lt favours exist, the Infl-uence, lt not only obtains strength through lts own exlstance, but increases and works through to the lower world to the three kingdons, with sufflcient l,igfrt and Lifeforce to uphold then. Upheld by the Cbeator, specificated or brought out fron the Universality, and after the working Danner of each subject wlth which it has joined, it is nixed ln Nature and Dristance. Yfhen the Light Power ls joined wlth the Regno Anina1i, it takes on the animal nature, and in like manner hardens to flesh and bone. The sane happens with the Regno Vegetablili, its property being mixed in fruit, wood and foliage, the same with the Regno Minerali, which takes to itself the nineral nature and existance in stone, minerals and Meta1s. As all creatures have taken their source from the Ligfrt, so naturally in the same way they should seek their life force and strength through it also. All G?eatures draw their magnetic powers from the upper Forces, through the salt which is aII found partly partly in bodyl all the more when a creature participates in spirit in the fugitive salt which enables it to stand and to draw a greater strength from the upper astral spirit, which looks upward to its own firer ?.nd.which frorn the fiery salt nakes all creatures grow in their own fashion, for in the salt lies the rnagnetism of the heavenly powers, whieh shows that God has endowed nature with perpetual 6rrowth and existance. The salt of nature is in all creatures, contrary to Spirit which cannot unite with a central body, and whieh cannot remai.n in it, lVe must further consider how the tiiht can rlse frorn its spiritual nature and unite itself to creatures and how it observes the grade of fixati.on. fhe elements in their contrarieties as fire and water are fugitive and concentrated, and can be united in earth. They serve the elements that ean make entremes meet, for by transmutat' ion one can have suecess with the other. lfhen nature wishes to

14.

change fire lnto water she works upon air, in whlch she draws together flre and alr and has eonnerce ln water. Therefore w111 she make air into earth, happenlng as It does through water, for the air next in corporeality, is the water through which condensation (tnickening) is brought into earth. If nature wlshes to turrr fire into earth, she uses two elements, being able to use extremes of function through their eontrarieQrr so firstly she brings the fire to air through an e:rtension, this agaln draws then together and mixes then in water, which beconing nore dense goes into earth. fn this wise do the elenents of nature mix agreeably together, for through the middle element, they can once again become united to the ONE. Here we have the Microcosmical prelude of the new Heaven and the new Earth of which nuch is written. E\ren after the Universal Fire has divided itself into two properties it remains spiritual. But a Spirit which cannot unite itself with a body and stay with it, would not benefit the lower world, unless it gave itself further to the elenents and to a middle nature, between Body and Spirit, so that it could incorporate itself in creatures and remain with them. It is however next in the fire, and then Air, so that it can circulate freely in the lower wor1d, and can be seized in the Air element, in which it still re sts a s sp i ri t, while the cour ser fir e, takes a m ore s ubti l e and spiritual salt body to itself which the philosophers call Saltrum Universali, in whieh living creatures stand, and of which Sendivogious says "In the Air is a secret life food, which at night we call DEI{ and in the day Y{ATERan raresactarn. " For through the suns warmth, the air is drawn up and thinned, contrary however to night when through the eoldness of the moon,it is drawn together, thickened and changed into noisture and dew. Whether creatures draw this air for their conservation one cannot be sure, though they enjoy the aninal kingdon particularlys Man his his Adam-hood, for through his own fire and waruth, nature and being, he digests and transmutes it, and through so also the

L5.

outblrth

of the vegetable

and nlneral

ated ln water to solidarity.

by the false lliht. ltre grade nearer

whlch ls stlnulIhey are one nore grade nearer klngdons, than alr ls water, ln

to natter

whieh is found the Holy Spirlt, or a subtle salt-nitre, whlch is held (constrained) in a seed and nakes lt swell, othenvise lt would burst or easily change into water. fn the for^n or body of water are certain creatures composed of Vegetable and nineral kingdonsl the upper life foree with its growing porver has through the water a universal sal nltre, indeed Iives in it, for it is through this nitre that it can grow and It ls in this heavenly or universal salt that this acid remain. property has two eentral spiritual (deternined) and specificated centres. From this f\rgltiveness and acid salt, eomes the rnildness and sweetness of alkali in so far as changes come through the mixing of the volatile with the fixed or Aeidum with the alkali through the water whieh is the instrument of the nixing, cleans itself and in every body produces the strength of the Seed. firis happens through the sal nitrum coeleste in Primem Materian spermaticum for when they ferment, the volatile is united to the fixed, until at last both give themselves completely to fermentation, in which the heavenly sa1 nitre and the bodies alkali salt is bound together, and throws away any superfluous water. With the salt at last being earthly and temestrial and so constituted that it is in everXr creature, and also brings the elenents into One, or as Hermes says, 'Strength can be held in so far as it is transmuted ln earth. " In such a manner rises the heavenly Light or the Universal Fire of Nature, in the elenents for the Spiritr sustenance and nultiplieation of life. As everything by virtue of life has warmth in it, so everything pertaining to death has cold, which we see in summer and winter. fn winter when it is damp the cold central fire predoninates and we take it for truth that his eold and astringent quality of the earth closes the life and growth of it, it partly holds it

15.

back' partly suffocates and klllsl so it affects other creatures who have not sufficlent warnth or flre ln theneelves, to conbat thls cold and deadly property, but ln srrnner when the central warn fire trlunphsr w see how the warnth penetrates the earth and opens it up' it awakens the flre ln creatures and so once again starts their growth, for the liglrt having two extremes, heat and cold, life and death, these by their own natural inner flres warnth have a long life to look fonvard too, while those who cannot conbat the cold through a deflciency of warnth, soon come to death and corrrlptlonr or through sulphur have a cold salttrr body. Anyone having a predominance of ei,ther heat or cold, death ls the result, I heaLthy body urust have both qualities in harrnony.

Finis.

I7.

LI B E R

T R IU II
!.1.

VERB0RUI I oF KI t {G
$tnnr .. ,15[E

CAL TD

0f the quality

of ye Philosophical

Stone.

the Stone out of whieh this work is made has in itself all the Colours, for he is tfhite, Red and nore Red, Yellow and nost Yellow, of a Celestial colour Green and heavy. In this Stone are the 4 elements for he is watery, airy and fiery and temestrial. and siccity In this Stone the calidity is in occulto and the humidity and frigidity in manifesto, therefore we must hide the mani.festl that is we must make nanifest what is occult, for that what is occult' narnely ealidity and Tinges and siccity is oi1, and this oil is dry and this siccity That which is in nothing else, for a1cali tinges and nothing eIse. nanifesto, fridgid and humid is a corrupting aqueous fume therefore it is fit that the frigidity and humidity be equal with calidity and siccity, also that they fly not from the fire for betwixt frigidity whieh is hot and dry thereand calidity is one particule that forethe frigidity and siccity and hunidity must receive the calidity which was in occulto and be one substanee for that hunidity and frigidity is a corrupting substance of which it is said that the aquose and adustibe hunidity corrupts the work and tinges it into blacloness, and this infir:mity nust be destroyed by fire and by its gradus. 0f the Property of the Stone.

T h i s i s th e b o o k o f the I W or ds, the book of the pr ecious Stone who is an airy volatite frigid and humid agueous and adustive frigidity and hurnidity another body, and in it is calidity, siecity,

18.

and the other in nanlfesto. Also that whleh ls ln occulto be made uranlfesto and that whieh is nanlfest nay be nade occult by the virtue of God and by calidlty, for the Perslan Philosopher says that frigidity and aqueous and adustive hunidity is not anicable to calidity and siceity for calidity and siccity destroys the hunid and adustive aquosity by divine virtue and then the Spirit is transnuted into a noble body not flying ln the fire but like an oil which is a living nultiplicati.ve Tincture everlasting and a precious So1. 0f the Occult idity. rhe wonderful work of the I words is the work of the precious Stone in which the aquose and adustive hunidity and frigidity and in the same the oceult calidity and also that what is read of the three Words is by some otherwise understood that all people might not understand the cause in the J Words this is sought in hunidity and frigidity in which is the occult calidity and siccity, and that we must know that we may make of the manifest an occult, and an occult of the manifest, and the occult is of the nature of Sol and fire, a n d i t i s th e mo s t pr ecious oil of all occults, and a l i v i ng Tincture and a permanent Water which lives always, the Vinegar of the Philosophers, and a penetrating spirit, and it is a Tinging and revivefying oecult, which rectifies and illuminates all dead things, and makes them rise, and then its calidity and siccity does not fly from the fire but the aquose and adustive frigidity flys fron the fire and destroys i-tse1f. 0f the Conversion of the Spirit Sp i r i t . That we may make all nanifest into a Body and the Body into a calidity and siecity o<erting in Hunidity and Frie-

vlrtue

is

in occulto

namely the occult

into

a body and

Lg.

the body lnto

a spirit

then a frlendship

ls nade betwlxt

the

Therefore the Perand slceity. calidlty frigidity and humidity, sian Philosophers say that lt is a wonder how it should be but by the Power of God it can be with a soft tenpera.nent and moderate gradus of fire in the space of 2 and 7 days, for of 3 two are u n d e r sto o d , a n d o f 2 , 5 i but 3 is not under stood and these ar e the I Words precious oecult, and apart, given not to ungodly infedels but to the poor, fron the first to the last man. 0f the Planets in Mercury. and their Images, and of the Operations existing

I say that in Mercury are the works of the Planets and their own plaees and the work in their own times for fmages in their in the FIRST MONfiI in the womb when the sperm ls received by the and matri.x, then Saturn operates, congealing by its frigidity s i c c i t y, th e n a tte r i n to one mass. In the SECOND M0NTfiJupiter operates digesting by its catidity into a fleshy nass which is called Enbrio. In the TIIIRD MONIH the mass operates and by its calidity and siccity d i vi d e s, se q u e str ates the mass and divides the m ember s . and The FOUITH MONIH Sol like a great Lord immettes the spirit g i v e s l i fe . In the FIFTH MONTH Mercury operates who makes the holes and spiracles. In the SIXTII M0NTHVenus disposes and ordains the eyebrows eyes and such like. operates and hunidity In the SEVENTII MONTIILunar by its frigidity to bring forth the Foetus and if it should be born then it is d e b i l i t a te d . In the EIGHTH MONIII Saturn operates again, by its frigidity and siccity then it or constricting constraining co u l d n o t l i ve . the foetus and if it is born

20.

In the NINIH IUONIII Jupiter wor*s again and by lts calldlty and hunidlty nourishes the foetus and when the 9th. nonth ls conplete then the foetus is born and lives, and there are three Words, the Water preserves the foetus for three nonths, 8s also for three nonths who nakes also the blood in the navel and condenses the same after the birth lnto milk, for the infant can not be born before the aireal fLatus are gone. 0f the 0bservation of the Planets in the l{ork of Alcheny.

Ibon this I months you must with aeute ingenuity conpose and ortract two for two are not three understood, therefore all who intend to understand this Art, muet sharpen their enginuity to open the Treasury of these I Words in which is hidden the whole operation and power of the Stone, in which is the Calidity and which siccity Siecity' in a living Oil and a living Tincture and is a tinged siccity, and a proftrndity of tinctures and this is the conjunctive calidity and hunidity, and all from the Beginning seeing this Word, did not know it, and they Words did much wonder and the Drposition is Fbon the beginn5.ng of conception till the every planet in his place shows an inage by who heard of the 3 thisr

of the infant, nativity the divlne power, Creating it also. And I Rackad.ebi saf,r and it is true, that in all chenical works every planet in his place shows an irnage tilI the compleatment of the operation, and then Alcheny is born artificially, but this is truly generated naturally according to the planets, like God did show to the first nan, having naturally the nature of al-l Tinctures, and also Mercury is born having in him the ll elements and the nature of all Tinctures, according to his gradus and. in this work of Alchemy many err and few cone to an end for in this work is the DN{CE OF IHE M00N AND T}tE CIRCLE OF THE SUN TO TtIE 3 GRADES,the first weak, the second strong, and the third perfect, when So1 enters and TIIE fiIREE TERMS, the first

2L.

into

Alres

and ls ln lts

e:caltatlon,

secondly when SoI ls in Leo,

the thlrd when Sol is ln Sagltariousr of the Sun but the clrcle ls of 28 years, in lt years ln hls nines and other tables of A1chemy chinia is eonpreateds for by the nunber of the dances of the Moon we find the grades and fron one in two grades, CIJIII till this XXIV and we find in the circle of Sol 7, Understand for grad^us the work of Alcheny is conpleated. of the Three ltlords. by

The Drposition

Let us come again to the Dcposition of the I t{ords in which the whole Art of Alchemy consists, it is said that the water preserves the foetus in the matrix for 3 nonths, the air for I months, and also the fire for three months, and this is said for the Mercury by similituder BrId this obscure wor.cl and ter"m is opened to understand the tnrth, for there is another nature in a child bearing woman and another in Mercury, but by similitude of the heat which is found in the natrix the fire is attained (estimated) who is of 32 gradus. Therefore that third word is obscure of which is said that the fire PRESER\ES,and many feel in this, for of the 3 take 2 gradus, and out of this 2 gradus, the other are extracted in and in this gradus is all the Ttrird Word explained 32 patiently, of which is said that the first gradus compleates the llater, and Air the second gradus, compleates all that we have said and this i s t h e g i ft o f Go d . 0f the Gradus of Fire. The Philosopher AIso divide Ln 2 parts. of the King of Persia and the Ronan Prince sayss the 3 Words in 2 parts and this 2 parts divide again And over this 2 divide J2 grades, which are the terms

of fire, of fire, and are ealled the particles this is found in the portion of the work whieh is divided into l2 parts, and are

22.

calIed Almes (?). All thls gradus are spread over the 2 first parts whlch are 2 terms and the 32 gradus are packed lnto 4 parts the first gradus ls the particle of fire one albechlr, and is (one) and only sinple and is nost none, and it is a gentre fire, and with that fire we begin to conprehend the Mercury to the Red and also 2 words are compleated in 6 maenchen, after this the 3rd. word is explalned which is obscure and in which nany feel and lose their senses, the Persian Philosopher says: Let us divide this in the middle, the nediate is of 3 naenchen and this mediaty is governed by 2 gradus which are two particles of fire and also are conpleated this work in 22 maenchen and this is the first term without any eryor, the second terrn 15 maenchen and is governed by 8 gradus of fire, and the third ter:ur is of zo maenchen and is governed by 16 gradus that is partieles of fire. the fourth term is of 24 maenchenr and is governed by jZ gradus go fire, Adranus and all the Persian Philosophers say by God and h i s H ol y N a n e b l e sse d , for this is said of the temper ate fire ov er the J words, of the nature of a child-bearing woman, to the comparison of the fire of Mercury. A11 these two terms are divid.ed in the middre for they are both J2 maenehen and are ? dierchen and in the end of the first term open the treasure and project what you find, whieh if it dances and smokes over a hot prate, thm it is not enough, therefore bring it to the fire of 15, which has in it 8 gradus of fire' open again the treasure and put it over a red hot plate, and if it dances and smokes it is not enough, therefore bring it to the fire of 20 which has in it 15 gradus, open a g a i n th e tre a su re a n d i f it sm okes still it is not yet boiled, bring it therefore to the fire of 24 maenchen and 4 dierchen which has in it 82 gradus of fire and now you will have a precious fusible stoner golden and red. rn this hour let God be blessed, and his Holy Namewhieh is blessed above all Gift. Finis . na-mes, beeause of this Holy

23.

()F PARACELSUS THE PHTL$(PHTCAL CAIII{(ITIS

!.1 .

Sternr '. l5[E

1. ion. 2.

I?rat which is near to perfection the inperfects

is

easily

brought

to perfect-

are by no means brought to perfection before they are deprived of their feculent Sulphur and Terrestrlal thickness which is mixed to the Mercury and Sulphur, this is a perfect Medicine. To nake fixed the imperfect without the Spirit 3. and Sulphur o f t h e p e rfe cts i s i mp ossible. 4. Heaven of the Philosophers resolves all things in the first natter that is Mercury. 5, He who intends to reduce metals into Mercury without philos o p h i ca l H e a ve n r o p th e metallic aque vitae, is cheated, fo r the impurity of Mercury nay be seen in all other dissolutions. 6. Nothing is fixed perfeetly whieh is not mixed indissolubely with the fixed. The ftisible gord may be altered and turned into blood. 7. 8. For the fixing of silver, it must not be turned into powder o r d i . sso l ve d i n to w a te r, for this is destr uction, but it m us t neebe reduced into Mercury. Silver may not be turned into Gold but by the Philosophical 9. Stoner xcept it be reduced into Mercury. AIso is done with other M e t a l s. 10. Inperfeet bodys are brought to perfection and into perfect Gold, when they are first reduced into Mercury, adding to it white or red Sulphur. 11. A1r irnperfect bodys are brought to perfection by reducing then into Mercury and afterrvards by boiling them with Sulphur and appropriate fire, for then they are brought to Silver and Gord, essarely

2l+.

and they are cheated and work in valn who lntend to nake Sllver and Gold otherrYise. L2. Ihe Sulphur of ltlars is the best, and this Jolned with the Sulphur of Gold makes a Medicine. L3. There is no Gold generated o<eept it be Silver before. 14. Nature makes and generates minerals by degrees, also out of one root are generated all netals till the end of all which is Gold. 15. Mercury coryupts Gold and resolves it into Mercury and makes i t v o la ti .l e . 16. Ttre Stone is composed of Sulphur and Mercury. I?. If the preparation of Mercury is not taught by an expert it wi1l never be found out by the reading of books. Artist, 18. of the Mercury for the Philosophical lhe preparation Menstnnrm i s c a l l e d Mo rti fi ca ti o . 19. the Pra:cis of this Arcanum goes beyond all secrets of Nature and it be not revealed books. or taught, it will not be learned out of

20. Sulphur and Mercury are the natters of the Stonel therefore the hnowledge of the Mercury is necessary fcr the election of a Mercury fit for the Tfork. 2L. There is hidden a Mercury i.n a body prepared without any other preparation, but the Art of extracting is difficult. The Mercury may be fixed and turned into gold and silver for the compendiurn or abbreviation of the work. 23. Fixing ancl congealing is one work, of one thing, in one vessel. 24. Itrat whieh fixes and congeales the Mercury tinges it also in one and the seme practise. 25. Your grading of fire are to be observed ln the work, in THE FIRST the Mercury dissolves his body, in IfiE SECOND the Sulphur drys up the Mercury, in the THIRD AND FOIIRfiI the Iltercury is fixed. 26. Ttrings radically like mixed, after:rrrards grow inseparable3 snow nixed with water. 22.

25.

2?. 28. i-es. 29.

Divers

produce dlvers others. PUt lnto putrefaction Itre form and the natter nust necessarlly be of the same specsinples,

Ihe homogeneal Sulphur ls of the same nature of which is So1 and Luna, and this Sulphur produces pure gold and Silver not in t h a t fo rm a s i t i s se e n with eyes, but as it is dissolved i n M er cury. dissolution of gold into Mercury, 30. Without the philosophical may be extracted out of gold a fix sort of unctuoslty, which takes the place of a fer^ment generating So1 and Luna and what is done by a way of abbreviating which Geber calls Rebis. 3L. Metals resorved into Mereury are redueed into a body agdin by adding a little quantity of ferment for else it retains always the forrn of MereurXr. The leaven of the Tartarus of the Philosophers which reduces 32. all metals into Mercury is the netallick aqua vitae of the Philos o p h e rs, w h i ch a l so th e y call dissolved faeces. 33. Sulphur and Mercury are of the same homogeneal nature. 34. The Stone of the Philosophers is nothing but GoId and Silver exalted into a higher Tineture. 35. So1 and Luna by themselves in their own species have riches enough. Them you nust reduee into the nature of a ferment. Ttris nass nay be multiplied. 36. The nost extremeries m o s t e xq u i si te d e co cti o n. in Mercury are two, namely crudity and

rhe Philosophers observe that all dry things quickly imbibe 3?. t h e i r h u n i d i tys. ltre altered calx of Luna quickly inbibes his Mercurlr the 38. ftrndanent of philosophie minerals. Itre Sulphur Mercury is same species of 41. To make sor 39. 40. i.s the Soul, but the Mercury is the Matter. congealed into an inperfect body and goes in the the inperfect body by whose Sulphur it is congealed. and luna with the sulphurs of imperfect bodys

25.

is inpossibLe for everything

42.

can glve no Eore but what lt

has.

Ttre Mercury of Metals, is the feninl,ne seed, for by projectlon it goes through the qualitles gold, of all metals till l+3. For the extractlng of the red rincture, the Mercury must be aninated with the ferrnent of Gold, and for the white with the ferment of Silver. 44. The Ptrilosophers work is quickly done without any expences and that in every place, at all times, if they have but the true m a t t er. Ttre Sulphurs of Sol and tuna fix the spirits of their species. Ttre Sulphurs of Sol and Luna are the true naseuline seeds of t h e Sto n e . 4?. permanent A11 which have power of fixing rnust be necessarily and fixed. 48. Itre Tincture giving perfection to imperfects is rnade out of the Fountain of GoId and Silver. 49. They who take the Sulphur of Venus are cheated. nothing which is useful or which can serve 50. Venus has naturally in the great Spagirical Work, 5L. Sol converted into Mercury before the conjunction with the Menstruusr cannot be a fernent, a soul or a Sulphur. The Work brought to an end by reiteration is made fiery. 52. of the Work the perfect bodys must be 53. In the abbreviation reduced into a current Mercurlr which can rightly take the ferrnent. of Mercury by sublination is better than that 54, Ttre preparation which is done by amalgamation, but note that you nust revive it. 55. The Soul eannot i.npress a form but by the help of a Spirit, which is nothing but GoId turned lnto lUercury. Itre Mercury receives the form of Gold by the nediation of fi. t h e S p i ri t. Gold resolved into ltlercury is Spirit and Sou1. 5?. ltre Sulphur of the Phllosophers, Tincture and Fernent all fr. signify one Thing. 45, 46.

2?.

59. ltulgar of bodys. 50. 51. it 62.

llercurlr

Ls nade egual to the nature

of the Mercury

makes the Mercurly ponderous. when the Mercury vulgar ls not aninated or without is then not fit either for an nniversal or particular

Ihe fernent

Now the Soul is inpressed into the mortified 63. Sol nay be prepared lnto a fer.nent also that animates ten parts of l[ercury, and this work has no end. 64. The Mercury of the lnperfect bodys takes place of that rnrlgar Mercury, but the Art of ortractlng it Is difficult. 65. Ttre rnrlgar Mercury is turned into Gold by projection of the Philosophie Stone, therefore it may be e:<alted and made equal to all Mereurys of bodys. 66. Vulgar Mercury animated ls a great secret. 67. All lulercury of metals by abbreviation of the work are turned into Gold or Silver. 58. Hunid and gentle heat is called the fire of Egpt. 69. Note. endued with 7O. ?L. ility.

a soul operation. Mereury. one part of it

Luna is not the Mother of rnrlgar Silver, but a Mercury of a Coelestial Luna. sone quality Luna is of a netalline nature. The metallick Vulgar Mereury takes on feminine nature because of its ster-

The Mereury of the half minerals show the nature of Silver 72. b y s i n i l i tu d e . ?3. A11 things are produced out of So1 and Luna. 74. Man and Woman, that is Sol and Mercury congeal together. is remote from the Work. Vulgar Mercury without preparation 75. Four parts of Mercury and one of Gold which is in the place ?6. of ferment nake a matrinonyo ??. Ttre solution is done when Gold is resolved into lUlercury. there is no d.issolution. 78. tfithout putrefaction lasts till l{hiteness appears. 79. Putrefaction 80. It is a great seeret to mrndify the Mercury with which is prepared the Menstruum in which GoId is dissolved.

28.

81. 82. 83.

Mereury resolves Mercury like lt Ihe dlssolutlon Sol dissolved

the GoId in ls itslef. is

fonr

of a water,

that

ls

lnto

cument

the beglnnlng nrnning

of congelation. time remains ponderous and

into

Mercury in a short

in that forn. 84. ltre ferment

drys up the Mercury and nakes it

fixes i.t. 85. [tre Sol of the Ptrllosophers is called a Fountain. is converted lnto 85. Itre Matter by power of putrefaction of congelation. whieh is the prineiple 8?. there is a compendious way by which the Sulphur luna j.s extracted by which all Mercury is fixed into

a part

of Sol and GoId and

Si-1ver. 88. ltre Matter must never be removed from the fire that it may n o t g ro w co l d o r e l se i t is spoiled. 89. When the Matter comes to be black then give the Second grade o f f i r e. for the Itre Washing of the Philosophers is but a similitude 90. fire only perfects all. is taken away only by the fire for it 91, Poison and stinkingness is that which absolves all. 92. Fire by lts penetrating and acute virtue cleanses more thart

any other water. 93, When in any vegetable thing the heat or colour is extinguished there follows death. 9 4 & 9 5 . Itre S p i rl t i s the calor ( colour ?) . 96. When the Matter is brought to Whiteness then may it not be destroyed. g?. A11 cornrpt5.on of things is noted by a mortal poi.son. Itre Glass or vessel is called Mother. 98. of the Sulphur nay be extended to a certain term. 99. The virtue 1OO. You nust observe the question why the Philosophers call their Matter a Menstrrrum.

29.

101.

Sulphur

dlssolves

the nane of a form but the Menstnrun the

nane of the Matter. 102. Ote Menstnnrm represents the little and lnferiour E1enents, nanely the Earth and l{ater, Sulphur the Superiour as Fire and Air are the agents. I03. When you break the shell of the egg also that the chick cones o u t t he n i t i s ki l l e d , 81so if you open the vessel also th at the matter feels the Air, then lt is all spoiled. 104. carcination done with Mercury in a reverberatory is good. 105. Ihe nethods of the phiLosophical stile must dilegently be noted, for by sublimation into Mercury by the first second operation which is the third is the fixation body. they und.erstand the dissolution of bodys grade of fire, which is forrowed by the the inspi-ssation of Mercury with Sulphur. of Mercury in a perfect and absolute

105. firere is an infinite number of hrants who do not alLow of Mereury as it is in its form rnixed by the caLx of perfect bodys, to be the matter of the Stone. 107. The White Medicine is brought to perfection in the third degree of fire, and this degree you must not transgress in the naking of the White Medicine or else you will destroy the White Work. 108. The fourth degree of fire makes the natter red, and there appear divers colours. 109. The Work after White not brought to a high redness is imperfect not only the White but also the Red Tincture. 110. After the first degree of the Persian fire the matter becones more powerfull. The work is not brought to perfection eneept it be incerated and made ftrsible like wBX. LIz. The work of ceration is done by addition of 2 and 3 parts of Mercury which gives the being to the Stone. 113. The ineeration of the White Medicine is done by the White 111.

30.

Water or the Mercury anlmated wlth Luna, but the lnceration of the Medicine Red ls done with Mercury aninated with gold. ll4. It is enough when the Matter after inceratlon renaLns like p a s te . a R e i te ra te th e i n cer ation till it has the r ight consis ter l c , 115. llhen the Mercury with which the inceration is done, flys away lt signifles nothing. I17. lhe Medlcine right and duly incerated explains enigrna of the King eoning out of the Fountain. 1 1 8 . S o 1 re d u ce d l n to its water or fir st m atter , by means of the n r l g a r Me rcu ry, l f i t gr ows cold it is spoiled, 119. Ihe Philosopher takes the matter prepared by nature and reduces it into the first matter, for everything is reduced into that o u t o f w h i ch i t h a th i ts or iginal, like Snow is m ixed with W ater . LzO. Itre Wise nen bring years into months and nonths into weeks and weeks into days. rzr.. The first decoction of Mercury done by nature is the only cause of its simple perfection beyond which it cannot come, but you nust help this simplicitys seninating gord in its own earth which is nothing else but pure lVlercury, which is by nature a little a n d n o t p e rfe e tl y d i g e sted. In th e se co n d d e e oetion of m er cur y the vir tue of mer c ur y is ten tj-rnes augmented. I23. fite Stone of Mercury is nade by reiterating the decoction adding to it gold and also man and wonan are twice boiled. I24. Sol must be added to lulercury that it may be turned into Sulphur and then it is boiled into the Physical Stone. I25. Also sone contemplate the philosophical lulercury, Vet do they not know it. L26. EVery Mercury of what original so ever represents the matter of the Stone, taken in a due manner. 127, Everything is the subject of the Stone out of whieh lttlercury may be extraeted. L22. 1I5.

3I.

A11 who understand the unnitings of the Phllosophers accordare eheated, for they affirm but one MerculXr. ing to the letter L 2 9 . (i s mi ssi n g i n th e or iglnal IU.S.) . 1 3 0 . Ore Me rcu ry e xce eds another in nor e calidity, sieclty, decoction, purity and perfection who without corruption of the form must be prepared and purged of his superfluities in which consists 128. t h e s ecre t o f th e S to n e. 131. If the preparation of rnrlgar Mercury were known to Students of this Art there would be no other Mercury sought for, nor any other aqua-vitae nor any other Mercurial Water for the common Mercury contalns all this. I32. Mercury by suceessive degrees may be brought Elrery metallic of any Mercury of bodys. and exalted into the quality L33. The nrlgar Mercury before due digestion is not the philosophieal Mercury but after preparation it is called by that nane containing in him a true way and method of extracting the Mercury out of other metals, and it is the beginning of the Work. aqua vitae, L34. Prepared rnrlgar Mereury is the netallic L35. The passj.ve Mercury and the Menstmun do by no neans loose the external form of Mercury. 136. Who ever uses in place of current Mercury any sublimate or caleined powder or precipitate is cheated. L3?. Whoever resolves Mercury into clear Water for the making of the great Work are in error. 138. To make Mercury out of limpid water is in no bodys power' but only in the power of nature. work, it is that Mereury L39. Neeessarily in the philosophieal crud.e does dissolve gold i.nto Mercury. I40. When Mercury is reduced into water it dissolves gold into water and in the work of the Stone it is neeessary that it is dissolved into Mercury. 141. ltre Sperm and the Menstruum must be alike form. in the external

32.

is sald In the doctrlne of the Philosophers that necessarlly he nust noisten the nature, hrt lf the nenstnrun is dry, t h e r e i s n o d i sso l u tl o n hoped. L43. You nust take the seed of the stone in the llke and near nature of metals. 144. It is highly necessary that the Seed of the Philosophieal Medicine is like rnrl6er Mercury. L45. ftre highest secret of all is to lnrow that Mercury is both Matter and Menstruumr and that the lUercury of perfect bodys is the forn, L46. Mercury by itself does nothing in generation. L47. Mercury is the elemental earth in which gold is seni.nated. 148. Itre Seed of Gold is indued with nultiplying virtue. L49. Perfect Mereury seeks for the work of generation a woman. 150. Every Mercury consi.sts out of 2 elenents, the Cnrde out of water and earth, boiled out of fire and air, I5I. If anyone will turn Mercury into a netal, then you must add to it a Little ferment that it may be to such a degree of perfection brought as you please. L52. The greatest Arcanum of the work, is the physical dissolution into Mercuryrand reduction into lilercury. L53. Ihe dissolution of gold must be perfected by nature and not by hands. lsk. When gold is joined with its Mercurlr then it is in the forn of goId, but the most preparati.on is in the Calx. L55. lllrere is a question amongst the Wise men, if the Mercury of Luna joined with the Mercury of gold may be had in the place of the philosophi cal Menstruum. The Mercury of Luna keeps the nature of a nan, and two men can generate no lesser than two women. you nust get the nost pure L57. For the o<tracting of the Elixir substance of Mercury. lj. He who will work, must work in the sublj.mation of the two luminaries. 156.

L42.

It

33.

L59 Gold gLves a golden and Sllver gtvga a sLlver"trr[lncture, but he who brows (how) to tlnge the ilereury wlth Sllver or Gold has a great secret.

Frilrs

34.