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A 1989R.A.M.
S. Pno ou cT r oN
 W OR D A BOUT B.,ArMeg.
R.A.M. S. , the Restoration of Alchemical Manuscripts Society is a very
loosely knit group composed of private citizens around the world who have
contributed to the present work and others in one way or another. The goal
of the sociegr is to seek out and obtain copies of Alchemical ma.nuscripts,
tracts, printed works and other such materials ard literature. From these,
certain items are selected for I restorationf . This consists in re-t5rping the
material to render it readable, therefore useable. The reading is made more
enjoyable by the use of eharts, s;rmbols, dictionaries, diagrarns, insertion
of printed illustrations and other annotations to shed additional light on the text.

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ing a labor of love. It is their hope that these efforts will perhaps result in
renewed interest in the science of Alchemy or even contribute to new dis-
coveries or fields of experirnentation. While this material is for all on the
path of Alchemy, it i.s particularly for the sincere practicing Alchemist.

The transcription of this material is as verbatirn as human skills permit. The

only exceptions are to make the matter more readable, or understandable,
with some t modernizationr . This is done ONLY where it is judged that no
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danger of deleting key words or phrases where a possible use of Gematria,
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grarnmatioally. incgrrect material is to be found as well as archaic or strange
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interested parties. The costs for these copies are used to defray reproduction
costs and to obtain additional material for restoration.

The work of R.A.M.S. includes such material as ttl.ast Will and Testament"
of Basil Valentine, important selections from the invaluable Bacstrom Manu-
scripts such as ttcolden Chain of Homerrt, ttlamspringt s Process for the
Lapis Sopfue"trntt, ttThe Chemistt s Key", ttThe Mineral Gluten of Nitre and
SuUurtt, ttCoelum Philosophorumtt and others. Additionally, material by other
writerf s is or will be offered. Suchas Geber, Ka,lid, Ripley, Bacon, Hazelrigg,
Hollandus, Becher, l{onteSnyderrAlbertue Magnusr etc etc
It is higtrty approrpiate to acknowledge the ma^nypersons who have either mat-
erially or philosophically contributed to the present effort and firtr:re ones. For
some this might well be the first indication that they are considered as mem-
bers of R.A. M. S. or that such a group even exists! While the list is long, it
includes: C, Collins,Iri ![u11er. ,l)oris Edlein, Arp. Joo, D. and J. Nintzel,
N. Ogle, G. Price, F. Regardie, W. van Doren, K. non Koenigeeek,and es-
pecially David Ham. For their labors and contributions, gratefirl ttranks are
given Let their unseUish efforts inspire others to light the fires of Alchemy.

To obtain copies of these materials, or to contribute in some way to this work,

contact: W. Nintzel
R. A . M. S . c lo Ttarr"
;nffiHr#lf,uou,
 T n e Go lo e nHo n r 0 t Go r - o ,
I T s l l E n tr , IT s Ge ttr r e , IT s Use ,
T o Hr s Sp o u se
Bv
J " F n. l l r n l n o u r l , Do r . Co r co nruAEo u ECo te s"

B o o r 1 . , Cn n p r e n1 .

Gold not known in the e a rlie s t t ime s ; it s d is c o v e ry and esteem by

un ive rsal aqreement, so t h a t it is t h e y a rd s t ic k for other things.

ft has often entered my min d , f ry s p o u s e , to d is c o v e r mo r e e x a c t l y

b y discussion why gold, that u s e d t o b e s o e s t e e me d , and sti1l is,
i nsin uated its extraordin a ry re p u t a t io n in t o t h e min d s o f men, and
ha vin g done sor fixed it t h e re s o t e n a c io u s ly . f see that it is sou-
g h t with such great and n e e d le s s d ilig e n c e , . t h a t it is wit h good rea-
so n that they say the e a rlie s t L a t in writ e rs d e riv e d the name from
"tur n ing mens'minds"i and once found, it is g u a rd e d so carefully
tha t it gave the Greeks re a s o n to d e riv e t h e n a me f ro m "apo to oreoin,'
be ca u se it is watched ov e r mo re t h a n a n y t h in g e ls e r dnd the word "the-
sa u r u s" was compounded f ro m it . On the other hand, t h e min d t h a t is
h iq h ly desirous of findin g the t ru t h h a s f u rt h e r d is c o v e re d that atth-
ou g h gold may seem to be u s e f u l, t h is is not n e c e s s a rily b ec a u s e o f
an y of its qualities, but b y u n iv e rs a l a g re e me n t . A n d it has been
r eco r ded in the earliest t ime s that g o ld wa s n o t a lwa y s esteemed above
th e other accessories of lif e , in c lu d in g me t a ls ; for the spoken or
im p licit testimony of all c e n t u rie s that g o ld wa s p re f e rre d to the
o the r things f have calle d a c c e s s o rie s of lif e does not a lt og e t h e r
pe r su ade me, because the re is n o me n t io n of g o ld a mo n g t h e first vorkr
o f m en, rather it is rela t e d in a n c ie n t lit e ra ry re c o rd s t ha t men liv-
ed for many centuries w it h o u t g o ld . No r a re t h e re la c k in g t,hose who
wr o te that gold was disco v e re d b y A e a c u s a lit t le b e f o re t he days of
Tr o y, and silver by Indu s t h e k in g of S c y t h ia , and those who s a y i L
wa s found by Thoas or Ae a c lu s , o r E ric h t h o n is , or So1, or Vulcanr ot
eve n Chrysus: Hippocrates wa s o f t h is o p in io n , s a y in g that the name
of g o ld "ho chrysos" was t a k e n f ro m it s f in d e r.

1.
 I know that it has be e n writ t e n that g o ld wa s n o t in use in Eurpoe
m uch before if was smelte d by the P h o e n ic ia n s in the t ime of Cadmus.
Wh y, when Greece was alre a d y ric h a n d f lo u ris h in g not enough gold
co u ld be scraped together in t h e wh o le o f G re e c e t o a l1 o w th e Amy-
cla e a n A pollo to have a g o ld c ro lrn , re la t e s Athenaeus. F in a l l y , it
w as so rare and dear in the t ime of K in g P h ilip that h e c o ns i d e r e d
tha t he had done well to a c q u ire a g o ld e n d rin k in g v e s s e l, r.rhich was
so small that he could hid e it u n d e r h is p i1 lo w, if Du riu s Samius
w r ote the truth, whose d e s c rip t io n of P h ilip ' s lic e n t io u s ways is,
I th in k, taken from P liny , wh e n h e in v e ig h s a g a in s t p h it ip ' s golden
cu p ! S o far were the Gre e k s f ro m c h e ris h in g t h e me t a l that their
l aws forbade them to use it . It c a n b e p la in ly s e e n f ro m hi s t o r y
th a t Sparta grew and flou ris h e d wit h o u t c o in s of s ilv e r and gold,
an d that it fell and was ru in e d wh e n L y s a n d e r b ro u g h t in the golden
b o o ty of the captured At h e n ia n s . P la t o assents; in h is "Laws" he
fo r b a de any privite pers o n t o p o s s e s s g o ld , a n d d id the same for sil-
ver . P erhaps it came in t o h is h e a d b e c a u s e g o ld a n d s ilv e r were
r ar e ly used in Greece, a n d we re u s u a lly s e e n o n L y in t e mp le s, and
in tr ipods and images th a t t h e L y d ia n k in g s G y g e s a n d Cro e s u s first,
p o sse ssed, and after the m t h e S ic ilia n t y ra n t s . Soon after the Pho-
cae a n s inhabited Delphi t h e me t a l b e g a n f o b e c o mmo n ly u s e d i n G r e e c e .
I recall the diminishe d re g a rd in wh ic h the He b re ws h e ld the metal,
altho u gh they had much o f it , p re f e rrin g b ro n z e to g o ld , if Josephus
r ep o r ts truly in the sev e n t h a n d e le v e n t h c h a p t e rs o f h is "Antiquit-
i es". It also comes to my min d t h a t S p a rt a c u s in h is c a mp s i n I t a l y
fo r b a de anyone to have g o ld o r s ilv e r. After it had been in circulat-
i on for numberless centu rie s a mo n g c e rt a in A f ric a n a n d A s ia n peoples,
som e of them had little re g a rd for g o ld , o t h e rs thought nothing of
i t, a nd in India, which is thought t o b e v e ry ric h in it , at least
if we are speaking of th a t p a rt of it that A le x a n d e r o f Ma c e d o n c o n -
qu e r e dr w€ learn from th e accounts o f h is d e e d s b y t h e G re e k w r i t e r s
th a t there was no go1d, a lt h o u g h wh e n B e rs is wa s s a c k e d t h e king him-
self obtained so much go ld that t h irt y thousand mu le s we re s c a r c e l y
en o u g h to carry it. We t h e re f o re in f e r that c e rt a in me n a g r e e d not
to e steem gold highly' a lt h o u g h it is not c le a r wh y , a n d t h a t it was
no t a lways agreed and de c id e d b y e v e ry n a t io n in t h e r. ro rld t h a t gold
is th e measure of other t h in g s .

2.
 Cn a p r e R
2.
G o t -o r{o r H IGH L y E srE EtttED
BEcAUsEoF ITs NATURALusEFULNEs s .

I do not bring forwa rd the a rg u me n t wit h wh ic h s o me h a ve t r i e d

to p ersuade the common ma n , t h a t g o ld is v e ry useful t o men . Against
it, on the contraryr I c it e iro n , wit h o u t wh ic h A g ric u lt u re could
not exist, an art as us e f u l a s it is g e n e ra l, (A s X e n o p h o n s a y s it
is the mother and nurse of a ll the a rt s ) A rc h it e c t u re c o u ld not
b u ild , the Navy could not e x is t , a n d 1 e f me a d d t h e A rmy , w h i c h ,
altho ugh it hurts some, d o e s n o t in ju re a ll. f am the f irst to
ap p r ove that half-line of p o e t ry , " G o 1 d is mo re h u rt f u l than iron",
a lso that similar saying , " g o 1 d is mo re p re c io u s t h a n iro n i n w a r . "
The maxim that gold is d is a p p ro v e d o f b y t h e b e s t p e o p le a n d l e a d s
to r uination in life is c lo s e in me a n in g t o these. f have also often
r e co r ded how old, how a d mire d and at the s a me t ime how unworthy it
i s; how he who first ho a rd e d g o ld wa s d e lu d e d is t h e me a n in g b e n e a t h
the fable of Midas; for a heap of gotd b rin g s n o s o lid we al t h to
life. Furthermore, its u s e in c o mme rc e wa s n o p o we rf u l re a s o n for
th e high repute of gold , s in c e
t h e o ld k in g s s t ru c k c o in s , not of
g o ld or silver, but of b ro n z e (a e s ), o f wh ic h S a t u rn wa s t h e i n v e n t o r
an d from which the treas u ry (a e ra riu m) g e t s it s n a me r d s C e c i l t h e
C ypr ian thinks, although o t h e rs writ e that the f irs t to strike coins
w as Janus, the contempo ra ry of S a t u rn , wh o s t ru c k o n h is co i n s his
g u e st and the ship that c a rrie d h im. A mo n g t h e Ro ma n s b ro nz e was
th e first to be rninted, then s ilv e rr d rrd g o ld a f e w y e a rs later, be-
ca u se S ervius, the seven t h k in g of the Ro ma n s , f irs t s t ru c k bronze
co in s, the consul Fabius wa s t h e f irs t to is s u e s ilv e r ones, and
soo n afterwards gold wa s u s e d .

CHn p r e n3 .
G oto's E x rR A oR DI t r r ARE
Ryp UT A T I o NIS NOT [IEDICINAL.

When it comes to the medical facultyr som€ long-standing Epicher-

amatan opinions that goJ-d produces gladness and strength in the
b o d ily temperament have b e e n c it e d a g a in s t me ; c o n t ra ry opinions
fr o m the same faculty s u p p o rt me , b e c a u s e d e lig h t in h e a p s o f gold-
e n co ins exists only wh ile t h e ric h ma n is t h in k in g of them, and
the r e are those who take p le a s u re in s p e n d in g mo n e y , b u t these are
m a tte rs of the imagination , the in t e L le c t a n d t h e min d , not of the
b o d ily temperament, which is u n s e t t le d b y h e a v y t h in g s and dross.
M o r e o ver, there are man y t h in g s that they s a y a re b e t t e r for the
b o d ily temperament, and t h a t a re re c o mme n d e d b y e v e n t h e doctors of
an ti quity for the rekindlin g o f h u ma n lif e , wh o s e s u f f ic ie n t poffers
we ca n make more or less use of. F o r n o me t a l n o u ris h e s , as the anc-
i en t P eripatetics knew, n o r a re d ig e s t e d , nor t u rn e d in t o fl e s h and
b1ood. This is proved by the a c t io n s of those rn rh owe re u p r o o t e d by
th e whirlwinds of war an d t h e d e v a s t a t io n of t h e ir la n d s , hid them-
se lve s in caves and, l-ik e Ca t a p o t iu s , b u rie d g o ld e n c o in s inside
th e ir bellies, which the y we re s o o n re c o v e re d , t h e ir c o lo u r and wei-
ght unchanged.
And if perhaps gold p e ris h e s a n d is c o n s u me d b y t h e in n at e heat,
it is to a very small extent, o t h e rwis e , it wo u ld h a v e b e t t e r pre-
se r ve d the lives of those , J e ws wh o f le d to T it , u s Ca e s a r wh i l e he was
b e sie ging Jerusalem, for if t h e g o ld h a d b e e n d ig e s t e d r e t if they
h a d s wallowed it to nouris h t h e ms e lv e s , they wo u ld n o t have been cut
up by the avaricious A ra b s a n d A s s y ria n s to e x t ra c t f ro m t h e i r guts
th e gold they had previou s ly b u rie d in t h e ir b e llie s , a n d so g r e a t
wa s the number of these that t wo t h o u s a n d we re d is e mb o we lle d in a
sin g le night, according to Josephus, a s c o n f irme d by Aegesippus.
These wretches therefo re h id the g o ld in t h e ir s t o ma c h s a s i n a
che st, not for assuaging hungar r ot it ru o u ld h a v e b e e n d if f u s e d throu-
ghout the body, and alte re d , lik e other foodstuffs. Wh a t th e n ? Gold
n e ithe r soothes ttith its s me ll n o r n u rt u re s wit h it , s t a s t e those vap-
ou r s that rise from hum a n b o d ie s , c a lle d s p irit s by the doctors, rat-
her all metala have an u n p le a s a n t taste a n d a s u lf u ro u s s me l l , drrd
m u st be prejudicial to those wh o f a l1 s ic k ; they a re a lo n g way from
r e tain ing the departing s p irit wit h t h e ir unctuousness. It is the
we ll- known opinion of A lb e rt , u s Ma g n u s t h a t the tastes a n d od o r s of
all met,als are somewhat u n p le a s a n t , a lt h o u g h g o ld has the least sme1l
an d therefore the least stench, because of the e x t re me f in e ne s s of
the sulfur that is part of it s c o mp o s it io n . T h e re a re , h o r' r e v e r , t h o s e

4
w ho h old that not only the s me ll, but a ls o the taste of me t a l s are
he lp ful to both well an d s ic k p e rs o n s , but they a re o f le s s value
tha n gold. It comes to min d t h a t P lin y wro t e that g o ld wa s o n c e
give n to the wounded and c h ild re n , d g d in s t p o is o n s r so that they
sho u ld be less hurtful, a n d t o o t h e rs t o b rin g t h e m * " . it h . One
also remembers that the s a me P lin y ( if h e is to s u p p o rt us ) wrote
as m any reproaches agains t g o ld a s p ra is e s of it . He a ls o wrote
th a t there is a certain p o is o n in g o ld , a n d t h is I re me mb e r a s h i s
chie f conclusion - for wh o is not in t e re s t e d in Me d ic in e ? And if he
do e s not exclude gold, o t h e rs h a v e la t e r ma d e h im t h e ir a u th o r i t y
fo r so doingr ds is the c u s t o m.
H e quotes V arro, who wa s a ma n o f h is o wn t ime , a n d a n ou t s t a n d -
in g medic. Dioscorides does not a s c rib e a n y me d ic in a l a c t io n to
go ld . I have said that Dio s c o rid e s liv e d at the s a me t ime as Varro,
fo llo wing S uidas, and ge n e ra l o p in io n , a lt h o u g h f know that some pre-
fe r Dioscorides to have liv e d in P lin y ' s t ime s , f o llo win g Li e n i u s
Ba ssu s, but I would rath e r lis t e n to those wh o t h in k that Dioscorides
l i ved at the time of A rriu s , t o wh o m is a t t rib u t e d a b o o k of m e d i c i n a l
si m ples: I do not speak o f t h e A rriu s wh o s e h o p e s Ca t u llu s laughed
at, n or of that bitter e n e my o f o u r re lig io n wh o s o o b s t in a te l y
b la sp hemed Christ the Lo rd , but o f h im wh o wa s o f the s a me a g e a s
Ale xd r inus, who was grea t ly h o n o u re d b y A u g u s t u s Ca e s a r a f t er his
vie t,o r y over A nthony and Cle o p a t ra ; but wh e t h e r Dio s c o rid e s is older
th a n Plinyr or a contemp o ra ry , s e e ms t o ma t t e r lit t le . Varro was
cer tainly affected by th e T riu mv ira t e ; f ro m h im G re e c e , L a t, i u m a n d
th e B arbarians took thei r ma t e ria
me d ic a ; we lJ a v e it a s o u r opinion
th a t he is later, becaus e Dis c o rid e s is me n t io n e d b y P lin y ; he may
be ea rlier, slightly earlie r, o rr a s f t h in k , a c o n t e mp o ra ry .
D i scorides, to whatev e r c e n t u ry h e b e lo n g e d , handed on many remed-
ie s in the appropriate c h a p t e rs o n q u ic k s ilv e r, b ro n z e , iro n and lead,
bu t n ot on gold. A nd he s c a rc e ly me n t io n s me rc u ry , because it is
ha r m ful if ingest,ed. Sma 1 l p ie c e s of g o ld re me d y t h e h a rm i t does;
th is he mentions when tre a t in g of other me d ic in e s . Wh e n h e i s speak-
in g of poisons, he says t h a t a c o n it e is c o mb a t t e d wit h p u re w i n e in
w hich red-hot gold has b e e n q u e n c h e d , but t h is p ro p e rt y is not pee-
ulia r to it, but shared wit h a mix t u re of s ilv e r, iro n , and iron
sla g , which is just as g o o d r d rd is re c o mme n d e d b y p a u l of Aegina

5.
wh e n he deals with pois o n s . G a le n u s , v e ry mu c h la t e r than Discor-
id e s, treats of the powe r o f s imp le me d ic in e s a ls o , g iv e s the same
r e cip es, and says as mu c h a b o u t g o ld as I have. I re me mb e r t h a t
Al exander of Colophon in h is A le x ip h a rma x writ e s that g o ld and sil-
ve r are useful, but his t e s t imo n y is not s o s t ro n g as to be legiti-
m a tely quoted in this context, e it h e r b e c a u s e h e wa s a p o e t t o E b e -
cau se he copied Dioscor id e s a n d G a le n , or because he equated gold
with silver, writing " e n o ie ma t i t h o le ro " i it ma t t e rs 1 it t 1 e . For
h e says that the metal s h o u ld b e ma d e in t o a t u rb id liq u id and then
dr u n k; I do not deny th a t g o ld ma y h a v e s o me me d ic in a l v a lue , b u t f
a sk you how much?
A lso'considering, that t h e re a re in n u me ra b le re me d ie s that have
so m e power of heal.ing or of f ig h t in g p o is o n ; o n e ma y ma k e t h e same
j ud g ement concerning silv e r. A n d if they h a v e n o me d ic a l power, nor
b r in g pleasure, whence , I a s k y o u c o me s . t h is g e n e ra l p ilin g- u p of
g o ld and silver vessels r s o u g h t wit h g re a t la b o u r? For it seems that
ta b le sr or at least ves s e ls , ma d e o f s ilv e r denote n o b ilit y ; Vitruv-
i us, however, in his eig h t h b o o k d e a lin g wit h wa t e r, wh e n h e c o m e s
to the end, and shows t h a t le a d is h a rmf u l b e c a u s e wa t e r is infected
b y l ead pipes, adds clea rly that the taste of s ilv e r is harmful; so
tho se who have tables ma d e o f t h e ir s ilv e r v e s s e ls , u s e e ar t h e n w a r e
b e ca use of the soundnes s o f t h e ir taste. Ma n y p rin c e s of our own
te m p estuous times are in a g re e me n t , t u rn t h e ir u n v a lu e d bowls and
dish es into silver tabl e s , a n d p re f e r for t h e ir e le g a n t banquets
ea r thenware dishes broug h t f ro m I n d ia , E t h io p ia and Egypt t ot, if
the se are lacking, form B y t h in ia , though they ma y n o t h a v e p o t t e r s
as fathers, like the ma n p ra is e d b y A g a t h o c le s , wh o p re f e rre d vessels
of Samian'rilare to silver. Even the t riu mv ir Anthony, wh o a t M e s a l l a '
i nsti gation used only g o ld t o g ra t if y a ll h is o b s c e n e d e s ir e s , does
not seem to have liked the taste of go1d. Ne ro ' s Poppaea also seems
to have rejected it, fo r s h e h a d g o ld e n s h o e s ma d e f o r her best ani-
m a ls. I know what the A ra b p h y s ic ia n s h a v e writ t e n , that although
g o ld does not nourish, it soothes the eyes. I wo u ld a d d t ha t its
i m ag inary power can be e x p la in e d re a s o n a b ly , for is it not so highly
esteemed as to be made t h e me a s u re o f a ll t h in g s ? Is it not natural
fo r riches to make the h e a rt t re mb le ? It does not f o llo wr ds w€
ha ve said before, that Nic a n d e r' s wo rd s a re v a in .

6.
 Cn Rp r e n4 .
Po rns tE G oLDD oE s i l o r E x p L A n {T HE G RE A T
t { o B L E NE sosF T H E
Itlernl.

They say that the us e o f p o t a b le g o ld le a d s to the a lle v i a t , i o n of

i l l ne sses, the preservatio n o f h e a lt h , and the le n g . t h e n in g of 1ife,
as fa r as nature allows; t h is I s h a ll c o n s id e rr rro t a s s e t tl e d , but
as a matter for argument . I n c o n f irma t io n of t h is , I assert that it
is a matter of controver s y a mo n g t h o s e wh o a re s k ille d in de b a t e .
Per h a ps those who drink u p g o ld a g re e t h a t it is not re a rly goJ-d
tha t is drunk, but its p u re a n d s u b t le p o rt io n , ca11ed the conjunct
e sse n ce.
In deed how many battle s c o n c e rn in g that q u in t e s s e n c e of higher
'
su b stances have been sou g h t b y t h e g re a t le a d e rs of p h ilo s o p h y . Their
follo wers still fight to-d a y , and the P la t o n is t , and the peripateties
( w ho se founder they say wis h e d for the q u in t e s s e n c e , ra t h e r than pro-
ved its existence) do no t a g re e a s t o wh o h a s t h e v ic t o ry , they allow
th a t the theory of five substances h a s s o me f o u n d a t io n , but they do
not a11ow that they are h e a v e n ly le s t they s h o u ld have to co n c e i d e
th a t they are composed o f s u b lu n a ry e le me n t s . F o r wh e t h e r they make
po tab le gold from honey r o t t o E q u ic k s ilv e r
s u lf u r r o t d is t ,i l l e d pure
w ater r or some secret ea rt h t o r r if y o u p re f e r, f ro m s o me ex a l t e d
kin d of copper, much ref in e d r t h e y will say that s o me s u b t le power
is d r awn from it. They will not a g re e t h a t the q u in t e s s e n c e is drar^rn
fr o m it, and if they sa y t h a t t h e q u in t e s s e n c e is b u ilt up from the
q u a lit,ies of the element s , wh ic h t h e y cannot p re d ic t will be f o u n d
in i t, one can readily re p ly that they a re c o n t e n d in g that the Peri-
p a teti cs take the appeara n c e f o r the re a lit y , a n d a t t rib u t e effects
wh ich something el-se co u ld have caused to the c o n c u rre n c e of diverse
ca u se s and their contrac t io n in t o one. F in a lly , if they concede this
to th e P eripatetics' why d o t h e y not e n u n c ia t e that other do g m a , t h a t
a n im a ls cannot live on me t a ls ? I n o rd e r to le a v e the e n d of t,he con-
tr ove r sy to doctors quarre llin g a mo n g t h e ms e lv e s , they b rin g forward
all s orts of reasons why t h e in v e s t ig a t io n of p o t a b le g o ld is being
pe r su ed to this d.y; this h a s n o t h in g to d o wit h d rin k in g go l d it-
se 1 f. For it is clear that they a re a c c u s t o me d t o re d u c e go l d to
an a sh, or a ca1x, as th e y p re f e r to c a ll L L , wh ic h is done in many
wa ysr so as to reduce it f in a lly to it s p ris t in e f o rm, wh e n p e r h a p s
you may drink it, or not at a llr o r h a rd ly , if it s mo is t u re has de-
p a r ted , for if you remov e it t h o ro u g h ly , y o u h a v e d e s t ro y e d the gold.
It h a s been declared by A ris t o t le a n d T h e o p h ra s t u s that mo i s t u r e is
a e o n stituent of aL1 me t a ls that f o rms p a rt of t h e ir n a t u re and sep-
a r a tes them from being stones.
Therefore they add tha t it is not g o ld that is d ru n k , b ut a part
of i t, that was once go1 d , d is s o lv e d in a f o re ig n liq u id , which has
th e power not only of swe e t e n in g a n d we a k e n in g the c a lx of gold, but
also of extracting somet h in g that c a n b e d ru n k ; they s a y t he same of
g e m s' which cannot thems e lv e s b e d ru n k r d s e v e ry o n e k n o ws ; defenders
of th is viewpoint say th a t t h e re a re s e v e ra l vays of liq u e f y i n g gol-d,
a n d that you should not b e lie v e wh a t t h e ir opponents say; moreover
the y assert that it is do n e b y c o rro d in g wa t e rs , the a d d it io n of var-
i ou s kinds of saltr or b y b it in g ju ic e s r so that t h e p o we r t h a t nature
b e stoved on gold is take n f ro m g o ld a n d lif t e d f ro m it s s e at , there-
for e everyone must allow that it happens, e s p e c ia lly a s it becomes
m o r e fitted for nourishin g h u ma n n a t u re . No w wh e t h e r y o u ar e s p e a k -
i ng of the nature of gold it s e lf , wh ic h is not f it for e a t ing r Els we
kn e w from the P eripatetics r o r wh e t h e r y o u a re s p e a k in g o f its nature
wh e n mixed (which they s a y is n o t g o ld in t h e ir ju d g e me n t ), it is
a g r e e d that, one is drinkin g a liq u id that h a s f lo we d d ro p b y d r o p from
a g la ss vessel as the va p o u rs c a rrie d up by the heat of the fire turn-
ed b a ck into water, and wa s mix e d wit t r other substances s o ug h t from
the r est of the medical f a c u lt y r if t h is is d rin k in g g o ld or drinking
ge m s, why do they not sa y t h e y wh o d rin k win e d ra wn f ro m a s o i l fatten
e d b y a mixture of variou s e x c re me n t s a re d rin k in g e x c re me nt s ?
I have supported the cause of those wh o wo u ld a l1 o w p o t a b l e gold
be ca u se I think something c a n b e c o lle c t e d that c a n b e v e ry helpful
fo r our bodies and those of o t h e rs , e s p e c ia lly a s e v e ry o n e agrees
tha t our surgeon A ntoniu s in y e a rs g o n e b y re s t o re d a ma rriad woman
of Co rnelius' house who wa s d y in g of c o n s u mp t io n t o h e a lt h in a few
d a ys, free from her wast in g d is e a s e , s o l-e ly by the use of potable goli
Th is was learnt from her u n c le Nic h o la s , wh o m I s h a 1 l me n t ion in Book
Thr e e , and I shall speak f u rt h e r of t h e ma t t e r in those v o lu m e s I have
wr itte n on antidotes to p o is o n s that I a m p rin t in g n o w. But if I can
sa y that it is gold that is h e lp f u l t o h e a lt h , d o e s t h e re remain in
it th e nobility of gold, a n d is t h e re s t ill the s a me g re a t hunqer
an d desire for it? One p o u n d o f that me t a l d is s o lv e d in t o a liguid
ca n cure not merely a k in g , but a k in g d o m, but a mo n g s t t e n thousand
th o u sand (ten mil-1ion?) mo rt a ls y o u will s c a rc e ly f in d f if t ee n who
see k potabile gold, and a mo n g t h o s e f if t e e n s c a rc e ly t wo w h o k n o w
ho w to make potions of g o ld a n d a re k n o wle d g e a b le about t h em .

Cn n p r e R
5.
T n e p u R IT y A r{D p E R Ir r Ar { EncE
oF GoLD ARE lr or r HE REAsor {ilEttl
RATE IT SO HIGHLY.

If one believes that t h e p u rit y of g o ld g iv e s it it s particular

im p o r tance, we find here a f a lla c y , for a lt h o u g h it is f o u led and
tin g e d less than other me t a ls , s t ill, it is t in g e d a n d d e f il e d by
sulfur , which mingles not o n ly wit h it s p ro p e rt ie s , but with its
ver y substance, as A lbert u s writ e s , a n d p e rh a p s it is for th a t rea-
son that Hermes spoke o f g o ld to the E g y p t ia n s under the name of sul-
fu r . S hal1 I ask whethe r g o ld o r g la s s is the p u re r? Therefore that
Ro m a n leader was afraid that h e mig h t b e s wa y e d r s o t h a t he began
w i th a hammer, and contin u e d , to re d u c e g o ld to it s o rig in a l condit-
io n , and the road was c h o k e d wit h g o o d s ma d e o f a ll s o rt s of metal.
It is famous for its p e rma n e n c e , b u t it c o me s t o min d t ha t stones
ar e more permanent, and a re mo re p re c io u s , for they feel neither water
nor fire, nor do they g iv e ris e to s la g , n o r a re t h e y s p o t t ed by dirt
th o u g h they cannot avoid it if they a re ru b b e d for a lo n g ti m e . Stont
do not melt, but gold do e s , is not t h is a c o mmo n p ro p e rt y of all met-
a 1 s? A fter they had co me in t o u s e a s c o in s r d s a s e c u rit y when trad-
i ng goods, gold was emp lo y e d la t e r t h a n b ro n z e a n d s ilv e r, and this
se e m s to detract from it s imp o rt a n c e a n d u s e f u ln e s s . For we recollec
sa yin g that it had been re c o rd e d that in Ro me K in g S e rv iu s vas the
fi r st to make coins from b ro n z e , and that the Ro ma n p e o p le did not
e ve n have silver coins b e f o re t h e wa r wit h P y rrh u s , s ix t y ye a r s after
the founding of the city . B e c a u s e we a re t o ld that it wa s d u r i n g the
co n sulship of Fabius tha t g o ld wa s min t e d , a n d s ix t y y e a rs later,

o
th e Romans ordered conqu e re d Ca rt h a g e and the other n a t io n s to pay
tr i bu te in silver, not g o ld r so that n e it h e r the p e rma n e n c e n o r use-
fu ln e ss of the metal ca n b e a c a u s e (f o r it s imp o rt a n c e ). Gold and
silve r coins were longer in u s e a mo n g e x t e rn a l n a t io n s , lik e the Cis-
a lp in e Gau1s, who called s ilv e r by the n a me o f
" p e c u n ia s ign a t a "
( co in ed wealth); it was le s s e s t e e me d b y P la t o r p rin c e o f p h i l o s o p h -
e r s, for he laid down a la w t h a t n o c it iz e n s in h is state sh o u l d use
pr e cious coins, but suc h a s we re d e s p is e d by other p e o p le s r so that
th e y did not go mad gath e rin g g o ld a n d s ilv e r. A n d t h is p er h a p s is
wh y the lyric poet sings that g o ld is u s e le s s and the ro o t of all
evil.

Cn n p r e n6 .
I r s B R IGH T T E S S Is n o r r HE REAsoiruHy GoLD ExcEEDsALL ELS E
BECAUSEIT DELt GHTSTHE EYES, 0R
I1 { V A L U E , U H E T H E R
BECAUSE IT I'OES ]IOT TEAR AUAY ]{OR RUB OFF.

But the gentle colour of gold attracts and dazzJ-es the eyes.
Pliny denies this, and makes silver brighter, for it is more like
the day and military insignia, for it shines further and in a more
familiar way. Gold is not thought better than all the other metals
because its colour resembles the stars, for that colour is not re-
markabl-e for its presence in gems and other thingsr some think that
gold outshines all the rest because it is the colour of dawn (aurora)
from which some would like to think gold (aurum) toot< its name; Why?
It is easily learnt that the word was translated from the language
of the Sabines, who said "ausum", by the alteration of one letter,
as many good authors say. However that may be, silver delighted
Pliny's eyes more than goldi one cannot blame him for believing what
he wrote, but he should be censured for saying that lead is heavier
than gold; later experiments disprove this. While he says that gold
is very little worn away by use, one should remember that golden
rings and coins are worn away by the rubbing of the fingers, and
though it is very little, it is not nothing. There are those who
think that gold is not damaged by heat, relying on the authority of

10.
o f Ar istotle, third chap t e r of " Me t e o ric s " , but t h is is not reliable
testi m ony, or not properly u n d e rs t o o d , for e x p e rime n t c o n v in c e s us
tha t gold does lose weigh t wh e n s t ro n g ly heated for a lo n g time. It
is r ecorded, and proved in o u r o wn d a y r fhat g o ld d is a p p e a rs if p1a-
ced on the fire with a dust " t h a t a b o u n d s in mills b o t h ru ra l and
ur b a n " i likewise gold lo s e s it s y e llo w c o lo u r a f t e r a s ma ll a m o u n t
of use by man, nor can t h e c o lo u r b e re s t o re d o n c e lo s t and gold that
r e tain s its colour loses it s g o ld e n re d s h in e if dust is thrown on it"
Go ld can be beaten ou t t h in ly , a n d wo v e n in t o t e x t iL e s ; this it
h a s in common with silver. F in a lly , to d a lly n o lo n g e r, I have not
b e e n able to find any so lid c a u s e wh y f o lk mig h t h a v e v a lid reason
for e steeming gold so hig h ly , and for p u rs u in g it s o e a g e rly that,
a fte r their deaths it is p la c e d in h o llo w mo u n t a in s wit h t h em ; some
h a ve it put down in the deepest caves, c a lle d min e s h a f t s , with them-
se lve s, others strive to c o lle c t it f ro m t h e t rib u t a rie s of rivers,
o the r s from the farthest s h o re s of I n d ia , or the s u n -b u rn e d sands of
Eth io p ia t oE sail with t h e We s t Win d t o the re g io n s of the dawn and
the antipodes; they even a d o rn t h e ms e lv e s not o n ly wit h g o ld t o t ob-
r izu m - to use the Greek wo rd - mix e d wit h a k in d o f c o lo p h o n y , as
the Parisians do to-day, b u t wit h g o ld in it s c ru d e a n d u n w o r k e d
sta te. S o you will not e a s ily f in d a re a s o n to s a t is f y the man des-
ir o u s of knoving the natu re of t h in g s a s t o wh y t h e re is s r- r c h a g r e a t
d e sir e for it (when its u s e f u ln e s s does not equal it s wo rt h ) , that
the greater part of huma n it y me a s u re s a ll t h in g s h u ma n b y it; would
th a t matters divine were n o t me a s u re d b y t h e s a me me a s u re !

CHlp r e n 7 .
R vB I L I T y o F G o L DDo E s r t r o rs r E r { F Ro } r
Tn r E X TR A oR D II{ANo
SACRED LITERATURE.

The belief in the preciousness of gold and the long durat ion of
that belief do not stem from sacred literature. For even if we read
in it that many objects necessary for worship in the Jewish temple
were divinely ordered to be made from pure goldi and we likewise know
that the Prophet sang "He will be given gold of Arabia"; even so we

11
ought to remember that w e h a v e re c o rd e d Josephus' t e s t imo n y that
b r o n ze was somewhat bett e r t h a n g o ld , for the vessel c a lle d the
great sea, found among t h e s p o ils of Da v id in S o lo mo n ' s tempLe,
wa s made of it. E sdras, in X e rx e s ' t ime s , re s t o re d to t h e ir custod-
i an s the ironze vessels that we ig h e d t we lv e t a l-e n t s a n d we r e c o n -
si de r e d better than gold r u s in g mo n ie s g iv e n by the p rie s t s . We
sho u l- d also realise that in t h e my s t ic pages of Ho ly Writ wisdom is
si gn ifi ed by gold, speec h b y s ilv e r, and the lig h t of in t e lli g e n c e
is th ought brighter than g o ld i so they do not te11 u s wh a t is re-
co r d e d in literature, th a t t h e re is a n e a rt h y fatness, lik e go1d,
th a t occurs in A rabia, p u re b y n a t u re wit h o u t the in t e rv e n t ion of
fir e , and therefore ca1le d
" a p y ro n " , a s Dio d o ru s t e lls us. I need
not say that God in his g o o d n e s s h a s lo we re d h ims e lf to the 1eveI of
h u m a n frailty in many ma t t e rs o f g e n e ra l u s e t o ma n (a s Ch r y s o s t o m
says) , for these gifts a re p o u re d o u t to the p re s e n t day. What?
Yo u may find in that same Ho ly Writ that g o ld wa s o f t e n re je c t e d
an d despisedr s€€ Hosea t h e P ro p h e t , wh e re t h e y ma d e t h e ms e l v e s
id o ls of gold t ot P eter the A p o s t le , wh o c a 1 1 e d g o ld a n d s il v e r cor-
r up ti ble t ot Jacob, who wro t e thaf g o ld ru s t s r s o t h a t t ru ly no small-
wo n d e r is born in the min d s o f cool ju d g e s o f a f f a irs as to where
such greed came from, for b y n a t u re it is not useful , oy hardly t ot
no t very, besides, thing s ma d e o f g o ld h a v e mu c h in c o mmo n w i t h other
th in g s, and goLd is muc h in f e rio r t o ma n y t h in g s t h a t , a re m e a s u r e d
aq a in st it.

Cn n p r e n8 .
T H e i l o B IL IT y o F Go L DDoES ir or sr Elr FRor {THE FAVoURsHown
T HOSEUHOUEAR IT.

Who indeed is so stupid as to believe that those who seek gold

hope to curry favour by displaying it? For it is reeorded in cer-
tain foolish old manuscripts that they used to make an ointment from
gold that had not experienced the fire, the use of which, magicians
claimed, rendered the wearer as popular as those who were crowned
with the herb helichrysum; but it seems to me that spending gold

L2.
fr e e ly does not bring p o p u la rif y b y it s b e s t o wa l, but ra t h er , far
fr o m encouraging love an d k in d n e s s , k in d le s e n v y in re t u rn for ac-
cu m u lated heaps of golden c o in s . Mo re o v e r, wh o is s o s t e e pe d in
the empty vanities of m o rt a ls that h e l< n o v s h o w. t o ma k e t h at gold-
e n ointmentr or, knowing h o w, ma k e s it ? Ho w ma n y , e it h e r in anti-
gu ity or to-day, seek g o ld for that re a s o n r o E if they do, whom
will you find popular w it h t h e ma s s e s b e c a u s e h e is c ro wn e d w i t h
the herb helichrysum, o r a n o in t e d wit h me t a L t h a t has not be e n
fir e d , or who is loved for h is re g a l d we llin g ?
Whence comes such gre e d for g o ld that me n a re c o mp e lle d by no
o b vio us cause to prefer g o ld b e f o re a ll e1se, beyond the bond of
a m ere tacit and unneces s a ry a g re e me n t (wo u ld that it we re n o t a
pe r n icious one ! ) . Nor a re t h e y content wit h Da lma t ia n caves and
Ca lla ian grottoes, and t h e g o ld b e a rin g sands of riv e r p o o ls , nor
w i th the sea journeys t h a t h a v e b e e n ma d e s in c e the t ime of Solomon
to seek gold, but seek t o ma k e it b y a rt ; the la b o u rs that have been
un d e r taken at home to m a k e g o ld a re n o t le s s nor f e we r than the wars
a n d journeys undertaken for n a t iv e g o ld i for we s e e ma n y w h o n o t
o n ly eagerly undertake ma n u a l la b o r to p re p a re g o ld f ro m m e t a l l i c
su b stances, or study the s in g u la r o p in io n s of the p h ilo s o p h e r s in
order to make dusts and s t o n e s p ro d u c t iv e o f g o ld , lrh e t h e r t h e s e
a r e mineral (to use the c o mmo n t e rm, wh ic h s h o u ld b e " me t a l s " in
La ti n) or vegetable, tha t is ma d e f ro m h e rb s and shootst ot animal,
tha t is, made from being s wit h s o u ls t o E a mix t u re of t wo or t h r e e
of th emr ot whether comp o s e d f ro m s o me e a rt h y o r a iry substance,
fr o m which metals, veget a b le s a n d a n ima ls a ris e . I have heard that
the r e is living a man w h o b o a s t e d that h e h a d re a d e ig h t y vo l u m e s
o n th e art' and had writt e n u n n u mb e re d s h e e t s to t h e n u mb e r o f thirty
seve n thousand, certainly not t o g a in p o p u la rit y b y d is p la y i n g them,
but to have what he desire d , h a v in g g a t h e re d wh a t h e p le a s e d . So
great is the diligence in c o lle c t in g g o ld , for n o re a s o n (o r only
a w eak one) beyond the b a re t a c it a g re e me n t o f wre t c h e d mo r t a l s !

13.
 J. Fn. Prcollrnnrour-l
S e co ro B o oK or { GoLD, To HI s UI FE.

Cx lp r e n 1 .
ll nnr GoLD& s ILv E R ARE , A r { Do F T HE t { A r { Eo F T HE A RTB y
WHICH IS IIADE.

So far we have spoken of the love of gold. Now we must discuss

how it may be made, for the question "Can it be made r ot can it not"
is tossed about by the learned and the ignorant and is the subject,
of many debates, therefore the considerable usefulness of reducing
their strength r oE at least of generally calming them, not in minute
detail, but in general, beckoned me on; for it is to the benefit of
the state of man if matters commonly talked of and kept before every-
one's attention are resolved without doubt.
We sha1l show that the name, the origin and the power of the art
have been long and widely discussed by the literary schools. The
art of making gold was called "Chrysopoeia" by the Greeks, the Romans
called it by the same name, and the art of making metals in general
was called 'lChemiarr by the Greeks; most of the Arabs followed them,
calling it "Alchemia." The Greeks, moreover, defined Chemia as the
means of making gold and silver. For although other metals were made
by it, it took its name from the most noble and excellent, so it was
ca1led "argyropoiea" and later "Chrysopoiea."
There are those who thought Chemia was named from saps and juices,
with whom Hermolaus appears to agree, but it is more 1ikely to be
from "fusing" which is the final function of the art, and the Greek
letter H (rendered as long E in Latin) gives st,rength to the argument
that it comes from matters to do with fusion; it is well enough aqreed
that it can be called the metallic art. Metal workers are judged
useful to the state and it is so stated in the Iaws, because they
give employment in preparing gold and silver as a further result of
the matter (making gold). Expounders of the law used to employ the
name of a common metal to cover othersr so it pleased them to indicate
golden coins by the word "bronze"r as Ulpianus writes. I do not men-
tion those who, for no reason that I can think of, would derive

L4.
( ch e m istry) from "a1chem y " , a n d I a m s u rp ris e d that E ra s mu s, a wide-
l y- r ea d man, taught this in the d ia lo g u e that h e c a lle d a lc h e m i c a l .
f am surprised, f salr th a t h e f o llo we d t h e c o mmo n o p in io n , and did
no t r e cognize that the art ic le rra lrt wa s u s e d b y t h e A ra b s , and that
h e r emoved the aspiration, wh ic h o u g h t t o b e in c lu d e d , wh e t h e r the
w or d i s derived from foun d in g r o r t h e p o we r o f ma k in g o f saps and
j uice s. I wonder more, ra t h e r than le s s , dt E ra s mu s , wh o c an i n no
w ay be excused for reject in g t h e n a me r d n d t h in lc in g u p s o me u n u s u a l
w or d .

Cn n p r e n2 "
T n e o R rcn {s Ar { D pRoGREssoF THE ART.

Vi ncent of B eauvais tra c e s t h e b e g in n in g of the a rt f ro m t h e first

pa r e n t of the human race t h ro u g h v a rio u s in t e rme d ia rie s to others
an d to the apostolic Domin ic a n f ro m wh o m h e s a y s h e le a rn t many things.
Othe r s would have it that He rme s T ris me g is t u s f irs t executed chemical
wr iti ng s on tablets of st o n e that we re d is c o v e re d in the c it y of Heb-
r on . Nor are there want in g t h o s e wh o writ e that it wa s d iv ine l y rev-
ea le d in the desert of Sin a i to s o me He b re w in a wa y s imila r to thaL
i n wh ich the covenant of the t a b e rn a c le wa s s e t up.
As far as I can gathe r f ro m t h e G re e k a n d L a t in writ e rs . I have
fou n d that the art is ce rt a in ly v e ry o ld , and dates to s h o rtl y before
the Tr ojan W ar, for it is me n t io n e d by the o ld e s t G re e k s , u nd e r the
cl ou d y wraps of story an d rid d le s ; thus Mic h a e l P s e llu s in t e r p r e t s
the d esire of E urystheus for t h e g o ld e n a p p le s , a n d S u id a s says that
the voyage of Jason to C o lc h is does not c o n c e rn t h e g o ld e n fleece of
Phr ixu s, but a ramskin pa rc h me n t in wh ic h the a rt o f ma k in g g o l d is
d e scr ibed, for which the A rg o n a u t s s e a rc h e d , a lt h o u g h it does not
e sca p e me that V arro say s it wa s c a t t le h id e s S t ra b o c a 1 ls them
ha ir y sheepskins - with wh ic h g o ld wa s c o lle c t e d f ro m riv e r tributar-
ie s. For many of the old e r G re e k s r r€ c o u rt e rs of t,he voyage to Co1-
chis, among whom are Chara x a n d A p o llo n iu s a n d la t e r E u s t a t ni u s in
h is story of the matter, h a d it that it wa s a p a rc h me n t , not a skin,
no r th e hairy hides of c a t t le , and to t h e p re s e n t d a y t h e re are many
wr iter s who consider tha t under the f a b u lo u s cover of the gol-den
fl ee ce is hidden a descrip t io n of the a rt o f ma lc in g g o ld . So should
Atr e u s' lamp be considered , o f wh ic h the G re e k writ e rs of lr a g e d i e s
an d the Romans whom Cice ro re c a lls speak, though S e n e c a in d ee d call-s
it a ram, not a lamb; so, f s d lr ma n y in t e rp re t the ra m o r lamb of
Atr eu s so as to hint to the re a d e rs that it is a d e s c rip t io n of fhe
art o f making gold.
For Callisthenes Olyn t h iu s r re la t iv e a n d d is c ip le of A ris t o t l e ,
in for m s us that the weal t h o f A t re u s a n d P e lo p s a ro s e f ro m m e t a l s r
altho u gh others foLlow the e x a mp le o f V a rro in d e riv in g it from flocks
an d h eards on the hoof. O t h e rs d e riv e it f ro m s ilv e r vessels on
w hich designs were chased . F o r t h e wo rd " a rv o n " o r " la mb " i s c o n -
tain e d in it (Gr, "argyros " , s ilv e r). O t h e rwis e , t h e a rt of m a k i n g
g o ld is naturally accept e d b y G re e k a u t h o rs , t h o u g h wh e t h e r it, spread
fr o m the P ersians, the E g y p t ia n s r oE the re s t of those n a t ion s that
ar e near the E ast. I ha v e n o t b e e n a b le to d e t e rmin e , a lt h ou g h Host-
an e s in P ersia and Tamoru s in E g y p t h a n d e d it d o wn t h a t He r m e s w r o t e
C he m istryr dnd continued t h e p ra c t ic e of c h ry s o p o ie a in Egypt; that
great riches were produc e d b y it d o wn t o the t ime of Dio c le t i a n
r the
G r ee k books that contain the deeds of Dio c le t ia n a n d Ma x imini a n a g r e e ;
an d it is stated twice in S u id a s wo rk s r d rld I h a v e a ls o found that
De m o critus was the first G re e k in f lu e n c e d by the c h e mic a l art from
Eg yp t in the east, and le a rn e d mu c h f ro m t h e P e rs ia n s a n d t he fndiansi
it is, f say, the same De mo c rit u s wh o m Hip p o c ra t e s a d mire d , whom even
Th im o praised, whom P lato d id not d a re a t t a c k , a n d wh o wa s c a l l e d a
man of great renown by Ce ls u s . F ro m h im a ro s e the De mo c rit an sect,
also c alled the A bderans . Mic h a e l P s e llu s is not the o n ly commentat-
or on A ristotle whom I re c a I l; h e re v e a le d h is s e c re t s . He a l s o after-
wa r d s wrote on Rhetoric, His t o ry , P h y s ic s , Ma t h e ma t ic s and Chemistry,
an d M edicine, and dedicat e d h is wo rk s t o the E mp e ro r Co n s t a n t i n e .
Olympiodorus the P laton is t f ro m A le x a n d ria and expounder of Arist-
o fl e wrote chemical work s r s o d id He lio d o ru s to the E mp e ro r T h e o d o s -
i us, and S tephanos to Hera c liu s Ca e s a r, t h e re wa s Cy n e s iu s Africanus,
The o p hilus, and others; in p a rt ic u la r t h e re wa s Z o s imo s , the Alexand-
r ia n , who composed thirty- t wo v o lu me s o f the a rt . T h e t e a c hi n g s of
all of them can clearly b e re f e rre d back to De mo c rit u s , wh o w a s a m o s t
e xp e r t investigator of n a t u re , a n d e n jo y e d a v e ry lo n g lif e . For he

1a
l i ved more than a hundred y e a rs , a n d k n e w ma n y t h in g s that were hidden
to the commonalty of rea d e rs ; h e a ls o wro t e h is p re c e p t s ra th e r obsc-
u r e l- yr so that he did not s e e m t o k n o w Ch e mis t ry .
It is frue that his p re c e p t s we re k n o rrn o n ly t o h is c o lle a g u e s
an d fr iends, and unknown t o t h e ma s s e s , a n d t h a t h e a f t e rwa rds approv-
e d tho se headings from wh ic h those wh o a lre a d y knew of the matter in
som e other way could unde rs t a n d it . T h e re f o re I c a n o n ly wonder at
H er m o laus B arbarus, a man o f o t h e rwis e g o o d lit e ra ry re p u t a t i o n , for
wr it'i ng that Democritus a n d a ll h is school a re d a mn e d a n d , whether
fr o m malice or arroltance, t a k in g e re d it for it . He c o u ld h av e r e m e m -
bered that in antiquity e v e n f ro m Ho me r' s t ime d if f e re n t names were
give n to the same thing, and the u p p e r a n d lo we r c la s s e s used to em-
plo y different words, and t h e p rie s t s d id not use the s a me w o r d s a s
th e or dinary people; and in d e e d it is easy to f in d it re c o rde d (some-
th in g I do not doubt he k n e w) t h a t it wa s c o n s id e re d v e ry pr a i s e w o r t h y ,
a n d w as practised in part ic u la r b y a ll the sects that the ph i l o s o p h e r s
con sid ered important, so t h a t they h id t h e ir d o g ma s , e s p e c ia l l y the
Pytha g oreans and the Hera c lit a n s , for they e mp lo y e d s il-e n c e and sym-
b o ls, because P lato wrote in rid d le s , and they re p lie d wit h further
r i dd le s to those who sou g h t c la rif ic a t io n of the e n ig ma s .
Pla to also hid his doc t rin e s u n d e r ma n y v e ils , imit a t in g the Syr-
ia n s of P alestine, whose c u s t o m it wa s , a c c o rd in g to the author Jerome,
to use parables, nor sha 1 l f me n t io n c o u n t le s s o t h e rs wh o c ou l d re-
fu te B arbarus, nor use th e m a s a d e f e n c e a g a in s t wh a t h e h a s p u b l i s h -
€ d n except to say he sho u ld h a v e e me n d e d wh a t h e in c a u t io u s ly said
wit,h the corollary "The e a rly t e a c h e rs o f wis d o m k e p t t h e ir philo-
sop h ie s secretr so that t h e y s h o u ld n o t b e c o me k n o wn t o t h e profane
m u lti tu de. "
After the decline of the Ro ma n E mp ire G re e c e wa s d e p o p u lat e d and
Ita ly devastated by frequ e n t b a rb a ria n in v a s io n s ; then they received
in h a b itants and the beginn in g s of lit e ra t u re f ro m t h e Mo o rs a n d p e o -
ple s of A rabia, into who s e la n g u a g e ma n y c h e mic a l b o o k s we re t r a n s -
l ated , and from these the Mo o rs , e s p e c ia lly those wh o liv e d in Baet-
ica , compiled other book s , n o r d id they re je c t t h e wo rk it s e l f , though
exp e n sive. Then A vicenna a n d Rh a s is , a n d G e b e r, a n d f in a lly a numer-
ou s assembly of A rabian p h ilo s o p h e rs wro t e v o lu me s o n c h e mic a l matters;
th e y were lat,er fol-1owed b y V in c e n t iu s a n d A lb e rt u s Ma g n u s a n d m a n y

L7.
o the r s. B ut these writing s we re n o t we ll-k n o wn , t ill A rn o ld of VilIa
N ova in hither S pain, and la t e r Ra y mo n d t h e B a l-e ric is la n d e r resurr-
e cted a theme in danger o f b e in g f o rg o t t e n b y mu c h writ in g s , many
in ve n ti ons, and public ex p e rime n t s r a n d ma d e it better k n o wn t h a n
in pr e vious centuries, an d wh e t h e r b e c a u s e h e v a s mo re le a rn e d r o t
be tte r versed in matters c o n c e rn in g me t e o ric s f ro m a rg u in g with the
Per ip a tetics r oE a little mo re c u rio u s in e x p lo rin g n a t u re r or because
he wa s a little keener to ma k e g o ld , h e s e i' z e d t h e o p p o rt u n it y to ded-
ica te himself to learning a n d t e a c h in g t h e wo rk o f the t ra n s m u t a t i o n
o f m e tals. Howeverr fou will f in d f e w o f the la t e r f o llo we rs of Arist-
o tl e af ter Timon spealcing o f t h e a rt "
I find that he support e d the a rt b y n u me ro u s e x p e rime n t s , and so
d id a great number of his c o mp a n io n s . S o g re a t wa s t h e ru s h that the
ar t sp read even to the un s k ille d ma s s e s . T h e n c e a ro s e f o o lis h and
e m p ty ideas, and it began t o b e d o u b t e d i+ h e t h e r t h e a rt and the pro-
m i se o f malcing gold were t ru e o r f a ls e , for it wa s o b s e rv e d that in-
he r ited money was lost th ro u g h e mp t y p ro mis e s , a n d f ro m lo s s of patri-
m on y if was easy to faLl in t , o t h e c rime of s t e a lin g mo n e y . For this
r ea so n , Hermolaus tells us r it wa s a t o n e t ime f o rb id d e n in Venice
fo r a n yone to make gold, and for the s a me re a s o n s .
Th o se whose opinions we re f o rme d b y t h e Ch ris t ia n re lig io n argued
m uch as to r,,rhether the cr a f t s h o u ld b e a llo we d or not, and what was
1a wful and what unlawful. T h is often o c c u rs wh e n u n s c ru p u lo us teach-
er s of some doctrine incre a s e in n u mb e r, o r r. rh e n t h e y teach in a de-
pr a ve d manner what is othe rwis e le g it ima t e . So the rh e t o ric ian s were
on ce expelled from S parta , a n d f ro m Ro me n o t o n ly the rh e t o ric i a n s ,
bu t a lso doctors and philos o p h e rs .
The re is, howeverr rlo d o u b t , t , h a t t h is a rf , a ls o c a 1 le d Chr y s o p o i e a
b y th e Greeks, should be c o u n t e d a mo n g a lI o wa b le s t u d ie s . Holsever, it
is th e opinion of the prie s t s that the a rt is of g re a t a s s is ta n c e to
na tur e because it produces g o ld , wh iJ . e t h e n a t u ra l p h ij-o s o p h er s believe
th a t artifical gold would b e u s e f u l if o n ly it c o u ld b e ma d e s u i t a b l e
for hu man beings, whereup o n d o c t o rs wo u ld imme d ia t e ly seek it out.
Bu t th e art should onJ-y b e b e lie v e d as far a s it c a n b e p ro v e d by
e xp e r iments. Of these we have not o n ly h e a rs a y e v id e n c e , b ut the eye
w i tn e ss testimony of prin c e s a n d p a u p e rs ; it is a ls o s t u d ie d by the
co m m o nalty of the learned. Of these and other re le v a n t ma t t e r s we
ar e a b out to speak.
18.
 Cn n p r e nI I I.
Cor c r n r t r e r H E A R TI T sEL F ,IS r r L AUF UL
o R ilo r ? lJn lr r HE
F0Ul{I}ERS, COl{}lEI{TATORS, AllD I I{TERPRETERS 0F THE LAUS AllD
CAtlOl {Sr THE THE0LOGIAIIST AilD THE IRITERS 0F CO}ltlOl{ CO}lPEllDIA
HAVE SAII'.

The founding fathers a n d in t e rp re t e rs of c iv il and canon lav and

tho se who like to make e p it o me s o n a ll q u e s t io n s of c o n s c ie n c e from
the r ulings and doctrines of t h e o lo g ia n s , a n d writ e rs o n v ar i o u s mat-
ter s k now of the making o f g o ld a n d h a v e ju d g e d a n d re p o rt e d in their
wr iti ng s. Of the foundin g f a t h e rs we s h a ll s p e a k la t e r, b ut of the
com m entators now.
Bishop W illiam Minate n s is , in the a p p e n d ic e s t o h is c e le b r a t e d
w or k " S peculum juris", d e c la re s t h a t " t h e ma k in g o f g o ld is a true
a n d l egitimate arL, usef u l f o r t h e S t a t e " , wh ic h o p in io n is supported
by Jo hn Oldradus and Nic h o la s P a n o rmit a n u s a n d o t h e rs . T h os e f o r m e r
la ws of V alentine Caesar in J u s t in ia n ' s c o d e x wh e re it speaks of Metal
w or ke rs persuade the lawy e rs a n d in t e rp re t e rs of c a n o n la w o f this.
We sh a1l show in this volu me t h a t these la ws we re n e it h e r viewed
r ig h tl y by ordinary com me n t a t o rs n o r c o mp le t e ly d is a p p ro v e d of by
la ter ones, since mention is ma d e o f e x p e rime n t , a n d p e rh a p s Accur-
siu s Florentinus, who ad d e d g lo s s e s to the c iv il la ws , if anyone reads
the m , will convince us; I h a v e re a d h is c o mme n t s o n t h e ma gi s t e r y of
the art; the precepts he e x p o u n d e d , a lwa y s u n d e r h is o wn n am e , s h o w
he a p proved of the arE , nor s h o u ld h is d ig e s t b e o t h e rwis e interpreted
An gelus Clavasinus de p re c a t e s the a rt in h is c o mp e n d iu m, w h i l e the
a u tho r of a treatise of the s a me o rd e r c a lle d Ro s s e lla seems to re-
ga r d it lightly, rdther than in p u g n it , a n d s p e a k s o f A n g e lus ' d i g -
est as if he thought the a rt wa s in the hands of ro g u e s , ra th e r than
d isa p p roving of it. Joh n L ig u r a n d S y lv e s t e r of the a f o re s a i d order
o p e n ly marshal arguments a t t a c k in g Cla v a s in u s wit h ma n y re a s o n s in
the digests of their boo k s c a lle d A. T h o ma s Ca je t a n u s both in his
e o m p endia and his theolog ic a l c o mme n t a rie s c o me s o u t for the truth
of the art, as we shall s o o n s h o w.
Th e celebrated theolog ia n s A lb e rt u s a n d T h o ma s f a v o u r the art in
the ir works, although in the case of T h o ma s ' o p in io n s t h e re could be

19.
so m e dissension between c o mme n t a t o rs a n d o u rs e lv e s , a s will be shown
in d u e course. A lbertus Ma g n u s , a lt h o u g h h e wro t e mu c h o n t h e trans-
m u tati on of metals and be lie v e d in the a rt , a s s e rt e d t h re e especial
po in ts among many.
The first w?s r "They wh o t h in k t h e k in d s of me t a l cannot be trans-
m u ted are mistaken" i the s a me t h in g s s h o u ld b e c re d it e d to Aristotle
a s a r e credited to A vice n n a . Ne x t h e s a y s t h a t t h is t ra n s mu t a t i o n
r e fer s to the prime mate ria l o f me t a ls wh ic h c a n b e t u rn e d into var-
i ou s kinds of metal by t h e a id of the a rt . F in a lly A lb e rt u s conclu-
d e s af length that they wh o a re s k ille d in the a rt p ro c e e d like doct-
o r s, and that the most pro b a b le path b e lo n g s to those rrh o pu r i f y sul-
fur and arqent vive and p re p a re a p ro p e r mix t u re of t h e m, by whose
po we r , if I may use his o wn wo rd s , a ll k in d s o f me t a l a re pr o d u c e d ;
a n d he finally writes tha t me rc u ry ma y b e h a rd e n e d a n d t h e nc e drawn
i nto the shapes of the va rio u s me t a ls .
Saint Thomas in the s e c o n d v o lu me o f " S u mma T h e o lo g ic E r" , p a r t t w o ,
a ffir m s the truth of Che mis t ry , wh ic h h e d id n o t d o in h is s e c o n d
co m m entary of theological ju d g e me n t s , t h e re f o re ma n y s e e t h e matter
d iffe r enLl! t as will app e a r in d u e c o u rs e wh e n we in t e rp re t his
o p in io ns ful1y. A t the p re s e n t d a y S ilv e s t e r, T h o ma s ' f o llow e r , is
of the same opinion, that" g t o ld ma y b e ma d e b y t h e a rt " , wi t h w h i c h
o p in io n John Ligur does n o t a g re e . B u t T h o ma s Ca je t , a n u s in h i s d i g -
e st "A s long as the a rt is p ra c t is e d
says wit h o u t f ra u d it s h o u l d n o t
be co nsidered unlawful o f it s e lf , n o rr d s lo n g a s t h is a p p li e s , should
th e sale of things manu f a c t u re d by the a rt
b e n u mb e re d a mo n g s i n s ,
th a t is, sale is proper." I n h is c o mme n t a rie s o n S t . T h o ma s r t r t s u m -
m a Th eologica" he writes that the a rt is in d e e d p o s s ib le , bu t is
e ithe r not human, or is for p rin c e s a n d wh e n h e h a d c o n s u lt e d the
a u tho r ities he did not e n la rg e on the p o we r o f L h e a rt , as he usua11y,
an d a cutely, does on othe r q u e s t io n s .
M any wonder that a ma n wh o wa s c o n v in c e d of the t ru t h of the art
b y St. Thomas authority a n d re a s o n in g , s h o u ld 1 imit , the p o ss i b i l i t i e s .
For Thomas'reasoning de mo n s t ra t e s that if h e a llo we d it , why should
it not be human? A nd if p rin c e s a n d t h e wis e me n t , h e y c o n s u l t e d ean
do i t, why is it beyond ma n r d s if p rin c e s a n d t h e wis e we r e n o t to
b e a ccounted men? Neve rt h e le s s , P la t o b y a ll me a n s re q u ire d them
fo r the good of the stat e , that is , e it h e r that p rin c e s should

20.
p r a cti s e philosophy, or t h a t p h ilo s o p h e rs s h o u ld a d min is t e r the State.
Fo r this reason Cajetanus can be defended a g a in s t c e n s u re , for there
a r e few princes who are e x p e rie n c e d in t h e wa y s . o f n a t u re , and most
pr in ce s who have leisure for c h e mis t ry la c k t h e me a n s , t h e ref o r e they
a r e u nable, unless they h a v e p rin c e ly we a lt h , to do those experiments
tha t require great expen s e . T o t h is c e n s u re my u n c le Jo. Pico replied
wh e n his brother A ntonius wa s a s k e d h is o p in io n wh e t h e r or not gold
cou ld be artificially m a d e , s a y in g to the e n q u ire r that it could in-
d e e d be done, but with gre a t d if f ic u lt y .
There is no doubt that St. T h o ma s in h is T h e o lo g ic a , wh ic h death
pr e ve nted him from finish in g , d e c id e d that the a rt o f ma k ing g o l d
sh o u ld be believed if m o re t h in g s c o u ld b e ma d e b e s id e s g o ld by the
a r t, as we are about to s d lr a n d h e p ro p o s e d the s a me in fhe comment-
a r ie s he wrote on S everi n u s ' b o o k on the T rin it y , s a y in g it was a
la wful art and a subordin a t e p a rt of n a t u ra l p h ilo s o p h y , as the jun-
i or s say. I have read be s id e s St. T h o ma s ' b o o k o n t h e me t al l i c art
if the title does not lie about the author it s e e ms t o be genuine
for it mentions A lbertus as teacher a n d it is a d d re s s e d to Reginald,
to wh om it is agreed Tho ma s s e n t other writ in g s . I h a v e a ls o read
Tho m as' opinions on the ma k in g o f g o ld a n d s ilv e r in h is c om m e n t a r i e s .
It se ems to me that many wh o k n o w lit t le of c h e mis t ry s e a rc h out some-
thin g foreign t oE rather p lu c k f ro m t h e ir uneducated depths f know
no t what notions, and av o id me n t io n in g t h e n a me o f a lc h e my t o the
co m m on people, in case a b u s e s h o u ld b e h e a p e d u p o n it , as we have
hin ted previously.
It is true that E rasmu s wro t e that it is a c a p it a l o f f e n ce if any-
one (f quote his words) p ra c t is e s a lc h e my wit h o u t h is b is h o p ' s per-
m i ssi on. Most of those g iv e n to the a rt will not p ra is e h im , least
of a ll those who have ex p e rime n t , e d f o r a lo n g t ime . F irs t they ask
th is man, learned as he is . A re t h e re not ma n y b is h o p s u n de r one
sup r e me one, and many un d e r k in g s wh o a re mo s t u n willin g to submit
to the Roman B ishop hims e l-f ? Then they a s k wh e t h e r a n y b is h o p should
ab o lish with his own pri v a t e e d ic t those la ws o f Ca e s a r c o nc e r n i n g
m etal workers, published s o lo n g ago. T h e y s a y a ls o that such an
ed ict should be promulgat e d t h ro u g h a ll p ro v in c e s , a n d h a v ing been
pr o m u lgated, should be s t u d ie d a n d c o n f irme d a c c o rd in g to custom,
othe r wise it will be con s id e re d a n t iq u a t e d a n d f o o lis h ; t,hey also

2t.
a sk i f P ope John 22nd ma d e a s e c re t o f h is c h e mis t ry , wh ic h proved
a d e ce ption regarding gold a n d s ilv e r
Al l i gerius E truscas re min d s us of the s a me . He a s k e d t h e uneducat-
e d an d illiterate about the t ra n s mu t a t io n o f me t a ls ; and he finally,
w he the r by some excellent id e a r e E c e rt a in e x p e rime n t s , c le ar l y made
silve r and gold, whether f ro m t h e ir f irs t , p rin c ip le s or f ro m imper-
fect metals. From the de f in it io n of a ju s t la w t h e y have argued that
ne ithe r the doctors of th e o lo g y nor the in t e rp re t e rs of the canon can
for b id it, for it must be a c c o u n t e d a n u n ju s t 1aw that e x c l-u d e s a
thin g because it is uncommo n , a n d p ro h ib it s , f o rb id s and keeps away
w ha t is of advantage to ma n y ; f o r it wo u ld b e a s t ra n g u la t io n of jus-
tice and honesty to restr a in hands that a re re a d y a n d a b le to w o r k t ' o
th e ir own advantage and t h a t of o t h e rs ; the p o we r g iv e n to men is con-
for m a b le to divine power if it he1ps, a id s , a n d a s s is t s wh a t is use-
fu1 for men; it is not c o n f o rma b le if it abuses that in t e n t io n and
pla in ly lacks all forcer d s t h o s e wh o a re le a rn e d in t h e scriptures
kno w beyond doubt, and I ma y me n t io n that they wh o ma k e t h e civil
la ws do not act sor unles s they o b s e rv e the p re s c rib e d conditions.
These are the things that will b e a s k e d a n d e n q u ire d of Er a s m u s ,
un le ss one considers that h e wro t e in jo k e ra t h e r than s e rio us l y , and
tha t he was laughing at those wh o a re g re e d y t o ma k e g o ld t oE t o o
cr ed u lous of imposters, o f wh o m t h e re is a g re a t n u mb e r, e v en m o r e
be ca u se they think the la ws a re s ile n t o r a s le e p , a n d h e c o ul d also
be asked why he solved th e q u e s t io n u n d e r c o n s id e ra t io n by a foreign
a u tho r ity, because in the b o o k t h a t A c c u rs iu s g lo s s e d it is written
tha t princes who are gold-ma k e rs t n d y r rrh e n s t riv in g for p riv a t e ends,
do g o o d for the S tater s o lo n g as they act wit h c a re . John the 22nd's
e d ict is of this sort, be c a u s e it wa s n o t re c e iv e d a s p a rt of the body
of th e l-aws in the seven v o lu me s o f the la rrs , but re ma in e d "in fortis",
an d was not embodied in t h e De c re t a ls , but h e d id not d is lik e the art.
Tho se who blindly use this e d ic t a s a n a rg u me n t s h o u ld c o me t o their
se n se s, and be warned tha t in a ru b ric to that v e ry e d ic t the crime
of fa lsification is prosc rib e d ' but that we s p e a k o f the t ru e arL,
w hich cannot be taxed wit h t h e n a me o f f a ls it y , n o r b e d ra g g e d b e f o r e
a n y tr i bunal, for anyone wh o f o llo ws ' t h e m c o rre c t ly sees that Accur-
siu s, W illiam and the oth e rs speak at le n g t h of the c rime of falsif-
i cati on .

22.
 U nless some falsehood e it h e r in ma t e ria l or it s p re s e n t a t i o n is
d isco vered, no kind of p e n a lt y c a n b e in f lic t e d r E ls B a ld u s says in
h is "Usus feudorum" when me n t io n in g s e rv ic e to the c ro wn . Further on
in the bishop's sermon, it b e c o me s c le a re r that h e is a g a in s t lying
i m po sters and false artific e rs , wh e n h e writ e s that a lc h e mis t s pro-
m ise riches to the poor wh ic h t h e y do not p ro d u c e r d rrd c la im a 1ie,
na m e ly that, contrary to n a t u re , t ru e g o ld a n d s ilv e r a re m a d e b y a
sp u r io us transmutation. T h e re f o re it is o rd e re d that they who make
fa lse money from gold th a t is s p u rio u s and not g e n u in e should be for-
ced to deposit for the pu b lic b e n e f it of the poor a s mu c h r e a l gold
as th ey sold or gave in p a y me n t in s p u rio u s go1d, and have their goods
seize d and be sent to pris o n . We h a v e g iv e n t h is s u mma ry o f the edict
con ce rning artificers wh o a re f a ls e and not g e n u in e a lmo s t in the word
in w hich it was written.

Cn lp r e n 4 .
Pn o penopl l rl or{s or rH E A RTo F } I A K I I { GG o L DDE p E ilDo N I { A T URAL
P HI L O S O P HY .

M o reover,it does not depend on the e d ic t s of p rin c e s , nor the int,er

p r e ter s of the laws and c a n o n s , nor on those wh o f ill t h e ir pages with
th e words of others and d ila t e o n h u ma n c u s t o ms , but on the principles
of n a tural philosophy in g e n e ra l; s o ma y s o me t h in q not be made by art
wh ich nature elsewhere pro mis e s , a n d ma y it not b e p o s s ib le to make
the same form, substance a n d e s s e n c e s p ru n q f ro m d if f e re n L origins?
Th e question of mutatio n of f o rm a ris e s f ro m t h e c o n t e n t io n s of
ph ilo sophers about altera t io n of s p e c ie s a n d wh e t h e r they can be
cha n g ed indiscriminately. T h e a rg u me n t a b o u t ma k in g g o ld arises in
pa r ti cular from A ristotle' s " Me t e o ric s " , wh ic h t re a t s of v ar i o u s thing
bu t n ot so clearly that f irm a n d c e rt a in a x io ms c a n b e d ra w n f r o m them
The r e fore there are thos e wh o mo c k t h e a rt , wh o m A v ic e n n a , Geber and
m a n y others stoutly resis t , a lt h o u g h A v ic e n n a d e n ie s that fresh spec-
ie s can be produced throu g h t ra n s mu t a t io n , he confesses that they can
be r e duced to a common f o rm. T h is c e rt a in ly is one of A ris to t l e ' s
co n ce r ns, except that he d o e s n o t me n t io n it e x a c t ly in t , h os e w r i t -
in g s that are thought to b e g e n u in e . T h e re a re c e rt a in t h in g s in

23
Ar istotelian teaching tha t favour the a rL , a n d b e s id e s , I can say
with certainty that he s p e a k s o n ly g e n e ra lly o f me t a ls in "Meteorics",
sa yin g that they mostly a rls e f ro m mo is t v a p o u rs r ds stones and su1-
fur a nd sandaraca generally d o f ro m d ry ones, a n d t h e re is a certain
pr o p o r tion of them that does not in h a b it the c a v e rn s of the earth,
but a re sublimed to the re g io n of the a ir, t h e re f o re they are called
b y the Greek vord "meteo r" ; h e s a y s t h a t c lo u d s a n d ra in s are concret-
l on s of the moist exhalat io n s , a n d f ro m t h e d ry f ie ry ones winds,
l i gh tning, thunder, and t h a t k in d of t h in g a re p ro d u c e d , t h o' h e does
not d iscriminate much be t we e n t h e m. T h e re is not mu c h c le a r evidence
b e yo n d this in his books , n o r d o e s h e e x p re s s any exact teaching,
si nce in the beginning h e s a y s t h e re a re ma n y t h in g s upon which he
will not decide, and the c o mme n t a t o r A le x a n d e r s a y s it is difficult
to know what A ristotle wa s writ in g about in t h is wo rk .
Olimpiodorus writes at le n g t h a n d o b s c u re ly , but you can easily
un d e r stand from either of t h e m s o me t h in g both of A ris t o f le ' s doctrine
a n d th e difficulty of ch e mis t ry ; for A ris t o t le , le a rn e d as he was,
sa id he was not sure, an d t re a t e d s o me t h in g s s u p e rf ic ia lly , in a
m a n n e r that agrees with h is p e rc e p t io n of t h e m. B u t f ro m T h e o p h r a s -
tu s o ne may glean what w ill e n d c o n t ro v e rs y . F o r a lt h o u g h he wrote
of sto nes in his book, he d is c o u rs e d o f me t a ls too, s a y in g that alth-
o u g h they were all worn a wa y b y t h e tooth of t ime , they a re n e v e r t h e -
le ss c omposed of waterr ds stones a re c o mp o s e d o f e a rt h , hence these
ar e h is words, "hydratos me n t a me t a lliy o me n a , kata p ir a rg y r o n kai
ch r yso s", which indicate c le a rly enough that g o ld is ma d e by e x p e r -
ie n ce d artificers, for he t e ll-s us that Ca llia s t h e A t h e n ia n made
cin n a b ar, when he thought h e wa s ma k in g g o 1 d . No w u n le s s he had
ho p e d to make gold from t h a t s c a rle t sand, h e wo u ld n o t have labour-
e d at the task. For it is k n o wn t h a t the s a n d c a lle d Ch ry s am o s u s e d
to be made into go]-dr ds it u s e d t o b e d u g f ro m t h e e a rt h , if the
civil laws are read prope rly . A s o u r wo rk p ro g re s s e s , we s ha l 1 inst-
r u ct the less skilled in t h is ma t t e r, for if Ca llia s d id not attain
to go ld, but only cinnaba r, he had beyond doubt o b t a in e d the beginn-
in g s of go1d.
Be cause skilled art,ifice rs a g re e t h a t t h e b e g in n in g s of cinnabar,
si l ver and gold are hidde n , we ma y le a rn s o me t h in g f ro m h is co-dis-
cip le callisthenes, and f ro m T h e o p h ra s t u s h ims e lf , wh o t a u g h t

24.
a cco r d ing to A ristotle; f ro m t h e ir o p in io n s me t a ls c a n a lt e rn a t e
be tw een themselves, since Ca llis t h e n e s a s c rib e s a s in g le form to
the m , which Galen admits, a rg u in g f ro m s e v e ra l p re mis s e s that they
d iffe r only in externals if t h is b o o k is re a lly t o b e q o n si d e r e d
one of Galen's. f can ag re e wit h Ca llis t h e n e s in t h is ma t t er when
he says that he has freque n t ly e x p e rie n c e d that g ra in s of go l d by
the m selves and grains of s ilv e r b y t h e ms e lv e s p ro d u c e o n e an d t h e
sa m e medicine; likewise f have often s e e n g o ld a n d s ilv e r t og e t h e r at
the same time in the sam e me d ic in e r d o d wh e n f h a v e e x a min e d w h a t h a s
falle n out of gold when t re a t e d wit h wh a t is c o mmo n ly c a ll the "water
of pa r tition", and tested iE , it p la in ly c o n t a in e d mu c h g o 1 d, but we
sh a l1 cover experiments mo re c a re f u lly in t h e ir p1ace.
Vi ncent of B urgundy w h o wro t e ma n y v o lu me s , c o v e rin q nearl-y all
tha t has been written co n c e rn in g n a t u re , a s s e rt s that h e re ga r d s the
art r a ther as the separa t io n of go1d, t h o u g h h e a ls o s a y s t ha t it can
i nd e e d be made, influenced p e rh a p s b y h is e x p e rie n c e of the matter,
for he observes that it lie s h id d e n in the other me t a ls . Many others
con ten d that it can only b e s e p a ra t e d - wh ic h cannot be denied but
tha t it can be born and ma d e r p ro d u c in g ma n y re a s o n s f ro m ph i l o s o p h y .
f i nd e ed know Michael P s e llu s , a G re e k c o mme n t a t o r o n A ris t , ot l e , who
a sse r ted that gold can b e ma d e f ro m t h a t wh ic h is not g o ld by the art,
givin g many reasons, and s h o ws u s s ix wa y s o f d o in g it , if f remember
r ig h t,ly. Later writers a ls o ju d g e d t h a t , g o ld c o u ld b e ma d e , b u t for
othe r reasonsr ds we shall s h o w a lit t le la t e r. Ma n y o f the Peri-
pa teti cs also seem to be o f the o p in io n that g o ld c a n b e ma d e b y a r L ,
tho u g h they claim that it is d if f ic u lt a n d d a n g e ro u s . T imo n , in the
fi na l question in the third b o o k o f A ris t o t le ' s " Me t e o ric s " is one of
the se .
Th e subjects of form a n d s p e c ie s a ls o c a u s e s o me t o doubt, for they
h a ve different meanings f o r d if f e re n t p h ilo s o p h e rs ; a n d wh en i t comes
to changing form and spec ie s they u s u a lly s p e a l< wit h t h re e vo i c e s .
The r e are those who say t h a t a s p e c ie s o n ly c h a n g e s in t o one other
pa r ti cul-ar one, and there a re o t h e rs wh o c a ll it s content in d i v i d u a l
in ap pearance, for there a re c e rt a in t h in g s that c u s t o ma rily spring
fr om the first principles of the s p e c ie s both in the s a me w a y a s a n d
d iffe r e ntly from certain 1 -iv in g t h in g s wh o s e b irt h is not from male
a n d female, but otherwise, but t h is b irt h c a n n e it h e r be seen, nor

25
disce r ned by any of the senses; t h e re f o re p h ilo s o p h e rs often consider
th a t those things that are b o rn f ro m c o it u s , a n d a ris e f ro m t h e cor-
r up ti on of matfer do not d if f e r in s p e c ie s t e t v e ry lit t le . Some
will not a11ow first princ ip le s t o b e re mo t e , but cannot d e ny t h e m
if the y are immediate. I re me mb e r re a d in g s u c h t h in g s in Galen
w he the r it was this man o f P e rg a mo n (G a 1 e n ) o r s o me o n e e ls e of the
sam e name who commented o n Hip p o c ra t e s for a c h ic k is b ro ug h t out
of th e egg not only by in c u b a t io n by the hen, but the heat of a voman'r
br e a st, and by the warmt h o f h o rs e -d u n g .
There are those who cla im that t h e q u e s t io n is of an operation that
is b o th who1ly artificial a n d p a rt ly a rt if ic ia l a n d p a rt ly na t u r a l ,
an d th ey reconcile the de s c re p a n c y b y d is t in g u is h in g a species as
th a t which can be change d a s f a r a s it s f o rm g o e s , wh ile it s matter
r em a in s the same, which is done not s o mu c h wit h the a id of art as
by na ture, but nature ac t in g not a lo n e , but wit h a rt a s a s er v a n t .
The r e are those who say t h a t t h e wo rd s me a n t h a t both ma t t e r and its
fo r m changer so that some t h in g wh o lly d if f e re n t is ma d e , wh i c h is less
ab su r d and may be said an d d e f e n d e d , t h o ' wis e me n will c e rta i n l y not
ad m it that either nature o r a rt c a n d o it , s e e in g that is a property
of th e divine alone; con s e g u e n t ly wh e n g o ld is ma d e f ro m s ilv e r or
w ha tever metal you like, they say that a n in d iv id u a l is ma de r o E , if
th e y prefer to talk of sp e c ie s , they will h a v e it that the material
r em a in s the same while th e f o rm c h a n g e s , b e c a u s e t h e ma t t e r that was
p r e vio usly present in the f o rm o f s ilv e r is then found under the form
of go ld.
Thus one may say that p a rt o n ly of the s p e c ie s is changed, if a
spe cie s consists of both f o rm a n d ma t t e r, a s we l-e a rn f ro m th e Peri-
p a teti c schooL, and S t. T h o ma s in p a rt ic u la r, a n d t h e mo re r e l i a b l e
of the rnoderns, although t h e re a re p h ilo s o p h e rs wh o s a y s p e c i e s , when
th e y only mean form. On e c a n a L s o s a y t h a t s o me t h in g d o e s no t change
ab so lu tely, seeing that p a rt of it d is a p p e a rs , a n d p a rt of it is join-
ed vh e n change occurs, for wh e n t h e ma t t e r is taken up the form is
b r o ke n r E IS we usually se e wit h food that has been eaten; it s form
disa p p ears and its matter is a lt , e re d b y d ig e s t io n .
Fo r the rest, I rememb e r re a d in g s o me r. rh e re a mo n g t h e ju rist s t,hat
spe cie s should be defined in another ma n n e r, s in c e they writ e that
th e species is not change d if , for e x a mp le r g o ld is ma d e f rom t i n or

26.
l ea d . Here they seem to b e t a k in g the genus for the s p e c ie s , unless
pe r h a ps one takes the m e t a ls s u c h a s b ro n z e , le a d r t in and silver to
b e le ss than the perfect s p e c ie s of g o l-d t o wh o s e e s p e c ia l grade
th e r est of the metals ma y a s c e n d " He wh o wis h e s to defend this
no ti on will find nothing to re s t ra in h im e it h e r in the etymology of
th e Greek wordrrmetal"l or in c o rre c t lo g ic ; it is a lo n g way from
b e in g rejected by the ph ilo s o p h ic a l s c h o o ls . Ca llis t h e n e s ' opinionl
fr o m which we differed above, is a ls o he1d. If we a c c e p t it we must
r eje ct those who ascribe t h e v a rio u s types o f me t a l to the planets,
am o n g whom are John V ers o r a n d t h o s e wh o f o llo w h im in e x p la i n i n g
Ar i sto tle, who in one pJ -a c e e x p re s s e d the f o o lis h n o t io n that iron
do e s not mel-t, which a thousand e y e s h a v e s e e n a n d t wo t h o us a n d hands
disp r o ved. However, his p la n e t a ry d o c t rin e s a re n e g a t e d by experi-
m e n t, since, as we have s a id b e f o re r g o ld a n d s ilv e r g iv e rise at
on e a nd the same time to one and the s a me me d ic in e , wh e t h e r in a sin-
g 1 e grain or in several, a n d n o t h in g that the a s t ro lo g e rs can dream
u p b y way of the conjunc t io n of the S u n a n d J u p it e r c a n e x pl a i n this,
nor can any of their diff e re n t d a ily ma p s o f the p la n e t s . But since
th e vanity of astrologers h a s b e e n re f u t e d o n c e b y my u n c le John Pico
an d many times by me, f s h a ll s a y n o mo re a g a in s t t h e m.
H e who wishes to respe c t Ca llis t h e n e s ' o p in io n s c a n e a s il y answer
Al be r tus, who held the o p p o s it e , e s p e c ia lly a s it is re c o rd e d in
Jose p hus that "glass can b e t u rn e d in t o me t a I " , and that sort of
g la ssy sand is said to be f o u n d a b u n d a n t ly n e a r P t o le ma is . Galen in
his work on the power of s imp le me d ic in e s does not deny that glassy
a n d golden sands are fou n d together a n d g iv e ris e t o me t a ls there,
o r n e arby; it is plainly seen that it is e it h e r the s a me met a l - r o E
ca n easily be turned into a n o t h e r. S in c e t h is wh o le q u e s t ion depends
o n d istinguishing forms f ro m s p e c ie s , we mu s t f irs t d e c id e what dis-
ti ncti ons to make between f o rms a n d s p e c ie s . No o n e wh o is even mod-
e r a tely learned can be u n a wa re wh a t a d if f ic u lt task t h is is, proper
to th e heights of philoso p h y . f re me mb e r t h a t I wro t , e a lon g i s h
w or k mulling over t,his m a t t e r' t h e mo s t d if f ic u lt of a ll, in an ex-
am in a tion of the vanity of heathen d o c t rin e and the t ru t h of Christ-
i an teachings, as well a s in the hypotheses I ma d e c o n c e rn ing human
p e r fection; if f were to re p e a t t h e m h e re , I s h o u ld s t ra y fa r t h e r
fr o m the path and enter the la b y rin t h of n a t u re r d s it , we re . For

27
in d e e d , the Meander of th e poets h a s a s ma n y win d in g s as the thous-
a n d s of controversies th a t a ris e t h e re f ro m, wh ic h will n e v er be set-
tl ed by human reason. S o o n e mu s t s e p a ra t e out a n d re d u c e to common
se n se the things that sh o w wh e t h e r g o ld c a n b e ma d e a rt if ic ia ll y or
no t and he who wishes to k n o w mu s t t a k e the a d v ic e of the philosoph-
i cal schools. I myself, wit h those me n t a l f a c u lt ie s that I have,
will first try to clarify wh a t ma n y t h in k t a n g le d a n d d if f ic ul t ,
the n I shall describe the e x p e rime n t s d e v is e d for t h e p u rp o se , in
the ir framework and salie n t f e a t u re s , not me re ly t h e ir a p p ea r a n c e s ,
a n d br ing them to light,, a n d s h a l1 d o it wit h the b rie f e s t of propos-
i tio n s. S o far I have t o ld wh a t v a rio u s p e o p le h a v e writ t e n in var-
i ou s ways about the powe r o f the a rb , and the t ra n s mu t a t io n of species

Cn n p r e n6 .
T n o r n s A o u n {A s' o p IN Io t{ s ot{ THE t{ AKIt{ GoF GoLD ltADE cLEAR.

Bu t now let us make c le a r in p a s s in g S t T h o ma s ' o p in io n s , which

h is in terpreters are div id e d upon, for in h is s e c o n d c o mme nt a r y o n
the o pinions of the Fathe rs h e s e e me d t o deny the a rE , wh ile in his
Su m m a Theologica he appr o v e s it . T h e re f o re h e is thought to contra-
d ict himself by those vh o h a v e t rie d to re c o n c ile the d if f e ren c e s ,
buf m ost of them have no t done enough. Let the re a d e r ju d g e whether
o r no t I have done enough . I t h e re f o re do not a g re e wit h Jo h n L y g i u r ' s
p r e m ise, who excluded go ld f ro m t h e re a c h of the a rt because it was
so no ble; and he therefore mo c k e d a t the a rt if ic ia l ma k in g o f go1d"
No w a s we have said, Thoma s a llo we d that a s e n t ie n t b e in g was a more
p e r fect form. A mong the s e t h e Ma g e s , t h o s e wo rk e rs upon nature, were
th e m ost outstanding in t h e ir re s u lt s .
N or am I moved becaus e t h e y c o u ld not f in d wo rk e rs wh o c ou l d work
p r o p e r ly or were properly s k ilI e d . For they knew the necessity for
h e a t, for moisture and m a n y v a p o u rs , wh ic h n a t u re is a c c u s t om e d t o
u se for transmuting meta ls . Add that T h o ma s a p p e a rs to d e ny i t in
h is youth, but much later h e s t e a d ily a f f irme d it in h is SummaTheo-
l og ica , the final reposito ry o f h is o p in io n s . No r a m f in f lu e n c e d
b y wh at influenced Lygur S y lv e s t e r and Peter G o ma s , wh o t h o ug h t t,hat
St Thomas wrote about po o r wo rk e rs in h is s e c o n d c o mme n t a ry , allowing

28
po we r to the one and den y in g it to the o t h e r. No w h e s p e a k s o f the
p o we r of making, not of t h e ma k e rs , b e c a u s e t h is a rt is the minister
a n d i nstrument of nature, wh ic h c a n b e b ro u g h t to p e rf e c t io n by all
w ho ar e able to use it, wh e t h e r they b e me n o r b o d ile s s s p ir i t s ,
w he ther naturally or supe rn a t u ra lly taught.
There is a certain typ e o f p e rs o n wh o c a n n o t stand a lc h e m y r o t
m ake s little of it, sayin g that it v y e s wit h n a t u re wit h it s pow€rsr
bu t sometimes aids and ov e rc o me s it . T h e p h ilo s o p h e rs often accuse
na tur e of sin on account of t h e re c a lc it ra n c e of it s lia b le material,
bu t th ey nevertheless say t h a t n a t u re is ru le d b y in t e llig e n c e and
a se p arate mind; they ad mit that a rt c o mmit s ma n y mo re e rro rs , not
o n ly because of the unruly ma t e ria ls wit h wh ic h it is e n g a g ed , but
be ca u se the rules for doin g t h in g s la id d o wn b y rig h t re a s o n i n g are
slig h ted, whereas if a m a n we re t o u s e t h e s e ru le s , not a b u se t h e m ,
far fr om erring he would c o rre c t the e rro rs of n a t u re , if a ny . There-
for e nature supplies art wit h it s ma t e ria ls , wh ile a rt le a n s upon
na tur .e, and so that they h e lp e a c h o t h e r, a n d a re in s o me w a y s u b -
se r vie nt to each other in t u rn r so that at la s t the s k ill of the art
w i th nature's help can ma k e s o me t h in g that n a t u re c o u ld not have made
b y i tself' and even trans mu t e e a rt h ly ma t e ria l, o f wh ic h we m a y t a k e
th a t v ery gold about whic h we a re a rg u in g a s a n e x a mp le . What pre-
ven ts men from impressing that f o rm o n o t h e r me t a ls by the aid of
fir e and the sun? Nature, e mp lo y in g the heat of the suor places this
fo r m in the hidden places of t h e e a rL h , for wh e t h e r g o ld is made from
sulfur and argent vive a s De mo c rit u s a n d o t h e rs s d lr and as I have
ofte n experienced, or whe t h e r it c a n b e ma d e f ro m o t h e r vapours,
purer, but none t,he less d ra wn o u t those s a me ma t e ria ls none the lessr
an d compressed into a sing le n a t u re r o r wh e t h e r it a ris e s from some
un kn o wn liquidr zrs Theoph ra s t u s imp lie d , ott if y o u lilc e , from that
l i qu id called lixivium, wh ic h De mo c rit u s is s a id to have believed, a
l i xi vi um mixed with calx, not, f s d lr that c a lx a g a in s t wh ic h Alber-
tu s in veighs, for it was a n o t h e r one that De mo c rit u s me n t io ne d , for
Lixa was anciently taken t o b e a J -iq u id r s o t h e re f o re it wa s c a l l e d
Lixa by experts, and Lixa c a ro b y t h e c o mmo n p e o p le r o r r, t rhe t h e r D e m o -
cr i tu s meant some mysteri o u s t h in g b y t h e wo rd a rg e n t v iv a t o t the
m etal in liquid form that c a n b e s a id to be the f irs t ma t e ria l of
m etals (the P eripatetics a g re e wit h t h is , a n d t h e ir c h ie f s po k e o f

29
"yda tosgaresi", ) or wheth e r g o ld is ma d e f ro m s o me o t h e r k in d s of
th in g that nature has hidd e n in t h e deepest re c e s s e s of the earth,
w hy sh ould not men do the s a me , u s in g the s a me me a n s ? Ca n t h e y not
im itate the heat of the s u n wit h the in d u lg e n c e of n a t u re ? I imagine
tha t this is the very leas t that is n e c e s s a ry .
No r should one listen to t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs wh o t h in k a n d te a c h
th a t g old is created solely by the heat of the sun, a s if the heat
of th e sun were nob the un iv e rs a l cause of those t h in g s that are gen-
e r a ted in the fabric of t h e wo rld and then f a il; t h is heat pours forth
its g ifts as much in caves a n d s u b t e rra n e a n c h a s ms a s u p o n th e sur-
fa ce of the earth. The f ire is not o n ly in t h e h id d e n v e in s of the
e a r th, where the vapor of s u lf u r a ris e s , the p a re n t a n d n u rs e of gold,
an d i t is revealed not on ly b y S ic ilia n E t n a a n d t h e n e ig h b o r i n g is-
1a n d s, but in many of the mo u n t a in s of E u ro p e , a n d is c o n s p ic u o u s in
the Apennines. Others who b e lie v e d e e p ly in the a rt imp re s s their own
fo r m s on the common materia l o f me t a ls , h a v in g f irs t d e s t ro y ed the
or ig in a l forms, and this they do not o n ly wit h d e v o u rin g wa t e r s t o t
by th e power of various kin d s of
s a lt s t e E b y me a n s o f o ils of various
sor ts, but also by the us e o f g o ld it s e lf wh e n b y t h e s k il1 of the
ar t it has been made fit to g iv e b irt h to it s e lf , t h e k n o wn b e g i n n i n g s
of go ld being mixed in w it h it it s e lf , a n d in t h is ma n n e r t h e y seek
to tr a n smute gold and sto n e s a n d a t t e mp t to jo in p o wd e rs t o qe t h e r ,
an d w i th the aid of these t , h in g s t , h e y ma k e mu c h g o ld wit h a little
th in g that was given the n a me o f E lix ir b y t h e A ra b p h ilo s o p he r s ,
w hich the Romans called Me d ic in e , f o llo win g the G re e k s , by whom
it is agreed that P sellus often u s e d t h is n a me .

Cn n p r e n7 .
Anr t F I c I AL GoLL ltAy BE ltoRE pERFEcr rHAN NAT I vE GoLD .

They learned certain methods of digging the substance out of t,he

bosom of nature; the substance itself they were able to discern and
get to lcnow by referring to the clever Galicians and the other diggers
for silver and gold, (and also by the way to other workers who, as I
think, had been privileged to make metals from ancient times) , who
collected it from those rivers called Hermus, Tagus and Pactolus in

30.
pa r ti cularr drrd they lea rn e d to s e a rc h the depths of other rivers,
a n d to mark the shores of t h e A t la n t ic O c e a n , wh e re t h e y c ol l e c t e d
g r a in s of gold from amon g t h e v a ric o lo re d p e b b le s ; they la b or e d ,
m a n y sdlr not only with t h e ir o wn e x e rt io n s , but a ls o wit h unexpected
1 u ck.
As wise men have inde e d a s s e rt e d , mo s t mo rt a ls p e rf o rm the trans-
m u tati on of metals by a d iv in e p ro v id e n c e , often h id d e n , but always
r ig h t and proper. For f h a v e re a d t h a t s il-v e r wa s ma d e wh il e a med-
i ci ne for horses, fhat c o n t a in e d a rg e n t v iv a a mo n g ma n y o t h er things,
wa s l ooked for. I myself have seen both s ilv e r a n d g o ld mad e w h e n
n e ithe r was hoped for. I h a v e e v e n re a d t h a t the a rt of mak i n g g o l d
wa s anciently passed on b y imma t e ria l s p irit s , and though I have not
r e a d of this occuring in my t ime , I h a v e h e a rd of L E , a n d sh a 1 l say
m o r e when I am speaking of e x p e rime n t s . It s o me t ime s o c c u red during
tr affic with evil daemon s r E rs f s u s p e c t r a n d I b e lie v e wh a t h a s b e e n
wr itte n , that medical reme d ie s we re o n c e re v e a le d b y d a e mo n s i n var-
i ou s temples; this I reme mb e r e n la rg in g u p o n wh e n I wa s re f ut i n g the
su p e r stition of foreknow le d g e , e s p e c ia lly in the b o o k s I wro t e upon
p r o p h ecy, and in my comme n t a rie s o n my Hy mn s ; t h e re a re ma n y p r e c e p t s
of m edicine nov in use t h a t a n t iq u it y ma in t a in e d we re t a u g h t by such
su p e r stitions, Lf literatu re in f o rms p o s t e rit y rig h f ly .
Be cause Hippocrates is s a id t o h a v e p a s s e d o n t , h e t e a c h in g s of
m e d icine from books to me mo ry in t h e q u ie t of A e s c u la p iu s ' temple,
no w b urned, even spirits can utter t ru t h , though it is far from
the ir minds; men may util is e t ru e re s u lt s , after they have striven
to fi nd out that they ar e re a lly t ru e , not because they a re revealed
by d e mons, but because s u c h a re s u lt is a useful t h in g , and of a frue
n a tur e , and can plainly b e re f e rre d to God the p rima ry a u t h or of all
tr uth and all goodness; b e c a u s e G o d c a n f in d g o o d e v e n in the evil
d e e d s of men and demonsr s o g re a t is h is in e f f a b le k in d n e s s , to whom
w e fin ally owe our existe n c e o u r p e rc e p t io n s a n d o u r lif e r ds Paul
th e Apostle has taught us.
Th e utterances of reas o n p e rs u a d e me t h a t I s h o u ld n o wh er e a t t r i b -
u te the revelation of th e p o we r o f ma k in g g o ld at a n y t ime to wicked
m e n , or those who are ste e p e d in in e g u it y b e s id e s , d iv in e jus t i c e does
no t a1low those men to s p re a d t h e p o is o n in t h e ir s o u ls t o the dis-
ad va n tage of humankind. T h is o p in io n s e e ms t o b e s t re n g t h e n e d when

31.
we consider him whose na me wa s S t rix , o f wh o m we s p o k e in ou r third
dia lo g ue, for he did not s h a re e v e n a f e w g o ld c o in s rrrit h h i s follow-
er s in obscene pursuits. We ma y t h e re f o re accept that s o met h i n g of
th e singular truth of th e a rt is re v e a le d b y g o o d s p irit s , though it
is ea sier to attribute s u c h re v e la t io n to t e a c h in g and experience.
H aving collected man y d if f e re n t t h in g s in v a rio u s e x p e rim e n t s ,
th o se skilled in the art we re a b le to le a rn mu c h , f o r in d e e d nature
do e s not produce gold in o n e p la c e on1y, n o r b y o n e me t h o d o n l y . A1-
b e r tus wrote that pure g o ld wa s t o b e f o u n d in riv e r sands, and he
ha d h eard that impure go ld a ro s e mix e d wit h ro c k , lik e v e in s, and
p r e se ntly he added that the g o ld found in the s a n d s wa s b e t te r , for
w hich he advanced two re a s o n s . O n e wa s t h e g re a t e r p u rit y of the su1-
fur strewn among the sand s , better c le a n s e d of it s e a rt h in e ss , and
be ca u se its mercury is fre q u e n t ly wa s h e d b y t h e riv e r a n d re n d e r e d
pu r e r and more subtle. The other re a s o n h e s a y s is that the heat
h id d e n in the banks and t h e bottom t u rn s b a c k o n it s e lf wh e n i t s pas-
sa g e is stopped up, and c o o k s t h e s c a t t e re d substance of the gold into
a no b ler form; this is w h a t h e s a y s in s p e a k in g of the p la c es where
m e tals are born.
In deed T have said th a t the g o ld that f c o lle c t e d f ro m th e bed of
a r ive r has remained ext re me ly b rig h t a n d q u it e f re e of p ie c e s of
or d in a ry matter. Though I h a v e b e e n t a lk in g of p u re g o ld , when trial
is m ade, much of it is fo u n d t o b e mix e d wit h s ilv e r. A lb e r t u s when
sp e a king of the nature of g o ld says that a lu mp wa s f o u n d th a t weigh-
e d m any pounds. A hundr e d ma rk s a re t h e wo rd s h e u s e d , but that bar-
ba r ic name signifies eigh t ouncesr so that those wh o we ig h e d the lump
fou n d it to be eight hund re d o u n c e s . He s a y s t o o , that in Germany in
his time mountain gold was found that wa s c o n s u me d le s s t h an others
w he n assayed, but in spi t e of t h is it wa s s o ld mo re c h e a p ly because
of its novelty; because t h is is a s u b t le p o in t , P lin y o mit s iL, but
n e ve r theless he mentions ma n y c o lle c t io n s of g o ld f ro m riv e r branches,
a s fr o m the Tagus in S pa in , t h e P a c t o lu s in A s ia Min o r, the Po in Ital
the H ebrus in Thrace, an d t h e G a n g e s in I n d ia a n d h e t e 1 ls us t,here
is no gold purer than tha t ru b b e d a n d p o lis h e d by that me a ns .
No r was he silent on t h e g ra v e s of we lls nor the ru in s of m o u n -
ta in sr nor did he omit C a n a lit iu s t o r Ca n a lie n s is , nor the fact t,hat
g o ld is found running lik e v e in s t h ro u g h p ie c e s o f ma rb le gr a v e l .

32.
An d so the artificers we re a b le to le a rn f ro m t h o s e wh o s e a r c h for
g o ld in mountain caverns r o n t h e b a n lc s o f riv e rs and on the shores
of th e sea' and likewise f ro m t h o s e t o wh o m it wa s re v e a le d in ano-
th e r wdlr and learned to in v e s t ig a t e n a t u re , a n d imit a t e it s nuter-
i ng heaL' first with a b a re ly k in d le d f ire , t h e n wit h a s lo w o n e a n d
th e n with strong heat, a n d in t h is wa y t h e y tested the p o v er s of the
ar t in conjunction with n a t u re , a n d f in a lly , wit h ma n y e x p er i m e n t s ,
th e y drew the foetus of re a l g o ld f ro m t h e a mn io t ic me mb ra ne , a s i t
w er e , and acted as its m id wif e , and by constant p e rs u it , of the art
ob tain ed it, not only in a f o rm t h a t imit a t e s n a t u re r ds they sdlr but
in on e that clearly perf e c t s it ; t h is s e e ms t o b e in a c c o rd a n c e with
w ha t many have asserted, a n d wh a t I d o n o t d e n y h a v in g s e e n, that is,
ar ti ficial gold, made wit h n a t u re ' s h e lp ma y b e mo re p e rf e c t than
n a ti ve goldr or of a bet t e r c o lo rr E rs t h e a u t h o rit y of A lb er t u s te1ls
llsr a nd as many have said f ro m t h e t ime of P s e llu s , wh o t a u g h t that
g o ld made by art was bet t e r f in is h e d than the s c ra p s , mo rs el s and
bits obtained from the P a c t o lu s if I ma y u s e h is wo rd s " ch r y s o e i d i s o
ton to P al<tolo psegmaton" : b e s id e s , if t h e re a re d is t in c t io n s between
th e gold found in the de e p e s t c o rn e rs of the e a rt h r so that some is
m or e valuable than the re s t r d s P lin y s a id , a n d A lb e rt u s , an d D i o d o r u s
as w e said earlier, and a s Ho ly Writ f o rme rly a s s e rt e d , f ro m the test-
i m on y of which we know t h a t t h e g o ld of I n d ia wa s c o n s id e re d more ex-
ce lle n t than the rest; if , I s d lr t h e re a re d is t in c t io n s in nature's
w or k, why should they be d e n ie d to t h e wo rk s o f the a rt ? Not only
d o e s nature outdo a some rv h a t imp e rf e c t a rt in p o we r a n d we a l t h , but
n a tur e sometimes outrivals it s e lf , a s we s a id b e f o re r d rld as w e h a v e
fo u n d in colors, scents, a n d ma n y o t h e r ma t t e rs .
Tr uly, it is written in t h e h o ly Book of G e n e s is that in the land
of Ha vilah - but in the S e p t u a g in t it re a d s E v ila t - wh ic h the anc-
i en ts took to be fndia, g o ld a ro s e r dnd that the g o ld of that land
w as the best, if we rely o n t h e L a t in t ra n s la t io n " k a lo n " r a s t h e
Sep tuagint interprets the He b re w t e x t , a n d wh e t h e r y o u p re f er to read
it a s "good" or "beautifu l" , o n e mu s t a l1 o w t h a t t h e re is a c o m p a r i s o n
un le ss one prefers to say t h a t t h e g o ld t h a t a ro s e in o t h e r p r o v i n c e s
w as neither good nor bea u t if u l. Wh y wa s t h e g o ld found there said to
b e th e best gold and goo d g o ld u n le s s t h e g o ld found e ls e whe r e was
not gtood gold r ot not as g o o d a s t h a t of E v ila t ? O n e c a n n ot doubt

33
tha t a thing is said to b e b e s t b y c o mp a ris o n , nor can one deny that
it is said to be good by c o mp a ris o n wh e n o n e re f e rs a substance of
som e kind to another whic h is not of the s a me g o o d n e s s , therefore we
m u st draw the inference that t h e re a re d is t in c t io n s b e t we e n n a t u r a l
g o Id, distinctions, I sdlr wh e t h e r in k in d or in q u a lit y , f or differ-
en ce s cannot be denied, wh e t h e r a ris in g f ro m t , h e a rL it s e lf r ot from
ar t in comparison with a rt , o r in c o mp a ris o n wit h n a t u re r or in nat-
u r e compared with nature. We h a v e t h e t e s t imo n y of P lin y who called
th e gold made by Caius Ca e s a r f ro m o rp ime n t e x c e lle n t , (t , h e a u t h o r
e xp a n ded on this matter e ls e wh e re in h is writ in g s ) that there is a
va r ia b le weight of silver in a ll- g o ld , s o me t ime s a t e n t h part, some-
tim e s a ninth, sometimes a n e ig h t h t o r a f if t h , a n d t h is p o r t i o n con-
stitutes electrum, the e n e my o f p o is o n . Ma n y d is t in c t k in d s o f g o l d
ar e pr oduced by such mea n s .
. Go 1d, sometimes purer, s o me t ime s le s s p u re , is found in other met-
a ls. What? It is found in n o n -me t a llic substances, wit n e s s Albertus
M a g n u s, saying that it w o u ld b e f o u n d in about a h u n d re d hairs of the
h u m a n Cranes, and gold ha s a ls o been found in my t ime in partridges'
cr op s, and whether when t h e y we re p e c k in g at the g ro u n d t h e y swallor,tied
it corn r et whether b y s o me h id d e n p o we r it wa s g e n e ra t e d f r o m
like
wh a t they ate, they picke d u p f ro m t h e g ro u n d t h e p re lu d e s t o g o l d ,
e sp e cially from the noble p o we rs o f the g ra s s in t h e Ma s u s m o u n t a i n s ,
b e ca u se as a youth doing milit a ry s e rv ic e in these p a rt s , oo t far from
La ke Fucino in the A lban F ie l-d s , I re me mb e r s e e in g wit h s u rpr i s e how
the partridges resorted there. I was then ignorant of the cause,
and having not sufficiently investigated the matter to this day I am
perhaps ignorant, although f suspect that it is connect,ed with gold;
nothing forbids this, for it is hidden in the caverns of the earth,
and can be found on the surface also, nor, I may sdlr is there any
power in t,he roots and grasses to suppress the ability to make gold,
unless it is pure wantoness, and the same seems to be the case for
four-footed animals, for reliable witnesses have said they saw ibexes
in the mountains of Crete who fed on the grasses of Mount lda, famed
in song, and their teeth were golden-coloured, especiaJ-J-y near the
gums.
I pass over t,he kind of gold called obrizon in Greek, although
Isidore and the Latin school liked to think it meant "that which

34.
g listen s with splendour". P lin y s e e ms t o b e n e a r the t ru t h when he
wr o te of gold cal1ed obriz o n , wh ic h wa s re d a s f ire in c o lo u r , but
tho se who are familiar w it h G re e k lit e ra t u re , a mo n g wh o m in our own
ti m e is Hermolaus, think t h e wo rd is
" a b ro n " , f o rme d f ro m
t ha t i s ,
te n d e r , soft t oy delicate r o t r E rs I t h in k r p e rh a p s f ro m " e u r i z o r l "
( go o d root), because it is p ro d u c e d f ro m t h e b e s t s e e d , a n d g r o w s a s
it w ere from fhe legitimat e ro o t , wh e t h e r y o u c o n s id e r it prepared
na tur a lly, or by art outd o in g n a t u re .
Th e Hebrews have a wo rd f o r o b riz o rt , for the S e p t u a g in t translates
i t, m eaning sometimes the n a me o f a p la c e , s o me t ime s a wo rd t h a t may
as "purest"
b e r e n dered in L a t in , and because they d e s ire d to use a
w or d meaning "very pure", p e rh a p s it is the s a me a s wh a t wa s a n c i e n t l y
calle d apyronr s€€ Diodoru s , dug up by the ra b b is of A ra b ia , unmelted
by he at, and so brilliant in c o lo u r that the g o ld wa s b rig h t er than
the p r ecious stones set in it ; b y t h e wa y it is me n t io n e d in the Psalms
a n d called "gold of A ra b ia " .
the
Beyond the other point e rs to the e x c e lle n c e of t h e me t a 1 , is the
fact that the mind may r is e f ro m c o n t e mp l-a t io n of it to the peaks of
w i sdo m, which is indicate d under it s my s t ic n a me b y t h e wo rd " g o 1 d " .
An d so nature brings gold f o rt h b y v a rio u s me a n s , a rt lik e wis e , some-
ti m es as nature's servant , s o me t ime s v y in g wit h it , or c o n qu e r i n g by
its help, brings it forth , for those wh o c o n s id e r that the power of
the art is not equal to t h is task a re mis t a k e n ; they t h in k that the
art is an almost natural f a c u lt y , wh ic h they do'not d e e m wo r t h y of the
na m e of nature, which nev e rt h e le s s h a s p o we r o v e r p rimit iv e forms, for
it is a nature endowed w it h a k in d of c o g n it io n , h a v in g the character
of a soul strong and intellig e n t in re a s o n in g , and, thanks to this
gift, it rules and arrange s n a t u re d u mb a n d v o id of in t rin s ic r€dsorlr
a n d , both ruling and mod u la t in g r s o m€ t ime s imit a t e s n a t u re , sometimes
vi es with it, and sometime s o u t d o e s it .
To the honors due to n a t u re add that it s imu la t e s a rt r ds w h e n
na tur e makes patterns in ma rb le , a s is found in the case of Polycrates
je we l, and many other thin g s , wh e n r d s t h e wis e Poet saysr ndture draw
its own bow in imitation of a rt , in t h a t v e rs e that ends, A deathly
void is made by the withdra wa l of a rt , n a t u re can never s imul a t e the
ch a r a cteristics of art. F o r it d ra ws it , s o wn b o w in n a t u ra l pumice
a n d l i qht tufa. of the p o we r o f a rE , mo re la t e r; h e re le t it be

35.
stated that the more they wh o a s p ire in v a in to u s e a rt for malcing
go ld are curbed, the mor e t h e y u n re a s o n a b ly a rg u e f o r it , but let
it be statedr orr the cont ra ry , that it is e a s ily a b le to be a help
to na ture and to overcom e mu t e n a t u re b y h a rd wo rl< .

CHlp r e n 8 .
Ftve l rE TH oDoF
s l rA K IrGG o L DA RT T F I c I A L L v B
, y u HI c H A s I r lt Ar y
OTHER TH I ]IGSI ART OUTDOES I{ATURE BERI FT OF ART.

The art of preparation e x c e ls in Ch ry s o p o e ia , a n d o u t s t rip s nature

a lo n e berift of the heJ-p o f a rL , b y t h e h e lp of n a t u re it s e lf . Not
o n ly in glory, but in sp e e d o f p re p a ra t io n r E ls will b e ma d e c l e a r
w he n we speak of experimen t . It e x c e ls a ls o in b e in g a b le to use
m an y methods, for gold ma y b e ma d e a rt if ic ia lly in f iv e d if f e r e n t
w ays.
Fir st, the metal may b e e x t ra c t e d f ro m a n o t h e r me t a lr ds when sil-
ver is extracted from bro n z e , s o me t h in g f re me mb e r s e e in g done. For
m etals are often hidden in o t h e rs , e s p e c ia lly s ilv e r in go1d. Contrar-
iwise r gold may be found h id d e n in s ilv e r, a n d e v e n in le a d and bronze
so m e thing of the perfect me t a l ma y b e f o u n d .
Ne xtr gold
may be mad e f ro m t h o s e me t a llic substances known common-
1 y as minerals (here I fo llo w t h e b a rb a ria n a p p e lla t io n ) , for the
pr in cip les of gold are in t h e s e me t a llic s u b s t a n c e s , e s p e c ia l l y in
m er cu r y and the sulfur th a t is not affected b y f ire , wh ic h , I may sdyr
f h a ve seen myself.
Th irdr gold may be ma d e f ro m t h e seed of g o ld ; s e e d is wh a t f call
th e a bility to multiply, for in e v e ry n a t u ra l t h in g t h e re is a certain
a b ility to propagate itself .
Fourth, gold may be ma d e f ro m t h a t wh ic h is mo re p e rf e c t than gold,
ne ve r theless such a subs t a n c e s h o u ld not b e wif h o u t the seed of gold,
no r without those other p rin c ip le s that tend to g e n e ra t e it . The
ph ilo so phers were extremely c le v e r, p d in s t a k in g , a n d c a re f u l about
de ter m ining what the artif ie e rs can do, for they s e p a ra t e those parts
of a substance that they choose for ma k in g g o ld in t o ma n y p ar t s r o f
w hich a certain proportion c o rre s p o n d to the e le me n t s , and a certain
pr o p o r tion to heaven, wh e t h e r that h e a v e n is lik e a g u in t e s s en c e r ds

36.
th e Peripatetics sdlr or t h e e s s e n c e o f f ire r ds the P la t o n is t s say:
an d they unite the seeds o f me rc u ry a n d g o ld both wit h the elements
an d with universal causes r E rs t h e s u b lu ma ry wo rld is u n it e d with
he a ve n, and they also ma k e in c re a s e f ro m t h e p a rt ic u la r seeds of
p a r ti cular things, and th u s they e mp lo y b o t h the in t rin s ic natures
of m etals, and the seeds o f me t a llic substances for ma k in g g o l d and
si l ver very fertile. M o re o v e r, t h is me t h o d is a g e n e ra l o ne , while
th e three I have previously d e s c rib e d a re s p e c ia l ones.
When the form of the o rig in a l ig n o b le me t a l is t o rn a p a rt , and the
seco n d more powerful form imp re s s e d o n t h e me t a llic ma t e ria l, this is
th e fi fth method. The firs t me t h o d is p ro f it a b le , the s e c on d s c a r c e l y
p r o fi ta ble at a1lr the th ird mo d e ra t e ly sor the f if t h g re a t ly , and
th e fourth most of all.
No r should anyone be s u rp ris e d a t wh a t we h a v e a lre a d y said, that
ar t e xcels nature to nat u re ' s b e n e f it , for we h a v e s e e n a rt that out-
do e s nature used for the g o o d o f n a t u re in those ma t t e rs t h at have to
do w i th the making of go J -d , b e c a u s e it is k n o wn t h a t G o d h as p l a c e d
in th e oil, the water, and the s a lt s ma d e b y a rt p o we rs t h a t are not
g ive n to the oil, the wa t e r, and the s a lt ma d e b y n a t u re . Therefore
th e y who consider that it is imp o s s ib le to a s p ire to a n a rt that can
p r o ce ed beyond nature is mis t a k e n , because the n a t u ra l f lo w of its
n a ti ve ability must be c o n s id e re d h ig h e r and better if the exertions
of ar t add to it.
For we do not consider t h e p o we rs a d d e d t o n a t u re by the powers of
ar t to be separate and d if f e re n t , but we s a y t h a t a rt as the channel
of n a ture should be comp a re d in it s f u n c t io n s wit h r E rs o n e m i g h t sdlr
n a tur e naked and powerles s , a n d b y c o mp a ris o n a rt is seen to excel"
Ho w wonderful it is, mo re o v e r, that a rt is not wro n g ly rep r e s e n t e d
as a s pecial larr of natu re , a s we h a v e s a id a lre a d y , but is deemed
w or thy of the name of na t u re i I do not me a n a s ile n t n a t u re , but a
n a tur e properly arranged , in t e llig e n t , a n d p ro f ic ie n t . T h is we see
in ho uses, clothes, and a ll t h e d e p a rt me n t s of lif e wh ic h were once
r ou g h and uncivilised, un t il the s k ill of t h e h u ma n min d , t ha t is,of
n a tur e improved, a most n o b le a n d liv in g in s t ru me n t , a s it were, came
to its aid, and by its d ilig e n c e those me n wh o f o r c e n t u rie s had lived
in caverns and grottoes in t h e mo u n t a in s r o E in h o v e ls that they had
e xe a vated, in the space o f a f e w we e k s c a me t o liv e not o n ly in huts

37.
bu t in palaces, and the y wh o c o v e re d t h e ms e lv e s in the u n cu r e d
w olle n hides of animals we re c lo t h e d in g a rme n t s ma d e b y a r L , and
the y who nourished them s e lv e s o n ra w v e g e t a b le s , t h e milk of wild
a n im als and uncoolced me a t c a me t o eat foods p re p a re d by the benefit
of a rt for the sake of h e a lt h and a not u n wo rt h y p le a s u re .
Fina11y, if you mak e a u n iv e rs a l / o u will
s u rv e y r f in d t h a t t h e
i m pr ovements of art, th a t is , of t h e wis d o m o f h u ma n n a t u re, outdo
du m b nature that underl ie s it . Ha v in g d o n e t h is , it is no surprise
to find that what has t a k e n t h e o n e h u n d re d s of y e a rs to complete,
th e other does in a few d a y s r o E e v e n in a f e w h o u rs , by its operat-
i on s. Thus medicine, p a in t in g , a n d milit a ry ma t f e rs g re w a n d w a x e d
str o n g, thus men obtain e d p h ilo s o p h y , a n d b e c a me mo s t f a mi l i a r with
th e o logy, since menrs s u rv e y o f n a t u re , re ly in g o n in b o rn wit and
str e n gthened by experim e n t , in v e s t ig a t e d the p o we rs a n d p r o p e r t i e s
o f matters within the o rb it of t h e mo o n , h e rb s , f ru it s , roc k s , and
livin g beings, the cont e mp la t io n o f wh ic h le d h u ma n k in d to wonder,
a n d drew it on to consid e r the s e c re t of d iv in e p ro v id e n c e ; in the
ce n turies following the y d id ma n y t h in g s b y a rt that a re scarcely
b e lie ved because of their a n t iq u it y by those wh o d o n o t believe what
th e ir eyes have not see n .
Antiquity formerly wo n d e re . d a t the p e t rif y in g p o we r o f certain
sp r in gs, for they saw g ra s s a n d t u rv e s a c q u irin g a stony na t u r e by
con ti nued immersion in f lo win g s t re a ms o f wa t e r for a lo n g time.
No t only did f wonder a t t h is wh e n I re a d o f it , but f e v en s a w i t
within the confines of I t a ly wh e n f wa s t ra v e llin g f ro m t he banks of
L a ke Lary through the T e lin a v a l1 e y to the Rh e t ic A lp s ; but my won-
de r c eased when I saw t h a t not o n ly d id bunehes of f e rn a nd f r o u n d s
of e lm turn into tufa after a y e a r' s imme rs io n , but iro n , silverr drrc
g o ld become liquid in t h e t win k lin g of an eye.
Consider also that those ma rv e llo u s s p e c ia lly e n d o we d w a t e r s r r t t a d G
in r ecent centuries, th a t d e v o u rr s o f t € iro n r s o f t € b ro n z e , some silver
som e go1d. f do not me n t io n that c o mmo n a n d we ll-k n o wn one that sep-
ar a tes silver from go1d , nor those that n a t u re p ro d u c e s , which the
Po e t speaks of in his f if t h book and the c o lle c t o r of n a t ur a l his-
tor y in his twenty-first v o lu me ; I wo u ld say that the f o llor , r i n g is
no t wonderful, except that the re a d e r wo u ld c o n s id e r that a sign of
we a kness, rather than a p a ra d o x - I have seenr E rs f b e lie v e, a water

38.
tha t could be drunk with o u t h a rm t h a t h a d a p o we r o v e r s u b li m e d mer-
cu r y that the strongest a n d mo s t d e v o u rin g wa t e rs d id not havet upon
salt that well or river wa t e r d is s o lv e d it h a d n o p o we r a t all. These
g ifts of the Chemists'art a re t h e effects of n a t u ra l s t re n gt h , in-
d e e d there is something re ma rk a b ly t h e o lo g ic a l about the arL, and
d u m b nature has long bee n s a id to lie d re a min g in it s p o we r r rn€Errr-
i ng that a wonderful rebirt h c a n q u ic k ly occur in n a f u ra l th i n g s
w i th o u t any new miracle of d iv in e p o we r, a n d wh e n it d o e s th e r e is
n o d o ubt that this rebirth is a c c o mp lis h e d in the t v in k lin g of an
e ye by fixed natural chara c t e ris t ic s wh ic h g iv e u s in t ima t io n s of
e ter n ity.
An d another thing is that c ru d e substances a re o v e rc o me b y f i n e r
o n e s, and these by even mo re s u b t le s p irit s r so that t h e re is greater
str en g th in the finest a n d t h in n e s t s p irit s than in t h e wh o l e b u l k of
th e substance; there are ma n y e x a mp le s o f t h is to hand. If one were
to p lace ten thousand po u n d s o f the substance a lu m o r it s salt that
e xu d e s from baked bricks o n a lig h t sheet of s ilv e r, to d is s o l v e it
i n w ater, it will never d is s o lv e , though it we re p re s s e d down for
te n years with so great a we ig h t . If o n e p la c e s a n o u n c e of fine
vap o u rs, drawn from the v e ry s a me ma t e ria ls , and the s a me of silver,
fh a t which was solid in f o rm b e c o me s mo is t u re a n d liq u id ; th i s is
not a worl< of nature, bu b o f a rt o u t d o in g n a t u re , not in a variable
an d i nconstant manner, b u t in a f irm and steady wd lr so that the ig-
norant cannot speak of a v a rie t y of effects, lik e those le a r n e d and
ski l l ed writers of yore, P lin y , S e n e c a , a n d V it ru v iu s , wh o , w h e n t h e y
w er e writing of the waters of Styx, a n a t u ra l substance, not an art-
i ficia l one, saidr orr€ t h a t it wa s c o rro s iv e , o n e t , h a t it solidified,
o n e that it was explosive; these f u n c t io n s a re c le a rly contrary, hav-
i ng no connection with e a c h o t h e r, ra t h e r t h e re is a n o i1 by w h i c h
m etals are deeply penetra t e d , we a k e n e d , liq u if ie d r t n o is t e n e d , and
co lo u r ed, both inwardly a n d o u t wa rd ly .
No r sha1l f omit that mu lt ip u rp o s e c o mp o u n d s a lt that excels the
m ar in e, mountain, or san d y s a ltk n o wn t o a n t iq u it y ; t h is a r t i f i c i a l
salt overleaps, if f may s a y s o (NB ), t h e o t h e rs i mo re o v e r, i t i s
m a d e from substances tha t a re s e e n n e v e r t o b u rn a s we ll as from
th o se that are very hot a n d lia b le to ig n it e , s o mu c h s o t h a t , I
sha 1 1 not deny having se e n a s a lt ma d e f ro m s u lf u r that s p ur n e d fire

39.
a n d w as so brilliantly br ig h t a n d s h in in g that the s a lt wh ic h Greek
wr iter s, reporting the dee d s o f A le x a n d e r of Ma c e d o n , t e ll of, that was
th e a customed gift in E gy p t t o t h e p rie s t s of the o ra c le of Ammon,
cou l- d not be compared to it . A n d it is o n ly a few days dgo, as I
r em e m b er, that at my comma n d a s a lt r d s J -o v e ly t o s e e a s s wee t t o
ta ste, was made from the g ra s s that g ro ws in p a rt ic u la r in m y p a s t -
ur e s in the Duchy of Ferra ra and the n e ig h b o u rin g Du c h y o f Mantua.
Fo r when my out-pasture s h e p h e rd s we re p a y in g me my t a x e s upon it,
se e in g that it had been of h e lp to t h e ir s ic k f lo c k s , I t h o u gh t that
th e sa lt, which resembled t h e g ra s s in f la v o u r, wa s t h e c a u se o f its
h e a lth- giving properties, and thus, wh ile P o wa s wit , h in h is banl<s, and
no t flo oding the surroundin g f ie ld s , it d e ig n e d to s h o w u s its riches;
it wa s sweeter and more b e a u t if u l than s e a o r mo u n t a in s a lt r dod in
m a tte r s metallic, unless I a m mis t a k e n , mo re u s e f u l; f ma k e n o m e n t i o n
of i ts penetrating, drying , a n d b u rn in g g u a lit ie s wh ic h we re d i s c o v e r -
ed in a brief moment by d rt r and under it s attack the f o rme r shape of
a m etal is broken up, and t h e n s o me o t h e r f o rm c a n e a s ily be born and
g r a fte d on by the help of a rt a n d n a t u re ' s bounty. S o me o n e m a y s a y
tha t n ature, though silent , is ru le d b y a n u n e rrin g in t e llig e n ce , but
o n th e other hand it sti11 cannot re c e iv e a n y f u rt h e r h e lp from it,s
e o n sti tu ent parts, while t h e h u ma n min d , h e lp e d b y a rt and strengthen-
e d b y practice, brings it a id ; mu c h is seen, not t o me n t io n read, about
the p le ntiful production o f me t a ls in a f e w d a y s b y h u ma n d rt r although
n a tur e will not generate t h e m, e x c e p t after the passage of many years.
N ow Michael P sellus r wt it in g a few pages upon the a rt wh en h e f f a s
w eig h in g it in the balance o f p h ilo s o p h y , wo n d e re d a t re a d in g in Strabo
ab o u t the aforesaid transmu t in g p o we r o f s o me f o u n t a in , wh ils t not
r ea d in g about the changin g o f me t a ls in t o the shapes of other metals
b y ar ti ficial aid, though h e re me mb e re d ma n y s u c h . Un le s s , as he says
of th e matter elsewhere, it is c o mp e lle d b y s o me p ro p e r p o we r , r.rhich
is w ha t he concludes.

40.
 Cn lp r r n 9 .
Ir I s u i ti rE cE ssA R yF o R T HosE sKILLED r N THE ART oF itAKIt{ c Go LD
TO HAVE A DEEP Al{D PROFOUilD KilOULEDGE OF THE FITIER POIIITS OF
Pnr lo so p n v.

N or should we listen to t h o s e wh o s a y t h a t we s h o u ld know the

p r im a r y elements and the . p ro p o rt io n s of the substances re s u lt i n g
fr o m them to make gold; for t h e re a re t h o s e wh o s a y t h a t we c a n
kno w nothing of what natu re h o ld s in s t o re u n le s s we h a v e al r e a d y
in ve sti gated its beginning s ; b u t . n e it h e r re a s o n n o r e x p e rie n c e can
r ea ch so far, only guess e s t h a t a re u n c e rf a in a n d in a ll wa y s d o u b t -
fu l.
Bu t the craftsman skil le d in t h e ma k in g o f g o ld need not take the
tim e to investigate obsc u re causes; it is e n o u g h if h is character is
th a t of a minister to nat u re e v e r-b e a rin g a n d p ro d u c in g wh at it has
be e n divinely ordered to do. S o a mid wif e does not e n q u ire after the
na tur e of the foetus, af wh ic h s h e is c o mp le t e ly ig n o ra n t , but assists
th e w oman bearing the ch ild ; so the f a rme r, re f u s in g k n o wle d g e of the
in m o st properties of whe a t a n d b a rle y r c o mmit s t h e seeds of those
cr o p s to the earth, where h e h a rro ws and tends t h e mr E rrrdd o e s n o t
va in ly expect the rewards o f h is la b o u rs , that is , the n u me r o u s o f f -
spr in g of a sturdy stock; a n d it is the s a me wh e n h e ma k e s a g r a f t ;
its nature is not that of the t re e o n wh ic h h e ma k e s it , nor of the
g lu e he uses, nor of the wa y b a rk softens a n d b e c o me s c lo s e ly joined
to b a r k; rather, when he h a s d riv e n we d g e s a n d in s e rt e d buds he sees
a p r o g eny growing that pro mis e s f lo we rs a n d f ru it s .
What? S ee how a man, wh o , a s A ris t o t le wro t e , c a n p ro d u c e another
m a n by himself, gets offs p rin g b y wa y o f a wo ma n , b u t not ev e r y time;
but although from a hund re d o r a t h o u s a n d me e t in g s s c a rc e ly one is
no t i n vain, but productiv e , s t ill h is p ro g e n y is n u me ro u s ; neverthe-
l ess he is ignorant of the n a t u re o f h is seed, nor is it known either
to ph ilosophy, or to the d o c t o rs wh o q u a rre l a mo n g t h e ms e lv es as to
wh e the r it comes from ex c e s s f o o d t o y t h e b ra in , o r t h e wh ol e b o d y ,
or fr om somewhere else. Do e s it c o me f ro m t h e ma le a lo n e ? Or does
som e seed flow from the wo ma n ? T h o u g h t h e s e t h in g s ma y b e u n c e r t a i n
an d unknown to him, if he will not b e d is a p p o in t e d of o f f s p ri n g if
his seed is fertile, if it is re c e iv e d b y a f e rt ile wo ma n in the

+r.
r i gh t places, and if all the other f u n c t io n s , both o f ma le a c t i v i t y
a n d female passivity, ne c e s s a ry for the s a me re s u lt ru n smoothly;
the n the infant is conc e iv e d a c c o rd in g to the o rd e r of nature and
is born in due time.
One should not imagin e that t h in g s a re o t h e rwis e in the art of
m a kin g gold, where the mo s t ma rv e llo u s e q u ip me n t of a ll is used,
no r should it be necess a ry for the a rt if ic e rs t o k n o w e v e ry genus
a n d species of those met a llic substances c o mmo n ly k n o wn a s m i n e r a l s ;
for their parent herself s c a rc e ly k n o ws wh a t is b o rn a n d h i d d e n in
the caves of the earthr s o v a rio u s a re t h e y r s o g re a t a n d un k n o w a b l e
the ir number; but it is e n o u g h t o b e t h o ro u g h ly a c q u a in t e d with kind-
r e d substances, known b y e x p e rime n t , and to know the ru le s of change
tho r o ughly. Nevertheles s r we d o n o t deny that t h e re s h o u ld be wiser
wo r ke rs who have explore d t h e n a t u re of e f f ic ie n t c a u s e s r so t h a t
the y obtain a good know le d g e o f h o w t o imp o s e t h e p ro p e r f or m o f
go ld on to the common b a s e o f the e le me n t s , a n d e v e n if t h is common
m a ter ial is occupied by t h e f o rm o f a le s s n o b le me t a l they can aid
LE, and it will learn to b e c u re d r so that they c a n d riv e aw a y t h e
pr e vious form, and upset it f ro m t h e p la c e it h a s s e iz e d , an d w h i l e
d r ivin g it away they obt a in a g o o d k n o wle d g e o f t h e wa y t o Ery and
pu t the more noble form in it s p la c e , lik e s o me o f o u r p re de c e s s o r s ,
wh o knew whatever seeds o f mu lt ip lic a t io n 1 ie h id d e n in me t a l s , as
Ar istotle plainly wrote in h is s e c o n d b o o k De a n ima liu m g e ne r a t i o n e ,
wh e n he showed what was t h e re a s o n t h a t s e e d p ro lif e ra t e d , and says
tha t what is agreeable to it in the re a lm of n a t u re is not fire nor
a n ything so strong, but t h e wa rmt h t h a t is c o n t a in e d in the seed and
in th at foamy matter ex p re s s e d in t h e wo rd S p irit , in wh ic h there is
a q u ality corresponding in p a rt to the e le me n t s of the stars. Arist-
otl e was pleased to write t h e s e G re e k wo rd s , that have been trans-
la ted into Latin in vario u s wa y s , " p a n t o n me n g a r. t o ik ei o . "
Wise artificers there f o re s e e k wit h a ll c a re a n d d ilig e n ce to
ob tain this substance that is d ra wn f ro m me t a ls . Ma n y o f th e Peri-
p a teti c s gave it the na me o f Q u in t e s s e n c e r E rs t h e y b e lie v e d it was
a g e neral cause. In a s imila r ma n n e r h e a v e n is a g e n e ra l ca u s e .
Th e y also strove to turn e a rt h y ma t e ria l in t o a p o wd e r lik e burnt
ca1 x, and prepared from it v a rio u s k in d s of s a lt a n d o i1 of great
po we r, and strove to turn mo re liq u id ma t e ria l in t o wa t e r, and finer

42.
m a ter ial into the thinnes t a irs a n d v a p o u rs , equal to f ire in strength
But, as we have said, iE is n o t n e c e s s a ry for a ll wo rk e rs to know
this, therefore we give you the s e c re t s of o u r rid d le s . in v er s e ,
and if any of them are c le a r to your p ro c e e d a c c o rd in g ly .
"He who really knor'rs t h e h id d e n seeds and causes of the vorId,
l- e t him be chief and bes t of a rt if ic e rs r yet it is not necessary to
kn o r 'r all and everything for y o u f irs t to f lit your wa y o n m i g h t y
win g s through the peaks a n d h e ig h t s of heaven, soon to descend to
you r mother's great wom b a n d c ra wl, s e e in g the n u p t ia l couch, the
child , and the progeny of s u lf u r a n d a rg e n t v iv e in b lin d in g mist.
Be lie ve me' it is enough t o h o ld t ig h t to p o we rs c lo s e at ha n d , ' t h e n
sh a lt thou make one of the t win b irt h . "
An d we shall see what f o llo ws . But as far a s c o n c e rn s t he t,heme
of th e present argument, it is enough for a rt if ic e rs to know what we
h a ve said' enough for th e m t o h o ld fast to c e rt a in s e c re t s and wei-
g h ts commonly unlcnown, t o k n o v t h e v a rio u s v e s s e ls in wh ic h it is
p r e p a r ed and of which th e y a re t h e ma s t e rs , taught b y e x p e ri e n c e and
the h elp of nature, of w h ic h A lb e rt u s s p o k e wh e n h e wa s writ i n g of
the p laces where metals a re g f e n e ra t e d , a lt h o u g h la t e r wo rk e r s have
disco vered much, and have ma d e p re p a ra t io n in one vesseL, with nature's
g u id a n ce and much experim e n t a l la b o u r, and they h a v e c o me t o know the
h e a ts and strengths and o f the f la me s , and the rig h t t ime s to apply
or r emove the fire. Rec e p t a c le s of g la s s o r e a rt h e n wa re a re suit-
ab le for the work of prep a ra t io n , in wh ic h n e w ma t e ria l that formerly
la y h idden in the earth is t re a t e d .

Cn n p r e n1 0 .
G o l o cA r B E n A D E l ro R E EAstly Ir { ouR cEr { TURyr HAr { Iir pREvr ous
OI{ESI AI{D I NIVE ASSE}IBLED }IAI{Y ARGUIIEI{TS AGAII{ST THOSE T'HO
SLAI{DER THE ART AilD AGAII{ST EVEI{ FA}IOUS URITERS UHO HAVE A
DISSEtITII{G OPIl{IO1{ COilCERItIl{G CINiIABART HERCURY AllD ltlANY
OTHER TH I iIGS .

Gol d can be made more easily from these substances in our century
than in times gone byr for they did things more simply, and ve now
seldom use those things which t,hey made great use of long ago; all

43.
th e same, they employed c e rt a in min e ra ls of wh ic h o u r a rt if ic er s do
no t r eall-y know the nam e , f o r e x a mp le , t h e re is t h e wo rd " oc h r e " , for
a ltho u gh some people thin k they k n o w wh a t it is , t h e y a re g r e a t l y mis-
ta ke n .
I am certain (unless I a m wro n g ) t t ra t I h a v e d is c o v e re d at least
th r e e things to which this n a me ma y a p p ly . Wh o k n e w p y rit e s , unless,
as so me think, it is wha t is c o mmo n ly c a lle d ma rc a s it e ? f do not
th in k sandarac was known, u n le s s it wa s t h a t substance that was brough
to m e from V enice under t h e n a me o f re d s u lf u r. As I say, who will
no t tell you that cinnab a r wa s c re a t e d b y B u c a s is t h e A ra b f r o m m e r -
cur y and sulfurr ds far f ro m t ru e c in n a b a r a s a lio n f ro m a monkey?
It is different in color, u n lik e in n a t u re , a s will b e ma d e p l a i n in
d u e course. W ho can show t h a t c h ry s o c o lla p ra is e d by the ancient art-
ifi cer s and masters of m a k in g g o ld ? I a m s p e a k in g of n a t iv e chrysolla
not the one mentionedt ot ra t h e r, h in t e d dt, b y P lin y , nor the one
Ga le n mentioned.
Fo r anyone could have ma d e it (c in n a b a r). B u t n o n e t h e le s s we have
m an y s ubstances that are n o t o n J -y b ro u g h t f ro m a f a r, but f o un d in ftal
itself. For many minera ls a re d u g u p f ro m t h e c a v e rn s of the earth
tha t were unknown to the a n c ie n t s . I t h in k they ma y b e p ro du c e d in
m e r e days, almost, and te s t imo n y that we c a n n o t re je c t says there are
d iffe r e nt mixtures of m in e ra ls that h a v e d if f e re n t c o lo rs and tastes,
the r e fore different effect s p ro c e e d f ro m t h e m, . t h e ir s u p e rf ici a l qual-
iti es varying according to t h e ir n a t u re , . and the mo re a b u n d a n t they
are, the more cheaply the y a re s o ld i nor am I a lo n e in asserting this,
fo r formerly by decree th e y a v o id e d d ig g in g in the Ro ma n ' s I t a l i a n
m i ne s.
No w although many thing s that a re o f g re a t advantage in the matter
ar e i mported from differen t d ire c t io n s , a n d a re s u p p lie d in di s c r i m i n -
ately, neverthelessr ds I h a v e s a id , mu c h is p ro d u c e d and brought in
th a t the ancients did no t know of, c h a lc a c a n t h , for e x a mp le; andr Ers
th e y s aid, they pursued t h e b u s in e s s wit , h f e w re s o u rc e s , n or do they
m ake any mention of the wh it e c h a lc a c a n t h that g iv e s a b lu ish color
w he n rubbed, and there is a c h a lc a c a n t h of a n a s h e n p a l-lo r. And
th e r e is a sulfurr gr€€n , b lu e r o E v a ri-c o lo re d in a p p e a ra n c e , as
dive r se in power as in c o lo r, that is c a lle d " a p y ro n " l that is, un-
tou ch ed by fire, unless p e rh a p s the a n c ie n t s we re f u rt h e r ad v a n c e d .

44.
 N ow you see an apyron t h a t is ra t h e r s h in y , lilc e e le c t ru m, and
wh ite and ashy coloured, a n d q re e n a n d y e 1 1 o w a n d b 1 a c k , and red,
see m in g to vye with red oc h re in it s f la min g c o lo r. T h e re are others
be sid e s that I sha1I not re v ie w h e re , b e c a u s e t h e re a re n o Gr e e k o r
La ti n words for them. Y o u will f in d o t h e rs quoted b y n a me in A r i s t o t l e
ne ithe r casuallyr nor of set p u rp o s e , a s " s a n d a ra c a n d o c h re and mil-
ton an d thuon", and a litt le f u rt h e r o n " c in n a b a r" is d ra g g e d into
the story as a stone, not that c in n a b a r that they s a y B u c a s is the
Ar a b m ade out of mercury a n d s u lf u r, nor that wh ic h they assert arises
fr o m the struggle between a n e le p h a n t and a snake, but that which is
d u g fr om holes in the gro u n d a n d wa s imp o rt e d f ro m A f ric a ; I know that
tw i ce in my lifetime I ha v e s e e n it in I t a ly , a n d Dio d o ru s and Vitruv-
i us ha ve written that it wa s imp o rt e d in A u g u s t u s ' day, the one when
spe a kin g of the medical f a c u lt y , the other t a lk in g of p a in t in g houses.
Th e se substances found in min e s o f me t a ls and dug out of them are also
ca lle d minerals, and amo n g t h o s e that a re d u g u p , a c c o rd in g to Theo-
ph r a stus, are chrysocolla, cyanos, o c h re , min iu m a n d s a n d a ra c , although
ch r yso colla and cyanus are s a n d y , o c h re a n d min iu m e a rt h y , sandarac and
a r r e n icon (for he calls by t h is n a me wh a t o t h e rs c a ll a rs e n ic ) are dus-
ty a n d he informs us that t h e re is n o d if f e re n c e b e t we e n t h e m . From
this p assage one may gath e r o n ly that one cannot re ly o n c e rta i n , how-
e ve r famous, when they de s c rib e o c h re a n d a lo t of other t h ing s .
The ophrastus was the f irs t to say that t h e re wa s n o d if f e re n c e bet-
we e n o chre and arsenic: Plin y says the s a me in another wd lr and he
cle a r ly made mistakes in other ma t t e rs , for wh e n P lin y t h in k s of cinna-
ba r , chrysocolla, and sulf u r, h e t h in k s they a re t h e s a me a s m i n i u m
a n d Gr eek milton, and cal ls t h e m c in n a b a r. T h is is d e n ie d in other
p la ce s, fot in Theophrast u s a n d A ris t o t le a n d G a le n y o u will find that
M ilton and Cinnabar are dif f e re n t t h in g s ; G a le n e ls e wh e re me n t i o n s
Le m n ia n miltonr E IrI earth that re p e ls p o is o n , and says that he r e c e i v e d
tw en ty- thousand lumps of it , s ig n e d by the p rie s t , wh e n h e lan d e d on
the island of Lemnos; but , b e s id e s t h is y o u will f in d that mi l t o n and
ci nn a b a r are different in a ll the f a mo u s writ e rs o n n a t u ra l history,
so m e o f whom call it cinna b a rr Do t c in n a b a ri: T h e o p h ra s t u s ind i c a t e s
tha t there are two kinds of it .
Th e one is naturally pro d u c e d in Co lc h is a n d S p a in , the other is
ar ti ficia lly made, nof fro m me rc u ry a n d s u lf u r, but f ro m t h e scarlet

45.
sa n d that Callias the A t h e n ia n f irs t ma d e n in t y y e a rs b e f o re, and
fr om which he hoped to p ro d u c e g o ld . F ro m t h is y o u will understanc
tha t P liny erred not once b u t ma n y t ime s . F o r h e writ e s that Callias
pr e p a r ed minium, not cinn a b a rr e u o t in g T h e o p h ra s t . u s , wh o n ev e r t h e l e s s
d isti nguished between th e t wo a n d h a d s e p a ra t e n a me s f o r mi n i u m a n d
cin n a b ar.
Pl i ny besides wrote that c in n a b a r wa s s a n d y , T h e o p h ra s t u s that it
w as stony, and in his ow n t o n g u e (G re e k ) h e c a lls " lit h o d e s " what
Ar istotle described in t h e s e wo rd s , "to d e lit h o s e k t o ia u t e s gigaus
sisa se os oion kinnabari. "
Pl i ny says that miniu m, wh ic h Dio s c o rid e s c a lle d " a me n io n " is found
in Ephesus, but there is n o wo rd o f t h is in T h e o p h ra s t u s , for he write
tha t cinnabar is made in E p h e s u s , a n d a d d s " k a i a rg a s ia s . " Likewise,
ci nn a b ar arises naturally in Co lh is a n d S p a in ; I s u b s t it u t e the word
"a u top hues" for it, thus t h is p a s s a g e p o in t s o u t t h a t a rt if ic i a l cinn-
a b a r was made in E phesus , a n d t h e n a t u ra l c a me f ro m S p a in a n d C o l c h i s .
H e a scribes true minium' not that wh ic h is n o wa d a y s ma d e f ro m 1 e a d ,
a n d i mitates the color of n a t u ra l min iu m, but that wh ic h is sought in
the deepest recesses of the e a rt h , t o v a rio u s lo c a lit ie s , although he
sa ys that there are two k in d s , the o n e a ris in g n a t u ra lly r the other
m an u factured. These are h is wo rd s , "esi di h o p e r milt o n men a u t o m a t o s
he d e technike". Theoph ra s t u s adds that c in n a b a r is v e ry hard and
sto n y, to which I can tes t if y , h a v in g s e e n it wit h my o wn e y e s .
He says that milton is min iu m a n d o c h re a k in d of n a t u ra l earth;
f a m surprised that, if He rmo la u s d id e d it the Co ro lla rie s of Dioscori
d e s, he did not correct P lin y ' s e rro rs , wh ic h h e s a y s h e rej e c t e d r,rhen
he e d ited a criticism of P lin y . Of the o t h e rs , o n ly Theophrastus men-
ti on s two kinds of cinnab a r, but he does not me n t io n the b lo o d of the
sna ke and the elephant, t o wh ic h P lin y g iv e s the n a me o f c inn a b a r ,
an d which Dioscorides pr e v io u s ly s h e we d t o b e d if f e re n t f ro m t r u e
cin n a bar; this, I think, B u c a s is a n d h is imit a t o rs in a n c ie n t times
did not make, for it dis p la y e d it s c o lo r in p a rt o n ly and not all
ove r . For artificial ci n n a b a r is re d o n t h e o u t s id e o n ly , native
cin n a bar is much bright,er wit h in , in wh ic h it is mo re lik e b1ood,
wh e n ce there arose the id e a o f the s t ru g g le b e t we e n t h e s n ak e a n d
the elephant, whether it h a d it s o rig in in h is t o ry or in fable.
Ad d that native cinna b a r wh e n h e a t e d in the f ire b e c o me s b r i g h t e r

46
an d cleaner, whereas the a rt if ic ia l b e c o me s a c lo u d o f wh ic h nothing
r e m a in s. In the natural o n e y o u ma y s e e s p a rk s o f me rc u ry shining,
in th e manufactured thick e r lin e s r E rs it we re , o f me rc u ry . Nor do
I d isti nguish between arg e n t v iv e a n d h y d ra rg u m lik e P lin y , who ca1-
l ed th e latter manufacture d , the f o rme r n a t u ra l, c o n t ra d ic t in g Dio-
sco r id es, who called by t h e s a me n a me t h a t wh ic h is ma d e f rom m i n i u m
a n d that which nature bea rs in t wo f o ld f o rm, h a n g in g in the roofs of
silve r mines, where it f o rms d ro p s t ot it s e lf in min e s wh e nc e i t is
co lle cted.
Th ence we may understa n d (a s it s e e ms t o me ) t t re g re a t mistake of
Pl i ny with which others h a v e t a x e d h im, that is , h e d iv id e d it into
tw o g enera, of which he c o n s id e re d that o n e ra n f ro m t h e ro ck as a
liq u id ; he called it an e t e rn a lly liq u id u lc e r, p o is o n in g everything;
the o ther he says arises in d if f e re n t wa y s . So then in Dio s e o r i d e s
a n d o ther reputable writers h y d ra rg u m is the s a me a s a rg e n t vive, in
Pl i ny they are not the sa me b e c a u s e t h e G re e k s c a lle d it "silvery
w ater " from its watery co lo r a n d liq u id f lu id it y , wh ile the Romans
ca lle d it "guick" becaus e o f it s mo v e me n t .
The selfsame P liny do e s n o t seem to a g re e wit h h ims e lf ab o u t this,
fo r he uses the name hyd ra rg u m o n ly wh e n h e is s p e a k in g of gilding
si l ver , nor does he say e n o u g h t o d is t in g u is h it f o rm a rg f e nt v i v e
w hich the artificers use o n ly wh e n t h e y a re ma k in g g ild e d v es s e l s
fr o m pure silver ones. Even those (a n d wh o will d e n y it ? ) of whom
Vitr uvius speaks in his seventh book used to u s e it ; mo re o v e r he
w r i te s that arqent vive is ma d e f ro m f ra g me n t s of stone, and that
the a r tificers collect it wh e n t h e f u me s o f the f ire h a v e s ub s i d e d
a fte r the vapor has been ma d e t o ris e , a n d wh o c a n d o u b t that they
use d i t; they made it; th e y got it not o n ly f ro m min iu m a n d s t o n e s
fr om every metal. P osterit y is s u p e rio r to a n t iq u it y in this, for
no w it is not difficult to get a rg e n t v iv e r o t h y d ra rg u m, if you
pr e fer to call it that, not o n ly f ro m a n y me t a l, but f ro m m a n y m i n -
er a 1 s, and it is amazing t h a t G a le n , wh o wa s a s e x p e rie n c e d in liter-
atur e as in experiment, s h o u ld t h in k that h y d ra g u m is a rt if ic i a l ,
no t native. For when he s p o k e o f s imp le me d ic in e s , these were his
wo r d s, "ek esj- ton. . . s k e u a z o me n t ' not f ro m t h o s e me d ic in e s that
a r ise from nature, but fro m t h o s e that a re ma n u f a c t u re d . Fo r t h e
r e str w€ do not read of s o ma n y n a t u ra l ma t e ria ls a s a re n o w u s e d

47.
by m akers of gold and silv e r, e it h e r in V in c e n t , or in A lb e r t u s , who
w er e the first writers of t h is l< in d a f t e r t h e G re e k s a n d t h e Arabs
to m ention natural things .
If I have counted corre c t ly r A lb e rt u s h a s writ t e n of e ig h t kinds
of n a turally occurring min e ra ls , s a lt , a lu m, a t ra me n t , a rs e n i c , in
w hich he includes orpimen t , wh ic h c e rt a in ly ought to be ca1led by
tha t name, for V itruvius writ e s that o rp ime n t , wh ic h is c a lled arsenic
i n G r eek, is mined in P on t u s , a n d Dio s c o rid e s , a ma n o f the same era,
sa id that it was not good o rp ime n t , but ra t h e r p a le , wh ile th a t nat-
i ve to Mysia near the He lle s p o n t is of the t ru e g o ld e n c o lo r and first
qu a lity; yet he used the s a me wo rd f o r a rs e n ic a n d o rp ime n t , , which
eve n Celsus and P liny aft e r V it ru v iu s used, a n d t h e re is a th i r d kind
tha t the Romans, the A rab s a n d A lb e rt u s spoke of, n o r a re there want-
i ng those who said that it wa s n o t wh it e , but me d iu m-c o lo re d . (men-
iu m ? ) .
Anyone who expects to u n d e rs t a n d t h e ma t t e r f ro m A lb e rt u s will be
d isa p p ointed, both in his wo rd s a n d h is re lia b ilit y . T o t h es e (pre-
ced in g ) he adds niter, ma rc a s it e and tutty, a lt h o u g h h e c a lls it, art-
i ficia l, not the work of n a t u re .
Tr u e marcasite has not yet b e e n d is c o v e re d (t t re y say) among our
an ce storsr unless it is that wh ic h Dio s c o rid e s a n d G a le n c a l l e d py-
r i te s, though it is said t , h a t De mo c rit u s d is c o v e re d it , and it is of
a silve ry, a golden, a b ro n z e , and, I wo u ld a d d , of a t in and a lead-
en color, although it is t h e b ro n z e -c o lo u re d one they re c o mm e n d f o r
m ed icinal purposes. Fina1 1 y , A lb e rt u s lis t s e le c t ru m, wh ic h, whether
it is among those metals that n a t u re b e a rs r o E is a rt if ic ia l, cannot
be co u nted among those th a t a re d u g f ro m t h e deepest c a v e rn s .
But the things that min e rs n o wa d a y s d ig up to p re p a re gotd with
can scarcely be added to t h e ir n u mb e r in a n y s h o rt space of time,
for b e sides white arsenic , wh ic h t h e y c a 1 le d after c ry s t a l, and tutty,
w hich although it was ca 1 1 e d b y t h is n a me b y s o me o f the G ree k s , was
for m e r ly called by this n a me b y s o me o f t h e G re e k s , wa s f o rm e r l y
calle d Cadmia, there are ma n y k in d s o f ma rc a s it , e that p e rh a ps are
no t r e membered, and, as I h a v e s a id , ma n y k in d s of c a lc a n t h not known
to ou r ancestors, and man y k in d s of s u lf u r a s we ll. Add to this many
ki nd s of talc and many k in d s of a n t imo n y never me n t io n e d by the anc-
i en ts, although there are s o me wh o e q u a t e d it wit h s t ib iu m, without,

48
I th in k, clear authority o r g o o d re a s o n . Add to t h is ma n y k i n d s of
alu m of which antiquity t ra n s mit t e d n o re c o rd , nor a n y e v id e n c e in
th e w onderful golden relic s t h e y ma d e . I n o w re c o rd wh a t f learned
by exp erience a few days a g o , a ru s t -c o lo u re d c in n a b a r that was
sho wn me, of which there is n o me n t io n a mo n g t h e a n c ie n t s , nor do
f be lie ve they used it; I t e ll y o u f n e it h e r found nor s o u g ht iL,
fo r w ho finds what he do e s n o t seek? Wh o s e e k s in n a t u re f or some-
th in g he has never heard o f ? F ro m s u c h c o n je c t u re about c inn a b a r f
h a ve l earned that if it is a n y t h in g , it is a b la c k is h min e ra l , heavy,
of a b lue color on the o u t s id e , wh ic h re ma in s the s a me c o lo u r if rub-
bed; if it is burned it s h o ws re d . F u rt h e rmo re , p a rt of the sulfur
th a t it contains goes off at f irs t in a b lu e f la me , then that, which
is wh olly mercury disappe a rs , and the re ma in in g p a rt of it s sulfur
is i ntr ansigent and contemt u o u s of f ire , but if it is mix e d w i t , h t h e
l i qu id vapors of devouring wa t e rs , the o p p o s it e happens. F or t h e
sulfur o us portion dissolv e s in t h e wa t e r wit h a g re a t , ru s h r so little
do e s i t resist the fiery liq u id ; h o we v e r, t h e me rc u ria l p o rt i o n does
r esist it, and remains in the bottom of t h e v e s s e lr h a rd ly consumed.
I ha ve related a wonderful t h in g , not, f ima g in e , k n o wn t o antiquity,
wh ich r €v€D if it labored t o ma k e g o ld r z rs I h a v e s a id , used few mat-
er ia ls. Moreover, artifice rs in o u r t ime la b o r wit h ma n y t hi n g s be-
si de s calcination (f use t h e wo rd s o f A lb e rt u s ), d is t , illa t io n , sub-
l - i m ati on, and other activ it ie s that a re e it h e r not me n t io n e d by anc-
i en t workers in the art of g o ld r o r a re n o t e x p la in e d . The same author
ascr ib e s an elixir to them (L a t in writ e rs use the s a me wo rd a s t h e
Ar ab s for a medicinal prin c ip le ) by the use of wh ic h it is agreed
th a t the primal species o f min e ra L s is p e n e t ra t e d , so that they can
b e b r o ken upr so that on ly t h e ma t e ria l they h a v e in c o mmo n i s 1eft,
not a n y particular onei a n d a d if f e re n t me t a llic s p e c ie s ma y t h e n
r esu lt by means of great a rt a n d g re a t e f f o rt .
Al bertus, talking of the a rt if ic e rrs v e s s e ls , t e lls u s t ha t any
m e tal can be tinged to the c o lo r of g o ld r d rd (t o u s e h is own words)
pe r h a p s even a more beaut if u l c o lo r, if the e lix ir b e n o b le and t,he
ar ti fice r has made no mis t a k e s in it . F ro m t h is p a s s a g e mo r e o v e r ,
th e y who will say that the re is o n e n a t u re beneath a ll me t a ls can
ea sily defend the art, no r is s u p p o rt wa n t in g for those wh o t h i n k
th e r e are several natures , not c o u n t in g those that A lb e rt u s mentioned;

49.
fo r o ne may dissent from h is re a s o n e d a rg u me n t s b y s a y in g that he
sp o ke , not of perfect na t u re s , but of ones that we re in some way
un fi nished, which he allo we d wa s t h e case for the f irs t ma tt e r of
na tur e , fruitful and corru p t ib le .
The matters he appear s to d is c u s s in t h is p a s s a g e a re b ot h held to
be r a ther subtle, and ac t u a lly a re s o r a n d a re c o lle c t e d h er e in such
a wa y that the common folk , b o u n d b y t h e ir o p in io n s , rn d y le ar n that
no t o nly are there variou s wa y s o f d e f e n d in g the a rt , but that the
an cie n t artificers also u s e d ma n y ; a n d t h e y wh o la b o u r wit h ou t rea-
son to dethrone the art of g o ld -ma k in g f ro m t h e seat that it has
h e ld for ages, by legitima t e t it le , h a llo we d b y t ime r c z rn be m o r e
ea sily checked; those wh o m I h a v e me n t io n e d c a n le a rn that is not
on e but several ways to ma k e g o ld r d rld mu c h mo re e a s ily than in prev-
io u s centuries; for they we re a b le t o ma k e it f ro m t h o s e s ub s t , a n c e s
w e ha ve mentioned, and s k ill in the a rt g re w wit h lo n g p ra c t , i i e ; from
ti m e to time the applicat io n of re ma rk a b le min d s a n d t h e ir ingenuity
l ea d to the same result; t h e re f o re those wh o s la n d e r the f a cu l t , y of
Ch e m istry should rightly c e a s e f ro m t h e ir in s o le n t c a lu mn ie s ; alth-
o u g h they are not among t h o s e wh o b e lie v e in the s u b t le t ie s of nature,
n o r capable of the same p ro p o s it io n s that t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs have so
a cu tely investigatedr no n e t h e le s s they cannot c la im that a ny p u r s u i t
is la cking, according to it s me a s u re , in the e x c e lle n c e of the div-
i ne , which pours out its g if t s and so the a rt is e n c o u ra g e d to pro-
d u ce the like.
N or can they deny sim ila r e x p e rime n t s , such as the passage of
slig h t odes over great d is t a n c e s , the ra is in g o f h u g e ma s s es o f flour
wit'h a little ferment, the iro n jo in in g the absent ma g n e t t o itself,
th e l i ve remora delaying vast s h ip s r the in f e c t io n of a lit t le vapor
wh e r e by thousands of men a re wa s t e d b y p e s t ile n c e . No w if these
thin g s I have enumerated c a n , b y t h e ir touchr d Dd d a re I s ay , by
th e m ere look of their p o we r a n d s t re n g t h , c h a n g e t h in g s , lea d them
out a nd back, which no o n e wo u ld b e lie v e u n le s s h is senses had told
him , why then should the y deny that me t a ls can be changed when the
se n se s say yes r drld thb re a s o n d o e s n o t say no? For r ask you whe-
the r any man in his zeal a n d in d u s t ry ever d is c o v e re d in d et a i l how
the g r eat mass of a ship c a n b e immo b ilis e d b y a lit t le f is h, how a
la r g e heap of flour can ris e wit h a lit t le f e rme n t , h o w wit h the

50
sm a lle st amount of an od o ro u s substance t h e wh o le h o u s e , a nd c l o t h e s
foo ' sme1l stronglyr why iro n r p u lle d b y n o ma c h in e , hangs in the
a ir in the presenee of a ma g n e t , wh y a f in e a n d in v is ib le vapour
h a s the power to infect in h a b it e d re g io n s a n d b rin g ru in . For
a lL h o ugh there has been mu c h a rg u me n t a b o u t p rime q u a lit ie s , inter-
m e d ia te qualitiesr prope r, h ig h , lo w a n d u n k n o wn q u a lit ie s , the
p h ilo sophers' understandin g c o n c e rn in g t h is k in d o f h id d e n matter is
as fo llows - we may read a lmo s t a s ma n y o p in io n s a s t h e re are writers.
No thing else that cou ld s a t is f y t h e min d h a s b e e n d is c o v er e d to
the p resent day, save th a t a t h in g is it s a t t rib u t e s , wh ic h are
calle d the mutual friends h ip , e n mit y , o r a s t h e G re e k s s d lr sympathy
of things, which is in the e n d n o t h in g but a n a b s t ru s e and incompre-
he n sib le quality,
nor can o n e s a y o t h e rwis e wh e n f ro m t h e jui c e of
on e o r several plants come s a liq u id f lu id s ilv e r that then hardens,
an d when mercury likewise , v a n is h in g a wa y s o le ly b y t h e h e a t o f t h e
fir e , is turned into silv e r o r g o ld t o t wh e n , f ro m t h e f in e s t grains
of salts or alumst ot fro m v a rio u s k in d s of o ils o r wa t e rs r or from
som e s ubstance not gener a lly k n o wn , s o me t h in g is ma d e (f o r the art
h a s a wide and all-embrac in g s c o p e in ma t t e rs of t h is k in d )
ttrat omits
no n e of the elements, nor any of the substances ma d e b y jo in i n g the
ele m e nts; so the art des t ro y s r c o rlp o s € s 7 jo in s , t e a rs a p a rt , and pul1s
up an d down whatever it u n d e rt a k e s t o wo rk u p o n r s o it v a rie s , it
r en e ws, it perfects what e v e r it f in d s in s u b t e rra n e a n caves or on
th e surface of the earth t o ma k e t h e substance that it p ro m i s e d it-
se lf it would make. The q u e s t io n a mo n g t h e o lo g ic a l p o le mic is t s was
wh e ther this was creation , that is , can the Cre a t o r h ims e lf communi-
cate to his creatures th e p o we r p ro p e r t o G o d a lo n e and assigned to
the d ivine omnipotence? O p in io n s a re re c o rd e d o n e it h e r s id e , but
as fa r as creation is con c e rn e d , t h e re is no doubt that the remark-
ab le ability by which a substance lo s e s it s e a rlie r f o rm a n d a c q u i r e s
a sub seguent one is not c o mmu n ic a t e d e it h e r to n a t u re o r a rt, for
wh a t nature is said to be a b le to d o in a h u n d re d y e a rs , a rE c a n d o
in an hour and a halfr dnd often in t h e h u n d re d t h p a rt of an h o u r .
A friend has more than o n c e s h o wn me h o w a min e ra l c a n be d i s m e m -
bered in less than the te n t h p a rt of a n h o u rr so that it s su l f u r
so u g h t the height, its me rc u ry the depths; I have seen the former
a p p e a r ance of a metal va n is h c o mp le t e ly , a n d a n e w g o ld e n on e s u d d e n l

51.
im p r e ssed on it by art a n d c ra f t i n a t u re a lo n e , that is , n at u r e befeft
of the aid of art, does n o t d o s o r n o r d id a n t iq u it y , a s is plain
fr om reading ancient boo k s , but t h e wo rk wa s o f lo n g e r d u ra t i o n .
Po ster ity clearly emulat e d n a f u re a n d imit a t e d it ; me a t a n d f o o d
ar e converted in single d a y s t o c le a r b lo o d , wh e t h e r b y d ig es t i o n ,
or b y some other means; f o r re c e iv e d o p in io n is d if f e re n t from that
of an tiquity. Here f ha v e t o u c h e d o n ly o n o n e g o o d me t h o d o f alter-
in g minerals; f have me n t io n e d o t h e rs above, a n d s in c e rre h a v e a 1 -
r ea d y written of them, it wo u ld n o t b e f it t in g to re p e a t t h em a t
l en g th.

52.
 J . Fn. Pt c o D E LLAi l r R l lr o o r l, Co u u r o F Co t t c o Ro
t n , UP 0 t tG
l 0 LD ,

B oo r T Hn e e , Cn lp t e n 1 .

Ar c t e n r E xp E RI r{E t{T s I r { t{ AKI nG colD By r HE cHErI{ cAL Anr .

In the first book we discussed the reputation of gold, showing

that, no persuasive reason can be found to explain why so much is
made of gold fhat it is the measure of all things. In the second,
having collected together the varied opinions of different kinds of
authorsr w€ went on to prove from the early philosophers and from
the theologians that it could be made by art. In the third, which
we have in handr we sha11 convince you t,hat gold has been made and
can be made now, by dealing with experiments ancient and modern; we
shall append sound advic e on its use, lest you be 1iab1e to slip into
shameful- abuse. Certainly public opinion has most firmly stated and
agreed that gold was formerly made by the art and craft of man, and
let me reeall that after ancient times Vincent of Beauvais placed
masters of this art among the first of rfl€rrr as we said in our intro-
duction; this information came down to the Dominican and his contem-
poraries from the time of Moses. The Greeks saidr ds we have already
indicated, that the Argonauts sailed to Colchis for no other reason
than thisr Ror did Jason carry the golden fleece of Phrixus to
Greece from the home of King Aectes, but a book hade from t he skin
of a ram, from which one could learn how to make gold by chemical
art. It'was therefore not wrong for our ancestors to call Phrixus'
hide a golden fleece because of its power to making gold.
This is easily seen in books both conrmon and rare, for instance
in Suidas, Elementum Posteritatis,and briefly and obscurely in the
second book of Apollonius' "Argonauts", where he says that Phrixus'
fleece was turned to gold by Mercury. In this passage the author
writes that the ramskin was turned to gold by the touch of Mercury;
by this he clearly meant the chemical art; his words are, "te ephaphe
geneaz chruson. " Now Charax says plainly in his philosophy,
rather than in his History, that the fleece for which the Argonauts
sailed was not thought to be that of a live rdrrlr but was a method

53
of m aking gold, "membra n a p e ri e ille me n o n " , a s h e c a 1 1 s it , an all-
em b r acing parchment, as E u s t h a t iu s s a y s in Dio n y s u s t h e L iby a n r s
G eo g raphy. What? Is th e re not a G re e k p ro v e rb s a y in g one can
m a ke precious things fro m s k in s ? Un d e r t h e v e ils of f a b le the
an cie nt writers have hid d e n not o n ly the fact that how to make
g o ld was written on a s h e e p s k in p a rc h me n t kept in the house of King
Aectes, but they also in d ic a t e d t h e me t h o d u n d e r the n a me o f Dragon
an d Mercurlr for it is k n o wn t o those wh o p ro f e s s the a rt of Chem-
i str y that argent vive is s ig n if ie d b y t h e wo rd s Me rc u ry and Dragon.
Therefore they said that g o ld wa s ma d e b y Me rc u ry ' s touch, and
m a d e the watchful drago n t h e g u a rd ia n of the g o ld e n f le e c e . We
h a ve also read in Orphic v e rs e s on the theft of t h e G o ld e n F l e e c e
th a t there was a meadow u n d e r t h e t re e that b o re the P h rix e a n skin
in w hich many things th a t a re b e lie v e d to le a d to the p ro d u c t i o n of
m e r cury were plainly se e n . No t s h ru b s a n d p o t -h e rb s a lo n e , but chal-
can th, that is, atramen t r rro t c a lc h a n t h u m, o r e v e n p s a la c h a n t u m , to
disti nguish the vegetable n a me f ro m t h e me t a llic one, so that the
fab u lous fleece meant n o t me re ly one passage, but a wh o le b o o k t h a t
ta u g h t the art of gold-ma k in g ; t h is is wh a t t h e G o 1 d e n F le ec e sign-
i fie d in antiquity. Nor is it u n lik e ly that writ t e n documents,
ca1 1 ed by the name of th e g o ld e n f le e c e t o E t h e f le e c e of the gold-
en sheep or ram, were p a rt of a n c ie n t Ch ry s o p o e ia . So for Ovid the
po e t, a name like Golde n T re e c a me t o min d , s e e in g that f ru i t is
bo r n e on trees, while th e effects d e s ire d a re p ro d u c e d f ro m a writ-
ten document, and this p a s s a g e s e e ms a ls o to c o n c e rn the go l d he
de r ived from the stolen p a rc h me n t .
N or were there lacking t h o s e wh o d e c la re d that the ric h es of Tan-
talu s were descriptions of c h e mic a l c o mp o s it io n s o n la mb s k i n s ; the
r eig n of P elops'sons an d t h e P e lo p id a e wa s lo n g a n d wid e s pr e a d ,
h e n ce it seems likely th a t Thyestes the younger son of P e lop s sought
afte r a lamb, that is, a d o c u me n t o n t h e ma k in g o f g o ld wr i t t e n on
a la mbskin, that the el d e r s o n A t re u s kept s e c re t ly , and Thyestes,
h a vin g violated his bro t h e r' s wif e , e x t o rt e d it , wh e n c e a ro s e the
ha tr eds and cruelties of t h e h o a ry t ra g e d y . T h e o ld poets and Cic-
eror S eneca, and P apirus re c a lle d t h is , a lt h o u g h o n a h id d e n and
o b scure manner. We als o s a id abover o n Ca llis t h e n e s ' a u t h or i E y ,
th a t the riches of the P e lo p id a e la y not in t h e h id e s of their

54.
she e p , nor in taxes, but in min e ra ls (f a r f ro m o f f e n s iv e by their
ag e ? ? ) .
No r shal1 we linger ov e r the fact that the a rt wa s s p re a d to other
na ti on s from Greece and P h ry g ia , that the E g y p t ia n s ' mu c h g i v e n to
the study of wisdom, cheris h e d it g re a t ly r d n d a mo n g t h e m at the
ti m e of Diocletian the art o f g o ld -ma k in g wa s a s we ll-k n o wn as that
of cu ltivating the fields, a n d it is re lia b ly re p o rt e d to have been
pr o d u ced down to the time of c o n s t a n t in e , for at that t ime the philo-
so p h e r Michael P sellus co mp o s e d a n e le g a n t lit t le b o o k in Gr e e k o n
the m aking of gold.
So meone will perhaps a s k wh y t h e a rt wa s n o t g e n e ra lly k no w n t o
ha ve existed. f reply ( o mit t in g mu c h t h a t c o u ld b e s a id ) why does
no t the art of dyeing qarme n t s that wa s s o f a mo u s in f o rme r times,
no t o nly in Tyre and S ido n , but in t h e wh o le wo rld , e x is t n ow ? Now-
wh e r e is it found to-day, nor do the a rt if ic e rs know the shellfish
fr om whose blood the colo r wa s p re p a re d . T h e ma t e ria ls for making
go ld are clearly in evide n c e , a n d t , h e p ro c e s s k n o wn in ma n y p l a c e s ,
eve n if it has perished c o mp le t e ly in Egypt. B e s id e s , the method
of m a king gold was known t o t h e Ro ma n s , r, rit n e s s t h e t h irt y -t h ir d book
of Pliny's Natural Histor y , wh ic h t o ld of o n e me a n s o f ma k ing g o l d
fr om orpiment that was d u g u p in S y ria for the p a in t e rs as an eart,h
ver y much the colour of goLd.
C aius says that he ord e re d a g re a t we ig h t of it to be heated, and
he cl ear11r made good gold , but s o lit t le that h e s u f f e re d a loss.
Pl i ny says that it r,'raskn o wn t o b e p ro d u c e d f ro m o rp ime n t at o n e and
tells us that gold was ma d e b y a rL , t o wh ic h p e rh a p s h e wa s a n e y e -
w i tn e ss, for he lived at the t ime of the e a rlie r Ca e s a rs , an d l i v e d
to see not only the rule of Ca iu s , but that of Cla u d iu s wh o s u c c e e d -
e d C aius and even V espas ia n . He f o u g h t wit h Ca e s a r G e rma n ic u s , whose
d e e d s he committed to writ in g , a ls o those of Cl-a u d iu s h is so r l r w h o
w as C aesar's descendant b y h is b ro t h e r G e rma n ic u s , a n d wa s c h o s e n t o
be Em peror; he says he s a w Me s s a lin a s it t in g b e s id e h im wh e n h e o r -
d e r e d public games. P lin y the J u n io r a f f irme d that h e wro t e under
Ne r o and that his Natural His t o ry wa s d e d ic a t e d t o V e s p a s ia n r ds the
titl e shows.
Bu t Caesar suffered a lo s s r p e rh a p s b e c a u s e t h e re wa s le s s than
the r e should have been, and because of the g re a t expense of sailing

55 "
an d bringing orpiment to Ro me , a n d p e rh a p s h e wo u ld h a v e mad e a p r o -
fit if he had a sufficient q u a n t it y , a s mu c h a s O n e s c rit u s wrote was
fo u n d in Carmania, or if h e h a d h a d t h e k n o wle d g e of the E gy p t i - a n s ,
wh o were so fearful of Dio c le t ia n , wh o m we me n t io n e d above. The
Gr e e ks wrote that Dioclet ia n Ca e s a r o rd e re d a ll. b o o k s o f Che m i s t r y
to b e collected and burn e d wh e n h e wa s c ru e lly o p p re s s in g the Egy-
pti an s, for he feared th a t t h e y wo u ld re c o v e r t h e ir we a lt h and dare
to r ebel by means of the a rt o f g o ld -ma k in g in wh ic h they excel1ed.
This c an be seen in S uida s , in the tenth c o mp ila t io n o f h is Elements"
After Diocletian gold wa s n o t ma d e f ro m o rp ime n t but f ro m go l d e n sand,
as wa s openly done by th o s e wh o p ra c t is e d the a rL , a s lo n g as they
p a id the Caesars a few g o ld s c ru p le s , and for t h is re a s o n the two
ea r ly laws in the Codex J u s t in ia n u s e n t it le d o f Me t a ls we re m a d e .
Th is s and was called Ch ry s a mo s b y t h e G re e k s , a n d b a lu x by the Rom-
an s a nd S panishr ds appe a rs c le a rly e n o u g h in the c iv il la w s and in
Plin yr so f need not men t io n t h e a b s u rd wo rd s b a la c a and chrysamos in
th e g lossaries of A ccursiu s .
fn our time a certain s t u d io u s a n d le a rn e d ma n c o n s id e rs one should
r ea d not Chrysamo but Ch ry s a mo n , a n d in t e rp re t s it as the vessel from
w hich goJ.d is poured. B u t Ch ry s a le is the n a me o f that vessel, even
in Pl autus, and the word is s t ill c o mmo n ly u s e d wit h t h re e letters
i nve r ted. It ought beyon d d o u b t to re a d Ch ry s a mo n , t h a t is , "golden
sa n d ", which wasr howev e r, n o t min e d , but g a t h e re d f ro m t h e seashore,
a n d gold was prepared fro m c e rt a in mix t u re s of it , .
Th e ttto laws previously me n t io n e d deal wit h it , the o t h er s must
b e un derstood as dealing wit h min e s r E ls is p la in both f ro m the word-
i ng and the different tax e s me n t io n e d b y c iv il and canon 1aw. For
ch e m ists owed a few scru p le s to Ca e s a r' s t re a s u ry , wh ile mi n e r s paid
a tithe. P sellus record e d the f irs t of s e v e n c h e mic a l me a ns o f mak-
i ng g old, telling us of a c e rt a in sand of the s e a s h o re , c a lI e d golden
fr om its color,and nam e d " t h e g o ld e n s a n d " b y s o me ; t h e s e a r e h i s
wo r d s, "ammos tis esi c h ru s a mmo n o n o ma z o u s in " . G a le n w h e n t a l k -
i ng of the power of simpJ -e me d ic in e s o b t a in e d f ro m t h e e a rt , h a t s o
b e g in s by making mention of Ch ry s it is a n d A rg y rit is , then he s p e a k s
of go lden sand from whos e a p p e a ra n c e it s ric h n e s s c o u ld be judged,
an d hence you may unders t a n d t h e d if f e re n c e b e t we e n b a lu x an d c h r u s -
a m m o n, because P liny say s t h a t t h e v e ry s ma lle s t c h ip s of go l d are
calle d baluca.
56
 Even if chrysamos con s is t s of the t in e s t g ra in s , they are not
go ld , but only of a golde n c o lo r, a n d g o ld will b e p re p a re d from
the m by many digestions o f v a rio u s mix t u re s . E ls e wh e re p s el l u s re-
po r ted that it was not p a id in s u c h g ra in s to Ca e s a r' s t re a s u r i e s ,
bu t that gold was extrac t e d f ro m it , a n d re c o rd e d f iv e or six methods.
Ye t h e swore that honest y c o mp e lle d h im t o ma n y t h in g s , wh en c e h i s
w or d s, "ho despota ho emo s p s y c h e s t u ra n n is " .
There is also the tes t imo n y o f A lb e rt u s c o n c e rn in g experiments
a tte m ptlng to make gold by the a rt r o f wh ic h h e re a d , and he aqreed
tha t it was commonly repo rt e d a n d k n o wn t h a t o n e s h o u ld b e li e v e
tho se skilled in the art. Wh a t ? He a d d u c e s n o t o n ly the experiments
of o thers, but his own a ls o . F o r v h e n s p e a k in g of a rg e n t vive, hav-
i ng s aid that it was the ma t t e r and substance of a ll me t a ls , and has
the p ower of burning an d d ig e s t in g s u lf u r and touches off the birth
of go ld and silver, like t h e me n s t ru a l f lo w of wo me n , a d d s t h a t when
it co mes to start a new s p e c ie s it f irs t c o lle c t s in lit t le lumps,
the n slowly hardens and is c o n v e rt e d .
Albertus did not see t h is in c a v e s o f the e a rt h r Do r in the hid-
d e n r ecesses of naturer o o r d id h e d ig wit h a t ro o p o f min er s , but
he sa w at homet ot in the lig h t of d a 1 r, f o r h e wo u ld n o t have had
l eisu r e to observe under t h e imp e n d in g f a l1 of t h e mo u n t a in s . Nor
w ou ld he have been so foo lis h a n d f o rg e t f u l as to re ma in in the 1ow-
e r w orld rrith no light a n d v e ry lit t le hope of re t u rn in g , in order
to w i tness the nuptials o f Me rc u ry a n d S u lf u r, wh ic h p e rh a p s are
ce le b r ated once every hu n d re d y e a rs r so that h e mig h t know how they
d id it in their noisome b e d . We a ls o have the t e s t imo n y of the noble
Ar n o ld, philosopher and d o c t o r, and the re c o rd o f h is experiments
am o n g the lega1 document s a n d a d d e n d a o f G u lie lmu s , - n ic k n a m e d T h e
Sp e culator, for he writes that A rn o ld , wh o m h e p ra is e s g re a t l y ,
se n t twigs of the gol-d t h a t h e h a d ma d e t o Ro me f o r a ll sorts of
te sts (this is in the d o c u me n t De c rimin e f a ls i), nor is it likely
th a t he would have omitte d that wa t e r wh ic h s e p a ra t e s s ilv e r from
g o ld and is an argument p o we rf u l b e y o n d a ll o t h e rs , if it had been
u se d in his day; but cert a in ly p ro o f b y f ire wa s n o t wa n t in gr where-
b y if it is heated seven t ime s f a ls e g o ld d is a p p e a rs , as Albertus,
wh o nevertheless lived b e f o re A rn o ld , t e lls usi but as I s ha l l not
m e n ti on Raymond the noble B a le a ric is la n d e r b e f o re I c o me d o w n t o

57
the m en of our day, I sha l1 re f e r to the t e s t imo n y o f A lb e rt of
Co lo n us, the Franciscan.
For when he was writing a v o lu me o n t h e q u in t e s s e n c e of sublunary
sub stances and how it can b e e x t ra c t e d f ro m a lmo s t a n y s in g l e sub-
stan ce, he added that he c o u ld s h o w if o n ly h e wis h e d v it h which
on e o f the theoretical s c ie n c e s h e c o u ld teach the re a d e r how in
the twinkling of an eye t o c h a n g e imp e rf e c t me t a ls in t o s ilv e r and
g o ld ; this he said he re c e iv e d in h is min d wh e n h e wa s k e p t in an
old p rison, nor did he re c e iv e it f ro m t h e mo u t h s o f those men whom
h e called men of the E v a n g e lic a l c o mmu n io n , b y wh ic h t it le he calls
the o rder of the holy m e n u n d e r t h e ru le o f St. F ra n c is , wit n e s s i n g
tha t they '!ilere not slippin g in t o a lc h e mic a l o p e ra t io n s at th e inst-
i ga ti ons of some evil de mo n , s in c e n o p h ilo s o p h e r ma d e t h e truth
p la in in his books, but h id it in in c o mp re h e n s ib le p a ra b le s i no one
is allowed to reach those s u b lime s e c re t s of the c h e mic a l ar t except
b y th e highest contemplat io n and the p u re s t 1 if e , b y wh ic h the mind
is jo ined to that of God , a n d t h is h e c la ime d wa s g iv e n to very few"

Cn n p r e n2 .
It{ ouR DAy, wHEREIiTLIE r { Ar { y
E xp e n l l rE r{T sIl { Go L D- } r AKIt{ G
F EATSOF CNCNISTRY.

ft has been established by both the e y e s a n d e a rs of ma n y l i v i n g ,

a n d of myself, not in one ma n n e r o n 1 y , but in s e v e ra l, that gold and
silve r have frequently be e n ma d e in o u r t ime b y t h e c ra f t of convert-
i ng metals. Nor have th e b o o k s f h a v e ju s t re a d p e rs u a d e d m e , d 1 -
tho u g h you may teIl P ope L e o t h a t they seem to show that t he art is
qe n u inei so far are they f ro m d e n y in g e x p e rime n t that o n e au t h o r who
wr o te a book beqan like t h is : -
The golden art for me n o f lit t le s o u ls , sougfht by us and long ago
ob tain ed.
And another, writing about Ch ry s o p o e ia , ends thus:-
So old Jason took the g o ld e n f le e c e f ro m h a p p y Co lc h is .
Fo r it is likely that wh a t t h e P o e t wro t e wa s t ru e , the more so

58
be ca u se the P oet (V irgit), a c c o rd in g fo c u s t o mr writ e s that he had
said enough at the end o f t h e p re v io u s v o lu me wh e n h e ma d e m e n t i o n
of th e gates of horn and iv o ry . F o r ma n y h is t o ria n s do not have
b e for e their eyes what I h a v e s e e n writ t e n in a c e rt a in la rg e
vo lu m e, that is, three or four c o mp o s it io n s of v a ry in g n a t ur e for
m akin g gold; let us mak e t h e m k n o wn .
I shall refer first t o wh a t I h a v e h e a rd then t o wh a t f o my
eye s have seen. A fev y e a rs a g o Nic h o la s Mira n d o la d ie d , an oLd
Fr an ciscan priest, known f o r h is honest lif e , h is f re e d o m from sin,
an d h is abstemious and s o lit a ry lif e in p a rt ic u la r, wh o h a d l i v e d
an d died among companion s o f g re a t s a n c it y a n d s h a re d in t ho s e holy
r eve lations some of whic h y o u will re a d ily re me mb e r, wif e r 1rou sent
m e in Germany during the a f o re s a id wa r t h a t P o p e J u liu s wa g e d a g a i n s t
th e Venetians. He made s ilv e r a n d g o ld b y a rt in B o lo g n a and Car-
p u s' according to many wit n e s s e s , a n d h e a ls o ma d e it in J er u s a l e m
w he r e he was for many y e a rs a s ru le r of t h e me n o f h is o rd er , where
h e himself told me he ha d ma d e g o ld , t o wh ic h t h e re is s t ill a wit-
n e ss living. Nicholas Mira n d o la , the s u rg e o n h is n e p h e w, e v e n t o l d
m e th at his paternal rela t iv e f re e ly a n d o p e n ly confessed that he
wa s s kilLed in the art o f ma k in g g o ld a n d s h o we d h im a b o o k w r i t t e n
i n h is own hand on many s u b je c t s , wh e re b y re a s o n , the testimony of
th e h earth, and two exp e rime n t s , h e b ro u g h t the a rt o f ma k i n g g o l d
to l i ght, ard he had the n t o ld h im t h a t h e h a d h id d e n it in other
p la ce s by interpolation a n d u n d e r o b liq u e t u rn s of p h ra s e .
L iving in our day the re wa s b e s id e s A p o llin a ris , a p rie s t of
g o o d reputation in the a f o re s a id o rd e r of p rie s t s , wh o d id not hes-
i ta te to affirm to his f rie n d s that h e k n e w mo re t h a n t we n t y ways
of m aking good gold. When they h a d f in is h e d wib h re lig io u s matters
an d turned their minds t o wid e r h o riz o n s , they c o n s id e re d that new
disco veries in the conve rs io n o f me t a ls we re r ds they re a s o n a b l y
sa id , of more use to the c o mmu n it y t h a n s p e n d in g wh o le d a y s a r g u i n g
about the 1-iterary battle s o f p h ilo s o p h e rs , a n d p e rh a p s they thought
it w as a special part of p h iJ -o s o p h y a n d me d ic in e , wh ic h they had
tau g h t previously. The y h a d re a d in A ris t o t le that the p rod u c t i o n
of on e thing is the dec o mp o s it io n of a n o t h e r, and that it happens
with particulars, not u n iv e rs a ls . T h e y h a d a ls o re a d t h a t elements
can be mixed and change d u t t e rly wh e n t h e y jo in t o g e t h e r.

59.
 The y observed that God a n d n a t u re ma k e n o t h in g in v a in , and that
a le a r n ed man is the best t h in g in lo we r n a t u re , b y wh o s e s ki 1 l ,
wo r kin g upon nature, natu re c o u ld p ro d u c e wh a t it c o u ld n e v er do
un a id e d and befift of the h e lp o f ma n , a n d if t h is is o b v io u s in
a r b o r iculture, in painting, in me d ic in e , a n d in a lmo s t a ll de p a r t -
m en ts of life, why should it b e o b s c u re in c a s e o f min e ra ls , so
bo u n d up with society, w h e re o n e o f t e n lie s h id d e n in a n o t h er ; they
ought to have known that t h e n a t u re of these L e a rn e d wit s was n o t to
be co n tent with generalitie s , but n a t u ra lly to a s p ire to the knowledge
tha t is threaded through t h e p a rt s of t h in g s a n d is s u b je c t to the
se n se s; they should also h a v e k n o wn t h a t c irc u la r a rg u me n t s w a n d e r
o ff i nto vagueness, and t h e re we re t h o s e a mo n g t h e m wh o we re t o o
give n to taking their ima g in a t io n s for re a lit y , but c h e mis t s can
pr o d u ce by the art a grea t a n d wo n d e rf u l g a in for h u ma n it y , which
su p p l- ies the many wants o f mo rt a ls , a s is p la in to the senses and
co n fi r m ed by publ-ic opinio n , s in c e ma n y re me d ie s for wo u n d s a n d d i s -
e a se s have been found amo n g t h e o ils ma d e b y t h e a rt , a s is comJnonly
said of alchemists, with wh o m t h e y wh o mo s t s e e k s u c h h e a lt h - g i v i n g
o ils agree, for they are t h e Mo s e s o f me d ic in e . T h e le t t e re d and un-
l ette r e d alike knew many a n t id o t e s that d e p e n d e d o n mix in g many sub-
sta n ce s together and diges t in g for a lo n g t ime ; f in a lly g o ld was made
w ho se abundance repeatedly re lie v e d t h e wre t c h e d need of the poor.
But 1 e t me return to the e x p e rime n t s f ro m wh ic h I h a v e d ig re s s e d .
An e p itaph on gold collecte d f ro m le a d wa s writ t e n in a p u b li c church
in Ro me, Lf it has not be e n d e s t ro y e d in the re c e n t f ig h t in g ; a few
ye a r s ago among the V ene t ia n s a c o n s id e ra b le v e ig h t of g o ld was made
fr om argent vive by means o f a v e ry s ma ll o b je c t n o g re a t e r than a
g r a in of wheat that, acco rd in g to t h re e wit n e s s e s , t u rn e d an ounce
of ar g ent vive to good go ld , and I spoke to one of those wh o s a w i t ,
an d I heard from him that h e h a d c a re f u lly in s p e c t e d t,he substance
th a t p erformed the bransm u t a t io n and that it wa s a n a s h e n c ol o r e d
m e d icine.
f come to those things re v e a le d to u s o n t h is s id e of the veil.
The r e is living to this d a y a me n I k n o w wh o is a f rie n d of mine,
wh o m ade gold and silver mo re t h a n s ix t y t ime s in my p re s e n ce from
m e tallic substances; he f o llo we d not o n e me t h o d , but s e v e ra l, for I
sa w go ld and silver made s imu lt a n e o u s ly a n d u n e x p e c t e d ly by making

60.
a metallic water in which neither gold nor silver, nor even sulfur
and mercury, the principles of gold, but not in such quantity that
it could be repeated, for the reward was less than the expense. I
have also seenr ds I said at the beginning of this workr 9o1d and
silver being formed and separate grains of them poured fort,h, and
in silver no little gold lie hidden; f have seen silver extracted
from bronze by strong raaters, but not much. And this is one method,
as we have said, of making gold and silver, but one should not think
much of it, since that which was perfect was got out of imperfect
metals, but to make gold from minerals appears more useful; however
I have experienced the truth of this matter often in various ways.
There is another man whom I think is still alive, for it is generally
agreed that he has not joined the dead, who was pleased to produce
gold many times from his furnaces, with 1itt1e expense and in a few
daysr this he sold to the public offices as pure gold, induced more
service to nature and the art than necessary, for he was rich enough
and diligent in this important art. There lives to the present day,
unless he died a few days ago, a man rich enougrh to live a fairly
noble life in whose hands f have seen bronze turned into silver and
gold by the use of a certain juice, made either from vegetables or
fruits, and the application of a fierce fire to the met,al.
Nor shall I omit to mention what a certain poor man told me oecur-
ed to him during s1eep, which he soon proved by experiment. When he
was anxious and did not know where to turn to bear his hunger, for
h'e r,ras oppressed by very high taxes , by a foreign treasury and by a
large number of children, he went to sleep and saw a certain heaven-
ly being whose name is in the catalogue of the saints, who taught him
the art of making gold in riddles and then hint,ed at the water he
should use for making gold; he used LE, at first by itself, to make
gold, not a great weight, however, but enough to feed his family, and
he also made gold twice from iron, from orpiment three or four times,
and by experiment he therefore proved to me that, the art of making
goLd is not an empty ofl€r but truthful. A little later I therefore
gratefully wrote a puzzLe in hexametric verser some of which f have
quoted above, and to which I have added a prologue and an epilogue,
and in the same verses I sang of him who became truly rich.
I have seen someone who turned mereury into genuine silver which

61.
wa s m ixed with gold in t wo d if f e re n t wa y s : I h a v e s e e n g o ld and si1-
ve r m ade from cinnabar fro m wh ic h g o ld a n d s ilv e r had been removed
by cgr tain means; f have s e e n s ilv e r a n d g o 1 -d ma d e f ro m p u re cinna-
ba r b y mixing with a simp le o iI , but not mu c h ; I h a v e o f t e n seen
m e r cu r y that had been re mo v e d f ro m b ro n z e a n d le a d t ra n s f o rmed into
silve r and go1d. Fina1ly , in e a rlie r days f have seen and touched
with my hands gold that wa s ma d e in t h re e h o u rs t ime f ro m silver
w hile I was looking on, t h e re b e in g n o s ilv e r a lre a d y in e it h e r the
m e r cu r y or the water of c o n v e rs io n , that is , in the p rime material
of the metals, and by th is e x p e rie n c e le t both t h o s e wh o d ef e n d the
art of transmuting metals , a n d t h o s e wh o mis re p re s e n t it , contending
tha t it cannot be done u n le s s t h e me t , a l t h a t is t ra n s mu t e d is conver-
ted to the common materia l o f me t a ls f irs t , b e c o n v in c e d .

Cn n p r e n3 .
A w n n u tu e ro rH E r u H o U ILDLv sLAnDERTHosE SKILLED Ir { THE A R T
OF i lAKIllc GOLD, UHO DESERVE THE TITLE OF PHILOSOPHER iloRE
THAI{ ANY OTHER I I{VESTI GATORS OF ilATURE.

I thought that these e x a mp le s , t o ld re a s o n a b ly a n d wit h many in-

stan ce s, whould be enough t o in f o rm o t h e rs a n d my s e lf , and to satis-
fy yo u in part, and t,hat t o la y b a re wh a t f k n o w f o r a c e rt a i n t y
wo u ld remove much uncerta in t y , for I c o u ld not c o n t in u e if I did
not w rite something for you and to a d mo n is h t h o s e o t h e rs wh o h a v e
foo lish ideas about thing s t h e y k n o w n o t h in g of. I s h a l1 t he r e f o r e
th in k it has been worth my wh ile if they wh o m f h a v e re p ro v e d learn
fr om me not to arguer rlor t o a s s e rt t h in g s they n e it h e r know nor can
le a r n from others, E rrrdv h a t is wo rs e a n d mo re h a t e f u l, to treat as
cr i m i nal or madr oE to h is s p o is o n at, those wh o e it h e r rig h t l y be-
lie ve in or ski1lfully ex e rc is e the a rt o f ma k in g g o ld , nor - which
de se r ves both pity and l a u g h t e r to a s c rib e to e v il d e mo n s w h a t
sho u ld be ascribed to Go d t h e author of a ll t ru t h , to good spirits,
to na ture, to art and to in d u s t ry . F o r t h e re is no doubt, if rre
br in g the power and cleve rn e s s of d e mo n s in t o the p ic t u re , that any
on e skilled in the sublim e e x p e rime n t s of Ch e mis t ry or knowing

62
liter a ture can restrain s la n d e re rs of t h is n a t u re b y h in t in g at the
d o u b tful origins of the mo t h e rs f ro m wh o m t h e y we re b o rn . For a
wicke d demon was able to a s s u me t h e f o rm o f A mp h it ry o n for his
wifer or of whatever oth e r ma n a wo ma n ju d g e d p ro p e r to lie with
her and give her ehildren .
The stories of the c o n c e p t io n of A le x a n d e r of Ma c e d o n a nd o f King
Sele u cis, and of Merlin mu c h la t e r, a n d mu c h e ls e c o n c e rn in g succubi
a n d incubi are to be fou n d in t h e writ in g s of o u r t h e o lo g ia ns both
an cie nt and moderni the s a me writ in g s c o n t a in d is h o n e s t y a nd d e c e i t
an d good health derived f ro m t h e a rt o f me d ic in e lie s under the slur
th a t demons are involved in it , a n d c a n b rin g in v is ib le re m e d i e s for
w ou n ds and diseases, and d o ma n y o t h e r t h in g s re c a lle d by others;
the se we also recall in those d ia lo g u e s c a lle d S t rix upon the Trick-
er y of demonsr trot to m e n t io n t h e p rin c ip le s of Hip p o c ra t e s the
fathe r of medicine, the author o f wh ic h wa s A p o llo the f a ls e god of
th e h eathen, who had the m in a n c ie n t t ime s f ro m ma n y d e mo ni c o r a c -
le sr and these principles Hip p o c ra t e s a c q u ire d in the t e mp l e of Aes-
cula p iusr rlow burnedt of these t h in g s we h a v e a lre a d y s p o k en , and
th o se principles are sti ll wit h us, s in c e they a re h e ld to be true.
G od is the greatest best a n d f irs t author of a ll- t ru t h , therefore
le t the slanderers who f o rm o p in io n s f ro m s e a n t y in f o rma t io n be re-
p r o ve d
by A ristotle. Le t t h e m le a rn f ro m t h e ju ris t s that those
w ho make judgements witho u t h a v in g s e e n t h e wh o le o f the la w s h o u l d
be blamed as unworthy. Let t h e m le a rn that they wh o in t e rrup t , a
l aw s uit having heard o n ly o n e s id e , and often n e it h e r, a re strongly
co n d e mned by A nnaeus an d la u g h e d a t b y Cla u d iu s Ca e s a r. T he n l e t ,
the m l-earn t,hat gold can b e ma d e e x p e rime n t a lly wit h o u t knowledge
of the subtleties of lite ra t u re ; but h e wh o h a s n o t g e n u in e l y fol1-
o we d natural philosophy a n d u n d e rs t o o d the t h in g s that ma n y t u r n
vag u e ly over in their m in d s c a n n o t b e a t ru e p ro f e s s o r of all the
a r ts of Chemistry. I speak of s u c h t h in g s a s a re o f t e n considered,
but n ever decided, which n e v e rt h e le s s a re f re q u e n t ly d e c id ed by t,he
aid of experiment.
Why should f give the n a me o f p h ilo s o p h e r t o h im wh o h a s r e a d
ce r tain books of phiJ.oso p h ic a l wo rd s , but is t o t a J -1 y ig n o ra n t of
he r b s, fruits, metals, stones, a n d t h e ir p o we rs a n d h o w t o mix and
con ve rt them? rs it not mo re ju s t to a p p ly the n a me o f philosopher

63.
to h im who has learned th e g e n e ra l- p rin c ip le s of n a t u re and has
th o r o u ghly investigated it s p o we rs in the s u b lu n a ry re a lm, and the
po we r s of seeds below th e e a rt h ? He n c e t h e min d ma y le a rn the har-
m on y and discord of thing s b e lo w a n d t h e ir subsequent b irt h and
de a th, and may rise in ad mira t io n of the d iv in e ma je s t y t h at has
give n man the gift not o n ly of d is c o v e rin g t h in g s h id d e n and shut
up i n the bor^reLs of the e a rt h , b u t h a s e n a b le d h im t o establish his
h o m e with the help of nat u re ' s bounty wh ic h d e lig h t s mo rt a ls under
m a n y names and'soothes it wit h goods for the outer body.
D oes not he who holds to these t h in g s s u rp a s s the g a rru lou s and
a r g u m entative as the body e x c e ls the shadow t oE the t ru t h fi c k l - e
an d aimless thoughts? F o r if d e e d s e x c e e d wo rd s a n d d o in g great
th in g s is better than spe e c h , does not a ma n o f t h is s o rt t o r h e w h o
d e m o nstrates things and b rin g s them to lig h t , wh o is a n impa r t i a l val-
ue r of naturer rnor€ truly a n d e x c e lle n t ly d e s e rv e the n a me o f philo-
so p h e r, rather than he wh o is re s t ra in e d o n ly b y h is ima g in i n g s r ey
by the commonplaces of dia le c t , ic s , o r b y s u c h me t a p h y s ic a l notions
a s o ccur fo him, ever anx io u s r n€v€r c e rt a in r a lwa y s b u s y w i t h the
usu a l argument,s. A ntiqu it y a p p lie d the n a me o f s o p h is t , t,o the latter
an d of sage to the forme r, not to n o is y P e rip a t e t ic s , wh o s e d o g m a s
r e d u ce to a feeling from wh ic h they a re h a rd p u t to it to de r i v e
the ir proofs; scorning th is f e e lin g those le a rn e d in c h y mis t r y have
a co n trary opinion and so o b t a in t h e v ic t o t ! r t h e re f o re you will see
tha t the Greeks gave the n a me o f sage to those me n a n d ma d e t h e i r
sa yin g s public not lightly n o r wit h o u t re a s o n a n d p ro p e r inc l i n a t i o n .
Am ong the A rabs, as wo rk e rs both s k ille d a n d ig n o ra n t k n ew , eguip-
m en t such as the lute, th a t p ro f e s s o rs of c h y mis t ry g e n e ra ll y use,
w as g iven the name of wis d o m b y t h o s e we h a v e c a lle d le a rn e d, and by
tho se who ply musical or in s t ru me n t a l a rt s . It is k n o wn in the soc-
ie ty in which we have live d for s o me c e n t u rie s that g o ld is the stand-
a r d b y which all external t h in g s , ca11ed goods by the P e rip at e t i c s
a n d conveniences by the S t o ic s , a re me a s u re d ; a n d wh a t is more to be
w on d e red dt, many mortals e x p o s e t h e ir b o d ie s to the danger of death
in the pursuit of gold; s u c h g o d le s s p e o p le wh o p re f e r g o ld to their
so u ls should be totally f o rg o t t e n . T h e wic k e d a b u s e it , the honest
an d w ell-advised use it c o rre c t ly , a n d if they have been granted this
r ar e st and most heavenly g if t r so that they ma y g iv e thanks to God,
th e y should not grudge a n y mo rt a l ric h e s and advantage.
64.
 CHAPTER4.
Ir A i l A t{ }rA y p R o p E R LyBE cALLEDRIcH BEcAUsEoF Exr ERr { AL
}IATTERS, THOSE SK ILLED II{ THE ART 0F llAKIllc GOLD
DESERVE THE SAIIE TITLE.

C ertainly there was n o s ma ll d is p u t e in a n t iq u it y a mo n g p h i l o -

sop h e rs and orators as t o wh o s h o u ld b e c a lle d ric h , nor d id poets
ig n o r e the question, witn e s s wh a t wa s s a id of Cra s s u s . A re y o u a l - o n e
r i ch? A nother might dese rv e t o b e c a lle d ric h in p h ilo s o p h y on1y,
an d who would suppose th a t a ma n c o u ld not b e ric h in
la n d t o E i n
m o n e y lent at interest t o E e mb ro id e re d g a rme n t s r o t g o ld ? Certain-
ly no one will see anyth in g wro n g wit h t h e ma n wh o s a y s , "He is in-
de e d rich who is imbued wit h t h e p rin c ip le s of Ch ris t ' s re lig i o n , is
ge n u inely healthy in mind a n d b o d y , a n d is e n d o we d wit h the ability
to m a ke gold and silver."
N orr he who is entirely la c k in g in g o o d n e s s o f min d is v er y poor
an d far from being rich, n o r d o e s h e wh o s u f f e rs f ro m b o d ily com-
p la in ts commonly deserve t h e n a me , n o r h e wh o la c k s h e a lt h r or is not
sa fe from wdrr he who de p e n d s o n t h e wh ims o f p rin c e s , he who makes
m e r ch ant voyagest or is a lwa y s a f ra id of ro b b e rs o r a n a n g ry sea, he
wh o r elies upon rural we a lt h and often f e a rs u n s e a s o n a b le damage to
h is crops, he who makes mo n e y d is h o n e s t L y , or lo s e s mo n e y a t interest,
apart from those who are ill-s p o k e n of by the best h u ma n in s t i t u t i o n s ,
tho se who suffer the inw a rd b it e of a b a d c o n s c ie n c e , (if they can
in a n y way be properly counted a mo n g t h e ric h ); e v e n ric h e s inherited
fr om .one's ancestors can e a s ily b e s t rip p e d a wa y ; wh o d o e s n o t know
tha t bread was begged for after the f a l1 of Ca rt h a g e , but who, as
l on g as they live, rvill re f u s e that a rt that b e lo n g s to the healthy
hu m a n mind, and who will p ro h ib it wh e re e v e r h e ma y b e r s o lon g as
fi r e is at hand, and cert a in p o wd e rs a n d liq u id s v it h wh ic h one may
m ake gold?
ft is true that the G e rma n a n d P a n n o n ia n p rin c e s d u g it from the
d e e p e st caves of the mou n t a in s for a g e s wit h thousands of meni more-
o ve r it is scarcely three y e a rs s in c e t h e k in g s of S p a in p rep a r e d
a g r e at fleet t,hat, leavin g t h e p o rt s of B a e t ic a a n d L u s it a n i a ,
for so o l< the shore to me a s u re t h e A t la n t ic a n d I n d ia n oceans, seekinq

65.
un kn o wn regions rich in g o l-d , wh e re a s h e wh o is c o mp e t e n t in the
ar t can, with little expe n s e a n d g re a t re wa rd r p ro d u c e it in a few
d a ys, whether at home or liv in g as a guest, often under the mere
sup e r vision of a servant; a n d a s we h a v e a lre a d y s a id , it pleased
u s to these gold e n a n d s ilv e r
express rid d le s in v e rs e : -
"N ever judge me to be a ric h ma n , ric h in 1 a n d , ric h in e m b r o d e r -
e d clo thes, in a lofty m a n s io n , o r in a k in g d o m n o r s h a ll I ever be
r i ch if I rely on a S pan is h s h ip b e a rin g t re a s u re f ro m b rillia n t
fnd ia across the A tlantic , s c o rn f u l of the s t re n g t h of n o rt h e r n and
sou thern winds. However, h e t o wh o m t h e e t e rn a l father on high Olym-
pus has granted the des ire t o d o wh a t e v e r mo rt a ls rn d lr if they make
ple a sing prayers, is richr d s lo n g a s h is f a it h is t ru e , he is fi11ed
with light, and has a hea lt h y min d in a h e a lt h y body, a n d is fortif-
i ed b y those external ric h e s that s e e me d t o Ch ry s ip p u s c o n ve n i e n c e s ,
no t g oods. B ut as the g re a t e r p a rt o f h u ma n k in d e v e r me t e s o u t mis-
er y to itself with gold a n d s ilv e r, n o wa d a y s t h e ric h e r ma n i s wide-
ly thought to be he who e n jo y s f u ll c o f f e rs r d rrd a we a lt h of either
m e tal- , who sends the coin s g a in e d a t h o me t o f o re ig n re a lms r so that
th e ir number multiplies u p o n t h e o p e n in g of a le t t e r, and adds fresh
i nter e st to new wealth, wh ic h a p rin c e o r a g re e d y p e o p le can plunder
a n d submerge in the depth s of the sea, o r s n a t , c h a wa y in u nj u s t wars"
To m e the rich man will a lwa y s seem to b e h e wh o d ra ws a n a m o u n t o f
si l ver and gold from his o wn f u rn a c e s that exceeds the a mo u n t o n t h e
ba n ke r's table each year for a h u n d re d y e a rs , wit h o u t wic k e d wi1es,
w i th o u t spiteful fraud, re q u irin g s ma l1 e x p e n s e a n d s h o rt spaces of
ti m e. This wealth neither k in g s n o r p e o p le s nor a n g ry enemies can
take away, nor the harshn e s s of the huge sea, for a n y o n e wh o l i k e s
can turn the sweepingrs of the e a rt h in t o y e llo w g o ld if he knows how."
Therefore it appears that as far a s e x t e rn a l ma t t e rs a re c o n c e r n e d ,
h e wh o has the power of ma k in g g o ld wo u ld in v a in b e c a lle d the Pan-
do r a of ancient fable, in v a in b e s h o wn t h e h o rn of A ma lt h e a.

66.
 Cn n p r e n5 .
Anr r F r c r A LG o L Dr s r { or F AL se( wn r cHI T WO UL DP RO B A B L YI I O T B E
LAHFUL TO SCTL), BUT GENUINE AND IS I { O T WO RS EI T { O UA L I T Y T H A i I
I{ATM }lIilED GOLDr BUT O F T E iI B E T T E R.

He who makes gold for the advantage of either the healthy or the
sick brings great increase of wealth to mortals, as long as those
who are skilled in literature (only) understand that the gold made
by ar t, if it is genuine, bears exactly the same relationship in its
essence and qualities to the gold in common use as that does to the
gold that craftsmen remove from the caverns of the earth or collect
from the sands of rivers, and that in common use has the same proper-
ties as that taken from the metal-diggings; the opinions of those
who strove to reconcile differing beliefs, allowing that the one
could be made while denying that the other could, have been exploded.
For you never. f ind a natural body wit,hout qualities or propert,ies,
or if you prefer, endowments, nor, if we are seeking the nature of
something, shal1 we ever discover its essence if its properties are
remov ed.
Aristotle was of the opinion that those properties which although
they are many and various he called by the one word "sumbebetoka",
or external and accidental properties assist us in knowing what is,
that is, the nature of things. If gold made by art has the same
nature as gold born of nature it will consequently havb the same
properties, and thus it will be of the same value and should be sold
for the same price. A11 the accidental properties, I say, by which
those skilled in handling gold can recognize it, not some or most
of themr for it one or the whole is lacking, it could be under sus-
picion of falsity. And although they talk of custom, if you con-
sider carefully they al Iow false gold and silver, usually called
adulterated, to be so1d, and it is worth what the law says; never-
theless when one is made in ful1 view, and the other is born in
closed recesses, it, is a dangerous matter, therefore I will never
agree with their opinion, because the less wise, who form the great-
er part of humankind, are easily deluded.
Moreover the path of false and stolen money made from fraudulent

67
gold and silver, known as adulterated, is strewn with fraudulent
men. But although there are many different ways of making and
forging metal, and different arts by which both can be prepared,
for the one always comes first and the other follows, nevertheless
imposters who already have false metal in their possession seem to
find the path of wiclced deception easier than those who Lry to per-
vert the genuine metal by mixing it with a worse one; the means for
evil-doing should never be increased for evil men. Perhaps it is
for this reason that Albertus Magnus wrote that the art that changes
metals is genuine whereas he said that it was false if artificers
were deceived by the mere color of gold and silver and thought they
had endowed lesser metals with the yellow of gold and the pale white-
ness of silver, exulted like fhose competent in the art, and obviou-
sly deceived the buyer.
Experienced men can agree that artificial gold, though not nat-
i.ve, can be shown to be genuine when mixed with foods and antidotes,
or digestive waters, and not different from that dug from the shady
bedchambers of the earth, while the fictive, falser drld adulterated
is not; and it is much more useful than that minted by princes r oE
stamped R.P., and because many do not know this, I shal1 Ery to ex-
plain further; for I have known those who although they lcnelr how to
make gold nevertheless refused to teach their friends and relatives,
fearing that they would abuse the art, that is, they were afraid
that artificial gold, whether made from argent vlve or something
else that might be thought harmful if eaten might overcome the nat-
ure of gold. Perhaps they had heard that "he brewed lethal weights
of argent viver so that its increased power might compel swift death'
and they could easily have read the books of those who claimed t,hat
the properties of native gold' especially those of bringing gladness
and rnrarding off leprosy' were not to be found in artificial go1d,
something that Timon was as right to rebut in "Res meteorologica"
as he was vrong to allow when he said that, astrological signs were
helpful in making gold.
I shall- free from all anxiety those who harbor such doubts, for
if the gold made by art is genuine gold, it wilt have the nature
of true gold, and therefore all the external- and accidental propert-
ies that naturally flow from it, as we have.already shown, there-

68.
for e it brings gladness if that is the f u n c t io n of g o ld , and re-
pe ls leprosy if that is o n e o f g o ld ' s p ro p e rt ie s .
But perhaps they will say that a rg e n t v iv e and other poisonous
thin g s enter the gold that a rt c re a t e s . I s h a l1 a f f irm t h at gold
is m ade from the very sa me t h in g s in the lo we s t p a rt s of the earth.
Fin a lly, f shall submit that g o ld c a n b e a rt if ic ia lly ma d e i n m a n y
w ays, not just one. I sha1l add that a lt h o u g h p o is o n s a re employed
in finishing the task, they a re t o b e c o u n t e d t o o ls of t ra ns m u t a t -
io n , and do not affect t h e n a t u re of the t h in g ma d e . T o t hi s I
sh a ll also add that arge n t v iv e wh e n it is t u rn e d in t o s o lid silver
o r g old so that it ceas e s t o b e a rg e n t v iv e , lo s e s it s deadliness,
w he t,her this comes from s o me h id d e n p ro p e rt y r o rr Z rs A lb e rt us shrewd-
1 y saysr ztfises from its c o ld n e s s a n d mo is t n e s s ; n e v e rt h e le s s it de-
cr e a ses the harm it does t o t h e n e rv e s , a lt h o u g h t h e re a re some who
say that argent vive is not of a c o ld n a t u re , but a hot o n e, and
co n tend Lhat this is ea s ily s e e n f ro m s o me o f it s other q u al i t i e s .
N or should I omit to say that a ll that is s a id to be poisonous
is purged by many conve rs io n s ' thanks to the f ire , and puts on ano-
the r nature, which indee d is wh a t mu s t h a p p e n in the s u b t e rr a n e a n
ca ve s where sulfur, bron z e , a n d a rg e n t v iv e c o me t o g e t h e r to produce
the substance gold' bec a u s e a lt h o u g h those wh o h o ld the c o nt r a r y opin-
io n c onsider it most he a t h f u l, they s t ill c o n s id e r the t h in gs it is
m ad e from before it ripen s a n d o b t a in s it s o wn n a t u re as harmful.
ff you say that gold p re p a re d b y n a t u re h a s c e rt a in c u rat i v e pro-
p e r ti es laclcing in that p re p a re d b y a rt , I s h a ll re p ly , Wh o c a n c o m e
to a conclusion concerni n g t h e n a t u re of g o ld wh ile h e is pr e p a r i n g
it? Who can investigate n a t u re ' s mid wif e fo le a rn her ru 1 e, what
is dr awn in, what is driv e n o u t , wh a t is f re e o f a n y s u s p ic i o n , what
l ose s its poison when it h a s ju s t e n t e re d t h e wo rk , wh a t is f r e e d
fr o m poison during prepa ra t io n , or after it . T h is c a n b e su p p o r t e d
by th e example of anima ls that t h riv e o n e a t in g wh a t k ills other
a n im als bo eat, the cau s e ly in g in the d if f e rin g a b ilit ie s to digest
a n d transmute in differen t k in d s of liv in g c re a t u re s .
And again ve might e n p lo y t h e e x a mp le o f p o is o n o u s t h in g s that
b e co me beneficial by mix in g a n d p re p a rin g , a s is q u it e c le ar l y found
in th e case of theriacs a n d a n t id o t e s ; the c o n t ra ry a ls o occurs,
h a r m ful things resulting f ro m s o u n d o n e s t h ro u g h n o f o re ig n noxious

69.
sub stance was added. Le t a hen's e g g b e a n e x a mp le , for it arouses
na u se a in most people if ra w, if lig h t ly c o o k e d it is a wo n d e r f u l l y
he a lthy portion, if hard e n e d b y t o o mu c h h e a t , it is re c k o n ed a
ver y noxious foodstuff. S in c e a rt if ic ia l g o ld is not d is t in gu i s h a b l e
fr om natural by human fac u lt , ie s , o t h e rwis e it wo u ld n o t be, nor could
it be said to be, of the s a me s p e c ie s , if it we re d is t in g u is ha b l e by
d iffe r e nt properties, su c h a s le a d to the re c o g n it io n of a substance,
bu t since it cannot be dis t in g u is h e d , t h e re is , f teIl you, no dan-
ge r , nor fear of danger. Y o u a re e n t ire ly ig n o ra n t of wh e th e r the
go ld y ou put to cook in the pot, that y o u f ile , h a mme r, a n d d i v i d e
i nto the smallest morsel s r that y o u p lu n g e in s e e t h in g wa t er to boil,
ha s b een ripped from the b o we ls o f the e a rt h r e y ma d e b y t h e skil1 of
m an . Let us add that gold wa s ma d e f ro m t ime to t ime in antiquity,
othe r wise the art would n o t b e p ra c t is e d b y s o ma n y , b u t it would
eve r ywhere have been mo c k e d a n d re je c t e d b y c o mmo n c o n s e n t ; there is
sti l - l to be found among t h e liv in g a ma n wh o b o a s t e d that he had eight
hu n d r ed ful1 books on th e a rt , a n d h a d b e s id e s re a d mo re t h a n three
tho u sand and seven injunc t io n s about iE , a n d a s I h a v e s a id , iE was
m ad e in antiquity, as ve h a v e p ro v e d f ro m e x p e rie n c e .
What reason or argume n t d o y o u h a v e f o r s e p a ra t in g a rt if ic i a l gold
fr om native? No sign or s t a mp e d b ra n d , for a n t iq u it y lik e our own
a g e stamped gold with th e ma rk o f it s p rin c ip a l me n , a n d t o o k it to
th e p ublic offices to be t rie d . No t it s c o lo r, for the t o uc h s t o n e ,
like an honourable judge, g iv e s n e it h e r s id e t h e v e rd ic t wh e n t h e
colo r is the same. Not it s we ig h t for the tongue of the balance
do e s not more. Not its softness o r s mo o t h n e s s wh e n n e it h e r resists
be n d ing and pu1Iing. No t it s effects, for wh e t h e r g o ld is eaten or
drunk you cannot ascribe to it t h e q u a lit ie s s o me o n e e ls e has as-
cr i be d to something else wit h o u t g o o d re a s o n ; if s e v e ra l things
tog e therr Dot separately, a re re q u ire d for a c e rt a in effect, then
if d ifferent effects are p ro d u c e d y o u will c e rt a in ly not know what
su b stance to ascribe the d if f e re n c e too, u n le s s y o u h a v e inv e s t i g a t -
e d the various qualities of those t h in g s that h a v e c o mb in e d, for
the r e will be occasions wh e n wh a t is a s c rib e d to o n e in g re d i e n t
sho u ld be ascribed to an o t h e rr d rld t h is will occur mo re o f t en the
g r e a ter the lnixture or th e la rg e r the n u mb e r o f in g re d ie n t s .
So if you do not know h o w t o d is t in g u is h the g o o d g o ld you have

70.
o b tain ed from nature's w o mb f ro m t h a t wh ic h s k iI 1 a n d c ra f t have
borner 1rou will never drin k a toast to re a l g o ld . F o r, c o ns i d e r i n g
the gold called natural, e it h e r you c o n s id e r it a ll h a rmf u l if a
ce r tain part of it is de e me d , u n wh o le s o me r o r a ll is v h o le s o m e , or
all doubtful, but since a s we h a v e s e e n r ro le g it ima t e d is t in c t i o n s
ca n be made, if you cann o t d is t in g u is h the o n e f ro m t h e o t he r either
by the touchstone, or the b a la n c e , or even by that wa t e r called by
the name of the partition it effects, s e p a ra t in g s ilv e r f ro m g o l d ,
yo u cannot say that eithe r of t h e m is not h a rmf u l.
What? E ven if all go ld is b e n e f ic ia l, that wh ic h is stamped by
o u r princes and republics for u s e in b u y in g a n d s e llin g s h ou l d be
r e cko ned harmful, for co p p e r is mix e d wit h it , as the c o lo r of the
He r a clian stone indicates . Other t h in g s a re mix e d in a s we1 1 , in-
clu d in g that harsh artific ia l s a lt that is f a ls e ly c a lle d am m o n i a c a l ,
tha t is, sandy. Niter is s o me t ime s a d d e d , and the p o is o n o u s part
of a r gent vive that qets it s n a me b e c a u s e it is s u b lime d , whose poi-
so n o u s qualities are inc re a s e d b y b o ilin g ; wh o d o e s n o t k n ow " o n
a ltar s (?) mildew and lea v in g s that h a rm t h e d ig e s t io n " . And besides
tha t there are other thin g s that we c a ll n o x io u s that g o ld and sil-
ver smiths employ to put a s h in e o n g o ld e n c o in s , for they color
go ld that is pale by nat u re so that it g lit t e rs a n d s p a rk le s more.
Eno u g h of wholesomeness, n o w we s h a ll writ e o n ly of L h e a rt and re-
fute common false opinion s .

Cn lp r e n6 .
S e v e nl l p rE cE s o F A D vIcE FoR THosE yHo EAGERLvsr RIvE T0 IT IAKE
GOLD BY THE CHEIIICAL ARTr AtlD Ail A1{SIER TO THE COl,ll{Ol{0UESTtOltl
WHY THOSE YHO OCCUPY THEI{SELVES UITH THE ART OF
IIAK I NG GOLD ARE POOR.

I should like to warn those who seek to make gold artificially

not to try experiments that are beyond themr flor neglect, more pre-
cise studies, nor to promise themselves great wealthr flor to seek
principalities and kingdoms, deluded by vain hope. God does not
allow it to all men of small means (as it is commonly said) who
either desire glory r et practise mercantilism, nor to those who

7L.
have great riches, nor to those who rule principalities and kingdoms,
nor even to those who follow literary studies, hoping to equal or
outdo the glory of the ancients; the matter should be considered as
uncommon, and very difficult, for God gives his gifts according to
his own judgement, not ours.
Now if they who prepare gold and seek to transmute metals turn
vain and harmful things over in their minds, if they promise them-
selves too much, andr ds the proverb says, build castles in the air,
they should realise that they are easily deceived and deluded, both
by themselves and the deceitful badness of dishonest spirits and men"
Some time ago I remember a certain learned friend of mine who was
told by an oracle that if he sought to be adept in the craft of mak-
ing gold, he should not abuse it for vainglory or harm, and that it
would be allowed him if he mastered himself and became healthy in
both body and mind. I know another, who told me that he once made
genuine solid silver from liquid mercury, using the sap and leaves
of plants, and that he sold it to those who were skilled in the art
of trying metals, thenr using the same leaves, he tried again in vain,
and what he had done once he could never do again, however often he
tr ied .
f knew another, who is still alive, who, after he had made sil-ver
and gold about fifteen times by the art, lost the abiliLy, and, hav-
ing had a revealation in the quiet of his fireside, realised that it
was due to some fault in his ungrateful soul, and hence we may learn
the t,ruth of the apostle's words, that he who sows or reaps is nothing
but God gives the increase. A cerfain man told me that he had once
made a great quantity of gold and silver, then, using the same mat-
erials, he made some, but a very sma11 amountr so that his loss
greatly exceeded his gai n. It came into my mind that the loss could
have been avoided if he had tried to attain the better metal from
bronze instead of silver, and he should have made the attempt believ-
ing that nothing at all would happen, and then in some wonderful
fashion the thing he thought he would not attain might come to pass.
(pailure occurs) sometimes by disappearance and sometimes by many
intertwined causes, nevertheless it should be clearly understood
that impediments arise from reasons olher than human ability.
The same man affirmed that he had learned from a friend who had

72.
m a d e the best silver fro m c in n a b a r that after h e h a d u n d e rta k e n the
be tfe r worl< many times, but a lwa y s in v a in , h e h a d re a lis e d that
th e results confirmed th is re a s o n in g . No w wh e n y o u s e e a n a b o r t i o n
a m o n g these substances t o rn f ro m t h e c a v e rn s of the e a rt h , it seems
to you that it must be a g re a t o me n . Anhaeus Seneca says that it
is with these substances a s it is wit h o u r o wn b o d ie s , that their
m o isture often suffers h a rm, wh e t h e r f ro m a b lo w t o t s h a k ing r o r
de ca y r oE cold r oE the c o rru p t io n of it s n a t u re b y h e a t t oE f r o m
too great or too small a n a p p lic a t io n of heat t or f ro m t h e ignorance
or earelessness of the wo rk e r, n o r s h o u ld I o mit t h e ma n y e v i l deeds
of d emons, but even if e v e ry t h in g y o u d e s ire s h o u ld happen according
to your prayers, if you d o n o t h a v e t h e g ra c e of God, you will lose
you r reward; and at som e t ime y o u ma y ma k e a t h o u g h t le s s bo a s t r zrs
we r eca11 in our riddles , b u t wh ic h we p u t in t o v e rs e wit h o u t the
com p lexities of a riddle : -
"Though nature keeps t h e e v e n t e n o r o f h e r wa y , t h o u g h n e i t h e r
the workman's hand nor h is h e a rt t u rn a s id e r f e t n a t u re ma y p r o d u c e
m a n y monsters if she is s u f f o c a t e d b y t h e h e a t o f t o o mu c h f i r e , if
sh e lacks it, or suffers t o o mu c h c o ld . O ld Mo t h e r E a rt h continues
to give birth from her wo mb r d n d t h e wo rk e r ' s we a ry min d is b o r n e
th r o u gh trackless ways, t o o in t e n t u p o n t h e s t o n y t a s k , a nd s o h i s
ti r ed hands turn from th e rig h t path. S h o u ld a ll- that I have listed
be i n order, all is nev e rt h e le s s v a in u n le s s the O mn ip o t e nt desires;
witho ut this ever in vain a re t h e la b o rs of n a t u re a n d a rt , and
ne ither time nor might c a n b rin g these t h in g s tb f ru it io n . Mean-
ti m e the evil Demon ing ra t ia t e s h ims e lf a n d t h ro r^ rs a ll in t , o c o n f u s -
i on , unless restrained f ro m o n h ig h ; for f re me mb e r. f re m e m b e r
th a t I changed black to y e llo w a g a in s t the o rd e r o f n a t u re ; the
m e t,a l at once shone in my e y e s , t h e g e n u in e substance g lit t er e d ,
the fLame spread the co n q u e rin g c a lx upon the b re e z e r d rrd s u d d e n l y
it dispersed with a little heat, a n d wit h the b lo win g of a little
br e a th, and vanished on t h e t h in -b o d ie d win d . Wh e n t h e ligh t shone
an d the mist was cleared f ro m my min d I wa s a ma z e d a n d a t the same
tim e looked to Olympus f o r t h e re a s o n . For the s ig n of the cross
r e p e lled the black moc k e ry o f He llr t h e wo rld wa s re s t o re d to its
e a r ly vigorr so great is o u r p ie t y , s o g re a t the p o we r o f the king
w ho from his high cross s a v e d h u ma n it y , so that me n ma y re g a r d the

73.
b e g in nings of their ven t u re s c a lmly and succeed, h a v in g once begun.
Wi th experience you will g a in mo re o f both me t a ls than fhe mines of
R om e or ll-lyria yield, mo re t h a n t h e A s t u ria n dug for in Callais'
cave s, nor shall you then wo n d e r a t t h e g o ld of P h ry g ia ' s ki n g . "
f may therefore usefu lly re p e a t wh a t I h a v e a lre a d y s a id, for the
i gn o r ant cannot learn too mu c h r rro r t h e s t u b b o rn b e t o o muc h w a r n e d .
I m a y usefully repeat, t h e re f o re , that on that account the slander-
er s of the art cannot c o o k u p f a ls e e h a rg e s . F o r n o s e n s ib l e per-
so n would speak out aga in s t a g ric u lt u re o r me d ic in e because the har-
ve st of the fields was lo s t t o t b e c a u s e t h e s ic k d ie d , for the prin-
ci pa l causes upon which they d e p e n d a re o b v io u s ly not s k ill alone,
bu t nature and the will of the d iv in e , nor s h o u ld y o u s h rin k from
m a kin g gold because the re s u lt s a re t rif lin g or not v e ry ric h . For
the r ules of the art are n o t e t e rn a l nor c o n f irme d b y a ll. Why
the n do you not censure t h e n e c e s s a ry a n d b a s ic a rt of a g ric u l t u r e
w he n its returns are not h in g ? Wh y d o y o u n o t re je c t the ancient and
use ful art of curing the h u ma n b o d y wh e n it is not s u c c e s s fu l ? It
is surely because we kno rt t h a t t h e p ro mis e d effects a re o f te n thwart-
e d fo r various reasons; t h e writ e r Co rn e liu s p e rh a p s illu s t rat e s
this from his own discip lin e s .
For he says that med ic in e p ro mis e s h e a lt h to the s ic k r ds a g r i -
cu ltur e promises food f o r h e a lt h y b o d ie s . Ne it h e r food nor health
m ay r esult, but are promis e d , h e s a y s c a re f u lly , in case of failure
to p r oduce results; t,he p ro f e s s o r of the c h e mic a l a rt p ro mi s e s gold
a n d silver in the same wa y . Wh e t h e r o r n o t h e is mo re c o n f i d e n t of
m akin g gold as he wishes t h a n Hip p o c ra t e s of b rin g in g the si c k back
to h ealth, the task is f u ll of d a n g e ri for the e mb ro c a t io n s that
a n ti quity wrote would be e f f ic a c io u s a re n o t a lwa y s sor nor do sim-
ple medicines always de liv e r wh a t t h e y p ro mis e ; nor do the colleges
o f m edicine prevent the s ic k , wh o m t h e y a lwa y s a s s is t , f ro m d y i n g ,
ho we ver much they promis e a c u re .
Add to this that few a t t a in the s u b lime goal o f ma k in g a l a r g e
we ig h t of gold at small expense. F o r it is G o d ' s p e c u lia r gift
that it is r.mimportant to most that they make much gold and gain much
r e wa r d. To have made a lit t le is wh a t ma t t e rs . I s p e c u la t e that
this is the case so that t h e t ru t h that me t a ls t u rn in t o each other
m ay be recognised. The re s u lt s of the g re a t wo rk d o n o t give rise

74.
to r i ches, even if you c a n p re p a re g o ld in s ix h u n d re d wa y s, for
th e r e are those who can s c a rc e ly bear the expense, o t h e rs who suf-
fer l ossesr dnd others wh o h a v e n o f ix e d s t a t io n or in c o me , but a
va r ia ble one, so therefore y o u ma y e a s ily a n s we r t h e q u e s t io n thaf
is commonly asked, W hy a re t h o s e wh o ma k e g o ld so often in r,rant and
u n a b le to enrich themselv e s ?
For either they make t o o lit t le g o ld t o E if t h e y ma k e m u c h i t is
at gr eat expenser or the ir e x p e rime n t a l re s u lt s v a ry , s o met h i n g that
h a p p ens oftenr rrot conf o rmin g to a n y g e n e ra l I a w. Or the fe a r of
fi er ce and greedy princes d is t u rb s t h e mr o r t h e rig h t p la c e is want-
i ng , or they do not have re t a in e rs a n d s e rv a n t s . I o mit the absurd
a n d fickle credulity of ma n y , jo in e d wit h la c k of s k ill, a nd t h e
sly wickedness of fraudule n t a rt if ic e rs , wit h wh ic h y o u c a nn o t just-
ly besmirch the art. Bu t wh y b e s u rp ris e d ? Often as the furnaces
give rise to loss, not g a in , the s a me o c c u rs in t h e min e s , both in
ou r own times and in ant iq u it y . T h e re f o re De me t riu s P h a le r a e r u s
m isg u idedly reproves se e lc e rs f o r g o ld in the depths of the earth,
sa yin g that they waste g a in s in the hand for u n c e rt a in ones, are
i nco mpetent in their inv e s t ig a t io n s , a n d lo s e vhat they a lr e a d y
p o sse ss. Neverthelessr € v € D if e v e ry t h in g that you have prepared
with great care and grea t e x p e n s e is f a v o ra b le , a n d a ll t h at you
h a ve desired in your pra y e rs , u n le s s G o d ' s d e c is io n is a ls o favor-
a b le r |ou will labor in v a in .
One can see this in t h e wo rk in g s of n a t u re , b e c a u s e in the con-
ce p ti on and birth of mort a ls a n a b o rt io n ma y o c c u r in v a rio u s con-
d iti on s of feminine sterilit y a n d we a k n e s s o f t h e ma s c u lin e seed,
a n d for many other reaso n s , a n d a b o v e a ll the p re s e n c e of the div-
i ne will is necessary fo r t h e c h ild wh o lie s h id d e n in the womb to
co m e forth into the ligh t . Ho w mu c h g re a t e r is it s imp o rt a n c e in
th e useful arts. In sho rt , t h e a rt , wh ic h is a lwa y s s u re and un-
m ovin g, relies on no co n je c t u re s , but t h e re is n o t h in g so certain
a n d unshaken that it is not lia b le in g re a t p a rt to change in cir-
cu m stance, nor totally s u b je c t to the d iv in e will. Wh e n y o u f e e l
in clin ed to make gold, b e wa re o f g re e d a n d e la t io n a n d a lwa y s be in
dr e a d as to whether or n o t t h e g if t will b e n e f it you, o r c au s e y o u
suffe ring, and meditate often upon that t ru e a n d b e a u t if u l aphorism
of Augustus "There are ma n y t h in g s that G o d g iv e s in anger that he

75.
do e s not concede of his g ra c e . " T h e re f o re f irs t o f a 1 i- g iv e t h a n k s
to i m mortal God and assi g n t o h im a s mu c h a s y o u a re a b 1 e , t h e n w i t h
all modesty accept the he a v e n ly a n d s a c re d g if t a n d u s e it dutifully
to th e honor and glory of t h e Ho ly T rin it y , wh ic h is one God, and
for the especial benefit of other me n .

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