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Alchemy Index
Table of Contents
Adept Alchemy
Part I
Ars Magna
Chapter 1
Lapis Philosophorum
Anonymous ~ The Secret Fire of the Philosophers
Anon. ~ Tractatus de Lapide
Anon. ~ Arcana Divina
P. Bonus ~ The New Pearl of Great Price
Cyliani ~ Hermes Unveiled
Fulcanelli ~ The Dwellins of the Philosophers
Geber ~ The Sum of Perfection
J. Grasho ~ The Greater ! Lesser "difyer
L. Grassot ~ The Liht #ut of $haos
!. Ingalese ~ They %ade the Philosophers& Stone
J. Juran ~ Hyle ! $oahyl
". Lintaut ~ Friend of the Dawn
#. Paracelsus ~ The Tincture of the Philosophers
#. Paracelsus ~ $oncernin the Spirits of the Planets
#. Paracelsus ~ The Fifth 'oo( of Archido)ies
$. Philalethes ~ An #pen "ntrance to the $losed Palace of the *in
$. Philalethes + ,ipley ,evived
M. %en&i'ogius ~ "pistles to the ,osicrucian Society
J. I. "ollan&us ~ #puscula Alchymica
#his anthology of excerpts from the literature of Alchemy intends to illustrate
certain aspects of the Great Work: the correct use of the Philosophers Stone, the Short
or Dry Path, and the Prima Materia. his !ook "ill #uide you directly to the #ate of the
Philosophers$ Garden and pro%ide you "ith its key and pass"ord. Pray God to allo"
you entry, #race your la!or, and for#i%e us our trespasses.
Do not ima#ine, ho"e%er, that you can complete the Great Work "ith the information
in this !ook, "hich purports to re%eal only the first step of the reaction path"ay. Such
an i#norant presumption could easily result in your premature death, rather than
enhanced health, lon#e%ity, and "ealth. &ead e%ery alchemical text you can find, and
learn inor#anic chemistry at least. 'f you are chosen to achie%e this Ma#istery, it "ill !e
re%ealed to you in due time, and not one second earlier. (or "ill you complete the "ork
any sooner than God allo"s you, e%en if you practice the Ars )re%is. Festina lente.
'ndeed, it really should not matter to you "hether or not the Philosophers Stone is a
physical possi!ility, or that you attain it* +he true Philosophers$ Stone is to ha%e means
and "aste not+. 't is also simply the ,ost Word, (#)I.
Alchemy is not to confused "ith chemistry, archemy, or spa#yry. Adeptus -ulcanelli
makes the distinctions clear in The Dwellings of the Philosophers:
+,et us clearly state, since so many educated and sincere people seem una"are of the
fact, that the real ancestor of our modern chemistry is ancient spa#yrics and not the
hermetic science itself. here is indeed a profound a!yss !et"een spa#yrics and
alchemy....ermetic "ritin#s alone, misunderstood !y profane in%esti#ators, "ere the
indirect cause of disco%eries "hich the authors had ne%er anticipated...With their
confused texts, sprinkled "ith ca!alistic expressions, the !ooks remain the efficient and
#enuine cause of the #ross mistake that "e indicate. -or, in spite of the "arnin#s, the
o!/urations of their authors, students persisted in readin# them accordin# to the meanin#
that they hold in ordinary lan#ua#e. hey do not kno" that these texts are reser%ed for
initiates, and that is essential, in order to understand them, to !e in possession of their
secret key...'t is essential first to understand "hat the Ancients meant !y the #eneric and
rather %a#ue term of spirits...-or the alchemists, the spirits are real influences, althou#h
they are physically almost immaterial or impondera!le. hey act in a mysterious,
inexplica!le, unkno"a!le !ut efficacious manner on su!stances su!mitted to their
action and prepared to recei%e them. ,unar radiation is one of these hermetic spirits. As
for archemists, their conception pro%es to !e of a more concrete and su!stantial nature.
0ur old chemists em!raced all !odies under the same headin#, simple or complex, solid
or li1uid, ha%in# a %olatile 1uality lia!le to make them entirely su!lima!le. Metals,
metalloids, salts, hydro#en car!ides, etc., !rin# to archemists their contin#ency of
spirits: mercury, arsenic, antimony and some of their compounds: sulphur, sal
ammoniac, alcohol, ether, %e#eta!le essences, etc.+.
As concerns +,unar radiation+, it may !e note"orthy that 234 of moonli#ht is
stimulated emission. Ma#netism and intent also are effecti%e upon chemical reactions.
he effect of intent is seen in the .ado 5ffect6, disco%ered !y Dr. Masaru 5moto,
"here!y the #eometry of fro7en "ater is modified !y thou#hts. he "ork of 8harles
,ittlefield also demonstrates this effect. 0ther useful ener#etic effects can !e achie%ed
"ith a Spectral 8atalyst 9:S Patent ; <,=>>,?>2@ "hich +duplicates the electroma#netic
ener#y spectral pattern of a physical catalyst and "hen applied to a reaction system
transfers a 1uanta of ener#y in the form of electroma#netic ener#y to control andAor
promote the reaction systemB6
Se%eral credi!le historical accounts descri!e phenomenal healin#s, re/u%enations, and
lon#e%ity attri!uted to the 5lixir of the Sa#es. As the follo"in# adepts attest, the !lessed
Stone has many "onderful po"ers:
Anonymous ~ The Secret Fire of the Philosophers
Cet my dear friend, the thin#s "hich ' ha%e said, do #reatly conduce to your desired
end, for "hosoe%er is "ell furnished in other thin#s, and hitherto instructed, is "ell
adapted for the findin# out of this secret fire, "hich he "ill pro!a!ly o!tain, if only he
continues his in1uisition, and God Douchsafe to !less him...
't is "orthy to !e noted that sentence of a 8hief -ather of the 8hurch: God, in Mercy,
denies many thin#s "hich he #rants in his An#er* for %ery many #ifts of God, are made
rather punishments than !enefits...
Anonymous ~ Tractatus de Lapide
'n the use of this Medicine, many #reat Philosophers themsel%es, after they o!tained
this "onderful !lessin#, desirin# to ha%e perfect .ealth, ha%e !een so !old as to take a
certain 1uantity of it, some no more than a 1uarter of a #rain, some less, some more, !ut
all that did so "ith it, instead of .ealth, took Death itself* for there is no small skill to it
for Medicine, thou#h e%ery fool think if he had it, he could cure all diseases, and
himself too, and set the 5lements at unity, "hich fe" men ha%e kno"n, neither is there
!ut one "ay to it "ith safety* if this !e not kno"n, more hurt than #ood may !e recei%ed
!y it. -or the method of .ealth, it is thus: ake the 1uantity of four #rains, ' do not
mean the #rains of Wheat, or )arley #rains or corns, !ut four #rains of Gold "ei#ht, and
dissol%e them in a pint of "hite or &henish "ine, !ut in no hot "ine, as Sack, Ec. put it
into a #reat clean Glass, and instantly it "ill colour all the Wine almost as red as it self
"as, "hich is the hi#hest red in the World: let it stand so, close co%ered from dust, four
days, for in respect it is an 0ylie su!stance, it "ill not presently dissol%e in Wine* then
add to this pint more !y de#rees, until it !e not so red, stirrin# it "ith a clean stick of
"ood, not of metal, nor Glass, and so continue the pourin# on of fresh Wine, until it !e
/ust of the colour of #old, "hich is a shinin# yello". )e"are that there !e no redness in
it* for so lon# as there is any redness in it, it is not sufficiently dilated, !ut "ill fire the
)ody, and exhaust the Spirits: neither is it sufficiently !rou#ht to yello", until the Wine
ha%e round a!out the sides a rin# like .air, of a "hitish film, "hich "ill she" itself
plain "hen it is "ell dissol%ed, if it stand !ut four hours 1uiet. As soon as you see this
"hitish film, then let it run throu#h a clean linen 8loth, or Paper, so the "hite film "ill
stay !ehind and look like a pearl on the paper: and all the rest "ill !e yello" like Gold.
his is the token of truth, that you cannot "ron# yourself !y this ,i1uor* and "ithout
this token, it "ill !e either too "eak, or so stron# that it "ill fire the )ody. Fno" this to
!e a rare Secret. 0f this Golden Water, let the party 9of "hat disease soe%er he !e sick
of@ take each mornin# a #ood lar#e spoonful, and it shall expel the disease "hatsoe%er it
!e, !y a #entle s"eat* for it pur#eth not, nor %omiteth, nor s"eateth so much as to make
faint, !ut to corro!orate: ' say, it stren#thens the party* and if the disease !e of many
years continuance, or a 8hronical disease, it "ill then !e perhaps t"el%e days, other"ise
!ut t"enty four hours, or t"o or three days at most. hus it must !e used for all diseases
internal: )ut for all external diseases, as :lcers, Sca!s, )otches, Scores, -istulas, Noli
me tangere$s, Ec, the place must !e anointed "ith the 0yl of the Stone it self, not
dilated in "ine* and after this manner it must !e done nine or ten days, and !e it
"hatsoe%er it "ill, it "ill cure all out"ard and in"ard diseases. And more than this,
"hosoe%er carries this Stone a!out him, no e%il Spirit can or "ill stay in the place* nay
!rin#in# or #i%in# it to a party possessed, it dri%es a"ay and expels the e%il Spirits: for
it is a Guintessence, and there is no corrupti!le thin# in it* and "here the 5lements are
not corrupt, no De%il can stay or a!ide, for he is the corruption of the 5lements. his
Medicine taken nine days as aforesaid, and the emples of the .ead anointed "ith the
0yl of the Stone each day in the Mornin#, it "ill make a man as li#ht as if he could fly,
and his )ody so aerial it is not to !e credited, !ut !y him "ho hath experienced it. hese
most admira!le 1ualities it hath, perfect health it #i%eth, till God calls for the Soul* and
perfect kno"led#e it #i%eth 9if the truth !e kno"n:@ !ut e%en this part hath !een kno"n
!ut to a fe" that ha%e made it, for it is a Di%ine, and as it "ere an An#elical Medicine.
he "hite is not to !e used for any disease !ut Madness, in the same proportion, and
"ay or preparation that the red Stone "as...
Anonymous ~ Arcana Divina
-or this reason "e report to you and tell you that it should !e understood from the
!e#innin#, under circumstances "here you "ill !e considered an expert in this matter,
that e%en a learned philosopher or practitioner on the su!/ect of fire, "ill find that
"orkin# "ith a com!usti!le material is 1uite dan#erous and, e%en more, durin# the
preparation of such materials in the natural course of e%ents of thin#s, the dan#er is
added to and e%en compounded. 't could !e demonstrated to you /ust "here "e mi#ht
"ant to discontinue such precautions in an effort to sa%e time* such error "ill no" !e
pointed out to you as inad%isa!le.
Petrus Bonus ~ The New Pearl of Great Price
$oncernin the Ferment HHH )ut ho" are "e to understand Platos remark that he "ho
has once performed this "ork need not repeat it, as his fortune is made fore%erI he
"ords do not means that he "ho has once prepared the incture can multiply its
1uantity indefinitely, /ust as he "ho has once struck a fire out of a stone can al"ays
keep himself pro%ided "ith fire simply !y addin# fuel to it. he authority of Plato is
supported !y that of &hasis, "ho speaks in a similar fashion. hey should !e
interpreted, ho"e%er, not accordin# to the letter, !ut accordin# to the spirit. .e "ho has
once succeeded in preparin# this Medicine need not any more #o throu#h the experience
of his failures and mistakes: he no" kno"s ho" to perform all the processes of our
Ma#istery properly, and, therefore, if e%er he should need a fresh supply of the
Medicine, he "ill !e a!le to pro%ide himself "ith it "ithout much trou!le.
Cyliani ~ Hermes Unveiled
.ea%en ha%in# #ranted me success in makin# the Philosophers$ Stone, after ha%in#
spent >3 years seekin# it, stayed a"ake at least fifteen hundred ni#hts "ithout sleep,
sufferin# innumera!le miseries and irrepara!le losses. ' ha%e decided to offer to youth,
the hope of the future, the heartHrendin# picture of my life. his may ser%e !oth as a
lesson and at the same time help the youn# turn a"ay from an art that at first si#ht may
offer the most deli#htful "hite and red roses that, ho"e%er, are surrounded !y thorns
and of "hich the path that leads to the place "here one can pick them is full of pitfalls.
he uni%ersal medicine !ein# a far #reater !lessin# than the #ift of riches, to kno" it
naturally attracts studious men "ho !elie%e themsel%es to !e happier than the
multitudes. his reason has influenced me to transmit to posterity the processes to !e
under#one in the #reatest details, "ithout lea%in# out anythin# at all, in order to let it !e
kno"n and to pre%ent the ruin of honest people and to render a ser%ice to sufferin#
humanity...
)e %ery careful that it does not happen to you, as it did to me, to !e "ounded. As a
result of these %aried la!ors ' find myself "ith the most essential or#an of life affected,
!y "hich means that ' shall !e denied, considerin# the seriousness of the illness,
en/oyin# a lon# life, the %irtue of the medicine not !ein# sur#ical, !ut only medicinal.
Fulcanelli ~ The Dwellins of the Philosophers
The Salamander of Lisieu) -.../ *** -irst, let us say that, accordin# to the scared
lan#ua#e, the term philosophers stone, means the stone "hich !ears the si#n of the sun.
he solar si#n is characteri7ed !y its red coloration, "hich can %ary in intensity, as )asil
Dalentine 92@ says, J'ts color ran#es from rosy red to crimson red, or from ru!y to
pome#ranate red* as for its "ei#ht, it "ei#hs much more than it has 1uantity6. So much
for color and density. he 8osmopolite 9K@, "hom ,ouis -i#uier !elie%es to !e the
alchemist kno"n under the name of Seton, and others under the name of Michael
Sendi%o#ius, descri!es in this passa#e its translucent appearance, its crystalline form,
and its fusi!ility: J'f one "ere to find6, he said, Jour su!/ect in its last state of
perfection, made and composed !y nature* if it "ere fusi!le, like "ax or !utter, and its
redness, its diaphanous nature or clarity appeared on the outside* it "ould !e in truth our
!lessed stone6 'ts fusi!ility is such, indeed, that all authors ha%e compared it to that of
"ax 9<L 8@* it melts in the flame of a candle6, they repeat* some, for this reason, ha%e
e%en #i%en it in the name of #reat red "ax 9>@. With these physical characteristics the
stone com!ines some po"erful chemical properties HHH the po"er of penetration or
in#ress, a!solute fixity, ina!ility to !e oxidi7ed, "hich makes it incalcina!le, and
extreme resistance to fire* finally, is irreduci!ility and its perfect indifference to
chemical rea#ents. We hear the same from .einrich Fhunrath "hen he "rites in
his Ampitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae, JAt last, "hen the Work "ill ha%e passed from
ashy color to pure "hite, then to yello", you "ill see the philosophers stone, our Fin#
raised a!o%e the dominators, come out of his #lassy sepulcher, arise from his !ed and
come onto our "orldly scene in is #lorified !ody, that is to say, re#enerated and more
than perfect* in other "ords, the !rilliant car!uncle of a #reatly shinin# splendor, "hose
parts, %ery su!tle and %ery purified !y the peaceful and harmonious union of the !lend
are insepara!ly !ound and assem!led into one* constant and diaphanous as crystal,
compact and ponderous, easily fusi!le in fire like resin, flo"in# as "ax, and more
flo"in# than 1uicksil%er yet "ithout fumes* piercin# and penetratin# solid and compact
!odies, as oil penetrates paper* solu!le and dilata!le in any li1uid capa!le of softenin#
it* !rittle as #lass* takin# on a saffron color "hen it is reduced to po"der, yet red as ru!y
"hen it remains in one unadulterated mass 9this color is the si#nature of perfect fixation
and of fixed perfection@* colorin# and dyein# constantly* fixed in the tri!ulations of all
experiences, e%en "hen tried !y de%ourin# sulphur and fiery "aters and !y the %ery
stron# persecution of fire* al"ays dura!le, incalcina!le, and like the Salamander,
permanent and /ustly /ud#in# all thin#s 9!ecause it is in its o"n "ay all in e%erythin#@,
and proclaimin#: M)ehold, ' shall rene" all thin#s6.
Around 2?N?, the 5n#lish, the 5n#lish ad%enturer 5d"ard Felley, surnamed al!ot,
had ac1uired, from an innkeeper, the philosophers stone found in the tom! of a !ishop
"ho "as said to ha%e !een %ery rich* it "as red and %ery hea%y, !ut "ithout any odor.
Mean"hile, )eri#ard of Pisa says that a skillful man #a%e him a #ros 9>.NK #rams@ of a
po"der "hose color "as similar to that of the red poppy and "hich had the odor of
calcined sea salt 9L@.
.el%etius 9OeanH-rederic Sch"eit7er@ sa" the stone, sho"n to him !y a forei#ner, an
Adept, on Decem!er K3, 2<<<, in the form of a metal po"der the color of sulphur. his
po"dered product came, says Fhunrath, from a red mass. 'n a transmutation performed
!y Seton in Ouly 2<=K, in front of Dr Oaco! P"in#er, the po"der used "as, accordin# to
Dienheim, Jrather hea%y, and of a color appearin# lemon yello"6. A year later, durin# a
second pro/ection at the house of a #oldsmith, .ans de Fempen in 8olo#ne, Au#ust 22,
2<=>, the same artist used a red stone.
Accordin# to se%eral trust"orthy "itnesses, this stone, directly o!tained in po"der
form, could take on a color as !ri#ht as that of a stone formed in a compact mass. his
instance is rather rare, !ut it can happen and is "orth mentionin#. 'n this "ay, an 'talian
Adept, "ho, in 2<?N, reali7ed the transmutation in front of the Protestant minister, Gros,
at the house of a #oldsmith 9named )ureau@ from Gene%a, used, accordin# to those "ho
"ere in attendance, a red po"der. Schmeider descri!ed the stone that )oetticher
o!tained from ,ascaris as a su!stance ha%in# the appearance of a fireHred colored #lass.
Cet, ,ascaris had #i%en Dominico Manuel 9Gaetano@ a po"der similar to %ermilion, the
color of cinna!ar. hat of Gustenho%er "as also %ery red. As for the sample #i%en !y
,ascaris to Dier!ack, it "as examined under 8ounselor Dippels microscope and
appeared composed of a multitude of small #rains or crystals "hich "ere red or oran#e*
this stone had a po"er e1ual to a!out <== times the unit.
OeanH)aptiste .elmont, relatin# his experience in 2<2N in his la!oratory at Dil%orde
near )russels, "rites, J' ha%e seen and touched the philosophers stone more than once*
its color is like po"dered saffron, !ut hea%y and shinin# like pul%eri7ed #lass6. his
product, of "hich one fourth of a #rain 92>.K? milli#rams@ furnished ei#ht ounces of
#old 9KLL.3K #rams@, sho"ed a considera!le ener#y: approximately 2N,L3= times the
unit..
'n the cate#ory of tinctures, i.e., li1uids o!tained !y solutions oily metallic extracts,
"e ha%e the account of God"in .erman )raun from 0sna!rueck "ho achie%ed the
transmutation in 23=2, usin# a tincture ha%in# the appearance of an oil, Jrather fluid and
of a !ro"n color6. he famous chemist .enckel 9?@, accordin# to Dalentini, reports the
follo"in# anecdote: J0ne day a stran#er, "ho had a !ro"n tincture "ith a smell close to
hartshorn oil 9<@, came to a famous apothecary of -rankfortHonHMain, named Sal"edel*
"ith our drops of this tincture he chan#ed a #ros of lead into 3H2AK #rains of #old of K>
carats. his same man #a%e a fe" drops of this tincture to the apothecary "ho lod#ed
him and "ho then produced identical #old "hich he sa%ed in memory of that man, "ith
the small !ottle in "hich it "as contained and "here the marks of the tincture can still
!e seen. ' had this !ottle in my hands, and ' can testify a!out it to the "orld6.
Without disputn# the truth of the last t"o statements, "e ne%ertheless refuse to
cate#ori7e these as transmutations !rou#ht a!out !y the philosophers stone in its
special state of po"der of pro/ection. All the tinctures meet this criterion. heir
su!/ection to a particular metal, their limited potency, the specific characteristics they
exhi!it, lead us to re#ard them as simple metallic products, extracted from common
metals !y certain procedures called little particulars, "hich pertain to spa#yry rather
than to alchemy. -urthermore, these tinctures, !ein# metallic, ha%e no other action !ut
to penetrate the metals "hich ha%e !een used as a !asis for their penetration.
,et us lea%e aside these processes and tinctures. A!o%e all, it is important to
remem!er that the philosopher$s stone appears in the shape of a crystalline, diaphanous
!ody, red in mass, yello" after pul%eri7ation, dense and %ery fusi!le, althou#h fixed at
any temperature, and "hich its inner 1ualities render incisi%e, fiery, penetratin#,
irreduci!le and incalcina!le. 'n addition, it is solu!le in molten #lass, !ut
instantaneously %olatili7es "hen it is pro/ected onto molten metal. .ere, in one sin#le
o!/ect, are #athered physiochemical properties "hich sin#ularly separates it from a
possi!le metallic nature and render its ori#in rather ne!ulous. A little reflection "ill #et
us out of our difficulty. he masters of the art teach us that the #oal of their la!ors is
triple. What they seek to reali7e first is the uni%ersal Medicine or the actual
philosopher$s stone. 0!tained in a saline form, "hether multiplied or not, it can only !e
used for the healin# of human illnesses, preser%ation of health, and #ro"th of pants.
Solu!le in any alcoholic li1uid, its solution takes the name of Aurum Pota!ile 9pota!le
#old, althou#h it does not contain the least atom of #old@ !ecause it assumes a
ma#nificent yello" color. 'ts healin# %alue and the di%ersity of its use in therapeutics
makes it a precious auxiliary in the treatment of #ra%e and incura!le ailments. 't has no
action on metals, except on #old and sil%er, on "hich it fixes itself and to "hich it
!esto"s its o"n properties, "hich, conse1uently, !ecomes of no use for transmutation.
.o"e%er, if the maximum num!er of its multiplication is exceeded, it chan#es form and
instead of resumin# its solid crystalline state "hen coolin# do"n, it remains fluid like
1uicksil%er and definitely not coa#ula!le. 't then shines in the darkness, "ith a soft, red,
phosphorescent li#ht, of a "eaker !ri#htness than that of a common ni#ht li#ht. he
uni%ersal Medicine has !ecome the inextin#uisha!le ,i#ht* the li#ht #i%in# product of
those perpetual lamps, "hich certain authors ha%e mentioned as ha%in# !een found in
some ancient sepulchers. hus radiant and li1uid, the philosopher$s stone is not likely, in
our opinion, to !e pushed farther* desirin# to amplify its i#neous nature "ould seem
dan#erous to us* the least that could !e feared "ould !e to %olatili7e it and to lose the
!enefit of a considera!le la!or. -inally, if "e ferment the solid, uni%ersal Medicine "ith
%ery pure #old or sil%er, throu#h direct fusion, "e o!tain the Po"der of Pro/ection, the
third form of the stone. 't is a translucent mass, red or "hite accordin# to the chosen
metal, pul%eri7a!le, and appropriate only to metallic transmutation. 0riented,
determined, and specific to the mineral kin#dom, it is useless and "ithout action in the
t"o other kin#doms.
't !ecomes clearly e%ident from the precedin# considerations, that the philosophers
stone or uni%ersal Medicine, in spite of its undenia!le metallic ori#in, is not uni1uely
made from metallic matter. 'f it "ere other"ise, and if one had to compose it only "ith
metals, it "ould remain su!/ected to the conditions rulin# mineral nature and it "ould
ha%e no need to !e fermented to operate transmutation. -urthermore, the fundamental
axiom "hich teaches that !odies ha%e no action on !odies "ould !e false and
paradoxical. ake the time and the trou!le to experiment, and you "ill reco#ni7e that
metals ha%e no action on other metals. )e they !rou#ht to the state of salts or ashes,
#lasses or colloids, they "ill al"ays retain their nature throu#hout trials and, in the
process o reduction, they "ill separate "ithout losin# their specific 1ualities.
0nly the metallic spirits possess the pri%ile#e to alter, modify and denature metallic
!odies. hey are the true insti#ators of all the physical metamorphoses that can !e
o!ser%ed here. )ut since these tenuous, extremely su!tle and %olatile spirits need a
%ehicle, an en%elope capa!le of holdin# them !ack* since this mater must !e %ery pure
HHH to allo" the spirit to remain there HHH and %ery fixed so as to pre%ent its %olatili7ation*
since it must remain fusi!le in order to promote in#ress* since it is essential that it !e
a!solutely resistant to reducin# a#ents, "e may easily understand that this matter cannot
!e searched for in the sole cate#ory of metals. hat is "hy )asil Dalentine recommends
that "e take the spirit out of the metallic root and )ernard of re%isan for!ids the use of
metals, minerals and their salts in the construction of the !ody. he reason for it is
simple and selfHexplanatory. 'f the stone "ere made up of a metallic !ody and a spirit
fixed in this !ody, the later actin# on the former as if it "ere of the same species, the
"hole "ould take the characteristics form of metal. We could, in this case, o!tain #old
or sil%er or e%en an unkno"n metal !ut nothin# more. his is "hat alchemists ha%e
al"ays done, !ecause they did not kno" the uni%ersality and the nature of the a#ent
"hich they "ere lookin# for. )ut "hat "e ask for, alon# "ith all the philosophers, is not
the union of a metallic !ody "ith a metallic spirit, !ut rather the condensation, the
a##lomeration of this spirit into a coherent, tenacious and refractory en%elope, capa!le
of coatin# it, impre#natin# all its parts and 1uaranteein# it an efficacious protection.
his soul, spirit, or fire assem!led, concentrated and coa#ulated in the purest, the most
resistant and the most perfect of earthly matters, "e call it our stone. And "e can certify
that any undertakin# "hich does not ha%e this spirit for #uide and this matter for !asis
"ill ne%er lead to the proposed o!/ecti%e.
The $astle of Dampierre -0/ *** 't is a dou!le fruit for it is picked from the ree of
,ife "hen specially reser%ed for therapeutic uses, and from the ree of Fno"led#e if
the preferred use is metallic transmutation. hese t"o properties correspond to t"o
states of the same product, the first characteri7in# the red stone, translucent and
diaphanous, destined for medicine as pota!le #old, and the second, the yello" stone,
"hose metallic orientation and fermentation !y means of natural #old ha%e rendered it
opa1ue....
Accordin# to the artisan$s skill, care, and prudence, the philosophical fruit of the tree
of kno"led#e sho"s a more or less important %irtue. -or it is undenia!le that the
philosopher$s stone used for the transmutation of metals is ne%er endo"ed "ith the same
po"er. .istorical pro/ections pro%ide us "ith certain e%idence of it. 'n the operation
performed !y O. ). %an .elmont in his la!oratory at Dil%orde near )russels in 2<2N, the
stone transformed into #old 2N,3L= times its "ei#ht in flo"in# mercury. &ichtausen,
"ith the help of a product #i%en !y ,a!u/ardiere, o!tained a result e1ui%alent to KK,>>L
times per unit. he pro/ection achie%ed !y Seton in 2<=> at the house of the merchant
8och of -rankfurtHamHMain "as acted on a proportion e1ual to 2,2?? times. 'n Dippel$s
report, the po"der ,ascaris #a%e to Dier!ach transmuted approximately <== times its
"ei#ht of 1uicksil%er. .o"e%er, another piece #i%en !y ,ascaris displayed more
efficiency* in the operation performed at Dienna in 232< in the presence of 8ounselor
Pant7er %on .esse, 8ount 8harlesH5rnest %on &appach, 8ount Ooseph %on Wur!en and
-reudenthal, the !rothers 8ount and )aron %on Metternich, the ratio reached a po"er in
the %icinity of ten thousand. -urthermore, it is not useless to kno" that the maximum
production is achie%ed !y the use of mercury, and that the same 1uality of stone #i%es
%aria!le results dependin# upon the nature of the metals used as the !asis for the
pro/ection. he author of ,etters of the 8osmopolite affirms that if one part of 5lixir
con%erts into perfect #old a thousand parts of common mercury, it "ill only transform
t"enty parts of lead, thirty of tin, fifty of copper and one hundred of sil%er. As for the
"hite stone, it "ill, in the same de#ree of manipulation, only act on approximately half
of these 1uantities.
)ut "hile the philosophers spoke little of the %aria!le yield of the chrysopeus, on the
other hand they displayed more prolixity to"ard the medicinal properties of the 5lixir,
as "ell as on the surprisin# effects that it ena!les one to o!tain in the plant kin#dom.
+he "hite 5lixir,+ says )atsdorff, +performs mar%els on illnesses of all animals and
especially on those "omen suffer from... for it is the true pota!le moon of the
Ancients+. he anonymous author of The Key to the Great Work, mentionin#
)atsdorff$s text once more, asserts that +this medicine possesses other e%en more
incredi!le %irtues. When it is at the "hite sta#e of the 5lixir, it has so much sympathy
"ith "omen that it can rene" their !odies and render them as ro!ust and %i#orous as
they "ere in their youth... -or this effect, a !ath is first prepared "ith se%eral fra#rant
her!s "ith "hich they should scru! themsel%es clean* then they #o into a second !ath
"ithout her!s, !ut in "hich > #rains of the "hite elixir "ere dissol%ed in a pint of "ine
spirit and then poured into the "ater. hey remain in this !ath for a 1uarter of an hour*
after "hich, "ithout dryin# themsel%es, a #reat fire is to !e prepared to dry this precious
li1uor. he ladies then feel so stron# "ithin themsel%es, and their !ody is rendered so
"hite that they could not ima#ine it "ithout ha%in# experienced it. 0ur #ood father
.ermes a#rees "ith this operation, !ut, !esides these !aths, desires that, at the same
time and for se%en consecuti%e days, this 5lixir !e taken internally* and he adds, if a
lady does the same thin# e%ery year, she "ill li%e exempt from all diseases to "hich
other ladies are su!/ect "ithout experiencin# any discomfort.+
.u#inus Q )arma certifies that +the stone fermented "ith #old can !e used in
medicine in this medicine in this manner: one scruple or t"entyHfour #rains are to !e
taken, dissol%ed accordin# to the art in t"o ounces of spirit of "ine, and t"o to three
and up to four drops "ill !e prescri!ed dependin# on the illness$ re1uirements, in a little
"ine or in some other suita!le %ehicle+. Accordin# to the ancient authors, all ailments
are radically healed on one day that lasted for a month* in t"el%e days if they are a year
old* in a month if they appeared more than a year a#o.
)ut for this, as for many other thin#s, "e must kno" ho" to #uard oursel%es a#ainst
excess ima#ination* the too enthusiastic author of The Key to the Great Work sees
mar%els e%en in the spirituous dissolution of the stone: +)urnin# #olden sparks,+ claims
the "riter, +must come out of it and an infinity of colors must appear in the %ase+. 't is
#oin# a little too far in the description of phenomena "hich no philosopher points out.
-urthermore, he does not ackno"led#e any limits to the %irtues of the 5lixir: +,eprosy,
#out, paralysis, kidney stone, epilepsy, dropsy... could not resist the %irtue of this
medicine.+ And as the healin# of these reputedly incura!le diseases doesn$t seem
sufficient to him, he ea#erly adds to the list e%en more admira!le properties. +his
medicine causes the deaf to hear, the !lind to see, the mute to speak, the lame to "alk* it
can totally rene" a man !y causin# his skin to chan#e, his teeth, fin#ernails and "hite
hair to fall out, in stead of "hich ne" ones "ill #ro", in the color desired+. We are no"
driftin# into humor and !uffoonery.
Goin# !y "hat the ma/ority of sa#es say, the stone can #i%e excellent results in the
plant kin#dom, particularly in "hat concerns fruit trees. 'n the sprin#, if "e pour a
solution of the 5lixir hi#hly diluted "ith rain "ater on the soil close to their roots, they
can !e made resistant to all causes of decay and !arrenness. hey produce e%en more
and !ear healthy and delicious fruits. )atsdorff #oes so far as to say that it could !e
possi!le, usin# this process, to culti%ate exotic %e#eta!les in our latitude. +Delicate
plants,+ he "rites, +"hich ha%e difficulty #ro"in# in climates of an opposite
temperament to that "hich is natural to them, !y !ein# "atered "ith it, !ecomes as
%i#orous as if they "ere in their nati%e soil proper and set !y nature.+
When takin# exa##eration and le#endary additions into account, it remains true
ne%ertheless that the hermetic fruit carries in itself the hi#hest #ift "hich God, throu#h
nature, can #i%e to men of #ood "ill on earth...
The $astle of Dampierre -.1/ HHH :nlimited for the speculati%e philosophers, the
multiplication ho"e%er is limited for practical considerations. he more the stone
pro#resses the more penetratin# it !ecomes and the 1uicker its ela!oration* at each sta#e
of au#mentation, it only re1uires the ei#hth of the time re1uired for the precedin#
operation. Generally HHH and "e are speakin# here a!out the lon# "ay HHH the fourth
reiteration re1uires seldom more than t"o hours* the fifth thus takes a minute and a half,
"hile t"el%e seconds "ould suffice to achie%e the sixth* the instantaneousness of such
an operation "ould make it unpractical. 0n the other hand, the inter%ention of the
continuously increasin# "ei#ht and %olume "ould force us to keep aside a #reat part of
the resultin# product, for "ant of the re1uired correspondin# ratio of mercury, the
preparation of "hich is timeHconsumin# and fastidious. -inally, the stone multiplied to
the fifth and sixth de#rees "ould demand, #i%en its i#neous po"er, an important mass
of pure #old to orient it to"ard the metallic HHH other"ise "e "ould !e lia!le to lose the
"hole thin#. -rom any standpoint, it is prefera!le to not push the su!tlety too far of an
a#ent already #ifted "ith such a considera!le ener#y, unless, lea%in# aside the scope of
metallic and medical possi!ilities, you "ant to possess this :ni%ersal Mercury, shiny
and luminous in darkness, in order to make a perpetual lamp. )ut the passin# from the
solid to the li1uid state "hich must !e accomplished here, as it is eminently dan#erous,
can only !e attempted !y a %ery learned and most skillful master...
,ike those of Dampierre, the panel "ith the three trees sculpted in the palace at
)our#es !ears a motto. 0n the !order of the frame decorated "ith flo"erH!earin#
!ranches, the attenti%e o!ser%er indeed disco%ers isolated letters, %ery cle%erly
concealed. heir connection composes one of the fa%orite maxims of the #reat artist that
Oac1ues 8ouer "as: .D5.MA.O0'5.D'&5.-A'&5.A'&5. 9A!out my /oy, say it, do it,
!e silent@. (o" the Adepts /oy resides in his occupation. he "ork "hich renders this
mar%el of nature more tan#i!le and more familiar to him HHH "hich so many i#norant
people call chimera HHH constitute his !est distraction and its most no!le experiment. 'n
Greek the "ord chara, /oy, deri%ed from chairo, to re/oice, to deli#ht in, to en/oy, also
means to lo%e. he famous philosopher, than clearly alludes to the la!or of the Work,
his dearest task, of "hich moreo%er so may sym!ols ha%e come to enhance the #lamour
of his sumptuous house. )ut "hat to say, "hat to admit of this uni1ue /oy, of this pure
and complete satisfaction, the intimate cheerfulness of successI he least possi!le, if "e
do not "ant to !reak the oath, to attract en%y from some, #reed from the others, /ealousy
from all, and risk !ecomin# the prey of the po"erful. What to do then "ith the result
a!out "hich the artist, accordin# to the rules of our discipline, promises to use in a
modest fashionI o al"ays use it for the #ood, to consecrate its fruit to the exercise of
charity, in conformity to the precepts of philosophy and to 8hristian ethics. -inally "hat
should "e keep silent a!outI A!solutely e%erythin# "hich concerns the alchemical
secret and pri%ile#e, the disclosure of its process remains for!idden, nonHcommunica!le
in clear lan#ua#e, only permitted "hen %eiled !y para!les, alle#ories, ima#es, or
metaphors.
Oac1ues 8ouers motto, in spite of its conciseness and implications, turns out to !e in
perfect accord "ith the traditional teachin#s of the eternal "isdom. (o philosopher,
truly "orthy of the name, "ould refuse to su!scri!e to the rules of conduct "hich it
expresses and "hich can !e translated in this "ay:
A!out the Great Work, say little, do much, and al"ays !e silent.
he alchemical science is not tau#ht* e%eryone must learn it !y himself, not in a
speculati%e "ay, !ut indeed "ith the help of a perse%erin# "ork, !y multiplyin# trials
and errors, so as to al"ays su!mit the products of thinkin# to the control of experience.
Whoe%er fears this manual la!or, the heat of the furnaces, the dust of coal, the dan#er of
unkno"n reactions, and the "akefulness of lon# %i#ils, "ill ne%er kno" anythin#B
Geber ~ Sum of Perfection
-or the ,ord mi#ht feel inclined to "ithhold this Art in punishment of your sophistic
"ork and thro" you into a de%ious error, and from error into lucklessness and
e%erlastin# misery. -or he is %ery misera!le and luckless "hom God does not sho" the
truth after the completion of his "ork and la!or, and he must end his life in sadness.
Johan Grasho ~ The Greater and Lesser "difyer
0ur Art and Science is so di%ine and supernatural 9understand, after the 8omposition@
that it has ne%er !een possi!le to understand throu#h "hich means it could or mi#ht !e
a!le to exist, e%en !y those "ho ha%e !een or still are the "isest of the "ise, unless they
ha%e !een pre%iously enli#htened !y God. -or in this point all of our sense and natural
reason shatters. .o"e%er, in order that you may !e further introduced to and instructed
in this, as ' ha%e promised, ' "ill teach you thorou#hly and inform you as much as is
#ranted and permitted me no" to disclose and re%eal. Cou may then appeal further in
accord "ith my #uidance, most dili#ently to the Almi#hty and Most .i#h "ith fer%ent
prayer, for from him come all treasures of "isdom. At that time, "ithout dou!t, you "ill
!e enli#htened... .o"e%er, such an exalted #ift is not #i%en to e%eryone, and
accordin#ly each man must make his o"n reckonin# and test himself "ell, !efore in/ury
o%ertakes him and harms him: let him heed "ho canB
)ehold, "ith this you may cure all %e#eta!les, make all unfruitful trees fruitful, and
turn "inter to summer and summer to "inter. hat is, in "inter you can ha%e all the
plants "hich are other"ise only pro%ided !y summer. 'ndeed, you can make a tree !ear
fi%e or six times in a year* you can make a #ood plant from a !ad one, a youn# fresh tree
from an old rotten one, a !itter apple s"eet, turn pears to cherries, and cherries a#ain to
pears, and thus transform all plants and trees into one another.
'n the second place, you can turn all imperfect metals into #ood ones, that is, into
#old and sil%er, and indeed, into so much that you are not a!le to express the amount.
-or one part "ill tincture not merely ten thousand parts, !ut rather se%eral hundred
thousand parts, and this !y means of multiplication.
'n the third place, you can li!erate men from all diseases, turn an old man into a
youn# one, and make a healthy man from a sick one. Cou can transform the mind and
thou#hts of men, and make the most pious man from the "ickedest kna%e.
And "hate%er you mi#ht think of all of this, it is not #reat !ut rather insi#nificant in
comparison "ith "hat follo"s, for the "ords of .ermes ha%e not yet !een sufficiently
explicated.
,isten, for no" "e "ill ad%ance to the supernatural. his is the key to open hea%en
and earth, that you may enter into the hi#hest firmament of hea%en, into the center of
the earth, and into the depths of the ocean. Cou can see throu#h e%ery mountain, %alley,
leaf, #rass, animal, man, etc, and in short throu#h e%erythin#, as thou#h you "ere
lookin# throu#h a piece of #lass. Cou can learn the characteristics of e%erythin#, you
"ill master hea%en and earth, all spirits "ill !e o!edient to you, they "ill ha%e to ser%e
you and do your "ill. Cou can also come to kno" e%erythin#, !oth present and future
9as much as God permits@, "hich means that you can create the "orld and recei%e the
po"er of the same. .o"e%er this may seem, it is kno"a!le, for it is ma#ic and
supernatural. As ' ha%e already said, "hen you are #ranted the success of attainin# the
completion of the natural, then you may #o on to experience the supernatural. hus you
no" possess "hat ' ha%e tau#ht you, and, considerin# ho" poorly you ha%e dealt "ith it
!efore, #uard yourself a#ainst this, and !e "arned.
Louis Grassot ~ The Liht #ut of $haos
A 0indication of the Great 2or( HHH he Grand Work of the Sa#es holds the first
rank amon#st !eautiful thin#s* (ature, "ithout the help of art, is una!le to perform it,
and art "ithout nature cannot %enture to undertake it* it is a masterpiece "hich !orders
on the po"ers of the #od* its effects are so miraculous, that the health "hich it #i%es and
preser%es to the people, the perfection "hich it #i%es to all thin#s in (ature, and the
#reat "ealth it produces in a manner "holly di%ine, are not to !e reckoned to !e its
hi#hest mar%els.
'f the #reat Architect of the :ni%erse has made it the most perfect a#ent in all nature
one may say "ithout fear that it has recei%ed the same po"er from .ea%en in re#ard to
mortality* if it purifies the !ody, it clarifies the spirit* if it de%elops compound
su!stances to the hi#hest point of perfection, it can ele%ate our intelli#ence up to the
hi#hest kno"led#e* it is the Sa%ior of the #reat "orld, !ecause it pur#es all thin#s from
their ori#inal stains and !y its %irtue repairs the disorder of their temperament. 't
su!sists in a perfect ternary of three perfect principles, truly distinct, !ut "hich to#ether
make one and the same nature. 't is normally the uni%ersal spirit of the "orld
corporified in a %ir#in earth... 0ne may /ustly say that it produces mar%els in nature
introducin# into !odies a %ery #reat purity and it also does miraculous thin#s in
morality, illuminatin# our spirits "ith the most po"erful li#hts.
' lea%e the readers the li!erty to supplement these results in any manner they may
/ud#e fit and con%enient.
The 0irtues of the Philosophical "li)ir HHH 't is, accordin# to the sayin#s of all the
philosophers, the source of riches and of #ood health, !ecause "ith it one can make #old
and sil%er in a!undance and effect a cure not only for all those maladies "hich are
cura!le !ut also, !y its moderate use they can !e pre%ented. 0ne sin#le #rain of this
medicine or red elixir, "ill cure paralysis, dropsy, #out and leprosy, if taken daily
durin# some fe" days.
5pilepsy, colic, rheumatism, inflammation, fren7y, and all other internal complaints
cannot resist this life principle. 't is an assured remedy for all affections of the eyes. All
aposthumes, ulcers, "ounds, cancer, fistulas, noliHmeHtan#eres, and all diseases of the
skin "ill !e cured !y dissol%in# one #rain in a #lass of "ine or "ater, and !athin# the
affected part* it "ill dissol%e, little !y little, stone in the !ladder* is an antidote for all
poisons !y drinkin# it as a!o%e ad%ised.
&aymond ,ully assures us that it is, in #eneral, a so%erei#n remedy for all the ills
"hich afflict humanity from the feet to the head* if the illness has lasted one month it
"ill cure it in one day* if it has lasted a year, it "ill cure it in t"el%e days "hile in
month it "ill eliminate any disease "hatsoe%er.
Arnold de Dilla (o%a says that its efficacy is infinitely superior to any and e%ery
remedy of .ippocrates, of Galen, of Alexander, of A%icina and of all ordinary
medicine* that it re/oices the heart, #i%es stren#th and ener#y, conser%es youth and
makes old people youn# a#ain* in #eneral, that it cures all diseases "hether hot or cold
or humid or dry.
Ge!er, "ithout makin# an enumeration of the maladies "hich it "ill cure, contents
himself !y sayin# that it "ill o%ercome all those diseases "hich are re#arded as
incura!le !y the medical faculty* that it re/u%enates the old and preser%es health durin#
many years !eyond the normal span, simply !y takin# a piece the si7e of a mustard seed
t"o or three times a "eek, fastin#.
Philalethes adds to this, that it clears the skin of all !lemishes and "rinkles, etc. that it
"ill help a "oman in la!our, the child !ein# dead, simply !y holdin# the po"der to the
mothers nose, and 1uotes .ermes as his authority* he asserts that he himself has
snatched many from the arms of death "ho had !een #i%en up !y their doctors, Cou "ill
find prescriptions for its application in all diseases !y consultin# the "orks of &aymond
,ully and Arnold de Dilla (o%a.
!ichar& Ingalese ~ They %ade the Philosophers& Stone
'n 2R23 "e succeeded in makin# the White Stone of the Philosophers. 't looked like
soft, "hite mar!le, and its effect upon the !ody "as startlin#. We dared not try it on
oursel%es at first, !ut there "as a third mem!er of our family, a !eautiful An#ora cat of
"hich "e "ere %ery fond... 't sur%i%ed the first dose, and "e repeated it on the t"o
follo"in# days, "ith the cat !ecomin# more frisky than usual. After that "e tried it
oursel%es, each takin# a dose at the same moment so "e "ould excarnate to#ether if it
should pro%e fatal. )ut it pro%ed !eneficial and ener#i7ed our !odies.
Shortly after that e%ent, the "ife of a prominent local physician died* and the doctor,
kno"in# of our experiments and that the !ooks claimed that such a stone, if used "ithin
a reasona!le time, "ould raise the dead, asked us to experiment on the !ody of his "ife.
.alf an hour had elapsed since her death and her !ody "as #ro"in# cold. A dose of the
dissol%ed White Stone "as put into the mouth of the corpse "ithout percepti!le result.
-ifteen minutes after"ard a second dose "as administered and the heart commenced to
pulsate "eakly. -ifteen minutes later a third dose "as #i%en and soon the "oman
opened her eyes. 'n the course of a fe" "eeks, the patient !ecame con%alescent, after
"hich she li%ed se%en years.
Jacob Juran ~ Hyle and $oahyl
ake common rain"ater, a #ood amount, at least ten 1uarts, keep it "ell sealed in
#lasses for at least ten days, and it "ill deposit matter and feces at the !ottom. Pour off
the clear li1uid and put it in a "ooden %essel that is made round like a !all, cut it off in
the middle and fill the %essel a third full, and set it in the sun at noon in a secret and
secluded spot.
When that is done, take a drop of the consecrated red "ine Scontainin# the Stone in
solutionT and let it fall into the "ater, and you "ill immediately see a fo# and thick
darkness on top of the "ater, such as had also !een at the first 8reation.
(o" pour in t"o drops and you "ill see the li#ht comin# forth from the darkness.
hereupon, pour in e%ery half of each hour first three, then four, then fi%e, then six
drops, and then no more, and you "ill see "ith your o"n eyes one thin# after another on
top of the "ater, ho" God created all thin#s in six days, and ho" that came to pass, and
such secrets as are not to !e re%ealed and "hich ' also do not ha%e the po"er to re%eal.
,et your eyes !e the /ud#e* for thus the "orld "as created...
)y this you "ill see the secrets of God, "hich no" are hidden from you as from a
child. Cou "ill understand "hat Moses "rote a!out 8reation. Cou "ill see "hat kind of
!ody Adam and 5%e had !efore and after the -all, "hat the snake "as, "hat the tree,
and "hat kind of fruits they ate, "here and "hat Paradise is, and in "hat !odies the /ust
"ill resurrect HHH not in this one that "e ha%e recei%ed from Adam !ut in that "hich "e
recei%e throu#h the .oly Ghost, namely, such a one as our Sa%ior !rou#ht from
.ea%en...
Still more than that: 'f you take your Stone at e%ery full moon, "hen it is a!o%e the
hori7on "here you are, and step aside in a #arden, and you take a little pure rain"ater,
as you did in the first operation, and you drop some of the "hite "ine in it, /ust as you
did "ith the red HHH immediately a %apor "ill rise in a peculiar "ay to"ard the circle of
the moon. 'f you do this at e%ery moon in due course, there is no philosopher in the
hori7on "here you are li%in# and "ho has kno"led#e of the Stone as "ell as its use,
"ho does not also #o out at the same time, seekin# in the 5ast and West, the (orth and
South. When he finds such an appearance 9as he "ill soon see@, he "ill no" that this is
done !y an artist, or someone else, "ho "ould like to #et ac1uainted "ith those "ho
kno" /ust this art, and he "ill ans"er you in the same manner as you ha%e done. 'n this
"ay you "ill reco#ni7e those "ho kno" the use of the Stone.
o meet your philosophical society, do as follo"s: &u! your temple "ith the White
Stone at ni#ht, and pray earnestly to reco#ni7e "ho he is. Put three freshly picked laurel
lea%es under your head, and set your ima#ination on him "ho you desire to reco#ni7e,
and #o to sleep in this "ay. When you a"aken, you "ill immediately remem!er the face
of the person, his name and the place "here he stays. 'f you do not "ish to #o to him, he
"ill come to you* for he "ill perhaps think that you do not kno" this secret. he cause
of this happenin# is this: the uni%ersal spirit of the Air, "hich is locked in the Stone,
causes it.
'n this "ay, you can #et to kno" all scholars in the "orld, "ho "ill seem to you more
like !e##ars than "ise people, and "ho "ill perhaps teach you more than ' am a!le to or
ha%e done here, for, truly, all thin#s that are natural can there!y !e !rou#ht a!out, such
thin#s as can hardly !e descri!ed in a !i# !ook.
"enri Lintaut ~ Friend of the Dawn
(o one can !rin# this "ork to fruition, or har%est "ho is not esta!lished in proper
mental and psychic !alance "ithin, "hich is re1uired in order for the astral and mental
Guardians of this Great Secret to allo" one to proceed "ith this Great Work. his
statement is #i%en only as a "arnin#. 0ne may try, !ut ne%er succeed, "ithout the
proper authori7ation !y Di%ine sources of inner and outer #uidance #i%en to the
alchemist. .undreds of o!stacles must !e con1uered. And one "ho con1uers all of the
o!stacles of the +Way of the 8ruci!le+ is one "ho has !een chosen and appro%ed, for
%arious Di%ine and karmic reasons, to so achie%e. 5ach one kno"s only in his inner
heart if he or she has !een #i%en permission to achie%e this Great Work for the !enefit
of mankind.
#heophrastus Paracelsus ~ The Tincture of the Philosophers
$hapter 0.3 $oncernin the Transmutation of %etals 4y the Perfection of
%edicine HHH 'f the incture of the Philosophers is to !e used for transmutation, a pound
of it must !e pro/ected on a thousand pounds of melted Sol. hen, at len#th, "ill a
Medicine ha%e !een prepared for transmutin# the leprous moisture of the metals. his
"ork is a "onderful one in the li#ht of (ature, namely, that !y the ma#istery, or the
operation of the Spa#yrist, a metal, "hich formerly existed, should perish, and another
!e produced. his fact has rendered the same Aristotle, "ith his illHfounded philosophy,
fatuous... hese thin#s, and more like them, are kno"n to simple men rather than to
sophists, namely, those "hich turn one appearance of a metal into another. And these
thin#s, moreo%er, throu#h the remarka!le contempt of the i#norant, and partly, too, on
account of the /ust en%y of the artificers, remain almost hidden...
)ut thou#h the old artists "ere %ery desirous of this arcanum, and sou#ht it "ith the
#reatest dili#ence, ne%ertheless, %ery fe" could !rin# it !y means of a perfect
preparation to its end. -or the transmutation of an inferior metal into a superior one
!rin#s "ith it many difficulties and o!stacles, as the chan#e of Oo%e into ,una, or Denus
into Sol. Perhaps on account of their sins God "illed that the Ma#nalia of (ature should
!e hidden from many men. -or sometimes, "hen this incture has !een prepared !y
artists, and they "ere not a!le to reduce their pro/ections to "ork its effects, it happened
that, !y their carelessness and !ad #uardianship, this "as eaten up !y fo"ls, "hose
feathers thereupon fell off, and, as ' myself ha%e seen, #re" a#ain. 'n this "ay
transmutation, throu#h its a!use from the carelessness of the artists, came into Medicine
and Alchemy. -or "hen they "ere una!le to use the incture accordin# to their desire,
they con%erted the same to the reno%ation of men...
$hapter 0..3 $oncernin the ,enovation of %en HHH Some of the first and primiti%e
philosophers of 5#ypt ha%e li%ed !y means of this incture for a hundred and fifty
years. he life of many, too, has !een extended and prolon#ed to se%eral centuries, as is
most clearly sho"n in different histories, thou#h it scarcely seems credi!le to any one.
-or its po"er is so remarka!le that it extends the life of the !ody !eyond "hat is
possi!le to its con#enital nature, and keeps it so firmly in that condition that it li%es on
in safety from all infirmities. And althou#h, indeed, the !ody at len#th comes to old a#e,
ne%ertheless, it still appears as thou#h it "ere esta!lished in its primal youth.
So, then, the incture of the Philosophers is a :ni%ersal Medicine, and consumes all
diseases, !y "hatsoe%er name they are called, /ust like an in%isi!le fire. he dose is %ery
small, !ut its effect is most po"erful. )y means thereof, ' ha%e cured the leprosy,
%enereal disease, dropsy, the fallin# sickness, colic, sca!, and similar afflictions* also
lupus, cancer, noli me tan#ere, fistulas, and the "hole race of internal diseases, more
surely than one could !elie%e...
(o", Sophist, look at heophrastus Paracelsus. .o" can your Apollo, Machaon, and
.ippocrates stand a#ainst meI his is the 8atholicum of the Philosophers, !y "hich all
these philosophers ha%e attained lon# life for resistin# diseases, and they ha%e attained
this end entirely and most effectually, and so, accordin# to their /ud#ment, they named
it the incture of the Philosophers. -or "hat can there !e in the "hole ran#e of
medicine #reater than such pur#ation of the !ody, !y means "hereof all superfluity is
radically remo%ed from it and transmutedI -or "hen seed is once made sound all else is
perfected. What a%ails the illHfounded pur#ation of the sophists since it remo%es nothin#
as it ou#htI his, therefore, is the most excellent foundation of a true physician, the
re#eneration of the nature, and the restoration of youth. After this, the ne" essence itself
dri%es out all that is opposed to it. o effect this re#eneration, the po"ers and %irtues of
the incture of the Philosophers "ere miraculously disco%ered, and up to this time ha%e
!een used in secret and kept concealed !y true Spa#yrists.
#heo. Paracelsus ~ $oncernin the Spirits of the Planets
$hapter 0...3 $onclusion HHH his secret "as accounted !y the old -athers "ho
possessed it as amon# the most occult, lest it should #et into the hands of "icked men,
"ho !y its aid "ould !e more a!undantly a!le to fulfill their o"n "ickedness and
crimes. We, therefore, ask you, "hoe%er ha%e o!tained this #ift of God, that, imitatin#
these -athers, you "ill treat and preser%e this di%ine mystery in the most serious manner
possi!le, for if you tread it underfoot, or scatter your pearls !efore s"ine, !e sure that
you "ill hear pronounced a#ainst you the se%ere sentence of God, the supreme a%en#er.
)ut to those "ho, !y the special #race of God, a!stain from all %ices, this Art "ill !e
more constantly and more fully re%ealed than to any others. -or "ith a man of this kind
more "isdom is found than "ith a thousand sons of the "orld, !y "hom this Art is in no
"ay disco%ered.
Whosoe%er shall ha%e found this secret and #ift of God, let him praise the most hi#h
God, the -ather and Son, "ith the .oly Spirit. And from this God also let him implore
#race, !y "hich he may !e a!le to use that #ift to God$s #lory and to the #ood of his
fello"Hman. he merciful God #rant that this may !e so for the sake of Oesus 8hrist .is
Son, and our Sa%iourU
#heo. Paracelsus ~ The Fifth 'oo( of Archido)ies
$oncernin Arcana HHH ...So, then, the Prima Materia is the first Arcanum* the
second is the Philosophers$ Stone, the third is the Mercurius Ditae, and the fourth is the
incture...
$oncernin the Arcanum of the Philosophers& Stone HHH 'n like manner, this
Philosophers$ Stone purifies the heart and all the principal mem!ers, as "ell as the
intestines, the marro", and "hate%er else is contained in the !ody. 't does not allo" any
disease to #erminate in the !ody, !ut the #out, the dropsy, the /aundice, the colic, fly
from it, and it expels all the illnesses "hich proceed from the four humours* at the same
time, it pur#es !odies and renders them /ust as thou#h they "ere ne"ly !orn. 't !anishes
e%erythin# that has a tendency to destroy nature, none other"ise than as fire does "ith
"orms. 5%en so, all "eaknesses fly !efore this reno%ation...
he po"er and potency of the Philosophic Stone is exalted to so "onderful an extent
that it is impossi!le to trace ho" it can !e naturally !rou#ht a!out* and unless the most
e%ident si#ns lay open to our eyes, it "ould !e incredi!le that men could perfect and
accomplish such "onderful thin#s* since the %irtue of that operation passes from
#eneration to #eneration "ithout any !reak. 0n the other hand, !y the mercy of God, it
exists in one !ody, and at len#th, accordin# to their deserts, it is denied to others or
conceded as a special act of #race...
$irenaeus Philalethes ~ An #pen "ntrance to the $losed Palace of the
*in
So lon# as the secret is possessed !y a comparati%ely small num!er of philosophers,
their lot is anythin# !ut a !ri#ht and happy one* surrounded as "e are on e%ery side !y
the cruel #reed and the pryin# suspicion of the multitude, "e are doomed, like 8ain, to
"ander o%er the earth homeless and friendless. (ot for us are the soothin# influences of
domestic happiness* not for us the deli#htful confidences of friendship. Men "ho co%et
our #olden secret pursue us from place to place, and fear closes our lips, "hen lo%e
tempts us at times to open oursel%es freely to a !rother. hus "e feel prompted at times
to !urst forth into the desolate exclamation of 8ain: +Whoe%er finds me "ill slay me.+
Cet "e are not the murderers of our !rethren* "e are anxious only to do #ood to our
fello" men. )ut e%en our kindness and charita!le compassion are re"arded "ith !lack
in#ratitude HHH in#ratitude that cries to hea%en for %en#eance. 't "as only a short time
a#o that, after %isitin# the pla#ueHstricken haunts of a certain city, and restorin# the sick
to perfect health !y means of my miraculous medicine, ' found myself surrounded !y a
yellin# mo!, "ho demanded that ' should #i%e to them my 5lixir of the Sa#es* and it
"as only !y chan#in# my dress and my name, !y sha%in# off my !eard and puttin# on a
"i#, that ' "as ena!led to sa%e my life, and escape from the hands of those "icked men.
And e%en "hen our li%es are not threatened, it is not pleasant to find oursel%es,
"here%er "e #o, the central o!/ect of human #reed... ' kno" of se%eral persons "ho
"ere stran#led in their !eds, simply !ecause they "ere suspected of possessin# this
secret, thou#h, in reality, they kne" no more a!out it than their murderers* it "as
enou#h for some desperate ruffians, that a mere "hisper of suspicion had !een !reathed
a#ainst their %ictims. Men are so ea#er to ha%e this Medicine that your %ery caution "ill
arouse their suspicions, and endan#er your safety. A#ain, if you desire to sell any lar#e
1uantity of your #old and sil%er, you "ill !e una!le to do so "ithout imminent risk of
disco%ery. he %ery fact that someone has a #reat mass of !ullion for sale "ould in most
places excite suspicion. his feelin# "ill !e stren#thened "hen people test the 1uality of
our #old* for it is much finer and purer than any of the #old "hich is !rou#ht from
)ar!ary, or from the Guinea 8oast* and our sil%er is !etter e%en than that "hich is
con%eyed home !y the Spanish sil%er fleet... ' remem!er once #oin#, in the dis#uise of a
forei#n merchant, to a #oldsmith$s shop, and offerin# him <== pounds "orth of our pure
sil%er for sale. .e su!/ected it to the usual tests, and then said: +his sil%er is artificially
prepared.+ When ' asked "hy he thou#ht so, his ans"er "as: +' am not a no%ice in my
profession, and kno" %ery "ell the exact 1uality of the sil%er "hich is !rou#ht from the
different mines.+ When ' heard these "ords ' took myself a"ay "ith #reat secrecy and
dispatch, lea%in# the sil%er in the hands of the #oldsmith. 0n this account, and !y
reason of the many and #reat difficulties "hich !eset us, the possessors of this Stone, on
e%ery side, "e do elect to remain hidden, and "ill communicate the Art to those "ho
are "orthily co%etous of our secrets, and then mark "hat pu!lic #ood "ill !efall...
' possess "ealth sufficient to !uy the "hole "orld HHH !ut as yet ' may not use it on
account of the craft and cruelty of "icked men. 't is not from /ealousy that ' conceal as
much as ' do: God kno"s ' am "eary of this lonely, "anderin# life, shut out from the
!onds of friendship, and almost from the face of God. ' do not "orship the #olden calf,
!efore "hich our 'sraelites !o" lo" to the #round* let it !e #round into po"der like the
!ra7en serpent. ' hope that in a fe" years #old 9not as #i%en !y God, !ut as a!used !y
man@ "ill !e so common that those "ho are no" so mad after it, shall contemptuously
spurn aside this !ul"ark of the Antichrist. hen "ill the day of our deli%erance !e at
hand "hen the streets of the ne" Oerusalem are pa%ed "ith #old, and its #ates are made
of #reat diamonds. he day is at hand "hen, !y means of this my !ook, #old "ill ha%e
!ecome as common as dirt* "hen "e Sa#es shall find rest for the soles of our feet, and
render fer%ent thanks to God. My heart concei%es unspeaka!le thin#s, and is enlar#ed
for the #ood of the 'srael of God. hese "ords ' utter forth "ith a herald$s clarion tones.
My !ook is the precursor of 5lias, desi#ned to prepare the &oyal "ay of the master* and
"ould to God that !y its means all men mi#ht !ecome adepts in our Art HHH for then
#old, the #reat idol of mankind, "ould lose its %alue, and "e "ould pri7e it only for its
scientific teachin#. Dirtue "ould !e lo%ed for its o"n sake. ' am familiar "ith many
possessors of this Art "ho re#ard silence as the #reat point of honor. )ut ' ha%e !een
ena!led !y God to take a different %ie" of the matter* and ' firmly !elie%e that ' can
!est ser%e the 'srael of God, and put my talent out at usury, !y makin# this secret
kno"led#e the common property of the "hole "orld. .ence ' ha%e not conferred "ith
flesh and !lood, nor attempted to o!tain the consent of my !rother Sa#es. 'f the matter
succeeds accordin# to my desire and prayer, they "ill all re/oice that ' ha%e pu!lished
this !ook.
$ir. Philalethes ~ ,ipley ,evived
An 5xposition upon the Preface of Sir Geor#e &ipley HHH his Mercury thus reno%ate or
ne" !orn, may !y the Philosopher !e di%ersly handled* for he may take his "ork from
the -ire, and circulate and coho!ate this Mercury !y a peculiar operation, "hich partly
Mechanical, till he ha%e a most admira!le pure su!tile Spirit, in "hich he may dissol%e
Pearls and all Gems, and multiply them or his &ed Stone, !efore it !e united "ith a
metal in pro/ection for the makin# of Aurum Pota!ile. And in this Mercury thus
circulated, is dou!tless the Mystery of the ne%erHfadin# ,i#ht, "hich ' ha%e actually
seen, !ut yet not practically made. 'n a "ord, e%ery one "ho hath this exu!erate
Mercury, hath indeed at command the su!/ect of "onders, "hich he may imploy
himself many "ays in !oth admira!ly and pleasantly. And certainly he that hath this,
needs no information from another* himself no" standin# in the 8entre, he may easily
%ie" the 8ircumference, and then operation "ill !e, next to the Spirit of God, his !est
Guide. Fno" then, that if thou !e a Son of Art, "hen thou art once arri%ed hither, thou
are so far from !ein# at the end of thy search, 9unless thou make Gold to !e thy final
o!/ect, and so thou shalt ne%er come hither@ that thou art !ut no" come into the
Mystical School of the hidden "onders of God, in "hich thou mayst e%ery day see ne"
Miracles, if thou !e studious and desirous of kno"led#e, "hich all Adepti are* they
pri7e skill !efore any earthly thin#, and therefore refuse .onour and Pomp, and retire
only to the !ehouldin# of God and his Works, in this admira!le ,ookin#H#lass of the
most hidden Mysteries of (ature.
Michael %en&i'ogius ~ "pistles to the ,osicrucian Society
+++,II HHH he :se of the Practice is this. -irst, as to a medicine for animals,
dissol%e one #rain of the simple Stone in 2== #rains of that mercury "here"ith the
Stone is made, or in any other li1uor or con%enient %ehicle accordin# to the present
condition of the disease, and the temperament of the patient, #i%in# a due potion of such
li1uors "ith one #rain of dissol%ed Stone. )ut if the stone has !een once multiplied,
then one #rain of it must !e dissol%ed in a thousand #rains of such a con%enient li1uor*
if t"ice multiplied, in ten thousand #rains of li1uor, and so on.
Second, as to the transmutation of metals, take one part of the simple Stone and ten
parts of the said Mercury, not of the %ul#ar* or of the once multiplied Stone one part,
and one hundred parts of the same Mercury, or lastly one part of t"ice multiplied Stone
and a thousand part of the said Mercury. Set them to dry, first in a #entle fire, then
stron#er and stron#er till it ac1uires the consistency of stone. And such im!i!itions and
dessications repeat until one part of the Stone con%erts ten parts of common mercury,
t"enty of lead, thirty of tin, fifty of copper, and lastly one hundred of sil%er, into perfect
#old if the Stone !e for #old. )ut half of the part, or therea!outs, of the said proportions
of those metals, if the Stone !e for sil%er.
)ut if you should "ant a sufficient 1uantity of the aforesaid Mercury, then you can
de#rade the Stone "ith common Mercury in the follo"in# manner. Pro/ect one part of
this simple or multiplied Stone upon ten parts of heated common mercury, and you shall
ha%e a po"der of the same nature as the Stone, !ut of a lesser %irtue and efficacy. All of
this po"der pro/ect a#ain upon one hundred parts of the same common mercury, and
a#ain pro/ect this po"der upon one thousand part of the same common mercury. And if
then the po"der #ro"s moist, dry it "ith fire, and it "ill remain a po"der, "hich lastly
you can pro/ect upon the aforesaid metals, keepin# the same proportion.
his is no" the uni%ersal and most exact heory and Practice of the StoneB
Johann Isaac "ollan&us ~ #puscula Alchymica
' am tellin# you enou#h, if you "ill only understand* and if you do not understand,
God Almi#hty "ill not #rant it to you, and e%en if you do not find it, it is ne%ertheless
found.
(#)I ~ #he -Lost .or&- /John 1011 2c.31 the -%ecret 4ame o G56- /Also1
'ariously0 Aet7i1 At7i8 c.1 At7iluth30


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Alchemy Index
Table of Contents
Adept Alchemy
Part I
Ars Magna
Chapter 9
#he %hort 6ry Path
P. Allen ~ A $hristian ,osen(reut5 Antholoy
Anonymous ~ The Alleory of %erlin
Anon. ~ #n the Philosophers& Stone
Anon. ~ ,osarium Philosophorum
Anon. ~ Untitled
%. Bacstrom ~ The 2or( of Pontanus6 Accordin to %r3 F3
6. Beuther ~ The Transmutation of 'ase %etals333
P. Bonus ~ The New Pearl of Great Price
Cyliani ~ Hermes Unveiled
A. $lea7ar ~ The 'oo( of A4raham the 7ew
B. Figulus ~ A Golden and 'lessed $as(et of Nature&s %arvels
Fulcanelli ~ The %ystery of the $athedrals
Fulcanelli ~ The Dwellin of the Philosophers
J. Grasho ~ The Greater ! Lesser "difyer
C. Grummet ~ Sanuis Naturae
J. "el'etius ~ The Golden $alf
J. I. "ollan&us ~ De Lapide Philosophorum
J. I. "ollan&us ~ 0eeta4le 2or(
:. Jnana ~ Dictionary of Alchemical Philosophy
4. LeFebre ~ Secret of Secrets
!. Lully ~ Letter or "pitome to *in ,upert
J. Muller ~ Hyle and $oahyl
Myriam ~ Her $onversation with Aros6 *in of "ypt
Paracelsus ~ The Philosophical $anons
$ir. Philalethes ~ An #pen "ntrance to the $losed Palace of the *in
$ir. Philalethes + ,ipley ,evived
$ug. Philalethes ~ A Short "n8uiry $oncernin the Hermetic Art
G. !ipley ~ %edulla Alchemiae
M. !ulan&us + A Le)icon of Alchemy
%. %al7tal ~ Fountain of Philosophical Salts
#heophrastus ~ The Sacred Art
Arnol& &e ,illano'a ~ ,osarium Philosophorum
#he Philosophers; %tone can !e prepared in t"o #eneral "ays: +"et+ 9solutions@ and
+dry+ 9fusions@. Much has !een "ritten a!out the "et "ay* it is lon#, dan#erous, tedious
and expensi%e. he Short, Dry, or &oyal Path, the Ars )re%is, is little kno"n, ha%in#
!een mentioned only a fe" times in the literature of Alchemy. 't can !e 1uick, simple
and easy, !ut it is also %ery dan#erous and difficult to control. .ere are most of the
explicit references to the su!/ect:
Paul M. Allen ~ A $hristian ,osen(reut5 Antholoy
And thereupon follo"eth the mixture, o!ser%eU
And so it cometh to a "ondrous stren#th,
he finished fi#ures "ith the unfinished.
And if the fire !e like"ise ri#htly controlled,
't "ill !e entirely perfect
'n much less time than a year.
(o" thou hast the entire "ay in its len#th
0n "hich there are not more than t"o paths.
-rom these one soon "andereth and #oest astray,
5lse it all standeth clear and plain.
he one is the "ater of the Wise Men,
Which is the Mercurius alone.
he other is called a %ine#ar,
And it is kno"n only to a %ery fe".
And this %ine#ar doth circle
A"ay from the philosophical lion.
't is ,ord Aes "hom it makes #lad.
herefore they ha%e com!ined to so closely
Many hundred forms and names are #i%en
After each has chosen it.
0ne "ay sprin#eth from a true source,
A fe" ha%e "orked on it for a "hole year
)ut many throu#h their art and craft
.a%e shortened so lon# a space of time.
And 1uickly is the preparation set free
As Alchemy doth point out.
Anonymous ~ The Alleory of %erlin
)rother, keep secret this treatise for it is of an importance amon#st the fools, and no
importance amon#st "ise men, and this is the &oyal "ay of three days, for they "ill
ha%e !ut little la!our and #reat lucre.
Anonymous ~ #n the Philosophers& Stone
)ut some, "ho "ere adepts in the art, ha%e !y painful processes taken #old for their
male, and the mercury, "hich they kne" ho" to extract from the less compacted metals,
for a female: not as an easier process, !ut to find out the possi!ility of makin# the stone
this "ay* and ha%e succeeded, #i%in# this method more openly to conceal the true
confection, "hich is most easy and simple.
Anon. ~ ,osarium Philosophorum
Aristotle in the %econ& Boo< o his Politics HHH here is a dou!le "ay in this art
accordin# to the Philosophers, that is HHH uni%ersal and particular. he uni%ersal "ay is
easy and rare, and it is that "hich is !rou#ht forth from true and natural !e#innin#s, !y
"hich a speedy and reformati%e %irtue doth presently and in a moment hardens
Mercury, and it tinctureth any metal that is duly prepared, into true Gold or Sil%er.
)ut the second "ay is called particular and it is hard and la!oursome. (ote this,
althou#h Alchemy in the uni%ersal "ay !e partly natural and partly artificial, yet it is
more natural than other"ise, !ecause !y nature no stran#e or forei#n thin# is !rou#ht in
the "ay of true Alchemy, for nature hath "hereon to "ork !ecause acti%es are /oined to
passi%es !y a competent union and application, !ut the rest nature "orketh !y herself.
5ut o the Lucidary o Arnol&us HHH ' demand in "hat time this !lessed Stone may
!e made, to "hich it is ans"ered as a certain author ,elius the Philosopher "itnesses,
that his ma#istery "as finished in ei#ht days, and that another did it in se%en days, and
another in three months, and some in four months, and some in half a year, and some in
the space of a "hole year, and Maria says she did it in three days. o this ' say that the
cause of di%ersity, that is of shortness and len#th of time, mi#ht !e defect in the %irtue
of the "ater of Mercury or !ecause it "orketh of Sol and ,una. And some of the
Philosophers added more and some less. )ut Sol is fixed and not flyin#, and "ith that
only did they "ork.
!aymun& Lully in his "pistle to ,upert1 :ing o France HHH Wherefore ' speak
thin#s "hich are miraculous, "hich seemed to !e incredi!le to all the ancient
Philosophers, that is, that thou shalt kno" "ell to separate this oil from the "ateriness
and thou shalt la!our in the manner of the mixtion of them, and thou shalt !e a!le to
make the Stone in >= days, !ut this is not necessary !y itself !ecause the solutions and
coa#ulations of it 9as hath !een said@ are 1uickly made and done.
Anonymous ~ Untitled %s
Accordin#ly there is no", !esides the "ork of three years, a "ork of three months,
three "eeks, three days, and, surpassin# all of these, three hours. Mary the Prophetess
"as trained in this last "ork* a philosopher of keen intellect, or a "ellHtrained artisan,
"ill !e a!le to in%esti#ate "hat she has learned from her discussions "ith the
Philosopher Aros. 'n addition, there are other "orks, called the "ork of one natural day,
one month, one year, and nine months. Anyone "ho does not kno" the distinctions
amon# these and other such thin#s lays claim to this sayin#: +.e should take his hand
off the reins.+ And thou#h all these aforesaid "orks are to !e understood only !y the
time of operation from first to last, ne%ertheless it can happen that other "orks are
mixed in "ith them, and then !oth operations, antecedent and conse1uent, are included
in the timespan listed a!o%e. )ut since the purpose here has !een merely to #i%e you a
casual "arnin# a!out these matters, there is no need to d"ell on them further...
What follo"s is ho" the Philosophers multiplied their "ork in the moist path, and
perhaps also !y the same token in the dry path. Multiplication takes place in 1uantity as
"ell as in 1uality, al"ays "ith ten parts of its "ater or of philosophical mercury duplex
and so on to infinity. he first time it does not tinct, !ut if it is put in fire the second
time it is perfected in t"o months time, and one part tincts only ten parts. 'f you put it in
fire a third time, it is finished in three "eeks and one part tincts a hundred parts. 'f you
put it in fire a fourth time, it is perfected in three days, and one part tincts a thousand
parts. After that a "ork of multiplication is completed in three days at a time, and this is
the "ork of three days.
%igismun& Bacstrom ~ The 2or( of Pontanus Accordin to %r3 F3
Pontanus had his kno"led#e from Artephius, therefore follo"ed him, ha%in# read and
understood him, except that Artephius "orked !y the lon# humid "ay, !ut Pontanus !y
the dry short "ay, and Mr. -. !elie%es that it can !e done in a %ery Short ime, pro!a!ly
sooner than "e are a"are of.
6a'i& Beuther ~ The Transmutation of 'ase %etals into Silver and Gold
'f "e no" "ish to proceed further, "e must no" #o on to Paracelsus School of Work
and to the !rief passa#es "hich follo", as are readily to !e noted and learned from
his Scriptis. hen "e desired to learn from the Subectum !ateriae "el Tincturae, "hich
is reported clearly enou#h and sho"n "ith the fin#ers, so he also set up there!y the
"elcome preparations and said that from one 9of the materials noted@ t"o "ould result,
namely, sulfur and mercury, since one of them 9mercury@ #i%es the !ody, on earth,
"herein "e plant the seeds, i#e., the Sulfur of the Sun, "hich sulfur is called the )lood
of the &ed ,ion, "hile the mercury is called the Gluten of the White 5a#le. .e further
stated that "hen the t"o coa#ulated to#ether, then the tincture thus prepared "as ready
to !e used. his is, indeed, a shorter "ay of preparation, thou#h it #i%es poorer and
inferior results...
0ne also sees ho" the "ork is !rou#ht to completion from a material in an o%en,
#lass container, or other type of receptacle, in one experiment after another, !y usin#
increased amounts to heat. And, e%en thou#h the "ork and the art !y you yourself is
completely inferior in 1uality, the philosophers ha%e also pointed out that, J't is "ifes
"ork and childrens play6. 5%en so, it still re1uires a "ellH1ualified artisan to !e the
fireHmaster. Moreo%er, the "ork may !e completed easily enou#h "ithout dan#er in 2<
"eeks...
Petrus Bonus ~ The New Pearl of Great Price
his Art is no!le, !rief, and easy. 't re1uires one thin#, "hich e%ery!ody kno"s. 't is
in many thin#s, yet it is one thin#. 't is found e%ery"here, yet it is most precious. Cou
must fix it and tame it in the fire* you must make it rise, and a#ain descend. When
con/unction has taken place, strai#ht"ay it is fixed. hen it #i%es riches to the poor and
rest to the "eary. he operation is #ood, if it !ecome first dry and then li1uid, and "hat
&e!is 9"othin#@ is, you "ill find in the practical part of this "ork.
Cyliani ~ Hermes Unveiled
At this point, ' must "arn you that only t"o matters of the same ori#in are needed:
0ne %olatile, the other fixed. hat there are t"o "ays, the dry and the humid. '
personally follo" the latter !y preference and !y duty, thou#h the former is kno"n to
me. 't is done "ith only one matter.
he a7oth unites easily "ith sulfur, fire "ith fire, and the dou!le mercury or re!is in
po"der or oil forms the true pota!le #old or the :ni%ersal medicine in "hite or red.
-inally the seed of #old lies "ithin the #old itself.
-e" com!usti!les are necessary* e%en less receptacles. he "ork costs %ery little to
undertake and can !e performed in any place, !ut it is con%enient to !e#in it "ith that of
nature in order to finish it "ell...
!abbi Abraham $lea7ar ~ The 'oo( of A4raham the 7ew
hat ho"e%er you kno" and !ecome ac1uainted "ith the Materiam* so is such our
old Al!aon A!acscho7dii, is a Minera, so there in the mountains is found, and such is of
three different sorts... he third is #rey and "hite and a %ery poisonous kind, a ri#ht
Saturn, "hich has the po"er, "ith its poisonous !reath to kill. herefore one must !e
%ery careful "hen "orkin# "ith this, "hen in a dry form, to #et it s"eat... and also such
a materia is found in the pits, !ecause they often thro" such a"ay, !ecause it #i%es from
itself a stron# smell, and also often kills the men...
-ormerly ' ha%e pointed out and sho"n to you the "et "ay, and ho" you can find
and prepare in such a "ay the Mysterium, and such a "ay is "ithout dan#er.
his dry "ay, that ' "ill descri!e to you and teach you, is some"hat dan#erous, yet if
you follo" my teachin#, then it "ill not fall hea%y on you, for as ' ha%e descri!ed to
you in all my -i#ures throu#hout, t"o "ays, so to the intelli#ent it is not difficult to
understand, and ha%e also "ished to sho" that in this -i#ure S>T* for here you see
flo"in# from a desert a "hite ,unar Water, "hich is the old pro#enitor of all thin#s,
prepared in t"o "ays:
-irstly ho"e%er, you must understand, "hat of the t"o "ays is taken* namely the first
proceeds from the -atness of the 5arth, out of the Primordial 8haos. he other from our
!lack hea%y lump* that ho"e%er the serpents cra"l in the #rass, and is of di%ers colors,
the Phyton in the dry "ay, for this promptus is %ery poisonous, yet some times it
ascends in the hills, and so !ecomes a flo"er, nearly medicinal, "hilst then it is not so
poisonous...
...his is that, "hich the Ancients said, ho" they finished their stone in four hours.
hey ha%e taken of such one part and added to four parts of 0phiris Sol in flux, so it
"ill !ecome pure tincture* of "hich they ha%e incorporated half of this "ith one part of
8olum!a Dianae, as has !een tau#ht till the se%enth time, and in such a manner
increased their "ork in infinitum, "here!y they supported themsel%es in their need and
came to the help of their poor imprisoned !rethren...
...)ut there is prepared from the #reen ,ion a cra"lin# Dra#on, and you ha%e it
!efore your eyes, and can compare "ith the 0ld one the "et "ay, and the Dra#ons the
dry "ay. 'n the preparatory "ork you #o on, in the Dry "ay, there is another Modus
than in the Wet...
Bene&ictus Figulus ~ A Golden and 'lessed $as(et of Nature&s %arvels
The Natural Philosopher9s Tincture HHH heophrastus also means that, "hen you ha%e
o!tained the t"o thin#s !y the short method, %i7., the rosy !lood and the 5a#les "hite
#luten, you shall thereto add nothin# forei#nB
The Natural Philosopher&s Tincture = Ale>an&er 'on %uchten ? HHH his is the first
process of our Philosophical )irth, the &eturnin# into the Mothers Wom!, "here!y the
&ule of God is follo"ed, and the first precepts of chemists are fulfilled, %i7., the
&eduction into Pimary Matter, into the hree (atural Principles, i.e., Animated Spirit,
Mercury, and Sulphureous Dapour of 5arth... "hich is nothin# less than... he Process
"ith Dou!le Smoke of Paracelsus. )ut the a!o%e method entailed hea%y expenses and
much time and la!our, all of "hich the Ancient Sa#es could ha%e a%oided, and o!tained
the ,ions treasure !y a shorter cut, had they en1uired into the matter as dili#ently as
heophrastus.
(o", ' "ot there is no one "ho "ould not "ish to kno" this shorter method* and that
you may not ha%e to complain of heophrastus, he she"s you another short "ay,
admonishin# you also to let the a!o%e tedious process !e, and to take from the ,ion
nou#ht !ut his rosy !lood, and from the 5a#le the "hite #luten. hese t"o !odies you
must coa#ulate to#ether and !rin# into one !ody, as it "ere male and female seed.
(o", someone mi#ht o!/ect thus. Dear heophrastus, that is the old story "hich ' ha%e
heard lon# a#o. he Ancients took nothin# more than the ,ions !lood and "ater, and
coa#ulated them. Cet you tell me the same is a !rief "ay to o!tain the aforesaid t"o
Mercurial Su!stances, "ith little la!our and in a short time.
Well, that is true so far. heophrastus is not so clear here as he mi#ht !e. )ut you may
easily ima#ine "hat the mode of preparation must !e if you ha%e dili#ently studied
heophrastuss other !ooks and preparations, and are other"ise experienced in
8hemical la!ours. Cou "ill then find that 8hemistry, in the preparation of all arcana
9secrets@, has t"o methods, %i7., Distillation and 5xtraction. Whatsoe%er is to !e
prepared !y 8hemistry and !rou#ht into its Arcanum, its incture, or Guintessence 9in
"hich is he po"er and %irtue of all creatures@, or is to !e cleansed from impedin#
impurities, that must !e done !y Distillation or 5xtraction 9"hich is the same as
Solution@. here is no other means. As )ernhardus says: Jhe Fin# ne%er #oes forth
except the -ountain attract him6.
(o", ha%in# already heard that he re/ects the tedious process of much distillation and
purification !y reason of its expense, etc., you percei%e that he must ha%e used the only
other means, %i7., 5xtraction !y Solution.
Accordin# to 8alid, son of Oa7ichus: JSolution is the 5xtraction of the 'nterior of hin#s
to their Superficies, so that the hidden !ecome manifest6. .ence his 9heo.s@ meanin#
is this: When you of one thin# ha%e made t"o HHH or ha%e taken t"o thin#s differently
constituted !y (ature HHH let the old process alone* take from the ,ion his !lood only HHH
i.e., cut out his heart "ith his o"n sharp spear HHH or as )ernhardus says: JSlay the Fin#
"ith his o"n sharp, poisonous Mercurial Water6. 'n plain "ords: 5xtract !ut from the
earth its incture or Arcanum, and the !lood, the sunshine, the dry spirit immediately all
distills o%er. )y such extraction or solution more "ill !e done in a fe" hours than the
Ancient Sa#es could effect in six months. )y the a!o%e process the "hole "ork may !e
completed in ten or t"el%e months, in "hich time the Ancients could !arely achie%e the
first step HHH i.e., &eduction into Primary Matter HHH as all those kno" "hom God has
enli#htened, and thou#ht "orthy you kno" this Solution and 5xtraction.
)ut misunderstand me notU ' speak here, not of the second solution of the earth, !ut of
the first solution of the crude !ody...
his is also the aforesaid short process of Paracelsus, "here!y you, in a short time, and
"ith little trou!le and expense, may find the t"o said thin#s 9of "hich one is the -ather,
or Sun, or &ed Water, and the other the Mother, or Moon, or White Water@ "hich are
necessary for the perpetration of the miracle of the 0ne hin#, and for "hich #ood
counsel you o"e heophrastus many thanks...
Fulcanelli ~ La %ystere Des $athedrales
,et us retrace our steps and pause at the south portal, still called the Porch of St.
Anne. 't offers us only a sin#le motif, !ut the interest of this is considera!le, !ecause it
descri!es the shortest practice of our Science and amon# lessons in stone it therefore
deser%es pride of place.
+See,+ says Grillot de Gi%ry, +sculptured on the ri#ht portal of (otre Dame of Paris,
the !ishop perched a!o%e an athanor, "here the philosophical mercury, chained in
lim!o, is !ein# su!limated. 't teaches the ori#in of the sacred fire* and the 8hapter of
the cathedral, !y lea%in# this door closed all the year in accordance "ith a secular
tradition, sho"s that this is not the %ul#ar "ay, !ut one unkno"n to the cro"d and
reser%ed for the small num!er of the elite of "isdom.+
-e" alchemists "ill admit the possi!ility of t"o "ays, one short and easy, called the
dry "ay, the other lon#er and less re"ardin#, called the moist "ay. his may !e due to
the fact that many authors deal exclusi%ely "ith the lon#er process, either !ecause they
do not kno" of the other, or !ecause they prefer to remain silent a!out it, rather than to
teach its principles. Pernety refuses to !elie%e in those alternati%e methods, "hile
.u#inus a )arma, on the contrary, asserts that the ancient masters, such as Ge!er, ,ully
and Paracelsus, each had his o"n particular process.
8hemically speakin#, there is no o!/ection to a method, employin# the moist "ay,
!ein# replaced !y another, "hich makes use of dry reactions, in order to arri%e at the
same result. .ermetically the em!lem "e are studyin# is a proof of this. We shall find a
second one in the 2Nth century 5ncyclopedia, "here the assurance is #i%en that the
Great Work may !e accomplished in t"o "ays* one, called the moist "ay, !ein# lon#er
!ut held more in honour and the other, or dry "ay, !ein# much less esteemed. 'n the
latter +the celestial Salt, "hich is the Philosophers$ mercury, must !e !oiled for four
days in a cruci!le o%er a naked fire, to#ether "ith a terrestrial metallic !ody.+
'n the second part of the "ork, attri!uted to )asil Dalentine, !ut "hich seems rather
to !e !y Senior Padith, the author appears to ha%e the dry "ay in mind "hen he "rites
that +in order to arri%e at this art, neither #reat la!or nor trou!le is re1uired and the
expenses are small, the instruments of little "orth. -or this Art may !e learnt in less
than 2K hours and !rou#ht to perfection "ithin the space of N days, if it has its o"n
principle "ithin itself.+
Philalethes, in 8hapter V'V of the $ntroitus, after ha%in# spoken of the lon# "ay,
"hich he descri!es as tiresome and #ood only for rich people, says: +)ut !y our "ay no
more than a "eek is necessary* God has reser%ed this rare and easy "ay for the despised
poor and for a!/ect saints.+
-urthermore, ,an#letHDufresnoy, in his %emar&ues on this chapter, thinks that +this
"ay is achie%ed !y the dou!le philosophical mercury+ and adds: +he "ork is there!y
accomplished in N days, instead of takin# nearly 2N months !y the first "ay.+
his shortened "ay, "hich is, ho"e%er, co%ered !y a thick %eil, has !een called !y
the Wise the &e#ime of Saturn. he !oilin# of the Work, instead of necessitatin# the use
of a #lass %ase, re1uires only the help of a simple cruci!le. +' "ill stir up your !ody in
an earthen"are %ase, in "hich ' "ill inter it+, "rites a famous author, "ho says a#ain
further on: +Make a fire in your #lass, that is to say in the earth "hich holds it enclosed.
his seems to me to !e the shorter "ay and the true philosophical su!limation, in order
to arri%e at the perfection of this difficult task.+ his could !e the explanation of the
!asic maxim of our Science: +0ne sin#le %essel, one sin#le matter, one sin#le furnace.+
'n the preface to his !ook, 8yliani refers to the t"o process in these terms: +' "ould
like to "arn you here ne%er to for#et that only t"o matters of the same ori#in are
needed, the one %olatile, the other fixed* that there are t"o "ays, the dry "ay and the
moist "ay. ' follo" the latter for preference as my duty althou#h the former is %ery
familiar to me* it is done "ith a sin#le matter.+
.enri de ,intaut also #i%es a fa%ora!le testimonial to the dry "ay "hen he "rites:
+his secret surpasses all the secrets in the "orld, for !y it you can in a short time,
"ithout #reat trou!le or la!our, arri%e at the #reat transmutation. -or information a!out
this, see 'saac .ollandois, "ho speaks of it more fully.+ :nfortunately our author is no
more forthcomin# than his collea#ues. +When ' consider,+ "rites .enckel, +that the
artist 5lias, 1uoted !y .el%etius, claims that the preparation of the Philosophic stone is
!e#un and finished in the space of four days, and that he has actually sho"n this stone,
still adherin# to the fra#ments of the cruci!le, it seems to me that it "ould not !e so
a!surd to ask "hether "hat the alchemists call #reat months may not !e as many days,
"hich "ould mean a %ery limited space of time. And to ask further "hether there may
not !e a method, "hich consists only in keepin# the matters in the #reatest de#ree of
fluidity for a lon# time, "hich could !e achie%ed !y a %iolent fire, maintained !y the
action of the !ello"s. .o"e%er, this method cannot !e carried out in all la!oratories and
perhaps not e%eryone "ould find it practica!le.+
Fulcanelli ~ The Dwellins of the Philosophers
The %an of the 2oods ''' 0ur mercury, "e !elie%e it has !een mentioned, is this
pil#rim, this %oya#er to "hom Michael Maier has consecrated one of his !est treatisesU
S(iatorium) *oc est +e !ontibus Planetorium septem seu metallorum. &ouen, Oean
)erthelin, 2<?2T. )y usin# the dry path, represented !y the earthly road follo"ed at first
!y our tra%eler, one can successfully !ut pro#ressi%ely exalt the diffuse and latent
%irtue, transformin# into acti%ity that "hich "as only potential. he operation is
completed "hen, on the surface, appears a shinin# star, formed of rays emanatin# from
a sin#le center, prototype of the #reat roses of our #othic cathedrals. A sure si#n that the
pil#rim has successfully reached the end of his first trip. .e has recei%ed the mystical
!lessin# of St Oames, confirmed !y the luminous imprint "hich radiated, it is said,
a!o%e the tom! of the apostle. he hum!le and common shell "hich he !ore on his hat
turned into a shinin# star, a halo of li#ht. Pure matter "hose hermetic star consecrates
the perfection: it is no" our compost, the holy "ater of 8ompostella 9,atin compos,
"ho has recei%ed, possesses HHHH and stella, star@ and the ala!aster of the sa#es
9albastrum contraction of alabastrum, "hite star@. 't is also the %ase of perfumes, the
%ase of ala!aster 9Greek alabastron, ,atin alabastrus@ and the ne"ly !loomin# !ud of
the flo"er of "isdom, rosa hermetica, the hermetic rose.
-rom 8ompostella the return can !e made either !y the same path, follo"in# a
different itinerary or !y the "et or maritime path, the only "ay the authors indicate in
their "ritin#s...
The $astle of Dampierre 0 -Panel :/ HHH he t"o paths of the Work re1uire t"o
different manners of undertakin# the animation of the initial mercury. he first !elon#s
to the !rief "ay and re1uires only one techni1ue !y "hich the fixed is #radually
dampened HHH !ecause any dry matter a%idly drinks its o"n humidity HHH until the
repeated affusion of the %olatile on the !ody causes the compound to s"ell and turn into
a pasty or syrupy mass, as the case may !e. he second method consists in di#estin# the
totality of the sulphur in three or four times its "ei#ht in "ater, decantin# the resultin#
solution, then dryin# up the residue and reiteratin# the operation "ith a proportional
1uantity of fresh mercury. When the dissolution is complete, the faeces, if any, are
separated and the collected li1uors are su!/ected to a slo" distillation in a !ath. hus the
superfluous humidity is released, lea%in# the mercury at the re1uired consistency
"ithout any loss of its 1ualities, and ready to under#o hermetic coction.
The $astle of Dampierre 0 -Panel ;/ HHH "o %ases, one in the form of an em!ossed
and en#ra%ed fla#on, the other a common earthen pot, are represented in the same frame
occupied !y this sayin# of Saint Paul: A,'DD DAS '( .0(0&5M A,'DD '(
80(:M5,'AM. 0ne %essel for honora!le uses, another for !ase uses. )ut in a #reat
house+, says the Apostle S'' imothy K: K=T, +here are not only %essels of #old and
sil%er, !ut also of "ood and of earth* and some to honour, and some to dishonour.+
0ur t"o %ases appear "ell defined, clearly marked and in a!solute a#reement "ith
the precepts of hermetic theory. 0ne is the %ase of nature made "ith the same red clay
God used to form the !ody of Adam "ith. he other is the %ase of the art, "hose entire
material is composed of pure, red, incom!usti!le, fixed, and diaphanous #old, of an
incompara!le !ri#htness. And these are our t"o %essels "hich truly represent only t"o
distinct !odies containin# the metallic spirits, the only a#ents "e need.
'f the reader is ac1uainted "ith the traditional manner of "ritin# of the philosophers
HHH "hich manner "e try to imitate correctly so that the Ancients can !e explained
throu#h us and so "e can !e controlled !y them, it "ill !e easier for him to understand
"hat the hermeticists meant !y %essels. -or these %essels represent not only t"o
matters, or rather one matter in t"o states of e%olution, !ut they also sym!oli7e our t"o
"ays !ased on the use of these different !odies.
he first of these "ays "hich uses the %ase of the art is timeHconsumin#, painstakin#,
thankless, accessi!le to "ealthy people, !ut it is in a place of #reat honor in spite of the
expenditures it entails, !ecause it is the one "hich authors prefera!ly descri!e. 't is used
as a support for their reasonin# as "ell as for the theoretical de%elopment of the Work,
re1uires an uninterrupted la!or of t"el%e to ei#hteen months, and starts "ith natural
#old prepared and dissol%ed in the philosophical mercury "hich is then cooked in a
#lass matrass. his is the honora!le %ase reser%ed for no!le use of these precious metals
"hich are the exalted #old and mercury of the sa#es.
he second "ay demands, from !e#innin# to end, only the help of a coarse clay
a!undantly a%aila!le, of such a lo" cost that in our time ten francs are sufficient to
ac1uire a 1uantity more than enou#h for our needs. 't is the clay and the "ay of the
poor, of the simple and the modest, of those "hom nature fills "ith "onder e%en !y her
most hum!le manifestations. 5xtremely easy, it only re1uires the presence of the artist,
for the mysterious la!or perfects itself !y itself and is achie%ed in se%en to nine days at
the most. his "ay, unkno"n to the ma/ority of practicin# alchemists, is ela!orated
from start to finish in one cruci!le made of fireproof clay. 't is the "ay that the #reat
masters called "oman$s "ork and child$s play* it is to it that they apply the old hermetic
axiom: una re, una %ia, una dispositione. A sin#le matter, a sin#le %essel, a sin#le
furnace. Such is our earthen %ase, a despised, plain %ase of common use, "hich
e%eryone has !efore his eyes, "hich costs nothin#, "hich can !e found at e%eryone$s
house, yet "hich no one can reco#ni7e "ithout a re%elation.
The $astle of Dampierre 0. -Panel </ HHH ,yin# on the altar of sacrifice, a forearm is
consumed !y fire. he si#n of this fiery em!lem holds in t"o "ords:
.-5,'V.'(-0&:(':M. .appy unhappinessU Althou#h the topic seems a priori 1uite
o!scure and "ithout e1ui%alent in the hermetic literature and icono#raphy, yet it yields
to analysis and perfectly a#rees "ith the Great Work$s techni1ue.
he human forearm, "hich the Greeks simply called the arm 9!rachion@, is the
hiero#lyph for the short, a!rid#ed "ay 9ars bre"is@. As a matter of fact, our Adept,
toyin# "ith "ords as the learned ca!alist he is, hides under the su!stanti%e brachion,
arm, a comparati%e of brachus, "ritten in the same fashion. he latter means short,
!rief, of short duration, and forms se%eral compounds, includin# brachutes, !re%ity.
hus the comparati%e brachion, meanin# !rief, the homonym of brachion, arm, takes
on the specific meanin# of !rief techni1ue, ars bre"is.
)ut the Greeks used yet another expression to 1ualify the arm. When they e%oked the
hand 9cheir@, they applied !y extension the idea to the entire upper lim! and #a%e it the
fi#urati%e %alue of a skilled artistic production of a special process, of a personal style
of "ork, in short, of a tour de main, a flick of the "rist, "hether ac1uired or re%ealed.
All these acceptions of the "ord exactly characteri7e the fine points of the Great Work
in its s"ift, simple and direct reali7ation, for it re1uires the application of a %ery
ener#etic fire to "hich the flick of the "rist !oils do"n Spourin# a cruci!le properlyT.
(o" this fire on our !asHrelief is represented not only !y the flames, it is also
represented !y the lim! itself "hich the hand indicates as !ein# the ri#ht arm* and it is
"ell kno"n from the pro%er!ial expression that +to !e the ri#ht arm+ al"ays applies to
the a#ent responsi!le for the executin# of the "ill of a superior HH the fire in the present
case.
Apart from these reasons HHH "hich are necessarily a!stract !ecause they are %eiled in
the form of a stone "ith a concise ima#e HHH there is another one, practical, "hich comes
to uphold and confirm in the practical domain the esoteric affiliation of the first ones.
We shall state it !y sayin# that "hosoe%er !ein# i#norant of the flick of the "rist of the
operation yet takes the risk to undertake it, must fear e%erythin# from the fire* that
person is in real dan#er and can hardly escape the conse1uences of a thou#htless and
reckless action. Why then, one could say to us, not to pro%ide this meansI We "ill
ans"er this !y sayin# that to re%eal an experiment of this sort "ould !e to #i%e the
secret of the short "ay and that "e ha%e not recei%ed from God nor from our !rothers
the authori7ation to unco%er such a mystery. 't is already much that, prompted !y our
solicitude and charity, "e "arned the !e#inner "hose lucky star leads to the threshold
of the ca%e, that he should !e on his #uard and redou!le his prudence. A similar
"arnin# is rarely encountered in the !ooks, and 1uite succint as to "hat concerns the
Ars !re%is, !ut "hich the Adept of Dampierre kne" as perfectly as &ipley, )asil
Dalentine, Philalethes, Al!ertus Ma#nus, .u#inus a )arma, 8yliani or (axa#oras.
(e%ertheless, and !ecause "e deem it useful to "arn the neophyte, it "ould !e "ron#
to conclude that "e are tryin# to dishearten him. 'f he "ants to risk the ad%enture, let it
!e for him the trial !y fire to "hich the future initiates of he!es and .ermopolis had to
!e put throu#h !efore recei%in# the su!lime teachin#s. 'snt the inflamed arm on the
altar the expressi%e sym!ol of the sacrifice, of the renunciation the science demandsI
5%erythin# is paid for do"n here, not "ith #old, !ut "ith "ork, "ith sufferin#, often !y
lea%in# a part of oneself* and one could not pay too much for the possession of the least
secret, of the tiniest truth. herefore should the candidate feel endo"ed "ith faith and
armed "ith the necessary coura#e, "e fraternally "ish him to come forth safe and sound
from this difficult experience, "hich most often ends "ith the explosion of the cruci!le
and the pro/ection of the furnace. And then he could cry out, like our philosopher:
.appy unhappinessU -or the accident, forcin# him to ponder the mistake he has
committed, "ill undou!tedly lead him to disco%er the means to a%oid it and the flick of
the "rist for the proper operation.
The $astle of Dampierre 0. -Panel =/ HHH he #eometric fi#ure "hich "e encounter
here fre1uently ornamented the frontispieces of medie%al alchemical manuscripts. 't
"as commonly called Solomon$s ,a!yrinth, and "e mentioned else"here that it "as
reproduced on the stone floors of our #reat #othic cathedrals. his fi#ure !ears as a
motto: .-AA.D'AM.'(D5('5(. he fates "ill "ell find their "ay. 0ur !asHrelief,
specifically characteri7in# the lon# "ay, re%eals the formal intention, expressed !y the
plurality of Dampierre$s motifs to primarily teach the Work of the rich. -or this
la!yrinth offers only one entrance, "hile other dra"in#s of the same su!/ect usually
sho" three, "hich entrances, !y the "ay, correspond to the three porches of the #othic
cathedrals placed under the in%ocation of the Dir#in mother. 0ne entrance, a!solutely
strai#ht, leads directly to the median cham!er HHH "here heseus slayed the Minotaur HHH
"ithout encounterin# the least o!stacle* it con%eys the short, simple, easy "ay of the
Work of the poor. he second, "hich like"ise leads to the center, only opens onto it
after a series of detours, t"ists and turns, and con%olutions* it is the hiero#lyph for the
lon# "ay and "e ha%e said that it refers to the preferred esotericism of our Adept.
-inally, a third #allery of "hich the openin# is parallel to that of the precedin# ones,
ends a!ruptly as a dead end a short distance from the threshold, and leads no"here. 't
cause the despair and ruin of those "ho ha%e #one astray, of the presumptuous ones,
and of those "ho, "ithout serious study and solid principles, ne%ertheless set out on the
"ay and chanced the ad%enture.
The $astle of Dampierre .1 -Panel >/ HHH 8losed !y its narro" lid, "ith a fat al!eit
split !elly, a common clay pot fills "ith its ple!eian and cracked ma/esty the surface of
this panel. 'ts inscription states that the %ase of "hich "e see the ima#e, must open !y
itself and manifest !y its destruction the completion of that "hich it holds:
'(DS.S0,A.-'5(.MA('-5SA. &:'(A. 90nly the inside makes the ruin
manifest@.
Amon# so many di%erse fi#ures, so many em!lems "ith "hich it fraterni7es, our
su!/ect seems to !e all the more ori#inal !ecause its sym!olism relates to the dry path,
also called the Work of Saturn, as rarely translated into icono#raphy as it is descri!ed in
texts. )ased on the use of solid and crystalli7ed materials, the !rief "ay 9ars !re%is@
only re1uires the help of a cruci!le and the application of hi#h temperatures. his truth,
.enckel had #limpsed, "hen he remarks that the +artist 5lias, 1uoted !y .el%etius,
claims that the preparation of the philosophers stone is accomplished, from start to
finish, in four days time* and that he has indeed sho"n the sho"n still adherin# to the
sides of the cruci!le* it seems to me, the author continues, that it "ould not !e so a!surd
to 1uestion "hether that "hich the alchemists called lon# months, "ould not really only
!e days HHH that is to say a %ery short period of time HHH and "hether there did not exist a
method "here!y the entire operation "ould consist in holdin#, for a %ery lon# time, the
matters in a #reat de#ree of fluidity "hich could !e o!tained !y a %iolent fire
maintained !y the action of !ello"s* !ut this method cannot !e undertaken in all
la!oratories and perhaps not e%eryone "ould find it practical.+ SO.-. .enckel, Traite +e
l,Appropriation 9Treatise on Appropriation@ inPyritologie ou *istoire naturelle +e la
pyrite 9Pyritology or Natural *istory of Pyrites@. Paris, OH. .erissant, 23<=, p. >3=,
para. L2<.T
(e%ertheless, contrary to the humid "ay, "hose #lass utensils allo" for easy control
and accurate o!ser%ation, the dry "ay cannot enli#hten the operator at any time in the
process of the Work. So, althou#h the time factor reduced to a minimum constitutes a
serious ad%anta#e in the practice of the ars bre"is, the necessity of hi#h temperatures,
on the other hand, presents the serious incon%enience of an a!solute uncertainty as to
the pro#ress of the operation. 5%erythin# happens in the deepest mystery inside the
cruci!le "hich is carefully sealed, !uried at the core of the incandescent coals. 't is
therefore important to !e %ery experienced and to kno" the fire$s !eha%ior and po"er
"ell as one could not find in it, from the !e#innin# to the end the least of indications.
All the characteristic reactions of the humid "ay ha%in# !een indicated amon# the
classical authors, it is possi!le for the studious artist to ac1uire indications precise
enou#h to allo" him to undertake his lon# and difficult "ork. .ere, on the contrary, it is
"ithout any #uide that the tra%eler, !ra%e to the point of rashness, enters this arid and
!urnt desert. (o road laid out, no clue, no landmark* nothin# sa%e the apparent inertia of
the earth, of the rock, of the sand. he shiny kaleidoscope of the colored sta#es does not
!ri#hten up his uncertain "alk* it is as a !lind man that he continues his path, "ithout
any other certainty sa%e that of his faith, "ithout any other hope !ut his confidence in
di%ine mercy...
Cet at the end of his path, the in%esti#ator "ill notice a si#n, the only one "hose
appearance indicates success and confirms the perfection of the sulphur !y the total
fixation of mercury* this si#n consists in the spontaneous !urstin# of the %essel. 0nce
the time has elapsed, !y laterally unco%erin# a part of its side, "e notice, "hen the
experiment has succeeded, one or more lines of da77lin# clarity, clearly %isi!le on the
less !rilliant !ack#round of the en%elope. hese are the cracks re%ealin# the happy !irth
of the youn# kin#. Oust like at the end of incu!ation the hen$s e## !reaks under the effort
of the chick, similarly the shell of our e## !reaks as soon as the sulphur is produced.
here is, amon# these results, an e%ident analo#y in spite of the different causes, for in
the mineral Work, the !reakin# of the cruci!le can lo#ically !e attri!uted to a chemical
action, unfortunately impossi!le to concei%e or to explain. ,et us note ho"e%er that the
rather "ell kno"n fact often occurs under the influence of certain com!inations of
lesser interest. hus, for example, "hile lea%in# aside, after ha%in# cleansed them "ell,
ne" cruci!les "hich ha%e only !een used once, for the fusion of metallic #lass, the
production of hepar sulphuris, or diaphoretic antimony, they are found cracked after a
fe" days "ithout one !ein# a!le to explain the o!scure reason of this late phenomenon.
he considera!le spacin# of their !ul#es sho"s that the fracture seems to occur !y the
push of an expansi%e force actin# from the center to"ards the periphery at room
temperature and lon# after the use of these %essels.
-inally, let us point out the remarka!le match "hich exists !et"een the motif of
Dampierre and that of )our#es 9.otel ,allemant, in the ceilin# of the chapel@. Amon#
the hermetic panels of the latter, one can also see an earthen pot tilted, "hose openin#,
!ellHmouthed and rather "ide, is enclosed "ith a parchments mem!rane tied on the
ed#es. 'ts !elly "ith holes in it lets !eautiful macles of different si7es escape from it.
he indication of the crystalline form of the sulphur o!tained !y the dry "ay is thus
%ery clear and confirms !y its added details, the esoteric 1uality of our !asHrelief.
The $astle of Dampierre -1../ HHH )ut !efore "e lea%e this masterful ensem!le, "e
"ill allo" oursel%es to connect its teachin#s to that of a curious stone picture that can !e
seen in Oac1ues 8ouers palace in )our#es and "hich apparently can ser%e as a
conclusion to, and summary of, our collection. his sculpted panel forms the tympanum
of a door openin# on the main courtyard, and represents three exotic trees HHH a palm
tree, a fi# tree, and a date tree HHH #ro"in# in the midst of her!aceous plants* a frame of
flo"ers, lea%es, and t"i#s surround the !asHrelief 9Plate VVV'''@.
he palm and date trees, of the same family, "ere kno"n to the Greeks under the
name of phoenix, and Phoenix in ,atin, "hich is our hermetic phoenix* they represent
the t"o Ma#isteries and their results, the t"o "hite and red stones, "hich partake of one
and the same nature included in the ca!alistic denomination of Phoenix. As for the fi#
tree occupyin# the center of the composition, it indicates the mineral su!stance out of
"hich the philosophers dra" the elements of the miraculous re!irth of the Phoenix, and
it is this "ork of re!irth as a "hole "hich constitutes "hat is commonly referred to as
the Great Work.
Accordin# to the apocryphal Gospels it "as a fi# or sycamore fi# tree 9a.k.a. the fi#
tree of the Pharoah@ "hich had the honor of shelterin# the .oly -amily durin# their
fli#ht to 5#ypt of nourishin# them "ith its fruit and of 1uenchin# their thirst, thanks to
the clear and fresh "ater that the child Oesus had dra"n out from !et"een its roots. -i#
tree in Greek is suke, from sukon, fi#, a "ord fre1uently used for kusthos, "ith the
root kuo, to carry in the "om!, to contain* it is the Dir#in Mother "ho !ears the child,
and the alchemical em!lem of the passi%e, chaotic, and cold su!stance, the matrix and
%ehicle of the spirit incarnate. So7omene, a Lth century author, asserts that the tree of
.ermopolis "hich !o"ed !efore the infant Oesus "as called Persea 9*ist# -ccl#. ,i!. D,
ch. K2@. 't is the name of the !alanus 9/alanites Aegyptica@, a shru! from 5#ypt and
Ara!ia, a kind of oak, called !y the Greeks !alanis, acorn, a "ord !y "hich they also
called the myro!alan, fruit of the myro!alan tree. hese di%erse elements are perfectly
related to the su!/ect of the sa#es and the techni1ue of the ars bre"is that Oac1ues 8ouer
seems to ha%e practiced.
Christopher Grummet ~ Sanuis Naturae
his is a Short and Secret "ay "hich fe" also ha%e kno"n. he other "ay is lon#er...
his "ay is lon#, and lasteth almost t"o years, and is %ery tedious, "hich also the
Ancient Philosophers tau#ht...
Johan Grasho ~ The Greater and Lesser "difyer
,astly, ' "ill also #ladly perform certain processes "hich comprehend the true
foundation, so that you may see that if you had understood the philosophy properly at
first, then you could ha%e attained the end in a much more rapid time. Such a failure
"ith the Materia comes especially throu#h misunderstandin# of the first &esolution or
dissol%in# and also of the correct composition, as you shall hear. -or se%eral
philosophers ha%e finished the Work and !rou#ht it to a happy conclusion in >3N days
and others in >= days.
Johan F. "el'etius ~ The Golden $alf
.e "ould not tell me anythin# a!out the cost and the time* +As to its su!stance,+ he
continued, +it is prepared from t"o metals or minerals* the minerals are !etter !ecause
they contain a lar#er 1uantity of mature Sulfur. he sol%ent is a certain celestial salt, !y
means of "hich the Sa#es dissol%e the earthy metallic !ody, and this process elicits the
precious 5lixir of the Sa#es. he "ork is performed from !e#innin# to end in a cruci!le
o%er an open fire* it is consummated in four days, and its cost is only a!out three florins.
(either the Mineral from the 5## nor the Sol%ent Salt are %ery expensi%e.+ ' replied that
his statement "as contradicted !y the sayin# of the Sa#es, "ho assi#n se%en or nine
months as the duration of the Work. .is only ans"er "as that the sayin#s of the Sa#es
"ere to !e understood in a philosophical sense and no i#norant person could apprehend
their true meanin#.
J. Isaac "ollan&us ~ De Lapide Philosophorum
Cou must kno" that the old alchemists made the Stone in many different "ays, and
at the end it "as al"ays #ood. Fno" that the old masters "orked as ' ha%e told you. )ut
their descendants disco%ered many other forms of the "orks !y "hich they could
shorten the Art, such as usin# a1uafort... hey also sou#ht to shorten the time and to try
doin# it accordin# to (ature. he "ork in%ol%es #reat "orry, much la!or and much
expense and uncertainty...
J. I. "ollan&us ~ 0eeta4le 2or(
Fno", my son, that the stone of the philosophers must !e made !y means of Saturn,
and that once it is o!tained in its perfect state, it performs the pro/ection !oth in the
human !ody, internally as "ell as externally, and in the metals. Fno" also that in all
%e#eta!le "orks, there is no #reater secret than in Saturn, for "e find the putrefaction of
#old only in Saturn "here it is hidden. Saturn contains "ithin it the honest #old, on
"hich all philosophers a#ree, pro%ided all its superfluities, i.e., its faeces are remo%ed
from it, only then has it !een pur#ed. he outer is !rou#ht inside* the inner manifests
outer, and that is its redness and then that is the honest Gold.
)esides, Saturn easily enters into solution and coa#ulates similarly. 't lends itself
readily to the extraction of its Mercury. 't can !e easily su!limated, to such an extent
that it !ecomes the mercury of the sun. -or Saturn contains "ithin itself the #old "hich
the Mercury needs, and its mercury is as pure as that of #old. -or these reasons, ' say
that Saturn is, for our Work, !y far prefera!le to #old* for if you "ant to extract mercury
from #old, you "ill need more than a year to extract this !ody out of the sun, "hile you
can extract mercury from Saturn in K3 days. )oth metals are #ood, !ut you can assert
"ith more certainty yet, that Saturn is the stone that the philosophers do not "ant to
name and "hose name until today has !een hidden. -or "ere its name kno"n, many
"ould ha%e found it, "ho are ea#erly lookin# for it, and this art "ould ha%e !ecome
common and %ul#ar. his "ork "ould then !ecome !rief and "ithout much expense.
hus to a%oid these dra"!acks, the philosophers ha%e hidden its name "ith #reat care.
Some ha%e en%eloped it in mar%elous para!les, sayin# that Saturn is the %ase to "hich
nothin# forei#n must !e added, except that "hich comes from it* in such a "ay that
there is no man, ho"e%er poor, "ho cannot !e occupied "ith this Work, since it does
not re1uire #reat expense and since little "ork and fe" days are needed to o!tain the
Moon from it, and a little !it later the Sun. We therefore find in Saturn e%erythin#
necessary for the Work. 'n it is the perfect mercury, in it are all the colors of the "orld
"hich can !e manifested, in it is the true !lackness, the "hiteness, the redness and in it
also is the "ei#ht.
' therefore confide in you that it is easy after that to understand that Saturn is our
philosophical stone, and that )ron7e from "hich mercury and our stone can !e
extracted, in little time and "ithout a lot of dis!ursements, usin# our !rief art. And the
stone "e o!tain from it is our )ron7e, and the acute "ater, "hich is "ithin it, is our
stone. .ere are the Stone and the Water a!out "hich the philosophers ha%e "ritten
mountains of !ooks.
:amala Jnana ~ Dictionary of Alchemical Philosophy
2et 2ay? his is the most commonly follo"ed path. 't is also far more descri!ed
than others are. 't lasts for KN philosophical months. his dictionary "ill !e mostly
a!out this "ay. 't is relati%ely easier, !ecause comments on it can !e easily found. 't is
also the less toxic and less dan#erous.
Dry 2ay? his is a less kno"n path, althou#h 1uicker, lastin# four philosophical
months. he main difference resides on the first Sol%e operations. he "ise men then
use their A#ent in the form of earth. his remainin# unaltered !y humidity in the air is
more acti%e and cooks the matter more stron#ly. 't is ne%ertheless %ery harmful if
!reathed and #i%en the heat re1uired it may easily happen that the %essel explodes.
4icolas LeFe're ~ Secret of Secrets
Ta4le 0..? The TimeW )y the lon# first humid !ut finally dry "ay, se%en months are
sufficient for the Artist, !ut for the 1uick dry "ay, fi%e hours are enou#h.
he humid and dry "ay is !ut 0ne Way, "hich !y dili#ence or ne#li#ence of the
operator, may !e a!!re%iated or prolon#ed.
!aymon& Lully ~ Letter or "pitome to *in ,upert
Cou ask "hich of the three Stones is more useful, readily o!tained, and efficacious:
Well, the mineral method is lon# and full of risks. 't consists in t"o "aters, one of
"hich makes the Stone %olatile "ithout la!our or dan#er* the other fixes it, and is fixed
"ith it, and this operation is attended "ith risk. his latter "ater is extracted from a
certain fetid menstruum* it is stron#er than any other "ater, and the dan#er consists in
the ease "ith "hich, in a!lution, its spirit may escape.
he Animal Stone is far more difficult of composition, so that far #reater kno"led#e
is re1uired for it* yet it ena!les you not only to transmute metals into #old, !ut to chan#e
anythin# into any other thin#, "hence the potency of this Stone is infinite. he
De#eta!le Stone takes still lon#er to prepare, and has still more "onderful %irtues than
the Animal Stone. 't should follo" the Animal Stone as far as the rectification of
elements, and, if thus prepared, its effect passes into the animal. 5%erythin# transmuted
!y means of the De#eta!le Stone, far transcends (ature in excellence and si7e, !ecause
it is impre#nated "ith the 1uintessence "hich performs so many "onderful thin#s in the
"orld. All alchemical #old is composed from corrosi%es, and from the incorrupti!le
1uintessence "hich is fixed "ith the ferment !y the skill of the artist. Such 1uintessence
is a certain mortified and empoisoned spirit in the Mineral Stone. he Animal Stone
may !e the most miraculous medicine for the human !ody, /ust as if it "ere an extract
of human !lood. he 1uintessence "hich is in the De#eta!le Stone restores youth, and
preser%es the human !ody from all accidental corruption. he spirit of the 1uintessence,
as you kno", is that "hich tin#es and transmutes, if it !e mixed "ith its proper ferment.
he De#eta!le Stone is more no!le, and useful, and efficacious, than all the rest.
Cou ask me "hether the "ork can !e shortened* ' tell you that all a!!re%iation
diminishes perfection, so that the medicine "hich is composed !y accurtation has less
transmutatory po"er. here is, ho"e%er, a multiplex accurtation of the Mineral Stone.
'n order to curtail its effect as little as possi!le, you should after the first calcination and
putrefaction, "hich is performed "ith the most limpid and clear first "ater durin# a
space of K= days, and not less, separate from the su!stance a red po"der, and distill it
"ith the second "ater so as to pre%ent the escape of the spirit. ake only the last part of
this "ater, after ru!efaction in the alem!ic. Dissol%e therein the po"ders, !y placin#
!oth in hot "ater in a sealed %essel* then set o%er it an alem!ic, and distill as much as
"ill ascend. his "ater pour a"ay* that "hich remains "ith the !ody coa#ulate in a
"ellHclosed %essel amon# hot ashes* make other "ater and pour o%er it, then distill and
coa#ulate ten times. hus the Stone "ill !e made perfect. 'f you "ish to increase its
efficiency, you may #o on distillin# and coa#ulatin# it as often as you like, or until it is
impossi!le to con#eal the !ody further. his Medicine "ill chan#e metals into #old, and
may !e completed in N= days at the most.
'n the case of the Animal Stone, there is no possi!ility of a!rid#ment, except, indeed,
that the earth may !e ruled "ith fire, and the "ater "ith air, "hen its efficacy "ill !e the
same* this is called the accurtation of middle time. As to the De#eta!le Stone, the same
may !e said. he follo"in# directions "ill !e found useful in the preparation of this
StoneB
Wherefore ' speak thin#s "hich are miraculous, "hich seemed to !e incredi!le to all
the ancient Philosophers, that is, that thou shalt kno" "ell to separate this oil from the
"ateriness and thou shalt la!our in the manner of the mixtion of them, and thou shalt !e
a!le to make the Stone in >= days, !ut this is not necessary !y itself !ecause the
solutions and coa#ulations of it 9as hath !een said@ are 1uickly made and done...
' demand in "hat time this !lessed Stone may !e made, to "hich it is ans"ered as a
certain author ,elius the Philosopher "itnesses, that his ma#istery "as finished in ei#ht
days, and that another did it in se%en days, and another in three months, and some in
four months, and some in half a year, and some in the space of a "hole year, and Maria
says she did it in three days. o this ' say that the cause of di%ersity, that is of shortness
and len#th of time, mi#ht !e defect in the %irtue of the "ater of Mercury or !ecause it
"orketh of Sol and ,una. And some of the Philosophers added more and some less. )ut
Sol is fixed and not flyin#, and "ith that only did they "ork.
6r. Johan Muller ~ Hyle and $oahyl
Cou see, ' ha%e tau#ht you the complete "ork from its !e#innin# to the end, !ut
many don$t like this "ay !ecause of the lon# time that it takes* !ut the other "ay, the
second "ay, ' "ill teach you here"ith, and in not too lon# a time you "ill attain to the
secret of the Work Adamists.
Myriam Prophetessa ~ Her $onversation with Aros6 *in of "ypt
Myriam: My dear ArosU ' can accomplish the "ork of our Stone not only in one day,
!ut e%en in part of a day.
Doest thee not kno", ArosU hat there is a Water or a hin#, "hich Whiteneth
hendra#esI
.ermes has mentioned that the philosophers are accustomed to "hiten the stone in
one hour.
'f ' did not find a steady mind in thee, 0 ArosU ' "ould say no moreU
ake Alum from Spain, the White Gum, and the &ed Gum, the Fi!ru of the
Philosophers, their Gold, and the Great incture.
Make a marria#e of the Gum "ith the Gum, !y a true union*
Proceed there"ith, that they may flo" like "ater* this "ell prepared "ater hou must
%itrify, that is, thou must make a #lass thereof.
his #lass is composed of "o Su!/ects and a fixed !ody. &ender this matter fusi!le
!y the secret operation of nature in the Philosophical Dessel.
ake care of the -ume, and !e"are, that nothin# of the fume may escapeU Attend the
"ork, "ith a #entle fire, such as the Sun #i%es in Ouly.
)e not a!sent from the Dessel, that thou mayst o!ser%e, ho" the matter !ecomes
)lack, White and &ed, in less than > hours of a day, and the fume "ill penetrate the
!ody, the Spirits "ill keep to#ether and "ill !ecome like Milk, "hich softens, and
renders fusi!le and penetratin#.
And this is the Secret, 0 ArosU
My dear ArosU ' could tell hee another Secret, "hich the Philosophers !efore me,
did not kno" or make use ofU And that "as not anythin# Medicinal. 't is this: ake that
White, 8lear and muchHhonoured her!, "hich is found in the lo" .ills, pound it fresh
and sift the po"der %ery finely.
his is the true fixt !ody, "hich does not flee from the fire, !ut rather melts into
#lass.
Aros: 's this the truthI
Myriam: Ces, truly. )ut %ery fe" kno" this re#imen and the 1uickness in the fire.
Ditrify or make a #lass o%er the matter* o%er the Fi!rick and Pu!reck, o%er the t"o
-umes "hich contain t"o ,i#hts, and "hen it is perfect, thro" or pro/ect therein the
fulfillin# or ferment of the incture and of the Spirits, accordin# to the true Wei#ht.
hen pul%eri7e it, it is %ery !rittle, and make use of it in a stron# fire, and thou "ilt
see stran#e thin#s performed there!y.
he "hole &e#imen depends on the moderation of the -ire. 't "ill pass from one
8olour to another, in one hour$s time, !efore it !ecomes White and &ed. When thou hast
o!tained perfect &edness, let the fire #o out and let the matter #ro" cold, open the
Dessel.
And thou "ilt find the !ody appears no" like a fine pearl, "ith a tint of the "ild
Poppy intermixed "ith "hite, and this is the su!stance, "hich inceriates, #i%eth in#ress,
mollifies and penetrates.
And this Stone can !e pro/ected on 2K== parts of ,ead or in.
Myriam said further to Fin# Aros: ' "ill teach thee, ho" to proceed !y the shortest
"ay: "ith the 8lear -ixt )ody, found on small hills: this !ody cannot !e con1uered !y
putrefaction. ake that !ody finely po"dered and sifted* ru! it up #ently "ith Gum
5lsaron, ru! it %ery finely and unite the t"o po"ders.
'f you pro/ect this or unite this "ith her spouse, it "ill flo" like "ater, and "hen it
cools, it "ill !e coa#ulated and hey "ill !ecome one )ody* pro/ect some part of this
!ody, and thou "ill see "onderful thin#s.
he !efore mentioned "o -umes are the White Fi!rick: !ut the fixt !ody is from
the heart of Saturn, "hich preser%es the incture.
he Philosophers ha%e #i%en %arious names to this fixt !ody, "hich is taken from
small hills, and it is a 8lear White )ody.
hese are the principles of this art, "hich can partly !e !ou#ht, partly it is found on
small hills.
'n our "ork enter -our Stones, and the &e#imen is as ' ha%e said* the first are:
Seoyare, Ade and Pilket.
he Philosophers ha%e al"ays indicated a lon# &e#imen, and ha%e concealed the
Work, that no man should easily undertake it, and they pretend to !e a "hole year in
doin# the ma#istery* )ut all this is done "ith no other %ie", than to hide the "ork from
the i#norant, until they can comprehend it, !ecause it is only accomplished "ith fine
Gold, "hich is a #reat and Di%ine Secret.
Myriam said further to Fin# Aros: he Dessel of .ermes does consist in the De#ree
of the -ire. he &oot of our Art is a )rittle ,eprous )ody and %enomous matter "hich
destroys all mineral and metallic !odies and reduces them into a po"der. 't coa#ulates
Mercury !y its fumes.
Myriam added, !y sayin#: ' s"ear unto thee !y the li%in# God, that if the !eforeH
mentioned %enomous matter !e dissol%ed and opened, it coa#ulates Mercury into ,una,
!y its stren#th, and tin#es Oupiter into ,una and the Art is in all the Metals, !ut
especially in the -ixt metals, "herein lie the in#ein# 5lements.
Paracelsus ~ The Philosophical $anons
= @@ ? he Philosophers "ork can !e carried on "ithout much la!our or expense at
all ties, in e%ery place, and !y all, if only the true and sufficient matter !e forthcomin#.
= AB ? he lon# method is the open secret of philosophy, !ut it is a %eil and an
e%asion.
= AA ? here is a certain short method !y "hich the Sulfur is remo%ed from #old and
sil%er, "here!y e%ery Mercury is permanently chan#ed into #old or sil%er.
= 11C ? he Wise reduce years to months, months to "eeks, "eeks to days
$irenaeus Philalethes ~ ,ipley ,evived
An ")position Upon Sir G3 ,ipley9s "pistle @@@ ' kno" many pitiful Sophisters do
dote on many Stones, De#eta!le, Animal, and Mineral* and some to those add the fiery
An#elical, Paradaical Stone, "hich they call a WonderH"orkin# 5ssence* and !ecause
the mark they aim at is so #reat, the "ays also !y "hich they "ould attain their scope,
they make also a#reea!le, that is a dou!le "ay* 0ne "ay they call (ia *umi+a, the
other they call(ia Sicca, 9to use their lan#ua#es:@ the latter "ay is the ,a!yrinthian path,
"hich is fit only for the #reat ones of the earth to tread in* the other the Daedalean Path,
an easie "ay of small cost for the poor of the "orld to enterprise.
)ut this ' kno", and can testifie, that there is !ut one "ay, and !it only one &e#imen,
no more colours than ours* and "hat "e say or "rite other"ise, is !ut to decei%e the
un"ary: -or if e%ery thin# in the "orld ou#ht to ha%e its proper causes, there cannot !e
any one end "hich is produced from t"o "ayes of "orkin# on distinct Principles.
herefore "e protest, and must a#ain admonish the &eader, that in our former
"ritin#s@ "e ha%e concealed much, !y reason of the t"o "ays "e ha%e insinuated,
"hich "e "ill !riefly touch* here is one Work of ours, "hich is the Play of 0hil+ren,
and the Work of Women, and that is Decoction !y the -ire* and "e protest that the
lo"est de#ree of this our "ork, is, that the matter !e stirred up, and may hourly circulate
"ithout fear o !reakin# the Dessel, "hich for this reason ou#ht to !e %ery stron#* !ut
our lineal Decoction is an 'nternal Work, "hich ad%ances e%ery day and hour, and is
distinct from that of out"ard heat, and therefore is !oth in%isi!le and insensi!leB
)ut trust me this is not for a yro, nor for e%ery one of us, unless he ha%e the Secret
from his o"n Studies, and not !y radition from a Master or Guide. Fno" then that this
foreHrecited "ay is true, !ut in%ol%ed "ith a thousand !roileries.
)ut our "ay "hich is an easie "ay, and in "hich no man may erre, our !road "ay,
our ,inear "ay, "e ha%e %o"ed ne%er to re%eal it !ut in Metaphors* ' !ein# mo%ed "ith
pity, "ill hint it to you. ake that "hich is not yet perfect, nor yet "holly imperfect, !ut
in a "ay to perfection and out of it make "hat is most no!le and most perfect: his you
may concei%e to !e an easier &eceipt, then to take that "hich is already perfect, and
extract out of it "hat is imperfect, and then make it perfect, and after out of that
perfection to dra" a plus1uam perfection: and yet this is true, and "e ha%e "rou#ht it,
And !ecause it is an immense ,a!our for any to undertake, "e descri!e that "ay* !ut
this last disco%ery "hich ' hinted in fe" "ords, is it "hich no man e%er did so plainly
lay open, nor may any man make it more plain, upon pain of an AnathemaB
Pray then to God, that he "ould !e propitious unto your studies and la!ours, in #i%in#
thee the true kno"led#e of this secret Mystery* it is the #ift of God, ' ha%e holpen thee
"hat ' can, !ut %enture not to practice !arely upon my "ords, for kno" that "hat ' ha%e
only hinted, is far more then "hat ' ha%e disco%ered* and "hat ' ha%e declared to thy
first apprehension most openly, hath yet its lurkin# Serpent under the #reen Grass, '
mean some hidden thin# "hich thou ou#htest to understand, "hich thou !ein# 8ockH
sure at first !lush "ilt ne#lect* !ut yet it "ill !ite thee !y the heel "hen thou
approachest to practice, and make thee !e#in a#ain, and it may !e at last thro" a"ay all
as a man desperate: for kno" that this is an Art %ery 8a!alistical, and "e do study
expression such as "e kno" "ill suit almost "ith any mans fancy, in one place or other*
!ut !e sure to take this Maxim from one "ho kno"s !est the sence of "hat he hath
"ritten: Where "e speak most plainly, there !e most circumspect, for "e do not #o
a!out to !etray the Secrets of (ature* especially then in those places "hich seem to #i%e
&eceipts so plain as you "ould desire, suspect either a Metaphor, or else !e sure that
somethin# or other is supprest, "hich thou "ilt hardly "ithout 'nspiration e%er find of
thy self, "hich in tryal "ill make all thy confident kno"led#e %anish* yet to a Son of
Art, "e ha%e "ritten that "hich ne%er heretofore "as !y any re%ealedB
-or Mtis a ,a!our hardly to !e !orne,
So many tricks and turnin#s in it !e,
And he that tryeth it is surely forlorne,
:nless a crafty Master, credit me*
-or ' ha%e tried !oth, yet could not see
.o" any in this "ay can !e secure:
' therefore "ho ha%e %o"ed secrecy
.a%e "rit this "ay, "hich "e can scarce endure
-or kno"led#eHsake to try, its ease "ill none allure.
0ur Fin#ly road ' also hinted ha%e,
0ur "ay in "hich a -ool can hardly erre,
0ur secret "ay, "hich much mad toyl "ill sa%e,
Which is so easie, that ' may a%er,
'f thou shouldst see it, thou "ouldst it prefer
o any earthly pleasure* yet !e"are
hat you mistake not, for ' do a%er,
A min#led Doctrine these lines do declare,
' or !oth "ays in this )ook of mine do claim a share.
,earn to distin#uish e%ery sentence "ell,
And kno" to "hat Work it doth appertain*
his is #reat skill, "hich fe" as ' can tell
)y all their readin# yet could ere attain,
And yet of heory this is the main:
Also to kno" accordin#ly to #i%e
Due heat, "hich in one "ay thou must !e fain
increase tenHfold, thou mayst me "ell !elie%e,
-or "hat "e decoct, tother a"ay "ill dri%e.
Also their 0perations different
Appear, the one thou must su!lime and !oyl,
0 tedious "ayU 'n "hich much time is spent,
And many errours, "hich the Work "ill spoyl:
he other silently doth make no toyl,
,ike the still %oice "hich to 5liah came,
A!out "hich Work thou needest not to !royl,
(or "antst thou fiery Dulcans parchin# flame,
A far more #entle heat !e#ins and ends this Game.
)ut if thou canst each Work perform apart,
And kno"st them after"ard to reconcile,
hen art thou Master of a Princely Art,
he %ery success "ill thy hopes !e#uile*
hou hast all (atures Works ranks in a -ile,
And all her reasures at command dost keep,
0n thee the -ate shall ne%er dare !ut smile,
(o Mystery is no" for thee too deep,
h art (atures Darlin#, "hether thou dost "ake or sleep.
Pardon my plainness, if the Art thou kno"st,
M"as the fruit of my untamed desire
o profit many* and "ithout a !oast,
(o man a!o%e my 8andour shall aspire:
My 7eal "as kindled "ith Miner%as -ire,
And thou "ho to this Art "ilt no" apply,
My )ook in (atures "ay shall lead thee hi#her,
hen e%er thou alone mayst hope to fly,
'f only thou shalt fa%ourd !e !y Destiny.
Peruse these lines, and !ein# read, re%ie"
And read a#ain, and on them meditate,
5ach readin# shall fresh Mysteries and ne"
Disco%er, "hich are scatterd in each Gate*
-or they so linked are, that all relate
o each, and "e our "ords ha%e "o%en so,
hat thou mayst soon erre !y misleadin# -ate,
:nless for to distin#uish thou do kno"*
&emem!er that Mmon#st )riars thick, s"eet &oses #ro".
$ir. Philalethes ~ An #pen "ntrance to the $losed Palace of the *in
$hapter 1.1 HHH his method has !een follo"ed !y many Sa#es, !ut it is exceedin#ly
slo" and tedious, and is only for the rich of the earth. Moreo%er, "hen you ha%e #ot this
Sulfur do not think that you possess the Stone, !ut only its true matter, "hich you may
seek in an imperfect thin#, and find it "ithin a "eek, !y our easy yet rare "ay, reser%ed
of God for his poor, contemned, and a!/ect saints...
his is the Great ,a!yrinth in "hich most !e#inners #o astray, !ecause the Sa#es in
"ritin# of these "ays as t"o "ays, purposely o!scure the fact that they are only one
"ay 9thou#h of course the one is more direct than the other@... ' kno" !oth "ays, and
prefer the shorter one* !ut ' ha%e descri!ed the lon#er one as "ell in order that ' may
not dra" do"n upon myself the "rath of the +Sa#es+. he #reat difficulty "hich
discoura#es all !e#inners is not of nature$s makin#: the Sa#es ha%e created it !y
speakin# of the lon#er operation "hen they mean the shorter one, and %ice %ersa.
$ugenius Philalethes ~ A Short "n8uiry $oncernin the Hermetic Art
+here is a pure Matter+ 9saith another@ +"hich is the Matter of Gold, containin# in
itself the heat that #i%eth increase+ 9-ire of Generation@. his is locked under thick
-olds in common Gold* nor is it to !e extracted, !ut !y a stron# and tedious Decoction,
"hich is a Work lia!le to many 5rrors, and hath al"ays occasioned those that "rou#ht
in it to complain of the len#th and trou!le of it. )ut in the other Work, the )ody is soon
dissol%ed, !y a s"eet and kindly !ath, or moist -ire.
As the former path re1uires much Pain and Patience to effect the Work, so this
re1uires #reat Skill and Application to find it out, !ein# deeply concealed. he Masters
of these Secrets do also affirm, that these Works 9"hich are all one in the )e#innin#@
may !e con/oined, and made their Grand Medicine. And ' ha%e !een informed, that the
"ay of makin# them one is !ut slenderly hid...
And that he "ill find himself in the .i#h &oad of (ature "hich is that Secret Way of
the Philosophers, %i7., most easie, deli#htful and speedy* in "hich are no Storms, no
.etero#eneities, nor any -ire, !ut the #entle one of Generation.
(orton asserts, hat there are !ut fe" clerks that comprehend this Work, it !ein#
truly Philosophical. And he saith, hat in this Work you must not !e#in "ith
Guicksil%er and Metals, as if in another Work you mi#ht* "hich other Work, he adds, if
it !e done in three years, "ould !e a !lessed 8hance, and "hich !elon#s to #reat Men*
ad%isin# poor Men not to meddle "ith it, for that 5rrors in it may !e committed a!o%e a
hundred "ays* that it is a "ork of Pain and la!our, as "ell as full of Perils.
George !ipley ~ %edulla Alchymiae
he first Matter of this unclean Alchymical )ody is a Discous Water, "hich is
thickened in the )o"els of the 5arth. And therefore of this 'mpure )ody 9as Dincent
saith@ is made the #reat 5lixir of the &ed and White, "hose name is Adrop, or Adrup,
%i7., the Philosophers$ lead. -rom the "hich &aymundus commands an 0yl to !e dra"n:
from the ,ead of the Philosophers 9saith he@ let there !e an 0yl dra"n of a Golden
8olour* if you can separate this 0yl 9"herein is 0ur second incture and -ire of nature@
from its Phle#m, "hich is its "aterishness, and "isely search out the Secret thereof, you
may in the space of >= days perform the Work of the Philosophers$ Stone.
Martin !ulan&us ~ A Le)icon of Alchemy
2ater HHH Dry Water "hich does not "et the hands. 't must !e remem!ered in this
connection that those Adepts "ho #i%e this name to their Mercury are follo"ers of the
Dry Way in the operation of the Ma#isterium* those "ho, like Paracelsus, )asil
Dalentin, etc., are operators of the .umid Way, apply to the same su!stance the
appellation of Dir#in$s Milk, !ecause it is a "hite li1uor "hich does "et the hands,
"hile the other is a fluid Mercury of the nature of Dul#ar Guicksil%er.
Gold? .ts Artificial Production HHH ...his chemical secret is contained in
the *ermetic 0abinet, and the facility "ith "hich the experiment can !e performed has
led many persons to undertake it. he authority cited in support of it is no less than that
of the most learned )asil Dalentine, "ho also affirms that the operation of the Grand
Work of the Philosophers can !e performed in less than three or four days, that the cost
should not exceed three or four florins, and a fe" earthen %essels are sufficient for the
"hole experiment.
%olinus %al7tal ~ Fountain of Philosophic Salts
At this point the old man said: +)ehold, no" ' ha%e dou!led mercury in my
possession. (o" ' o"n it HHH "hite lily, po"der of adamantine, chief central poison of
the dra#on, spirit of arsenic, #reen lion, incom!usti!le spirit of the moon, life and death
of all metals, moist radical, uni%ersal dissol%in# nutriment, true menstruum of the
philosophers, "hich "ithout doin# any dama#e or harm reduces metal to first matter.
his is the true "ater for sprinklin#, in "hich the li%in# seeds of metals inhere, and
from "hich other metals can !e produced. hrou#h this "ater their potency remains in
solution in this "ater. 'n all kinds of a1ua fortis and other such unkno"n philosophic
"aters, they lose and relin1uish this potency. 'n this exalted "ater is the true %itriol of
the "ise, of "hich &upicessa said: +Ditriol or salt is the proper seed to #enerate all
metals, includin# !oth the remote and the proximate seed.+ ' "ill sho" you its po"er as
clearly as in a mirror: for this "ater from the fountain radically, silently, and
"ondrously dissol%es all metals, "hite and !lack, !y its o"n innate po"er and ma#netic
force. 'n an instant it li1uifies metals !y its o"n internal fire. 't opens their pores and
enters them like feminine seed, attractin# the soul of the metal. 't lea%es the lifeless
!ody !ehind like refuse that cannot endure the fire. 8ertainly it is a %ery mar%elous
thin# that this "ater strips metals of their di#nity. 't is the dry path of the philosophers,
!y "hich metals are reduced to their first matter. 't is considered %ery s"ift, !ut
compendious. Since "e "ant to proceed on the humid path, in "hich common "ater is
added to this "ater to make it li1uid, "e must first make the metals %ery !ri#ht. his
operation takes a #reat deal of time and effort, !ut it is !eautiful to look at...
#heophrastus ~ The Sacred Art
he "hite au#mented thrice "ithin a fire
'n three days time is alto#ether chan#ed
o lastin# yello" and this yello" then
Will #i%e its hue to e%ery "hitened form.
his po"er to tin#e and shape produces #old
And thus a "ondrous mar%el is re%ealed.
Arnol& &e ,illano'a ~ ,osarium Philosophorum
Aristotle in the Second 'oo( of his Politics HHH here is a dou!le "ay in this art
accordin# to the Philosophers, that is HHH uni%ersal and particular. he uni%ersal "ay is
easy and rare, and it is that "hich is !rou#ht forth from true and natural !e#innin#s, !y
"hich a speedy and reformati%e %irtue doth presently and in a moment hardens
Mercury, and it tinctureth any metal that is duly prepared, into true Gold or Sil%er.
)ut the second "ay is called particular and it is hard and la!oursome. (ote this,
althou#h Alchemy in the uni%ersal "ay !e partly natural and partly artificial, yet it is
more natural than other"ise, !ecause !y nature no stran#e or forei#n thin# is !rou#ht in
the "ay of true Alchemy, for nature hath "hereon to "ork !ecause acti%es are /oined to
passi%es !y a competent union and application, !ut the rest nature "orketh !y herself.
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Alchemy Index
Table of Contents
Adept Alchemy
Part I
Ars Magna
Chapter D
Arsenic 2 Gur
Anon. + Hydropyroraphum Hermeticum
Anon. + A %anificent ! Select Tract on Philosophical 2ater
Anon. + The 'oo( of the Science of '(rtnth
Anon. + An Anonymous Treatise on the Philosophers& Stone
Anon. + The $rownin of Nature
Anon. ~ ,osarium Philosophorum
Anon. ~ The Tom4 of Semiramis
Aristeus + Tur4a Philosophorum
!. Bacon + The %irror of Alchemy
!. Bacon ~ The ,oot of the 2orld
%. Bacstrom ~ Lapis de Tri4us
A. Besant 2 C. Lea&beater + #ccult $hemistry
6. Beuther + The Transmutation of 'ase %etals into Gold and Silver
.. Bloomiel& + 'loomfield9s 'lossoms
P. Bonus + The New Pearl of Great Price
A. Cou&ert ~ Alchemy + The Philosophers9 Stone
!. .. Councell + Apoloia Alchemiae
J. Cremer + The Testament of $remer
M. Croslan& + Historical Studies in the Lanuae of $hemistry
Cyliani + Hermes Unveiled
J. 6ee + ,osicrucian Secrets
G. 6ella Porta + Hermetic Treatise
J. 6uchesnes + Treatise on %etallic %edicine
A. $lea7ar + Aesch %e5areph
J. $spagnet + Arcanum6 or the Grand Secret of Hermetics
". Fictul& + Aureum 0ellus
B. Figulus + A Golden ! 'lessed $as(et of Nature9s %arvels
Fulcanelli + The %ystery of the $athedrals
Fulcanelli + The Dwellins of the Philosophers
Geber + The Sum of Perfection
Geber + The .nvention of 0erity6 or Perfection
J. Grasho + The Greater ! Lesser "difyer
C. Grummet + Sanuis Naturae
J. 'an "elmont ~ Arca Arcani Artificiosissimi Apertae
"ermes + Tractatus Aureus de Lapidus Physici Secreto
$. "itchcoc< + Alchemy ! the Alchemists
J. "ollan&us + A 2or( of Saturn
J. "ollan&us + #puscula Alchymica
J. "ollan&us + The $a4ala
J. "ollan&us + De Lapide Philosophorum
!. Ingalese + They %ade the Philosophers Stone
Pope Jean ++II ~ The Art of Transmutation
F. Jolli'et*Castelot + The $hemical %anufacture of Gold
C. Jung ~ %ysterium $oniunctionis
J. Juran + Hyle and $oahyl
A. :irchEeger + The Golden $hain of Homer
F. Liba'ius + $ommentariosum Alchemiaem
!. Lully + Apertorium
!. Lully + Testament
A. Magnus + $ompound of $ompounds
A. Magnus ~ Li4ellus de Alchemia
P. &e Miran&ola + #n Gold
B. Moo<erFee + ,asa@7ala@Nidhi
Morienus + A Testament of Alchemy
J. 4ee&ham + The Theoretical 'ac(round of "li)ir Alchemy
I. 4eEton ~ 0erses at the end of '3 0alentine&s %ystery of the %icrocosm
". 4ollius + The $hemist9s *ey
$. 4oEell + $ertain $hemical 2or(s with True Practice
5lympio&orus o Ale>an&ria
5stanes + The 'oo( of #stanes
#. Paracelsus + Aurora of the Philosophers
#. Paracelsus + The ,evelation of Hermes
#. Paracelsus + The "conomy of %inerals
!. Patai + The 7ewish Alchemists
Pearce the Blac< Mon< + Upon the "li)ir
A.*J. Pernety + Treatise on the Great Art
A.*J. Pernety + Dictionaire %ytho@HermAti8ue
$. Philalethes + Preparation of the Sophic %ercury
$. Philalethes ~ ,ipley ,evived
$. Philalethes + An #pen "ntrance to the $losed Palace of the *in
$. Philalethes ~ A Short %anuduction to the $elestial ,u4y
P. !ay + History of $hemistry in Ancient ! %edieval .ndia
!hasis + The Liht of Lihts
G. !ipley + The "pistle unto "dward .0
G. !ipley + %edulla Alchimae
C. '. !osenroth + *a4ala Denudata
M. !ulan&us ~ A Le)icon of Alchemy
%. %alt7al + Fountain of Philosophical Salts
.. '. %chroe&er ~ .nstructions ,eardin the Art of Transmutation
L. &e %t*6i&ier /A. #oussaint3 + Hermetic Triumph
B. #re'isan + 0er4um Dismissum
Grbigeris + Aphorisma Ur4ieris
B. ,alentine + Triumphal $hariot of Antimony
#. ,aughan + A8ua 0itae? Non 0itis
A. &e ,illa 4o'a + Lucidary
A. &e ,illa 4o'a + ,osarium Philosophorum
A. .aite + Paracelsian Le)icon
J. .ebster ~ %etalloraphia? #r6 An History of %etals
)osimos + #n the "vaporation of the Divine 2ater
#he Ars 'revis re%ealed !y Myriam and other alchemists is most intri#uin# and appealin#. Cet,
many aspirin# alchemists ha%e died in %ain due to their carelessness, i#norance, and haste in this
operation, "hich apparently in%ol%es Arsenic. here is no mar#in for error: arsenic is %ery toxic. A
sin#le !u!!le of arsine 9the hydride #as@ can !e fatal. 't !ehoo%es you to !e familiar "ith inor#anic
chemistry and literature such as O.W. Mellor$s0omprehensi"e Treatise on $norganic 1 Theoretical
0hemistry 9'V@, 0hemical Abstracts. !erck $n+e2. etc#. particularly as concerns arsenic trioxide,
arsenious acid hemidydrate and the trichloride.
Arsenic is the alchemical child of Gur, a mysterious terrestrial #el that is extremely rare today,
insofar as %ery fe" people are a"are of its existence* fe"er still search for it, and find it. 'n ancient
times, Gur often "as found in mines 9especially in lead mines@, !ut the modern practice of
explosi%e !lastin# pre%ents its manifestation. 't has !een called Gur only in a fe" !ooks. (ature can
and "ill make a #ift of Gur to her ,o%ers, !ut you must !e prepared to collect and seal it in a clean
#lass %essel, and use it immediately 9add #old and heat@. Sendi%o#ius 9or, Seton, if you prefer@,
states in The New 0hemical 3ight) +'n the "inter this unctuous %apor is con#ealed !y the frost+.
his is true, as ' ha%e found it thus 9presented to me !y the 5arth@. 0ther"ise, Gur also fits the
description #i%en !y Dioscorides for +chalcanthon+, and !y Pliny for +atramentum sutorium+
9%itriol, ferrous sulfate@, from "hich Sulfur rioxide 9the Philosophical Mercury of Al!ertus
Ma#nus@ can !e prepared !y dry distillation, if you choose to explore in that direction.
Anon. ~ Hydropyroraphum Hermeticum
his Dir#in and !lessed Water the Philosophers named in their )ooks "ith many thousand
names* they call it .ea%en, 8elestial Water, 8elestial &ain, the de" of .ea%en, MayHde", Water of
Paradise, partin# Water, A1ua &e#is, a corrosi%e A1uafort, sharp Dine#ar, )randy, Guintessence of
Wine, #ro"thful #reen /uice, a #ro"in# Mercury, a %iridescent Water, and ,eo Diridis, Guick
Sil%er, Menstruum, )lood, :rine, .orseHpiss, Milk, and Dir#ins Milk, "hite Arsenick, Sil%er, ,une,
and /uice of ,une... SEc.T
Anon. ~ A %anificent ! Select Tract on Philosophical 2ater
...he philosophers ha%e called this maid 9)e/a@ and !lessed "ater !y many thousands of
different names in their !ooks. hey call it hea%en, a hea%enly "ater, a hea%enly rain... milk and
%ir#in$s milk, "ater of arsenic, sil%er, ,una "ater, "oman, a female seed, a sulphuric steam and
smoke, a fiery, !urnin# spirit, a deathly allHpenetratin# poison, a )asilicum, "hich kills all thin#s, a
poisonous snake, a poisoned "orm, a dra#on...
Anon. ~ The 'oo( of the Science of '(rtnt4
Appen&i> /,ocabulary3 ***
4alam W 5arnikh SA. arsenicT...
alumin W S'. alumina. aluminaT W 5arnikh6 orpimento...
lutemetalium. limasinas. orpimento W 5arnikh...
&atami4a W tusi4ah S'., tutty, "hite arsenicT...
sa+ara&ah S'., san+aracca. realgarT W san+arus SA. san+arac, red arsenicT...
san+ariai W !urnt orpiment or !urnt arsenic...
isawres W arseni&o saruf S'., arsenico, .. saruf, !urntT...
itutiyah SA.T W tutty, "hite arsenic...
5arnikh SA., arsenicT...
Anon. ~ An Anonymous Treatise on the Philosophers& Stone
(o" the aforesaid Su!/ectum is of such a nature that it, our Ma#nesia, doth not only contain a
small proportioned 1uantity of the uni%ersal Spiritus Ditalis in itself, !ut also hath some of the
hea%enly po"er condensed and compressed "ithin it. Many "ho found it "ere so intoxicated !y its
fumes that they remained in their place and could no lon#er raise themsel%es.
Anon. ~ The $rownin of Nature
.mprenation *** We must kno" that "hen the 5arth is a little made "hite, there it is termed
Pre#nation, !ecause then the 5arth is 'mpre#nated. -or "hen the 5arth is /oined "ith an imperfect
!ody, it is called 0ur 5arth, !ecause the 5arth is the Mother of all the elements, and this is that
"hich they term Sunidentified alchemical sym!olT, "hen the 5arth !e#ins to retain "ith it some"hat
of Arsenic, or 0ur Salt, or Ar#ent %i%e, for then it is called a 8onception, !ecause the male acts
to"ards the female, !ecause the Mystery of the Philosophers is nothin# else !ut the male and
female and their con/unction.
Water comin# to them, that is Arsenic or 0ur Salt, "hich increases much in the 5arth and is
au#mented and comes out "hen the 5arth is deal!ated, then it is called a Pre#nation, !ecause the
5arth ha%in# concei%ed #oes a"ay pre#nant.
Anon. ~ ,osarium Philosophorum
#ut of the Lucidary of Arnoldus HHH ...)ut the po"der ascendin# up"ards from the faeces is
ashes extracted from ashes, and earth su!limed and honoured, !ut that "hich remains !eneath is
ashes of ashes, and the lo"er ashes is to !e condemned and disposed as faeces and dross. Make,
therefore, a difference !et"een the clear and !ri#ht thereof, !ecause "hen it is most "hite and
ascends like sno" then it "ill !e accomplished. Gather it, therefore, "arily that it fly not a"ay in
fume, !ecause it is a #ood thin# to !e sou#ht for, a "hite foliated earth, con#ealin# that "hich is to
!e con#ealed and cleansin# that "hich is to !e cleansed, and purifyin# Arsenic and "hite Sulphur,
of "hich Aristotle says that it is the !est thin# the Alchemists can take, that of it they may make
Sil%er...
Senior HHH Sulfur and Arsenic are not the true medicine of this ma#istery, !ecause they neither
accomplish nor effect fully, as hath !een sufficiently kno"n of all the lesser mineralsB
#f the Salt of the Philosophers *** And "hen it "as "hite they called it Arsenic, and !y the
name of e%ery "hite thin#, and also Dir#ins Milk, and "hen it "as red they called it Sulfur, and
Oacinth, and !y the name of e%ery red thin#B
#f the Dou4le Difference of %inerals *** )ut mineral !odies are specially distin#uished into t"o
parts. hat is to say, into a metallic part and a mineral part. 'nto a metallic part, that is, into metals
"hich dra" their ori#inal from Mercury, and into a mineral part "hich does not come from
Mercury. An example from metals H Sol, ,una, Oupiter, and Mars has its mixture of #old and sil%er.
An example from minerals HHH Salts, 'nks, Alums, Arsenic. Auripigment. All metals are ductile and
li1uefia!le "hich dra" their ori#inal from Mercury, !ecause the matter of them, out of a "atery
su!stance mixed "ith an earthy su!stance, !y a stron# commixtion that the one cannot !e separated
from the other, "herefore that "atery su!stance is con#ealed "ith cold more after the action of heat
and therefore they "ill !e more fa!rile or ductile, and the "ater only is not con#ealed !ut only "ith
the earthly dryness "hich alters the "ateryness, "hen as there is no unctuous moisture in them,
!ecause the con#ealin# of them is of earthly dryness. herefore they are not easily dissol%ed unless
!y the %ehement action of the heat in them, accordin# to "hich they are most easily commixt. )ut
there are lesser and and middle minerals "hich take not their ori#inal from Mercury, and of these
are Salts "hich easily melt in moisture, as Alum, simple Salt, Salt Armonick, stony Salt and all
kinds of salts. And surely they ha%e %irtue in them. (either do they easily melt "ith moisture only,
as Auripigmentum. Arsenic and Sulphur, "hen as the "ateryness of sulphurous !odies is mixed
"ith slimy earth, !y stron# commixtion, "ith the fer%ency of heat, until they !e made %irtuous and
then they are coa#ulated of cold.
That it is .mpossi4le for the Lesser %etals to 4e made Artificially ***...-or many of the i#norant
sort ha%e la!oured and do yet la!our in these %e#eta!le and sensi!le thin#s, "here they ha%e found
out no truth, !ut certain humilities "hich "e "ill declare to the i#norant that they may a%oid the
deceits. -or they ha%e extracted a lon# time out of these thin#s, after"ards to !e spoken of, "hich
they call artificial Ar#ent %i%e and oils and "aters, "hich they named the four elements, namely
"ater, earth, air, and fire, and Salt Armonick, Arsenic, Sulphur and Auripigmentum, "hich they
could ha%e !ou#ht cheaper in the market and had sooner !rou#ht it to pass.... And there are other
Alchemists la!ourin# in lesser minerals, that is to say in four Spirits as in common
Sulphur, Arsenic. Auripigmentum, and Salt Ammoniac !ein# desirous to make a tincture !ut this
they cannot do as is manifest !y the definition of the tincture...
#f the ,eBoicin or Sprinin or Su4limation of the Soul *** he second su!limation is
extraction, !ecause it is in it, of the nature of the fifth essence separated from the elemental faeces.
)ut ' call the fifth essence a tinctin# spirit "herein "ashin# is necessary, that the unctuousness
of Arsenic, or the oily nature of the purest unctuousness, "hich !ound !y his faeces, may !e
extracted !y it, "hich faeces suffer it not to !e su!limed.
Anon. ~ The Tom4 of Semiramis
And concernin# the di#nity of !oth the ,uminaries, ,ully, that Star of Spa#yrick Philosophy, in
his )ook, P. M. KN saith, "o are more pure than the rest, namely Gold and Sil%er, "ithout "hich
the Work cannot !e !e#un or finished, !ecause in them is the purest su!stance of Sulphur perfectly
purified !y the in#enuity of (ature, and out of these t"o !odies prepared "ith their Sulphur
or Arsenick, our Medicine may !e extracted, and cannot !e had "ithout them.
Aristeus ~ Tur4a Philosophorum
:Cth Dictum @@@ Fno", also, that the arcanum of the "ork of #old proceeds out of the male and
female, !ut ' ha%e sho"n you the male in lead, "hile in like manner, ' ha%e disco%ered for you the
female in orpiment... (o", therefore, ' ha%e notified to you the po"er of orpiment, "hich is a
"oman !y "hom is accomplished the most #reat arcanum...
DEth Dictum @@@ Pandolphus: he philosophers ha%e ordered that 1uicksil%er should !e taken out
of cam!ar, and al!eit they ha%e spoken truly, yet in these "ords there is a little am!i#uity, the
o!scurity of "hich ' "ill remo%e. See then that the 1uicksil%er is su!limed in ta!ernacles, and
extract the same from 8am!ar, !ut there is another 8am!ar in sulphur "hich )elus hath
demonstrated to you, for out of sulphur mixed "ith sulphur, many "orks proceed. When the same
has !een su!limed, there proceeds from the 8am!ar that 1uicksil%er "hich is called
5thelia, 7rpiment, Pendrio, or Sanderich, 5!semich, Ma#nesia, Fuhul or 8huhul, and many other
names...
DFnd Dictum *** his is the 1uicksil%er "hich is indeed extracted from all thin#s, out of "hich all
thin#s are produced, "hich also is pure "ater that destroys the shade of copper. And kno" ye that
this 1uicksil%er, "hen it is "hitened, !ecomes a sulphur "hich contains sulphur, and is a %enom
that has a !rilliance like mar!le* this the en%ious call 5thelia, orpiment and sandarac, out of "hich a
tincture and a pure spirit ascends "ith a mild fire, and the "hole flo"er is su!limated, "hich flo"er
!ecomes "holly 1uicksil%er...
The /ook of -l'*abib says that the %irtue of eternal "ater is that of a spiritual !lood. 't is
identified "ith aeriform "ater, a7ure "ater, and "ater of sulphur. 't is also primal sulphur. When
!oiled, it transforms the male 9arsenic@ into sil%er, and after"ards into #old. 't is also said that
copper is "ater of sil%er, "hich, after preparation, !ecomes eternal "ater... S89th Dictum, footnote
!y Arthur 5. WaiteT
!oses: he 1uicksil%er out of cinna!ar 9argentum "i"um cambar@... is the Ma#nesia, "hile the
1uicksil%er of the auripigmentum or orpiment... is the Sulphur "hich ascends from this mixed
compound material. Cou must, therefore mix that thick thin# "ith the -iery Denom, and let it
putrefy, and dili#ently pound it until a spirit is produced "hich is hidden in that other spirit* then it
"ill !ecome a tincture for e%erythin# that you "ish. SOulian &uska:Turba Phil# 9)erlin 2R>2@T
!oger Bacon ~ The %irror of Alchemy
$hapter ...3 #ut of 2hat Thins The %atter of "li)ir %ust 'e %ore Nearly ")tracted *** And
if "e should take one of the se%en spirits !y itself, as Ar#entH%i%e, or Sulphur alone, or Ar#entH%i%e
and one of the t"o Sulphurs, or SulphurH%i%e, or Auripigment, or 8itrine Arsenicum, or red alone, or
the like: "e should ne%er effect it, !ecause since nature does ne%er perfect anythin# "ithout e1ual
commixtion of !oth, neither can "e: from these therefore, as from the foresaid Ar#entH%i%e and
Sulphur in their nature "e are excused. -inally, if "e should choose them, "e should mix
e%erythin# as it is, accordin# to a due proportion, "hich no man kno"s, and after"ard decoct it to
coa#ulation, into a solid lump: and therefore "e are excused from recei%in# !oth of them in their
proper nature: to "it, Ar#entH%i%e and Sulphur, seein# "e kno" not their proportion, and that "e
may meet "ith !odies, "herein "e shall find the said thin#s proportioned, coa#ulated and #athered
to#ether, after a due manner. Feep this secret more secretly...
0ur 1uicksil%er is the clearest "ater, and our arsenic is pure sil%er, and our sulphur is pure #old*
and in these three thin#s is constituted total perfection.
!. Bacon ~ The ,oot of the 2orld
DH. (o" let us return to the !lack matter in its %essel, continually closed. ,et this %essel, ' say,
stand continually in the moist fire, till such time as the "hite colour appears, like to a "hite moist
salt. he colour is called !y the philosophers arsenic, and sal armoniac* and some others call it, the
thin# "ithout "hich no profit is to !e had in the "orkB
%igismon& Bacstrom ~ Lapis de Tri4us
ake #ood crude antimony and nati%e orpiment 2AL l! or as much as you like. Po"der each finely
!y itself, and mix the po"ders. )e"are of the dust.
Put the mixture in a #lo!e #lass "ith a lon# neck. Place your #lass deeply !uried in the sand, so that
the !est part of the #lo!e is under the sand, !ut the "hole neck remains free. Cour furnace must
stand under a chimney. hen li#ht your fire "hich increase #radually. After the humidity has
e%aporated, put a !it of soft clay upon the openin# of the neck of the #lass and press it in #ently.
'ncrease your fire, until the sand and #lass #ro" so intensely hot, that the po"ders melt to#ether in
the #lo!e.
When you see this let the su!stance continue meltin# until the "hole has !ecome of a fine deep red
fluid massa. At the later end of the operation, the iron sand pot must !ecome red hot in the !ottom.
When you ha%e o!tained the red fluid mass in fusion, take the fire out immediately, that the #lass
may cool #radually.
he next day, !reak the #lass and you "ill find a fine red transparent ru!y #lass, called ,apis de
ri!us !ecause it consists of antimony, arsenic, and sulphur.
(ote X 0f you admit the air into the neck of the #lass, the mixture takes fire, and you run #reat risk
of your life* therefore !e careful. 't is done in L hours time. his #lass is %ery %olatile.
9' ha%e #i%en you some of it in a red po"der, "hich, if you melt, it !ecomes a red #lass a#ain.@
0ne W. 8ornelius de Winter from Amsterdam "ho "as in ,ondon a!out the year 233?
comunicated this and "hat to do "ith it to W. ,ant7.
8ornelius de Winter "orkin# the process of Myriam prophetissa, not as she told her process to
Aros, Fin# of 5#ypt, !ut in the follo"in# manner, had attained a tin#in# po"der upon sil%er, as he
told W. ,ent7, and recommended this to him, until he should fid somethin# of #reater conse1uence,
and W. ,ent7 #a%e it to me. ' ha%e ne%er tried it.
he Process of 8ornelius de Winter "ith te fore#oin# ,apis de ri!us for the Short Way.
ake >i% of ,apis de ri!us in po"der and >O of fine #old in lea%es. Mix these in a mortar !y
ru!!in#. ,et it melt to#ether in a co%ered cruci!le and suffer no coals to drop in. When the cruci!le
!e#ins to #ro" red hot, the mixture melts and at last inflamed, and the ,apis de ri!us fumes a"ay
and e%aporates. When you find the ,apis e%aporated, take the cruci!le out and let it cool, !ut do not
!reathe the poisonous fumes.
ake the #old calx out. Wei#h it and mix it ane" "ith L parts of fresh po"dered ,apid de ri!us,
!y ru!!in# it in a #lass. Put the mixture into a ne" cruci!le. Melt a#ain and keep it in the fire, until
the ,apis de ri!us is a#ain e%aporated. &epeat the same operation, "ith L parts of fresh ,apis and
your #old calx is "ell opened for a further operation.
8ornelius de Winter said to W. ,ent7, +Cou may proceed in this manner "ith sil%er, copper, or iron,
and open and %olatili7e them !y means o the ,apis de ri!us, sooner than the #old, and not that one
sin#le meltin# of four parts of the lapis to open part of fine sil%er in lea%es, or of a 8rocus Martis, or
Deneris, opens and #reatly %olatili7es sil%er, iron or copper in one sin#le operation. Cou are also to
note that you fire must not !e excited !y the !last. 't must not !e a meltin#, !ut only a calcinin# fire.
0ther"ise your %olatili7ed metals fly out of the cruci!le, and you keep the empty nest+.
he ,apis de ri!us has a po"er to %olatili7e all metals, #old and sil%er not excepted, either !y the
first, second or third operation, accordin# to their natural %olatility or fixity, and hi#hly su!tili7es
them and reduces them into a mercurial principle, "hich mercuriali7ed metals can !e employed in
la!ors of #reat conse1uence, as experience "ill teach you. ' tell you the truth, !ut !e"are of the
mercurial fumes.
+' ha%e made a incture in Dia Sicca from this foundation, more than once at Amsterdam, and
althou#h it acts only on a fe" parts of sil%er, yet it is %ery profita!le, as it can !e accomplished %ery
"ell in > or L days time, !ut this is not the !rass founders "ork, !y any means+, said de Winter.
ake of the "hitest and clearest ri%er pe!!les you can #et, a pound or more, and po"der them finely
in a clean iron mortar, and sift your po"der perfectly fine.
0f this fine pe!!le po"der, take >AL l!, and #ood yello" lithar#e po"dered and sifted, one l!. Mix
the t"o po"ders. Put them into a ne" cruci!le co%ered, and melt the mixture to a #lass in the "ind
furnace. When done take the cruci!le out and let it cool. When cold, !reak the cruci!le and po"der
your #lass and sift it.
(o" take one part of ,apis de ri!us in po"der and mix it "ith L parts of the pe!!le #lass !y
ru!!in# them "ell to#ether in a #lass mortar. Melt these su!stances in a ne" cruci!le for ? or <
hours, so as to keep the matter in constant fusion. hen take the cruci!le out, !reak it, and "hen
cold, po"eder it, and your #lass "ill look tin#ed "ith yello" or oran#e. Wei#h it, and mix it a#ain,
L parts of this tin#ed #lass "ith one part of fresh de ri!us. Melt a#ain, in a ne" cruci!le constantly
co%ered, for ? or < hours. Cou can %ery "ell accomplish K meltin#s in a day. &epeat this a third
time, and your o!tained #lass ou#ht to !e of a fine oran#e colour. his is already a kind of incture,
"hich if you melt it "ith sil%er, it enriches the sil%er "ith atoms of fine #old, and if you separates
such sil%er "ith a1ua fortis, the !lack calx, "hich falls, "hen "ashed, dried, and melted "ith !orax,
pro%es to !e fine #old of KL carats, !ut this is not all.
ake your oran#e coloured opa1ue #lass, "ei#h it, and po"der and sift it. ake of this L parts, say
drachms, in proportion, as you ha%e opened #old, "hich you ha%e prepared at first, one part or
drachm of fresh ,apis de ri!us, and one > of your opened mercuriali7ed #old, and mix the "hole
dili#ently in a porphyry or #lass mortar. Cou must ru! full K hours, and do not !reathe the dust.
Melt this composition in a ne" co%ered cruci!le durin# < hours continual fusion, yet "ithout any
!last or %iolence, as fusion is enou#h.
When the time is past, take out the pot and let it cool. )reak the cruci!le and separate the #lass,
"hich does no" look of a deeper red, like a ne" !rick.
Po"der and "ei#h this #lass. ake thereof L parts, and add one part of fresh lapis de ri!us in
po"der. Mix the t"o po"ders dili#ently and melt them a#ain in a ne" co%ered cruci!le for < hours
time, keepin# the matter in constant fusion. When cold, you "ill find your #lass deeper in colour
than !efore.
&epeat this fusion a third time 9"hich from the !e#innin#, is no" the sixth meltin#, addin# to L
parts of this red #lass, one part of fresh ,apis de ri!us and proceed carefully, as you did !efore,
!ut (ote: HHH
2. 'f any coals fall into the pot, the operation is spoiled, "hich has happened to me in the !e#innin#:
K. )y the repeated fusions and fixations !y the %iolent "ay, addin# each time a 2A? part of fresh
,apis de ri!us, i.e., one part of the lapis to L parts of the fixed #lass, your tin#ed #lass !ecomes
more and more penetratin#, more fusi!le and more fixed.
' durst not #o !eyond < or 3 fusions, as the #lass does at last run throu#h the pores of the red hot
cruci!le. 'n this manner ' once lost all my treasure.
< or 3 fusions may !e safely done.
his red #lass is a #enuine incture upon fine sil%er. After < fusions, it tin#es sometimes 2=,
sometimes 2K, sometimes K= parts of sil%er in fusion into fine #old of KL carats. ' could ne%er make
it t"ice alike, the reason of "hich ' cannot penetrate. 't is profita!le enou#h, !ut no so profita!le, as
Myriam said to Fin# Aros. At least ' could ne%er find it so.
Annie Besant 2 Charles Lea&beater ~ #ccult $hemistry
Arsenic *** Atomic (o. >>. 0nce more there is no central #lo!e. -unnels: All six funnels are
alike, and there are not t"o separate se#ments. Arsenicresem!les Aluminum in ha%in# ei#ht internal
su!Hdi%isions in the funnels, and the o%oids "hich form the top rin# are identical "ith those in
Aluminium sa%e for the minute differences that in Aluminium the o%oids stand the re%erse "ay
from those in Arsenic. 'n Arsenic the top and !ottom triplets in the top o%oids point do"n"ards and
the middle one up"ards, in Aluminium the opposite is true. he total in one Arsenic funnel is KK?
Anu.
Arsenic Y < SAl.R$ Z N 9K(R Z Al.R@T W < funnels of KK? Anu Y 2>?= Anu W (um!er "ei#ht 2>?=
[ 2N Y 3?
6a'i& Beuther ~ The Transmutation of 'ase %etals into Gold and Silver
'n "hat follo"s in this report, as indeed in all reports on natural philosophy, it is the lack of
kno"led#e a!out this process, "hich in fact does not pertain to a uni%ersal idea, !ut in particular
mi#ht find a ma/or use in the kno"led#e of the uni%ersal nature of this material, despite some a!use
and misleadin# statements. When, ho"e%er, attention is paid only "here the philosophers #old.
he philosophers mercury, mercuric ores, the electroHminerals of Paracelsus, red cinna!ar ore and
"hite arsenic 9"hich of all of them alone, only the true material, and sulfur and mercury is that
material, is separa!le in a salt@ are concerned, it is implied from "hat "as said that he indicated
"hat he ascri!ed to the Art and to method of operation and ho" he sho"ed the preparation and
testin# of the same, so that he "ould !e a!le, "hen finally chosen for that purpose !y God, to kno"
immediately the proper and most practical method to use and to readily sho" that all of his
processes "ere different, e%en thou#h 1uite similar to one anotherB
Moreo%er, the principle preparation of one or another of the in#redients from the uni%ersal
material had already !een carried out, as had !ecome clearly e%ident from the a!o%eHmentioned
"ork of Funkel, pa#e ?N=, "hich reads, +he "hite arsenic po"der is no lon#er prepared for the
5lector of Saxony and unfortunately, the "hole Art rests upon it...
his "hite arsenic po"der, !lack sulfur, and other material "hich all refer to the prime uni%ersal
material mentioned no" and then in his process. .e "ho kno"s ho" to make this same "hite
material can make his process successful, "hile others cannot.
While it must !e a #eneral rule in this "ork, as stated !y Arnold de Dilla, and a#ain on pa#e <<,
that only a fe" minerals, alon# "ith "hite arsenicand !urnin# sulphur, "hich "ere to !e made at
the same time, are needed, as Ge!er had said: +here is only one mineral, one medicine, one
di#estion* and in this our entire "ork consists, to "hich "e add nothin# unfamiliar, or take anythin#
a"ay, "ithout remo%in# excess impurities therefrom in the process6.
.illiam Bloomiel& ~ 'loomfield&s 'lossoms
hen father yme E ' !y fa%our of these men,
Such si#htes to see, passed foorth to"ard the campe
Where "ee met Dis#uised philosophers ten,
With porfiries E morters, ready to #rind E stamp*
heir heades shakein#, their hands full of the cramp*
Some lame spasums, some fe!ull, "ann, E !lind,
With arsneck E sulphur, to this art most unkind.
Petrus Bonus ~ The New Pearl of Great Price
Nuncupatory Discourse HHH 3acinius : )ut is this kno"led#e not also sou#ht !y learned men,
no!les, princes, and e%en !y kin#sI
/onus: Ces, !ut the moti%e "hich prompts them all is an illi!eral lo%e of #old. heir hearts are as
hard as the flints "hich they "ish to chan#e into the precious metals, and they are as i#norant "ithal
of the elementary facts of nature as the poorest la!orer. he conse1uence is that they fall an easy
prey to impostors and itinerant charlatans, and spend their li%es in foolishly experimentin#
"ith arsenic, sulphur, and all manner of sol%ents. hus, instead of learnin# to prepare the Stone,
they dissipate their money, and ha%e empty pockets for their pains.
,easons Apparently %ilitatin Aainst the ,eality of #ur Art? ,eason Fifteenth *** 'f #old and
sil%er could !e e%ol%ed out of any metallic su!stance, they could !e prepared most easily out of that
"hich is most akin to them* !ut as it is impossi!le to prepare them out of their first principles, %i7.,
1uicksil%er and sulphur, they cannot !e e%ol%ed out of metals specifically different from them. -or
it is clear that out of these t"o matters all metals are deri%ed and #enerated* orpiment, sal armoniac,
and secondary spirits like marcasite, ma#nesia, and tutia, !ein# all reduci!le to these t"o primary
forms. here are se%en spirits in Alchemy, the four principal ones, 1uicksil%er, sulphur, orpiment,
and sal armoniac, and the three secondary and composite spirits, marcasite, ma#nesia and tutia* !ut
sulphur and 1uicksil%er include them all. he Stone "ould ha%e to !e o!tained either from the
metals or from these spirits.
'f #old and sil%er could !e e%ol%ed out of any metallic su!stance, they could !e prepared most
easily out of that "hich is most akin to them* !ut as it is impossi!le to prepare them out of their first
principles, %i7., 1uicksil%er and sulphur, they cannot !e e%ol%ed out of metals specifically different
from them. -or it is clear that out of these t"o matters all metals are deri%ed and
#enerated* orpiment, sal armoniac, and secondary spirits like marcasite, ma#nesia, and tutia, !ein#
all reduci!le to these t"o primary forms. here are se%en spirits in Alchemy, the four principal
ones, 1uicksil%er, sulphur, orpiment, and sal armoniac, and the three secondary and composite
spirits, marcasite, ma#nesia and tutia* !ut sulphur and 1uicksil%er include them all. he Stone
"ould ha%e to !e o!tained either from the metals or from these spirits.
$hief Difficulties of Alchemy? Tenth $ause of Difficulty HHH he Sa#es appear to %ary 1uite as
much in their descriptions of the su!stance from "hich this Stone is ela!orated. 'n order to mislead
the i#norant and the foolish, some name arsenic, some sulphur, some 1uicksil%er, some !lood, some
e##s, some hair, some dun#, etc., etc. 'n reality, there is only one su!stance of our Stone* nothin#
else upon earth contains it* it is that "hich is most like #old, and from "hich #old itself is
#enerated, %i7., pure 1uicksil%er, that is, not mixed "ith anythin# else, as "e shall she" further on.
he su!stance of Alchemy HHH thou#h called !y a perplexin# %ariety of names HHH is the su!stance of
(ature, and the first su!stance of metals, from "hich (ature herself e%ol%es them. Were it
other"ise, it "ould !e impossi!le for Art to imitate (ature.
An ")cellent .ntroduction to the Art of Alchemy? $hapter .3 The %atter of the Philosopher9s
Stone HHH (ote: .ence, fixed sulphur retards fusion and li1uefaction in metals, and entirely pre%ents
it "here its 1uantity exceeds that of the 1uicksil%er. he latter is the case in iron, and the said metal
is, therefore, not fusi!le. he fact "e are tau#ht !y experience, for "hen "e desire to make fixed
sulphur, "e must calcine it, and that "hich is calcined is not suscepti!le of fusion. )ut sulphur
"hich is not fixed accelerates fusion, as "e see in the case of arsenic, "hich is of the nature of
sulphur, and !rin#s a!out the fusion of redHhot iron. hat it is the sulphur "hich pre%ents fusion, "e
see from the fact that "hen miners smelt ore, there ascends a sulphureous %apour !efore fusion
takes place, and if "e collect this su!stance in a %essel, it is found to resem!le orpiment. )ut !oth
its smell and its properties she" that it consists lar#ely of sulphurB
hou#h in his !ook on The 0oagulation of !ercury by Precipitation he SGe!erT says that this
medicine is elicited from metallic !odies "ith their sulphur and arsenic, he really means the same
thin#, !ut he expresses himself some"hat o!scurely...
$oncernin the Ferment HHH 'f the Mercury "ere coa#ulated !y some forei#n 9nonHmetallic@
su!stance, it "ould not !e of the sli#htest use, since in (ature only homo#eneous thin#s "ill
com!ine. he coa#ulation !y means of arsenic and common sulphur, thou#h they are mineral
su!stances, tends only to corruption.
The "pistle of 'onus of Ferrara HHH Fno", then, that our arsenic or auripigment is composed !y
(ature of sulphur and 1uicksil%er, as it is found in its ori#inal natural state. When arsenic is
su!limed, it often happens that there comes out of it 1uicksil%er in small #lo!ules like #rains of
millet, as e%ery experimental chemist "ill tell you. his 1uicksil%er is identical "ith ordinary
1uicksil%er, "hich may !e seen from the fact that it alone of all metallic su!stances "ill min#le "ith
1uicksil%er, "hile the 1uicksil%er retains all its o"n peculiar properties and 1ualities. .ence "e
conclude that in the composition of arsenic there is 1uicksil%er. 'n the same "ay, "e call sulphur
the tincture of redness properly and !y %irtue of its o"n nature* 1uicksil%er is the "hite tincture, as
all Sa#es tell us. )ut if "e pro/ect arsenic or realgar upon li1uid copper, it "ill tin#e that metal
"ith a "hite colour like the "hiteness of the Moon* this colour she"s the presence of 1uicksil%er.
'n all properly purified metals "e find the nature of 1uicksil%er rather than of sulphur* for sulphur
exists in 1uicksil%er in an occult manner.
8ommon sulphur is specifically different from arsenic, !ut !elon#s to the same #enus. Similarly,
all sulphur, and e%erythin# that !elon#s to the same species "ith sulphur, has the property of
coa#ulatin# 1uicksil%er* and sometimes succeeds in impartin# to it a red colour, and sometimes fails
to do so.
We said a!o%e that "hen arsenic is su!limed it #i%es out #lo!ules of 1uicksil%er like #rains of
millet, "hich is identical "ith ordinary 1uicksil%er. -or this reason the Sa#es ha%e endea%ored, !y a
con#ruous di#estion, to coa#ulate the same 1uicksil%er "ith itself, e%en as #old is coa#ulated !y its
intrinsic po"er. Arsenic, says Ge!er, has the t"o metallic first principles, sulphur and 1uicksil%er,
com!ined, and !y their means may itself !e desi#nated as the first principle of (ature, in %irtue of
their properties and 1ualities. 'n the same !ook he says that the fetid spirit and li%in# "ater, "hich
is also called dry "ater, are the first principles of (ature. here can !e no transition from the
softness of 1uicksil%er to the hardness of metals, except in some intermediate su!stance. .ence
neither 1uicksil%er !y itself, nor sulphur !y itself, is the first principle of (ature, !ut some
intermediate matter "hich contains !oth. he 1uicksil%er extracted from sulphur and arsenic is,
ho"e%er, more proximately the su!stance of our Medicine than the same sulphur and arsenic "hen
they remain as they are.
he arsenic to "hich Ge!er refers as the third principle of (ature in the #eneration of metals is a
compound of 1uicksil%er and sulphur, and possesses the %irtue and po"er of !oth. 't cannot !e
properly called sulphur, nor yet 1uicksil%er, and thus it is true that there are only t"o principles of
(ature. (or is this arsenic, "hich has 1uicksil%er for its matter and sulphur for its acti%e potency, in
any sense a thin# superfluous, !ut is a sufficin# principle of nature in the #eneration of metals.
.ence the 1uicksil%er of "hich "e speak is not common 1uicksil%er, nor is our sulphur common
sulphur* !ut there is in our 1uicksil%er an occult homo#eneous sulphur, and it is !y means of this
in"ard sulphur that all our chan#es are accomplished.
herefore, do not suppose that any compound !ut the one ' ha%e mentioned is the ri#ht su!stance
of our Art, and fore!ear to spend your la!our ' %ain upon ma#nesia, marchasite, tutia, antimony, or
any other hetero#eneous material. 0ur sulphur is the %ital a#ent "hich di#ests and perfects our
1uicksil%er* !ut the sulphur of marchasite, for instance 9as Ge!er tells us@, is only de#radin# and
com!usti%e* in the separation thereof the 1uicksil%er of marchasite is left dead at the !ottom of the
%essel, and must after"ards !e su!limed !y fire. A#ain, "e do not find in the composition of #old,
or of any other metals, anythin# that su##ests or resem!les marchasite. hou#h arsenic and
marchasite are #enerated from nearly the same elements, their di%ersity of form has com!ined and
de%eloped those elements in a "idely different manner, since the same su!stance, if differently
di#ested, recei%es a different form. his is sufficiently patent from the fact that different lim!s are
#enerated from the same su!stance. As "ith marchasite, so it is "ith tutia, ma#nesia, and all other
like su!stances. hus, throu#h many mistakes, and !y a process of elimination, "e at len#th,
throu#h the #race of God, arri%e at the su!stance "hich "e firmly !elie%e to !e the ri#ht one. his
short exposition must suffice for the present.
#f The Spirits *** here are three mineral spirits: 1uicksil%er, sulphur and arsenic# Arsenic is hot
and dry, of #reat %irtue and potency, yet li#htly esteemed. 't !urns up all other !odies. here are t"o
kinds of arsenic, one is of a pale "hite, the other red. he red is com!usti%e, the "hite is sol%ent,
and useful for the incture* "ith 1uicksil%er it makes sil%er. 't has a fiery nature, and su!limes
1uickly. his spirit "e stri%e to render corporeal and fixed, in order that it may permanently colour
our su!stance. 't has #reat affinity for %ine#ar...
A. Cou&ert ~ Alchemy? The Philosophers Stone
't is also an unfortunate fact that in the initial sta#es certain poisons do produce !eneficial
effects. Arsenic, for example, impro%es the appetite, increases #ro"th and stimulates the production
of !one marro". :p to the %ery end the %ictim of arsenic poisonin# consumes his food "ith a fair
appetite. )ecause arsenic produces a mild dilation of the !lood %essels, it "as prescri!ed as an
aphrodisiac re#ularly in 'ndia and 5urope "ell into the 2Rth century and e%en appeared in an
aphrodisiac preparation listed in the 2R?3 edition of the /ritish -ncyclope+ia of !e+ical Practice....
'n some cases, errors in translation or copyin# led to dan#erous results. he )y7antine Greek
(icolaus Myrepsus compiled a !ook of remedies, usin# Ara!ic sources. .e mistranslated the
Ara!ic +darsini+ 9cinnamon@ for arsenic. he mistaken !elief that lar#e doses of arsenic had
!eneficial medicinal properties threatened alchemists and their patients until the 23th century...
Most of the ne#ati%e e%idence "as accumulated !y alchemists "ho continued to !elie%e in the
possi!ility of transmutation. 0ne con%inced adept, for example, left an anonymous record of 2=L
alchemical recipes he had methodically tested... 'n the midst of all these failures he does record one
success: a sil%er recipe usin# arsenic. Someho" this "orked, for !eside it the adept "rote, +#e"innt
man %il sil!er darpei.+
!... Councell ~ Apolloia Alchymiae
Section ..3 %odern $riticism *** 'n order that the statements of modern critics may !e assessed at
their proper %alue, a list is here #i%en of thin#s "hich &ipley, endorsed !y 5irenaeus, says are
useless, and e%en in/urious in the "ork. 0ther eminent alchemists, in their candid moments, "arn
students a#ainst usin# these and many other in#redients: Antimony 9not "orth a mite@, amal#ams,
acids, ardent and corrosi%e "aters, arsenic. orpiment...
Section ...? The Speech of the Philosophers *** 'n his Short Way an+ %epetition, )asil Dalentine
#i%es the follo"in# seriatim illustration of the "ork, %i7.: a cro"ned lion, a cro"ned ea#le, a
cro"ned serpent "ithout "in#s, an uncro"ned flyin# dra#on, a cro" or ra%en, a peacock, a s"an, a
pelican, feedin# its !rood "ith its o"n !lood. he cro"ned lion, ea#le and serpent are transmuted*
they are of the process. )asil Dalentine descri!ed his process, as if done out of ordinary #old* !ut
this metal he did not use as his !ase* for, as he says, it "ould re1uire a!out ten pounds "ei#ht of the
%itriol of #old to do so. )ut as #old is the ultimate product or offsprin#, therefore, it is permissi!le
to call the parent, or sire, #old also. his su!stance the philosophers called immature or unripe #old,
or the +Green+ ,ion. 'n the second sta#e of the "ork HHH the analysis of the #reen lion HHH a "hite salt
ascends, like sno", and adheres to the sides of the %essel, +much like su!limate,+ as &ipley says.
his is their 5a#le, Su!limate, Arsenic, Sal Alem!roth, Sal Ammoniac, (itre, Sea salt, er#o
Aphrodite or Denus, Sulphur of (ature, 'carus, etc. 'ts importance cannot !e exa##erated.
John Cremer ~ The Testament of $remer
$hapter .3 How to Prepare the Livin 2ater which $onstitutes the Life of #ur Art HHH ake
three o7. of tartar of #ood claret, stron# and pure. Add to it fi%e o7. of Petroleum, t"o o7. of li%in#
sulphur, t"o o7. of oran#e coloured Arsenic, three o7. of &a!usenum, t"o o7. of "illo" charcoal.
Mix and distil all these in#redients in the +!ath of (eptune,+ in a "ellHstoppered #lass /ar. ,et this
/ar !e a!out one cu!it hi#h, and carefully closed to pre%ent any of the spirits or smoke from
e%aporatin#. When you see it turn of a pale colour, take it out of the furnace, and let it cool. Cou
ou#ht to !e a!le to prepare it in a!out four days. )e careful not to inhale its smell, for it is deadly
poison. his "ater should !e kept in a stout "ellHstoppered #lass /ar, and used accordin# to the
directions #i%en in the follo"in# chapters. he other "ater should !e t"ice distilled out of the urine
of an unpolluted youth of ei#hteen* if he !e polluted, the "ater "ill ha%e no %itality. S&a!usenum is
a certain red su!stance and earth comin# forth "ith "ater, "hich flo"s out of minerals, and is
!rou#ht to perfection in the month of Ouly in a #lass /ar exposed to the heat of the sun for K< days.
HHH 9(.).: Ditriol@ T
Maurice P. Croslan& ~ Historical Studies in the Lanuae of $hemistry
Alleory and Analoy HHH B't is rather disconcertin#, for example, to encounter a M#reen lion
"hich is explained as referrin# to orpiment. SAlle#oriae Sapientium, Distinction K=* Theatrum
0hem#, DT
Secret Names HHH "o historians of alchemy, &uska and Wiedemann ha%e compiled a list of the
secret names #i%en !y Ara!ic alchemists to common chemical su!stancesB &eal#ar and orpiment
"ere mentioned %ariously as Mthe t"o !rothers, Mthe t"o kin#s, or the Mt"o friends.
$olour as a 'asis for $hemical Names HHH BMetal sulphides too "ere sometimes referred to in
a similar "ay, and "e read in the alchemical lexicons that Mred sulphur is arsenic 9sulphide@ and
M!lack sulphur is antimony 9sulphide@B
Cyliani ~ Hermes Unveiled
At this point the old man said: +)ehold, no" ' ha%e dou!led mercury in my possession. (o" '
o"n it HHH "hite lily, po"der of adamantine, chief central poison of the dra#on, spirit of arsenic,
#reen lion, incom!usti!le spirit of the moon, life and death of all metals, moist radical, uni%ersal
dissol%in# nutriment, true menstruum of the philosophers, "hich "ithout doin# any dama#e or
harm reduces metal to first matter.+
John 6ee ~ ,osicrucian Secrets
#f Arsenic( *** Arsenick is in the kindred of Mercury and Antimony as a !astard in a family may
!e. 'ts "hole su!stance is poisonous and %olatile, e%en as the former t"o* in its external colour to
the eye it is "hite, yello" and red, !ut in"ardly it is adorned "ith all manner of colours, like to its
metals, "hich it "as fain to forsake, !ein# forced thereunto !y fire. 't is su!limed per se "ithout
additions and also in its su!limin# there are added se%eral other matters as occasion re1uireth. 'f it
!e su!limed "ith Salt and Mars, then it looks like a transparent crystal, !ut its poison stayeth still
"ith it, unfit to !e /oined or added to metals and it hath %ery little efficacy to transmute any metals.
he su!terranean Serpent !indeth it in the union of fire, !ut cannot 1uite force it that it mi#ht
ser%e for a Medicine for man and !east. 'f it !e further mixed "ith the Salt of a De#eta!le Stone,
"hich is "ith artar, and is made like unto an oil, it is of #reat efficacy in "ounds "hich are of an
hard healin#. 't can make a coat for deceitful Denus, to trim her handsomely, that the inconsistency
of her false heart may !e disclosed !y her "a%erin# ser%ants, "ithout #ain, "ith her pre/udice and
dama#e. When Antimony and Mars are made my companions, saith Arsenick, and ' am exalted !y
them to the top of 0lympus, then ' afford a &u!y in transparence and colour like unto that "hich
cometh from the 0rient and ' am not to !e esteemed less than it. 'f ' am pro%ed !y affliction, then '
fall off like a flo"er "hich is cut off and "ithers, therefore nothin# can !e made of me to fix any
metal or tin#e it to any profit.
Gambiasta 6ella Porta ~ Hermetic Treatise
We can also extract Gold out of Sil%er, and not so little !ut it "ill pay your cost, and afford you
much #ain. he "ay is this: Put the fine filin#s of 'ron into a 8ruci!le that "ill endure fire, let it
#lo" red hot, and melt: then take artificial 8hrysocolla, such as Goldsmiths use to solder "ith, and
redArsenick, and !y de#rees stre" them in: "hen you ha%e done this, cast in an e1ual part of Sil%er,
and let it !e ex1uisitely pur#ed !y a stron# %essel made of Ashes: all the dre#s of the Gold !ein#
no" remo%ed, cast it into "ater of separation, and the Gold "ill fall to the !ottom of the %essel, take
it: there is nothin# of many thin#s that ' ha%e found more true, more #ainful or, more hard: spare
no la!our, and do it as you should, lest you lose your la!ourB
Joseph 6uchesnes /Iuercetanus3 ~ Treatise on %etallic %edicine
$hapter 1..? Preparation of the Arsenic *** Arsenic is e1ual to Mercury, !oth in its property of
"hitenin# and in the occult %irtues of its nature, that is "hy Paracelsus reiterates in his 3ibrum +e
l4Aurore a!out Mercury and all its preparations, and takes in its place arsenic "ell prepared and
"ell purified of all its impurities. -or the purification and preparation in the manner of the
Philosophers, take e1ual parts of crystalline arsenic and of #ood %ul#ar sandarac, po"der them and
put them in a retort "ith a 1uantity of common "ater, and #i%e the fire of distillation till the "ater
has /ust #one o%er and taken "ith it all the !lackness and impurities of the arsenic, and e%erythin#
that can su!limate has issued, then, "hen you open your retort, you "ill find that all the su!limate
to !e false "hite flour, "hich is all the impurity of the arsenic, and at the !ottom you "ill find all
the #ood su!stance in the form of a !eautiful crystalline re#ulus. After it is prepared in this "ay, it
can su!limate "ith antimony and %itriol instead of su!limated Mercury, and thus make the riad of
Paracelsus.
o prepare the arsenic a#ain "ith #reater stren#th, separate the po"dery su!stance from the ore
!y su!limation "ith Mars...
Su4limation of Arsenic *** ake #ood stron# arsenic and fix it !y calcination "ith saltpeter
accordin# to the art. ake of this calcined arsenic < ounces "ith as much #ood su!limate, and L o7
of common salt, prepared or decrepitated, put e%erythin# in a su!limation furnace or in a proper
flask in an ashHfire, and "hen the moisture has completely %anished, plu# it "ith cotton, continuin#
and au#mentin# the fire of su!limation !y de#rees till the su!limate has completely risen into the
neck of the %essel, it "ill happen in 2K hours if you mana#e the fire correctly. -inally, expose the
phial or the flask to the air, so that it !reaks of its o"n and you can separate your materia all the
!etter. ake this su!limate and resu!limate it another > or L times "ith fresh materia. his is to #i%e
it a coa#ulati%e impression and the "hite tincture of arsenic, "hich is a #reat secret. When this
su!limate has !een prepared in this "ay, mix it "ith half the po"dered tartar, addin# some %ine#ar
and al"ays proceedin# as is done in the reunification of cinna!ar. hus you "ill prepare a Mercury
"ith this su!limate "hich, "hen clean and purified, is prefera!le to the %ul#ar in all kinds of
chemical operations.
!abbi Abraham $lea7ar ~ Aesch %e5areph
)y the -ornicators are understood the 9Masculine@ Arsenical Sulphur, and the 9feminine@ dry
"ater unduly mixed, to#ether in the Mineral.
)y the Spear of Phineas is meant the -orce of iron actin# upon the matter to cleanse it of Dross:
)y "hich 'ron, not only is the Arsenical Sulphur killed, !ut also the Woman herself is at len#th
mortified* so that the Miracle of Phineas may !e fitly applied here...
...hen on top of the Glass, thou shalt ha%e a White Matter, "hich is the Prima Materia or
tin#ein# Arsenic, !ein# the li%in# Water of metals, "hich all Philosophers call Dry Water, or their
Dine#ar. ,et it !e purified thus: ake of the 8rystalline Matter su!limed* ,et it !e #round upon a
mar!le, "ith an e1ual part of 8alx of ,una, and let it !e put into a Dial sealed, and set in a Sand
!ath a#ain, the first t"o hours "ith a #entle -ire, the second "ith a stron#er, and the third "ith one
yet more %iolent, and increased till the Sand "ill hiss, and our Arsenic "ill !e su!limed a#ain, the
starry )eams !ein# sent forth...
Jean $spagnet ~ Arcanum6 or The Grand Secret of Hermetic
Perfect Metals containe in them t"o thin#s, "hich they are a!le to communicate to the imperfect,
incture and -ixation 9for those, !ecause they are dyed and fixed "ith pure Sulphur, to "it, !oth
"hite and red, they doe therefore perfectly tinct and fix@ if they !e fitly prepared "ith their proper
Sulphur and Arsenick, other"ise they ha%e not stren#th of multiplyin# their tincture.
"ermann Fictul& ~ Aureum 0ellus
'n the same "ay, Athamas and (ephele, throu#h their nuptial and royal !ond, !e#ot t"o royal
children, Phryxos and .elle, that is, a solar sulphur and a royal mercury. hey "ere !orn in the
kin#dom of he!es, that is, the hi#her elements. Some other planets, for their part, and especially
Oupiter, had sent a contrary current, that of their feelin#s and emotions, "hich "ere like those of
cruel stepmothers and of the mo! of priests* under the action of this current of arsenical mercury
and sulphur, the children left their d"ellin# in the hi#her re#ions. As if !athed in a sho"er of holy
#old, they had to come do"n "ith the Golden -leece, the #reat #olden &am, throu#h the air re#ion,
do"n to the etheric earthly cold, upon the earth, and they en/oyed a "onderful "elcome in the
latter$s three principles and elements, that is, in the kin#dom of 8olchis. .ere, misfortune has
dou!ly struck Phryxos and .elle* it fell upon a %ast area in such a "ay that, throu#h a di%ine curse,
that most no!le mass 9that "as the uni%erse@ "as chan#ed into a despica!le "ilderness, the faces of
the earth, under the influence of these sulphuric and arsenical spirits.
Bene&ictus Figulus ~ A Golden ! 'lessed $as(et of Nature&s %arvels
$oncernin the Philosopher&s Stone HHH his Dir#in and )lessed Water ha%e philosophers in
their !ooks called !y a thousand names, as a .ea%en, 8elestial Water, .ea%enly &ain, .ea%enly or
May De", Water of Paradise, A1ua &e#ia... White Arsenic, Sil%er... SEc.T
Fulcanelli ~ The %ystery of the $athedrals
Paris -:/ HHH he first ma#netic a#ent "hich is used to prepare the sol%ent HHH desi#nated, !y
some, Alkahest HHH is called the #reen ,ion, not so much !ecause it is #reen in colour as !ecause it
had not yet ac1uired those mineral characteristics, "hich in chemistry distin#uish the adult state
from the nascent one. 't is a #reen and sour fruit, compared "ith the red, ripe fruit. 't is metallic
youth on "hich 5%olution has not yet "orked, !ut "hich contains the latent #erm of real ener#y,
"hich "ill !e called upon to de%elop later. 't is arsenic and lead in respect to sil%er and #oldB
'oures -F/ HHH he eni#ma itself consists in t"o inscriptions: &5&5, &5&, "hich do not seem to
ha%e any meanin#. 5ach of them is repeated three times on the conca%e !ack of the nicheB
What, then, is this &5&I HHH We ha%e seen that &5 means a thin#, a matter* &, "hich is half &5,
"ill mean a half thin# or a half matter. &5&, then, is the e1ui%alent of a matter increased !y half of
another or if itself. (ote that it is not here a 1uestion of proportion, !ut of a chemical com!ination
independent of relati%e 1uantities. 'n order to make myself !etter understood, let me #i%e an
example. ,et us suppose that the matter represented !y &5 is realgar, or natural sulphur of arsenic.
&, half &5, could then !e the sulphur of the realgar or its arsenic, "hich are similar or different
accordin# to "hether you consider the sulphur and the arsenic separately or com!ined in
the realgar. 'n this "ay the &5& "ill !e o!tained !y au#mentin# the realgar "ith sulphur, "hich is
considered as formin# half the realgar, or "ith arsenic, "hich is seen as the other half in the same
red sulphide.
Fulcanelli ~ The Dwellins of the Philosophers
The Salamander of Lisieu) -../ *** his su!stance, at once positi%e and ne#ati%e, passi%e
containin# its o"n acti%e a#ent, is the !asis, the foundation of the Great Work. 0f these t"o
natures, taken separately, the one "hich plays the role of the feminine matter is the only one
indicated and alchemically named on the cor!el !earin# the o%erhan# of a secondHstory !eam Sat the
Manor of ,isieuxT. he fi#ure of a "in#ed dra#on can !e seen, its tail curled into a rin#let. he
dra#on is an ima#e and sym!ol of the primiti%e and %olatile !ody, true and uni1ue su!/ect upon
"hich one must first "ork. he philosophers ha%e #i%en it a multitude of di%erse names !esides the
one under "hich it is commonly kno"n. his has caused and still causes so much difficulty, so
much confusion, to !e#inners, and especially to those "ho are little concerned "ith principles and
do not kno" ho" far the possi!ility of nature can !e expanded. 'n spite of the #eneral opinion
a%errin# that our su!/ect had ne%er !een named, "e assert on the contrary that many !ooks name it
and that all descri!e it. .o"e%er, "hile it is mentioned !y the #ood authors, it cannot !e said that it
is underlined or expressly sho"n* it is often encountered classified amon# the !odies that ha%e !een
re/ected as improper or alien to the "ork. his is a traditional techni1ue used !y Adepts to di%ert the
lay people and to hide from them the secret entrance to their #arden.
'ts traditional name, the stone of the philosophers, is descripti%e enou#h of the !ody to ser%e as a
useful !asis for its identification. 't is, indeed, #enuinely a stone, for, out of the mine, it sho"s the
external characteristics common to all ores. 't is the chaos of the sa#es, in "hich the four elements
are contained, !ut in a confused, disor#ani7ed manner. 't is our old man and the father of metals
"hich o"e their ori#in to it, as it represents the first earthly metallic manifestation. 't is our arsenic,
cadmia, antimony, !lende, #alena, cinna!ar, colcothar, aurichalcum, realgar. orpiment, calamine,
tutia, tartar, etc. All ores, throu#h the hermetic %oice, rendered homa#e to it "ith their name. 't is
still called !lack dra#on co%ered "ith scales, %enomous serpent, dau#hter of Saturn, and +the most
!elo%ed of its children+. his primal su!stance has seen its e%olution interrupted !y the interposition
and penetration of a filthy com!usti!le sulphur, "hich coats its pure mercury, holds it !ack, and
coa#ulates it. And, thou#h it is entirely %olatile, this primiti%e mercury, materiali7ed !y the dryin#
action of the arsenical sulphur, takes the shape of a solid, !lack, dense, fi!rous, !rittle, crusha!le
mass rendered, !y its lack of utility, %ile, a!/ect, and despica!le in the eyes of man. Cet, in this
su!/ect HH poor relati%e of the metal family HHH the enli#htened artist finds e%erythin# that he needs to
!e#in and perfect his Great Work, since it is present, say the authors, at the !e#innin#, the middle,
and the end of the WorkB
The Salamander of Lisieu) -0/ *** -rom the com!at that the kni#ht, or secret sulfur, en#a#es
"ith the arsenical sulfur of the old dra#on, is !orn the astral stone, "hite, hea%y, shinin# as pure
sil%er, and "hich appears to !e si#ned, !earin# the imprint of its no!ility, its stamp esoterically
translated as the #riffin, a sure indication of the union and peace !et"een fire and "ater, !et"een
earth and air. .o"e%er, "e should not hope to attain this di#nity from the first con/unction. -or our
!lack stone, co%ered "ith ra#s, is soiled !y so many impurities that completely freein# it from them
is extremely difficult. -or this reason it is important to su!mit it to se%eral le%i#ations 9"hich are
(icolas -lamels la%ueres or fire purifications@, so as to pro#ressi%ely cleanse it from impurities and
from hetero#eneous and tenacious stains "hich encum!er it, and to see it take on, "ith each one of
these fire purifications, more splendor, more polish, and more !rillianceB
'f you "ant to possess the #riffin HHH "hich is our astral stone HHH !y tearin# it from
its arsenical #an1ue, take t"o parts of %ir#in earth, our scaly dra#on, and one part of the i#neous
a#ent, "hich is that %aliant kni#ht armed "ith the lance and the shield. Ares, more %i#orous than
Aries, must !e in a lesser 1uantity. Pul%eri7e and add the fifteenth part of this pure, "hite,
admira!le salt, "ashed and crystalli7ed se%eral times, "hich you must necessarily kno". 'ntimately
mix it* and then, follo"in# the example of the painful Passion of 0ur ,ord, crucify it "ith three iron
nails, so that the !ody dies and can then !e resurrected. his done, dri%e a"ay the coarsest
sediments from the corpse* crush and triturate the !ones* mix the "hole thin# on a slo" heat "ith a
steel rod. hen thro" this mixture half of this second salt, extracted from the de" that fertili7es the
earth in the month of May, and you "ill o!tain a !ody clearer than the precedin# one. &epeat the
same techni1ue three times* you "ill reach the matrix of our mercury, and you "ill ha%e clim!ed
the first run# of the ladder of the sa#es. When Oesus resurrected the third day after his death, a
luminous an#el clothed in "hite alone occupied the empty sepulchre...
Louis d9"stissac -.../ HHH As for the second !ody HHH passi%e and feminine HHH ,ouis d5tissac had
it represented under the shape of a harelipped #nome, e1uipped "ith !reasts, head co%ered "ith a
scaly helmet. We already kne" from the descriptions left !y classical authors that this mineral
su!stance as it is extracted from its mine is scaly, !lack, hard, and dry. Some ha%e called it leprous.
he Greek lepis, lepi+os 9scale@, has amon# its deri%ati%e the Greek lepra 9leprosy@, !ecause this
fri#htful infection co%ers the epiderm "ith pustules and scales. And so it is essential to dri%e a"ay
the coarse and superficial impurity from the !ody !y remo%in# its scaly en%elope 9lepi5o@, an
operation "hich "e easily reali7e "ith the aid of the acti%e principle, the a#ent "ith the #roo%ed
helmet. akin# as an example Moses #esture it "ill suffice to sharply strike this rock 9lepas@ of
arid and dry appearance three times in order to see the mysterious "ater that it contains, sprin#
forth. 't is the first sol%ent, common mercury of the sa#es, faithful ser%ant of the artist, the only
thin# he needs and that nothin# can replace accordin# to the testimony of Ge!er and of the most
ancient Adepts. 'ts %olatile 1uality "hich allo"ed philosophers to assimilate this mercury to the
common hydrar#yrum, is moreo%er emphasi7ed on our !asHrelief !y the tiny lepidoptera "in#s
9Greek lepi+os'pteron@ affixed to the shoulders of the sym!olic monster. .o"e%er, in our opinion,
the !est name that authors ha%e #i%en to their mercury seems to !e Spirit of Ma#nesia. -or they call
ma#nesia 9Greek magnes, ma#net@ the coarse feminine matter "hich attracts !y an occult %irtue the
spirit enclosed !eneath the hard shell of the steel of the sa#es. he latter, penetratin# like a !urnin#
flame into the !ody of the passi%e nature, !urns, consumes its hetero#eneous parts, dri%es a"ay
the arsenical 9or leprous@ sulfur, and animates the pure mercury it contains and "hich appears in the
con%entional form of a li1uor !oth humid and i#neous HHH the fire "ater of the ancients HHH "hich "e
call Spirit of Ma#nesia and uni%ersal sol%ent.
The $astle of Dampierre .1 -Panel C/ *** An i%y plant is represented coiled around the trunk of
a dead tree "hose !ranches ha%e all !een cut !y human hands. he inscription "hich completes this
!asHrelief !ears the "ords: .'('M'8A.AM'8''A. 9he 5nemy -riendship@.
he anonymous author of the Ancienne Guerre +es 0he"aliers :Ancient War of the Knights; in a
dialo#ue !et"een the stone, the #old and the mercury has #old say that the stone is a "orm filled
"ith %enom and accuses it of !ein# the enemy of man and metals. (othin# is more true* so much so
that others reproach our su!/ect to contain a fri#htful poison "hose %ery odor, they insist, "ould
suffice to cause death. Cet it is from this toxic mineral that the uni%ersal medicine is made, "hich
no human illness can resist, no matter ho" incura!le it is thou#ht to !e. )ut that "hich #i%es it all
its %alue and makes it infinitely precious in the eyes of the sa#e is the admira!le %irtue it possesses,
of re%i%ifyin# metals that ha%e !een reduced and molten and of losin# its poisonous properties !y
#rantin# them its o"n acti%ity. And so it does appear to !e the instrument of resurrection, and of
redemption of the metallic !odies, dead !y %iolence of a reducin# fire, the reason for "hich it !ears
in its coat of arms, the si#n of the &edeemer, the cross.
Preface to the Fnd "dition -"uene $anseliet/ @@@ ,et us say it strai#htfor"ardly: he matter of
the alchemical "ork offers itself, e%en imposes itself, "ith so much e%idence that there is no author,
!e he the most sincere, "ho has not !ecome Jen%ious6, "ho has not silenced, %eiled or falsified the
choice, #oin# as far as "ritin# the common name of this truly predestined su!/ect and finally
declarin# that it is not.
Geber ~ #f the Sum of Perfection
Part .. @@@ $hapter 0. - #f the ,easons of %en denyin the Art supposed in Arsnic(6 and their
,efutation/ HHH )ut others /ud#in# this Stone must necessarily !e found in the same SSulphurT, and
its 8ompeer, Arsnick, and more profoundly intent on the 8onsumation of the Work, do not only !y
a Su!limation cleanse the !urnin# Sulphureity, !ut also endea%or to remo%e the errestreity,
lea%in# the -li#ht 9or Dolatility@ in it. hese in like manner, comin# to Pro/ection, find a Delusion
in it* !ecause their Medicine adheres not sta!ly in those %ery )odies, !ut successi%ely, and !y little
and little %anisheth, lea%in# such a )ody in its former 8ondition. .ence these also, condemnin#
Art, ar#ue like the former* and to them We ans"er, as We did to the -irst, affirmin# the Art, and
that We kno" it to !e, !ecause We ha%e seen and touched the Derity thereof.
Part ... @@@ $hapter ... - The Division of what are to 4e spo(en6 touchin the Three Principles6
vi53 Sulphur6 Arsenic(6 and Arentivive / HHH (o", ha%in# finished our :ni%ersal Discourse of the
(atural Principles of Metals* it remains, that "e here #i%e a peculiar 8hapter to each one of the
Principles. herefore, seein# they are hree, %i7. Sulphur, Arsenick, and Ar#enti%i%e* the fist shall
!e of Sulphur, the second of Arsenick, and the third of Ar#enti%i%eB
Part ... @@@ $hapter 0 - #f Arsenic( /HHH 't no" remains that "e at present speak of Arsenick. We
say it is of a su!tile Matter, and like to Sulphur* therefore it needs not !e other"ise defined than
Sulphur. )ut it is di%ersified from Sulphur in this, %i7. !ecause it is easily a incture of Whiteness,
!ut of &edness most difficultly: and Sulphur, of Whiteness most difficultly: !ut of &edness easily.
0f Sulphur and Arsenick there is a t"ofold Find, %i7. 8itrine and &ed, "hich are profita!le to this
Art* !ut the many other kinds not so. Arsenick is fixed as Sulphur* !ut the Su!limation of either is
!est from the 8alx of Metals. Cet Sulphur and Arsenick are not the perfecti%e Matter of this Work:
for they are not compleat to Perfection* yet they may !e an help to Perfection in the 8ase. )ut the
,ucid and Scaly, and Scissile must !e taken.
Geber ~ #f the .nvention of 0erity6 or Perfection
$hapter 0.. - #f the Preparation of Arsnic( / HHH After its 8ompeer Arsnick is !eaten to
Po"der, it must !e !oyled in Dine#ar, and all its com!usti!le fatness extracted, and then it is dryed.
hen &. of 8opper, li!. 2, of Allom calcined 2AK a pound, and of 8ommon Salt prepared as much as
of the Allom. Mix these "ith your Arsnick prepared, and ha%in# #round all "ell to#ether, moisten
the Mixture "ith distilled Dine#ar 9that it may !e li1uid@ and !oyl the same, as you did in Sulphur*
and then su!lime it in an Aludel 9"ithout an Alem!eck@ of the hei#ht of one -oot. Gather "hat
ascends "hite, dense, clear, and lucid, and keep it, !ecause it is sufficiently prepared for the Work.
J. Grasho ~ The Greater ! Lesser "difyer
Ma#ister De#enhardus, ,ullius and Matthesius, in his Serpa 0oncione >, "rite that the material
of the metals should !e like !uttermilk !efore it hardens into a metallic form, and that it can !e
spread like !utter. hey call it G<%, and ' ha%e found it myself in mines "here (ature has made
lead. And if one is also a!le to make such a material here a!o%e the earth, then that should !e a sure
si#n not only that one has the ri#ht Materia, !ut also that one is undou!tedly on the ri#ht path. his
' can make, praise !e to God, "ith my o"n hands. When left in "armth an hour it #oes into a state
of putrefaction, so that it turns !lack, then reddish, and finally redH!ro"n. he philosophers call it
,ac Dir#inis, the Milk of the Dir#in. hus, if one puts a little Salis Metallici in our "ater, it
!ecomes like a "hite milk, and if one puts a lot therein, then it turns thick like !utter and can !e
spread like fat or a similar su!stance. ' ha%e thou#ht it "ell to mention this, in order that you may
har!or no dou!ts concernin# the Materia, and this "ill !e pro%en to you "ith the help of the only
8reator.
De Generatione %ineralium et 0eeta4ilium @@@ 'f one takes the ore and di#ests and matures it
"ith hot, corporeal fixed species that are en#endered from the con/unctions of the sun, such as
antimony, %itriol, arsenic, etc., then one o!tains a correct and po"erful sho"er of !lood. Since this
not only matures the immature #old, !ut also transmutes the other immature metals, such as lead,
tin, copper and iron, and turns them into #old or sil%er "hile they are still in !lossom, and thus
easily affected, they should !e placed in an o%en that is proper for them. here the flo"er "ill !e
matured and made endurin# in a short time, althou#h (ature "ould ha%e taken a lon# time on them,
due to her "eak di#estion. hus such ores can %ery often no" #i%e forth their spiritual, immature
#old as mature, corporeal and fixed, as ' ha%e said, and, indeed, much more of it than (ature could
ha%e perfected... 0ne must !e careful to di#est these properly and preser%e a tempered heat, "hich
is not destructi%e, !ut rather natural and fosterin# of perfection* for, truly, if one "ants to perfect the
ore in #reat amounts, this re1uires a special dili#ence and understandin#B
Christopher Grummet ~ Sanuis Naturae
$hapter .0 @@@ )ut the Artist, "ho endea%ors to set upon this "ork, must kno" that e%ery )ody
is dissol%ed !y a sharp Spirit, and made %olatile "ith a Spirit* and if the Spirit !e so prepared !y the
help of the )ody, our Mercury is prepared, "hich purifies, "ashes, and fixes and incerates itself, till
at last it attains to the hi#hest Su!tility and purity, and su!limes itself from the !ottom of the Dessel
into "hite Stone. his must !e separated from its -eces, !y su!limation and reduction* and then "ill
!e prepared the -oliated 5arth more "hite than Sno", "hich after its due Decoction, coa#ulates and
fixes %ul#ar Mercury, and transmutes e%ery imperfect )ody into true ,una. his most precious
Whiteness is our Arsenic, an incompara!le reasure, "hich a!o%e all other thin#s the Philosopher
needs. his Sulphur must !e calcined, till it !e con%erted into a dry and %ery su!tile po"der* "hich
Po"der must !e im!i!ed "ith the "hite 0il of the Philosophers di%ers times, till at len#th it flo"s
like "ax and then there "ill !e prepared the White Stone, "hereof one part in#es a housand parts
of any Metal, into true Sil%er.
Johann Baptista 'an "elmont ~ Arca Arcani Artificiosissimi Apertae
herefore it is to !e kno"n, that (ature hath her passa#es and %eins in the 5arth, "hich doth
distill Waters, salt, clear and tur!ulent. -or it al"ays o!ser%ed !y si#ht, that in the Pits, or Gro%es of
Metals, sharp and salt Waters do distil do"n. While therefore those "ater do fall do"n"ards, 9for
all hea%y thin#s are carried do"n"ards@ there are sulphureous %apours ascendin# from the center of
the 5arth, that do meet them. herefore if the "aters !e saltish, pure and clear, and the sulphureous
%apours pure also* and that they em!race one another in their meetin#, then a pure Metal is
#enerated* !ut in defect of purity, an impure Metal: in ela!oratin# of "hich, (ature spreadeth near,
or a!out a thousand years, !efore that she can !rin# it to perfection* "hich cometh to pass either !y
reason of the impurity of the salt Mercurial "aters, or of the impure sulphureous %apors, When
these t"o do em!race each other, shut ip close in the rocky places* then of them a moist, thick, fat
%apour doth arise !y the operation of natural heat, "hich taketh its seat "here the air cannot come
9for else it "ould fly a"ay@ of "hich %apour then a mucila#inous and unctuous matter is made,
"hich is "hite like )utter* "hich Mathesius doth call Gur, "hich may !e clamd like )utter* "hich
' also she" in my hand, a!o%e the 5arth, and forth of the 5arth. he,a!ourers in the Gro%es do
often find this matter "hich is called Gur* !ut of it nothin# can !e prepared, !ecause it is not kno"
"hat "as the intention of (ature in that place* for a Marchasite, as "ell as a Metal, mi#ht e1ually
ha%e !een made of it.
"ermes ~ Tractatus Aureus de Lapidus Physici Secreto
$hapter :6 Section D *** ake of the humidity, or moisture, an ounce and a half, and of the
Southern &edness, "hich is the soul of #old, a fourth part, that is to say, half an ounce, of the citrine
Seyre, in like manner, half an ounce* of the Auripigment, half an ounce, "hich are ei#ht* that is
three ounces. And kno" ye that the %ine of the "ise is dra"n forth in three, !ut the "ine thereof is
not perfected, until at len#th thirty !e accomplished...
$hapter F6 Section D *** &eturn then, 0 my Son, the coal !ein# extinct in life, upon the "ater for
thirty days, as ' shall note to thee, and henceforth thou art a cro"ned kin#, restin# o%er the fountain,
and dra"in# from thence Auripigmentum dry "ithout moisture. And no" ' ha%e made the heart of
the hearers, hopin# in thee, to re/oice, e%en in their eyes, !eholdin# thee in anticipation of that
"hich thou possessethB
$ommentary -'arrett/ *** .ermes si#nifies the first manifested resplendence of the %ital tincture*
the "ell is, as the catholic spirit of life, inexhausti!le* at the !ottom, or center rather, of "hich
su!sists the occult 8ausality of all* e%en from this, the true efficient "heel, is dra"n, accordin# to
tradition, that auripigment of philosophers "hich is the multiplicati%e %irtue of their stone.
$hapter F6 Section = *** Fno" thou, my son, that the fat of our earth is sulphur* that sulphur is
auripi#ment, siret7, or colcothar* of "hich auripi#ment, sulphurs, and such like, some are more %ile
or mean than others, in "hich there is a difference or di%ersity. 0f this kind also is the fat of #le"y
su!stances* to "it, of hair, nails, hoofs, and sulphur itself, oil of Peter, and the !rain or marro",
"hich is auripigmentB
$ommentary -'arrett/ *** .ermes alludes to her in part to the %arious manifestations of the spirit
in this natural life, and the %e#eta!le #ro"th of it in animal !odies. he occult luminous principle of
life, and the %e#eta!le #ro"th of it in animal !odies. he occult luminous principle of %itali7ation
he calls sulphur, auripigment, Ec, hidin# it also under a %ariety of other co%ertures.
Section ... *** 0 permanent "atery -orm, creatrix of the royal elementsU "ho, ha%in# "ith thy
!rethren and a /ust #o%ernment o!tained the tincture, finds rest. 0ur precious stone is cast forth
upon the dun#Hhill, and that "hich is most "orthy is made %ilest of the %ile. herefore, it !ehoo%es
us to mortify t"o Ar#ent %i%es to#ether, !oth to %enerate and !e %enerated, %i7., the Ar#ent %i%e
of Auripigment, and the oriental ar#ent %i%e of ma#nesia...
'n this "ay our prepared material is also called male and female, acti%e and passi%e. So Pimon
says, in The 0row+) +Fno" that the secret of the "ork consists in male and female, i.e., an acti%e
and a passi%e principle. 'n lead is found the male, in orpiment the female...
$than Allen "itchcoc< ~ Alchemy ! the Alchemists
+he "ork,+ says one, +"hile yet crude, is called our "ater permanent, our lead, our Saturn, our
Oupiter* "hen !etter decocted, then it is ar#ent, then Ma#nesia, and "hite sulphur* "hen it is red, it
is called auripigment, coral, #old, ferment, or stone, a lucid "ater of celestial color.+
' am not defendin# this mode of "ritin#, !ut ' affirm that the "hole su!/ect of Alchemy is man.
)ut each "riter, for the most part, desi#nates him !y a "ord of his o"n choosin#* hence one "rites
of Antimony, another of ,ead, another of Pinc, another of Arsenic...
Johannes Isaac "ollan&us ~ A 2or( of Saturnia
(o", my 8hild, "hy is Saturn as fluxi!le as Wax I )y reason of its$ a!oundin# Sulphur, "hich is
therein* for ' find no fluxi!leness or fusi!leness in anythin# sa%in# in Sulphur, Mercury
and Arsenick, and all these three are in Saturn* so that Saturn is 1uickly fluxi!le, !ut all these three
are cleansed "ith it from their uncleanness.
And do you not kno", that the Philosophers call their Stone Arsenick, and a "hite thin#* and they
say their Sulphur is incom!usti!le* they call it like"ise a red thin#, all this is Saturn, in it
is Arsenick* for ,una is principally #enerated of a "hite Sulphur, as is plainly tau#ht in the )ook of
Sulphur, and all Arsenick is internally red as )lood, if its$ in"ard part !e !rou#ht out"ards, as is
demonstrated in the /ook of 0olours. Saturn stands almost in the de#ree of fixed ,una. So that in it
there is a red Sulphur, as you see, "hen its internal is placed out"ards, it "ill !e red as &u!y* there
are no 8olours !ut in the Spirits, so that there is in it a red and a yello" Sulphur. 'n it is Mercury, as
may !e seen, for Mercury is extracted out of Saturn in a short time, and "ith it little la!our.
So that all three are in Saturn, !ut they are not fixed therein, !ut they are clean, pure,
incom!usti!le, fluxi!le as Wax* in it are all thin#s "hich the Philosophers ha%e mentioned. hey
say, our Stone is made of a stinkin# menstruous thin#: What think you, is not Saturn di##ed out of a
stinkin# 5arthI -or di%ers are killed "ith the ill Scents and Dapours "here Saturn is di##ed.
J. I. "ollan&us ~ #puscula Alchymicaia
$hapter ;C? The Twenty@Fourth 2or( of Arsenicum HHH (o" ' "ill teach my child ho" to make
the "hite Stone from arsenic. ake arsenic, L or ? l!s* po"der it finely* then take alum, e## chalk,
calamine and common salt, all dried at a #entle fire, that is, K parts of common salt to 2 part of each
of the others. Pound them "ell to#ether, and for e%ery L l!s of arsenic, take N l!s of the other
matters. Mix them to#ether and put them into a su!limation %essel* su!limate the arsenic. Pound
"hat has !een su!limated amon# its faeces, and su!limate it a#ain. &epeat it once more. (o" mix
thearsenicum su!limatum "ith as much fresh matter as your arsenicum "ei#hs* su!limate it and
repeat > times. After this, su!limate a#ain > times "ith as much fresh matter. hen your arsenic "ill
!ecome clear, "hite and transparent like crystal. Dissol%e that in a1ua fort, made of alum, e##
chalk, calamine and saltpeter, as much as all the others "ei#h to#ether. Dry them to the point of
dustin#, put them into a distillation pot and distill as one normally makes a1ua fort. Put the caput
mortuum, po"dered, !ack into the pot, pour your a1ua fort a#ain on it, distill for >< hours till
nothin# drips any lon#er. After this, keep it #lo"in# for another >< hours* repeat that a#ain,
rectifyin# it "ith its caput mortuum. 't is achie%ed "ith the third distillation. With this dissol%e your
su!limated arsenic, dra" the "ater off, and su!limate the arsenic a#ain* and a#ain dissol%e it in the
said "ater. Do this > times, each time dissol%in# in fresh "ater.
$hapter ;= HHH (o" take as much sil%er as the "ei#ht of the arsenic, dissol%e it in common a1ua
fort, and !eat it do"n. Wash this chalk "ith common "ater of its saltiness, and dry it on a moderate
fire. ake this calx ,unae and the prepared arsenic, pound them to#ether on a stone, put them into
our su!limatorium, and su!limate them of the chalk, at first heatin# fairly stron#ly, so that the
distillation pot stands there in a soft #lo", for K hours. hen let it cool do"n, and remo%e the
su!limate* a#ain pound it "ith its feci!us, and set it a#ain to su!limate as !efore. Do this L times,
and you ha%e su!limated all the spirit or 1uintessence of the sil%er "ith the arsenic. hen put the
faeces of the sil%er to re%er!erate or calcinate in the su!limation furnace, for L days and ni#hts, in a
soft #lo" not too hot or it "ould melt and spoil e%erythin#.
hen take it out, put it into your stone /ar, pour distilled "ine %ine#ar on it, set it in the !alneum
for L days and ni#hts, and proceed in e%ery "ay as ' ha%e tau#ht a!o%e in the "ork of antimonium,
"hen ' instructed you ho" to prepare the salt, earth, or corpus. Su!se1uently, pound it to#ether
intan#i!ly on a stone, and for that take t"ice as hea%y of our !urnin# !lessed "ater to the White.
Put e%erythin# to#ether into a fixin# #lass, seal it hermetically, put it on a furnace in a dish "ith
ashes, and a#ain #i%e moderate fire, and e%erythin# "ill dissol%e into pure "ater, also rise and fall,
until it stays fixed as a crystalline, clear oil, "hich is a perfect 5lixir. 't translates mercury and tin
into true sil%er. Put this into a #lass ampule or e##, seal it, set it for L= days and ni#hts in a tripod,
and it "ill coa#ulate into the Philosophers Stone, "hose pro/ection is %ery #reat. he %ery same
"ork "hich you ha%e done "ith sil%er you can also do "ith tin, and the pro/ection "ill !e e1ually
hi#h. hank God and !e charita!le to the poor.
J. I. "ollan&us ~ The $a4ala
$hapter .. HHH My child should kno", as has !een said !efore, that the Salts are of many different
kinds, namely of Saturn, Oupiter, Mars, Sol, Denus, Mercury, and ,una, and that each of them can
!ecome a saltB
-rom this note that Oupiter "ould "ell !e fixed and sta!le of it had all > Principles "ithout any
lack thereof. )ut let that !e as it may, it is ne%ertheless not due to this cause alone, as Oupiter still
has these other t"o deficiencies "hich cause it to !e unsta!le in the fire. 0f these the first and
#reatest deficiency is that, althou#h it contains Salt and Sulphur, it lacks the Salt of Sulphur, "hich
is called Philosophical %ealgar !y its proper name. And althou#h the common man calls it
only Arsenicum, !e it yello", "hite, or red, it is ne%ertheless nothin# !ut the spirit of the Sulphur of
Oupiter, althou#h it is a fixed or sta!le %ealgar or arsenic. he "hite %ealgar comes from Denus
and Oupiter, the red %ealgar from mercury.
J. I. "ollan&us ~ De Lapide Philosophorum
Cou should also kno" that the oil of all thin#s in the "orld separates from its earth in the fire,
except that of minerals and metals, !ecause their oil stays "ith the earth in the fire and does not
separate from it. 'f it does separate, the earth rises to#ether "ith it, as their oils cannot !e separated
from the earth, "hich can !e done "ith other thin#s. hey kne" "ell that if they "ish to follo"
(ature, they needed such oils to increate and make their spirit and dry earth li1uid. hey found
them in sulphur and auripigment, !ut ten times more in mercury. 'n this "ay the art of ceration "as
in%entedB
,una has t"o sicknesses, like other imperfect metals, !ut its t"o sicknesses do not #o to the
inmost root as do those of the other imperfect metals. 0ne sickness is the com!usti!le sulphur, the
other is cold and humidity. he first sickness is eliminated "ith arsenic and "ashin#. Fno" that the
su!stance of arsenic is so stron# that it !urns and destroys all !odies. he same is done
!y auripigment and sulphur* these three are of one nature.
When arsenic and auripigment are disem!odied and cleansed of their impurity, density, and "ild
unfixed spirits, and you take the idle spirit, then "ith this spirit you "ill dri%e a"ay the
com!usti!ility of the sulphur of metals !y calcinin#, "ashin#, pur#in#, reiteratin#.
8onse1uently, arsenic andauripigment are compara!le to theriac. -or if the poison in the theriac is
not prepared, it "ill kill man* !ut "hen it is prepared, it dri%es the poison out.
,ike"ise arsenic and auripigment.
!ichar& Ingalese ~ They %ade the Philosophers& Stone
his element is not called mercury al"ays. 't had different names in different lan#ua#es. 'n the
time of the Ara!ians it "as fre1uently called arsenic, "hich is not the arsenic of medicine, !ut
another name applied to mercury.
Pope Jean ++II ~ The Art of Transmutation
To !ake Sil"er HHH ake a pound calcined tartar and !oil three pounds of common "ater until it
dries almost half: and then distill !y the felt, and int the "ater put t"o ounces of !orax: then take a
pound of salt and a pound of lime as you ha%e done of tartar, !y makin# each ha%e t"o ounces of
!orax, then take t"o ounces of arsenic realgar, t"o ounces, of orpiment, four ounces and mix "ell
to#ether: then lea%e !y half and put a hand inside the lime "ater and let dissol%e all those inside and
repel "ater space of four hours and then ha%e four ounces of filin#s of Mars, ne" lime and half an
ounce of fine ,una, dissol%e in each common "ater and "hen e%erythin# is dissol%ed mix the t"o
"aters to#ether %ery "ell, then separate your "ater, and keep your faeces: then take "aters a!o%e
"ith your faeces of Mars and Moon and mix to#ether, and then e%aporate o%er lo" heat, stirrin#
fre1uently, then add fi%e or six ounces of copper melted and prepared "ithin #lass, it "ill !e #ood
and soft sil%er.
Francois Jolli'et*Castelot ~ The $hemical %anufacture of Gold
)y means of catalytic action ' ha%e succeeded in manufacturin# #old chemically !y actin# on
sil%er "ith arsenic and antimony sulfides, tellurium, and tin. he process #i%es a %ery hi#h yield
"hich has already !een confirmed !y se%eral chemists...
' made a mixture composed of chemically pure sil%er and 2 #ram of chemically
pure orpiment and placed it in ><\ nitric acid for se%eral months cold and then !rou#ht it to
e!ullition. he li1uid "as kept at the !oilin# point for se%eral days. A small 1uantity of the material
!ecame detached at this point and formed a pul%urent !lack deposit. When no further action took
place, ' decanted off the solution and collected the insolu!le residue. his residue "as attacked !y
a1ua re#ia at the !oilin# point until it "as almost completely dissol%ed* the li1uor "hen decanted
and filtered "as analy7ed and #a%e all the characteristic reactions for #old. 9Decem!er 2RK?@
' acted on KK #rams of pure sil%er... and on >.? #rams of pure orpiment... he mixture "as heated
to a!out 2<==\ 8. 'n a metal smeltin# furnace for a!out three 1uarters of an hour. he residue
o!tained "as a#ain melted "ith the addition of orpiment. After ha%in# hammered for half an hour
and remelted "ith the addition of small 1uantities of orpiment e%ery ten minutes, it "as "ithdra"n.
After coolin# and the addition of chemically pure antimony sulfide, it "as a#ain put !ack into the
furnace, small 1uantities of orpiment !ein# thro"n in e%ery fi%e minutes. he residue o!tained had
a dark metallic tint. After hammerin# it !ecame sli#htly #olden.
he residue dissol%ed in pure ><\ nitric acid first cold and then hot, #a%e an a!undant pul%urent
deposit. his deposit after !ein# "ashed and treated "ith ammonia to dissol%e the arsenic and
antimony salts "as completely dissol%ed in a1ua re#ia. he li1uor then !ein# chlorinated and
filtered "as su!/ected to the usual rea#ents of platinum and #old...
' su!mit the hypothesis that the arsenic acts as a catalyst and the sulfur as a ferment in this
transmutation...
Carl Jung ~ %ysterium $oniunctionis
B'n the face of hu#e num!ers e%ery thou#ht of indi%iduality pales, for statistics o!literate
e%erythin# uni1ue. 8ontemplatin# such o%er"helmin# mi#ht and misery the indi%idual is
em!arrassed to exist at all. Cet the real carrier of life is the indi%idual. .e alone feels happiness, he
alone has %irtue and responsi!ility and any ethics "hate%er. he masses and the state ha%e nothin#
of the kind. 0nly man as an indi%idual !ein# li%es* the state is /ust a system, a mere machine for
sortin# and ta!ulatin# the masses. Anyone, therefore, "ho thinks in terms of men minus the
indi%idual, in hu#e num!ers, atomi7es himself and !ecomes a thief and a ro!!er to himself. .e is
infected "ith the leprosy of collecti%e thinkin# and has !ecome an inmate of that insalu!rious studH
farm called the totalitarian State. 0ur time contains and produces more than enou#h of that Mcrude
sulfur "hich "ith Marsenicalmali#nity pre%ents man from disco%erin# his true self.
' "as tempted to translate arsenicalis as Mpoisonous. )ut this translation "ould !e too modern.
(ot e%erythin# that the alchemists called Marsenic "as really the chemical element As. MArsenic
ori#inally meant masculine, manly, stron#, and "as essentially an Arcanum, as
&ulands 3e2icon sho"s. here arsenic is defined as an Mhermaphrodite, the means "here!y
Sulphur and Mercury are united. 't has communion "ith !oth natures and is therefore called Sun
and Moon. 0r arsenic is M,una, our Denus, Sulphurs companion and the Msoul. .ere arsenic is no
lon#er the masculine aspect of the arcane su!stance !ut is hermaphroditic and e%en feminine. his
!rin#s it dan#erously close to the moon and the crude Sulphur, so that arsenicloses its solar affinity.
As MSulphurs companion it is poisonous and corrosi%e. )ecause the arcane su!stance al"ays
points to the principal unconscious content, its peculiar nature sho"s in "hat relation that content
stands to consciousness. 'f the conscious mind has accepted it, it has a positi%e form, if not, a
ne#ati%e one. 'f on the other hand the arcane su!stance is split into t"o fi#ures, this means that the
content has !een partly accepted and partly re/ected* it is seen under t"o different, incompati!le
aspects and is therefore taken to !e t"o different thin#sB
Jacob Juran ~ Hyle ! $oahyl
Gur HHH 'ts si#n, ho"e%er, is this: in the ca%es of the mountains "here the "orkers la!or and di#
our #old or sil%er, a "hite oil drips out and "hen it has disappeared in the #round in "hich there is
this 8ohyle or the seed and the !e#innin# of the #old, there "ill !e somethin# #lo"in# from the
earth like a tear or like a "hite !lood, and like a tear of a plant or a #rape%ine "hen they are cut, and
it is similar to drops of li#ht "ater in its seepin# out, and after a day or ni#ht it "ill coa#ulate and !e
similar to the sali%a of the mouth or the milk or "ater foam. And after a certain time "hen you see
it, you "ill find it sli#htly reddish and this redness "ill increase e%ery day, and "hen it is redder
than coa#ulated !lood, !ut not yet hard as stone, !ut soft and like a sal%e and cream, then the #old
in it is completed, !ut not yet sta!le in the heat of the fire, and it "ill not !e sta!le until it coa#ulates
and !ecomes similar to a hard rock, and this is the "ord of Fin# Sa!a, "hich he talks a!out in his
!ook Kaba Thabiban, the oil, the !utter of the "ise. 't is a !ird in the "orld and it is "hite like
sno", and it is the !ird of all !irds since it doesnt fly underneath the sky and a!o%e the earth like
other !irds, !ut it comes do"n from the hei#ht of the sky into the deepest a!ysses in the interior of
the earth, and its fli#ht #oes throu#h stone and #round, throu#h rock and the a!ysses of the sea* this
!ird in reality is the Phoenix of the Wise and alchemists, and if it doesnt /oin "ith the mother of the
#old in the earth and this !ecome "hite and sli#htly sta!le, then the alchemists "ill not !e a!le to
complete it in a lon# time except if it comes do"n e%ery day and flies into the interior of the earth
and hides and unites "ith the mother of the #old, and "hen you first see it you "ill compare it "ith
the seed of men, and its face, if "hite, "ill turn red after some time, and it "ill !e soft as !utter or a
sal%e* !ut "hen its softness chan#es the #old is !orn and sta!le in fire. his 8ohyle has no name,
/ust like the 8ohyle of the first "ay has none. )ut the experienced of those "orkin# inside the
mountains "hen they find this 8ohyle, they ans"er and say "e ha%e preceded the !irth of the son
and the completion of the #old !ecause, see, the son is recei%ed, and due to our hurry "e ha%e found
no #oldB my son, choose this 8ohyle, the !utter of the "ise men* you can find "hen it is red like
!lood, choose it, !ecause "ith it you "ill hurry to its end, and if it is "hite like sali%a of the mouth,
choose it !ecause "ith it you "ill understand e%en more* therefore "hen possi!le choose the red
one and the "hite one, !ut choose it soft like a fatty su!stanceB
'n our opinion, the "ord G<% is not a German !ut a .e!re" "ord... 0ur matter, then, so "rites
the author of this process, is one sin#le thin#, !ut of t"o su!stances, su!/ect to Saturn, and
surrounded !y his circle, "herein is found the .umidum &adicale, and a fixed #rain of #old, still
unhurt, 1uite ali%e, "ith soul and spirit, and it is a con#ealed %apor and a "hite coa#ulated /uice,
"hich nature itself has #i%en up, or su!limated, in the Mineris Sol E ,una, hea%y !y "ei#ht, of a
metallic kind and 1uality, and yet not a metal in itself. 't can !e spread like lard, or a %ery su!tle
amal#am, it attaches itself e%ery"here to the "alls, like fat, 1uite #listenin#. 'n e%ery %iscous
sulphur, or "ater, there lies hidden in its center a 8entrum 8oncentratum, meanin#: he salt of
(ature, "hich is the li#ht of the "orld, and the true Materia Prima #old.
As proof, take as much of this su!/ect as you like, pour upon it t"ice distilled de" "ater, the first
time as is, the next time throu#h a do7en dou!leHfine !lottin# papers, as is correctly tau#ht and
sho"n in the Fama *ermetica mense Februario. 0nce distilled, let it stand for a fe" days in
di#estion, stirrin# it some"hat e%ery day. hen, out of this su!/ect "ill extract itself the hidden
8entrum concentratum, or Sal (aturae: When this extract has cooled do"n, filter it, and "hen the
moisture has e%aporated from it throu#h a do7en dou!leHfine !lottin# papers, one "ill see this Sal
(aturae and ,umen Mundi so !eautiful, splendid and #listenin# as the stars at the firmament are
al"ays #litterin# and #listenin#. )ut if it is further treated philosophically, it can e%en !e turned into
a !ri#htly shinin# oil.
0ften one !reaks and finds also co!alt, "hich contains little or almost no metal. )ut !y di##in#
further in the pits, one "ill find the same "hite coa#ulated metallic /uice. 't is formed plentifully in
nearly all mines, especially "here there is #old and sil%er, !ut that "hich is mined in .un#ary is to
!e preferred to all others. 0ur earth is #old and sil%er, !ut not the natural and common. 't is of one
thin# and root. Astrum gerit masculinum et femininum genus tamen e2in+e persublimationem
Archael fit crystallus. &ui habit naturam a&uae. cum &uaignis et Sulphur re+igen+a sunt in gratiam.
Miners do not heed it, nor is it of use to them in their "ork. 't is #enerally called !y them: aurum
immaturatum. seu astrum Solis. semen Solis, metal seed, also sometimes Ara!ian #old. When they
find such matter, they say, "e ha%e come too early or too late. +icitur etiam. )efore it con#eals into
a metallic form, it is like !utter and can !e spread like !utter. he first matter of metals is not
Mercurius %i%us, !ut a sticky, sulphurous %apor, and a %iscous "ater, in "hich %iscous "ater the
three Principia: Sal comm., Sulphur and Mercury are #athered. his matter is kno"n to all true
philosophers, and it is the true A#ens and Patiens.
Anton :irchEeger ~ The Golden $hain of Homer
(ote here that Arsenic is a su!til dry mercury for the formation of the red metals chiefly.
Modestin -achs and u#el !elie%e Arsenic to !e unripe ,una, and ,una to !e fixed Arsenic. u#el
confirms it !y experiment: ,ead from Mercury, in from Arsenic, Sil%er from Arsenic, 'ron from
Mercury, 8opper from Mercury, and Mercury from Arsenic...
My teachin#s "ill repel many and they "ill !e astonished "hen they learn that ' prepare the #old
"ith arsenic...
Sulphur remo%es all the poison from arsenic and antimony. 'f a man "ere to reflect on the true
prime ori#ins of #old and other metals, or if he "ere to take the Mineram Solis, "hich is one "ith
the other metals, he could immediately chan#e it !ack into its prime matter. -rom this the reader
learns of the properties of arsenic, ho" 1uickly its poison can !e remo%ed and thus it is transformed
into a !etter su!stance.
he first constituent of all marcasites and metals is arsenic. 'n "hat mineral or metal can "e find
common 1uicksil%er except %ery rarely and accidentallyI 'nstead, you "ill find Arsenicum and
sulphur in each of the aforementioned, !e it little or much, !ut usually in 1uantity.
See Oo. A#ricola in Popp# Nuremburg 2<N2, L, P. '', Tr# +e Arsenico, P. RR3, "here it is "ritten:
+Without a reason, one should not !e surprised that this mineral is so closely related to Sulphur, that
they are almost sprun# from one sprin#, !ut in their effects they are almost opposites... 't is a Fin#
of Medicine "hen it is corrected, one #rain or less of it has the most salutory effect in countless
diseases. 't is penetratin# and tin#es the !lood and %ital spirit so intensely that it !ecomes capa!le of
dispersin# e%en the most pernicious enemy from the !ody* "hich other medicines, lackin# this
po"er, can ne%er accomplish. herefore, you must search in e%ery "ay to find out ho" its
poisonous nature can !e allayed...+.
'snt it !y experience that "e kno" that #old and sil%er !uried under the earth are aroused "hen
the salty moisture of the earth "akens the sour spirits of #old and sil%er into action* that is "hy one
has found only their electra or e%en only some dust instead of #old and sil%er. When therefore #old
and sil%er ha%e !een put in places "here many arsenical or marcasitical %apors e%aporate, they are
sooner destroyed !y (ature. We can see this in the Art, "hich must necessarily follo" (ature in
/ust these steps, "hen "e melt sulphur, arsenic and marcasite to#ether and let them flo", then put
#lo"in# #old into it, so that the #old turns into all po"der "hich is then immediately dissol%ed !y
the salts or salty %apors or spirits and reduced to its first nature.
,ike"ise "ith metals or minerals: the medicine or tincture does not intend to heal the
sulphur, arsenic or marcasite, !ut the metals, and e%en if it "ere thro"n upon sulphur, arsenic or
marcasite, it "ould not turn them into pure #old and sil%er, !ut into a pure solar or lunar nature.
herefore, such a solari7ed sulphur, arsenic or marcasite can also !e made into #old or sil%er !y
di#estion and maturation, !ut not into pure #old and sil%er as metals are transmuted !y castin# and
meltin#, etc.
Gur *** he portion of the earth "hich the corrosi%e S%aporT has !een una!le to dissol%e
completely, is made su!tle, dirty, and #reasy in part. Alchemists call it a metallic #ur, or the first
matter of metals, !ut "ron#ly so, !ecause it is the first and nearest matter to sulphur and arsenic.
Whenarsenic !ecomes marcasite, that then is the %ery nearest matter to metals, !ecause metals
sprin# directly from marcasite and not from this #ur "hich is only the distant matter of metals. his
#ur or dirty su!stance is made e%er finer !y the risin# corrosi%e %apors and is more and more
dissol%ed. And the more it !ecomes su!tle, the more it con#eals the corrosi%e "ithin itself, and that
makes it sulphurous and arsenical. his arsenic is increasin#ly ripened into marcasite, and the
marcasite in turn into metal. Such is the pro#ress of metals, "hich "e intend to sho" e%er more
clearly.
When the %apors rise into the cracks and cre%ices of the rocks, they turn into "ater !ecause of
their condensation 9"hile more and more rise unceasin#ly@. his "ater contains the intermin#led
spirit of salt and saltpeter, "hich spirit is kno"n !y all alchemists to !e corrosi%e. .ere, ho"e%er, in
the center, it is surrounded and diluted !y much Phle#ma and "ater. Such spirits adhere to rocks
and earth !y their sharpness, corrode and dissol%e them, make them su!tle, s"ollen, sticky, #reasy
and dirty, and turn them into a moist gur "hich lies !et"een the rocks and the earth like meat
interlarded "ith !acon. )ut often it penetrates outside due to the s"ellin# and adheres to the "alls,
as may !e seen in old #alleries and mines. he more dissol%ed and refined such dissol%ed earth
!ecomes throu#h %apors and salty spirits, the more it s"ells, pressin# and dri%in# out the remainin#
moisture !y this s"ellin#. 'n turn, this moisture runs !ack to the center or else"here into other
corners and holes of the earth. his s"ollen earth or gur no" has no peace, !ecause the continually
risin# and su!se1uent %apors are attackin# it e%er more, adhere to it, con#eal and coa#ulate "ith the
earth* and the more such corrosi%e %apors follo", the more fiery, sulphurous the earth !ecomes. he
more sulphurous it !ecomes, the hi#her it s"ells, and more moisture it dri%es off, and !ecomes the
drier the lon#er it lasts. he drier it !ecomes, ho"e%er, the more the sulphurous component part
loses its com!usti!ility and there!y ac1uires the name of mercury, or ri#htly, arsenic, "hich has
ori#inated in the sulphurous acidity. 't no lon#er !urns, !ut is still %olatile. his %olatility, ho"e%er,
is #radually more !ound !y the central heat !et"een the stones, and there!y con#ealed and
coa#ulated, so that it is transformed into a marcasite. 'f the di#estion or earthy central heat is stron#,
the marcasite is con#ealed into a metal* !ut if it is "eak, it remains "hat it is or !ecomes a
marcasite or arsenic chokeHdamp, or pyrite.
(o" one must kno" that "hen nature has #ot so far that she had made sulphur or arsenic, she
has already filled the cre%ices and chasms and dissol%ed and caused so much earth to s"ell that the
cre%ices are full to the !rim. hen the earth does not admit any more %apors or moisture, and is no
lon#er in dissolution. (o" !e#ins the dessication, fixation and coa#ulation, and passes from there to
a metallic nature or fixity.
Oust as the earth and rock are the mother and foundation, or the %essel, of minerals in "hich fossil
ore !odies are made, so the %apor is their food. Ditriol or %itriolic gur is the root, sulphur
and arsenic the stem, marcasite the flo"er or !lossom, metals, the seed, the completed !irth and
offsprin#.
hat %itriol is first !orn of sulphur and arsenic can !e pro%en !y gur, if it is lixi%iated, filtered
and coa#ulated. hen one finds a %itriolic salt after the kind of earth that has !een dissol%ed. hat
sulphur or arsenic ori#inate in this "ay, can !e seen durin# dismem!erment. When the Acidum or
the sour %apor is dri%en !y fire, it distills first. 't is follo"ed !y the flo"ers of sulphur, then
the arsenic, then the %olatile marcasite. he fixed marcasite flo"s into a re#ulus and sla#. hat
marcasite is made from arsenic, can a#ain !e seen in dismem!erment, !ecause !ismuth and
antimony dri%en into flo"ers are 1uite arsenical and %olatile, and also ha%e the total nature and
1uality of arsenic.
Liba'ius ~ $ommentariosum Alchymiaem
9 @ .ere paint a s"an s"immin# on the sea and spe"in# out of its mouth a "hite fluid. his
s"an is the "hite elixir, the "hite chalk, the arsenic of the philosophers, common to !oth
ferments...
!aymon& Lully ~ Apertorium
"o are more pure than the rest, namely #old and sil%er, "ithout "hich the "ork cannot !e
!e#un or finished* !ecause in them is the purest su!stance of sulphur, perfectly purified !y the
in#enuity of (ature. 0ut of these t"o !odies, prepared "ith sulphur and arsenic, our medicine may
!e extracted.
!aymon& Lully ~ Testament
)ut our Secret Philosophical Water is compounded of three (atures, and it is like to a Mineral
Water, in "hich our Stone is dissol%ed, and therein it is terminated, Whitened and ru!ified. -or it is
not /oined to the "ork, unless essentially moistenin# the parts of the dissol%ed Stone, "hose Phle#m
preser%es the "hole Work from com!ustion, !y means of the Artists 'ndustry.
)ut kno" that all its su!stance, that is the phle#matical, is !y decoction separated from the "hole
8ompound, !ut our Phle#m is the middle su!stance, and the first Water of Mercury, in "hich the
!e#innin# of the Stone is, that is, its dissolution, neither does it enter "ith it, althou#h they em!race
one another "ith the )ond of (ature, unless as a Phle#m moistenin# the parts of the thin#s, and
note #eneratin# or au#mentin#* Whence the radical moistures are the essential parts of the Stone
im!i!ed in the thin#s themsel%es, of "hich alone the parts of the thin# consist, therefore !y it, it is
au#mented and nourished. )ut it is the truly #erminatin# (ature, "hich the more it is decocted !y
the Phle#m, in its Dessel, !y a -ire forcin# is the more in#rafted into all and e%ery one of the Parts,
it is adorned, and so made fitter that manifold -ruits may !e #enerated out of it: -or this is called
the middle nature, and the Stone, Mercury, Arsenick, and the no!le spirit partakin# of !oth
extremes, the White Sulphur and the &ed, !indin# up Mercury an con%ertin# it into !etter Sil%er
than that of the MineB
Albertus Magnus ~ $ompound of $ompounds
he Arsenick is of the same nature as the Sulphur* !oth tint to red and to "hite. )ut there is more
humidity in the Arsenick, and it su!limes less rapidly o%er the fire than the Sulphur.
0ne kno"s ho" "ell Sulphur su!limes 1uickly and ho" it consumes all the !odies, except God.
he Arsenick can unite its dry principle "ith that of the Sulphur, they temper each other, and once
united, one separates them only "ith difficulty, their tincture is toned do"n !y this union.
Jhe Arsenick6, says Ge!er, Jcontains much of the Mercury* it can also !e prepared like it6.
Fno" that the Spirit hidden in the Sulphur, theArsenick and the animal oil, is named !y the
philosophers he White 5lixir. 't is uni1ue, misci!le "ith the %olatile su!stance, from this one "e
extract the red 5lixir* it unites "ith the melted metals, thus as "e ha%e experimented "ith it, it
purifies them. (ot only !ecause of the aforementioned properties, !ut also !ecause there is one
common proportion !et"een its elementsB
Accordin# to philosophy, the 5lixir also is called Medicine, !ecause one assimilates the !ody of
metals in the !ody of animals. Also "e say that there is a hidden Spirit in the Sulphur,
the Arsenick and the oil extract of the animal su!stances. 't is that spirit for "hich "e search, "ith
"hose aid "e "ill tint all the imperfect !odies to perfection. his Spirit is called Water and mercury
!y the Philosophers. Jhe mercury6, says Ge!er, Jis a medicine composed of the dry and the
humid, the humid and the dry6. Cou understand the succession of operations: extract the earth from
the fire, the air from the earth, the "ater from the air, since the "ater can resist the fire. 't is
necessary to mark "ell these teachin#s, they are :ni%ersal Secrets.
(one of the principles "hich enter into the Work ha%e stren#th !y themsel%es* for they are linked
in the metals, they cannot !e perfected, they are not %ery fixed. 5ach lacks t"o su!stances, one
misci!le "ith the metals in fusion, the other fixed "hich ena!les it to coa#ulate and fix. Also
&hases said: Jhere are four su!stances "hich chan#e in season: each one of these is composed of
the four elements and takes the name of the dominant element. heir mar%elous essence "as fixed
in one !ody, and, "ith this last, one can nourish the other !odies. his essence is composed of "ater
and of air, com!ined in such a "ay that the heat li1uefies them. .ere it is: a mar%elous secret. he
minerals employed in Alchemy must, in order to ser%e us, ha%e an action upon the melted !odies.
he stones "e use are four in num!er, t"o tint to "hite, the t"o others to red. Also: the "hite, the
red, the Sulphur, the Arsenick and Saturn ha%e only that one same !odyU )ut in this sin#le !ody,
"hat o!scuritiesU And at first it is "ithout action upon the perfect metals6B
' "ill add that from the four imperfect !odies, one can extract all. As for the manner of preparin#
the Sulphur, the Arsenick, and the Mercury most hi#hly acclaimed, one can !rin# it forth here.
'ndeed, "hen in this preparation "e heat the spirit of the Sulphur and of the Arsenick, "ith the acid
"aters or the oil, for in extractin# this %olatile essence, the oil or unctuosity, "e raise them a!o%e
that "hich is superfluous to them* it lea%es the %olatile force and the oil, these thin#s alone are those
"hich are useful to us* !ut they are mixed in the acid "ater "hich ser%ed us in purifyin#, there is no
means of separatin# these, !ut at least "e are rid of the useless. 't is necessary therefore, to find
another means to extract from these !odies in order to o!tain the "ater, the oil, and the %ery su!tle
spirit of the Sulphur "hich is the true %ery acti%e incture for "hich "e searchB
#f the Purification of the Spirits HHH he purification of spirits consists in the remo%al of all
superfluities, !ut "ithout the corruption of essentials. here are three kinds of spirits, mineral,
%e#eta!le, and animal. he mineral spirits, a#ain, are properly three: sulphur, 1uicksil%er,
and arsenic, "hich operate naturally in metals, and to "hich metals, prepared !y Art, are naturally
/oined. 0f these, sulphur is the #reat acti%e, 1uicksil%er the #reat passi%e principle,
"hile arsenic represents the secondary operations of 1uicksil%er* !ut all three unite in the
composition of the 5lixirB
#f Arsenic HHH Arsenic is a mineral !ody composed of earth and "ater* it is olea#inous, like
sulphur, !ut ha%in# more earth than oil, and containin# a more #ross and earthy sulphur. 'ts
pur#ation for the first su!limation is !y means of su!stances "hich dry up and consume its
olea#inous superfluity, "hich is the first humidity. he a1ueous superfluity, "hich is the second
humidity, must !e e%aporated.
'n Gods name, take ponderous, lucid, red or yello" arsenic, pound small "ith an e1ual "ei#ht
and a half of iron or copper filin#s* sprinkle "ith %ine#ar, dry, place !et"een layers of its sediment
o%er a fire, till there !e no more steam, close up %essel, increase fire more and more till all is
su!limed* cool, collect "hat appears outside the sediment, place !et"een ne" layers, in each case
a!out the thickness of one inch* su!lime as !efore, till it is "hite, pure, crystalline, and free from all
humidity and superfluity. his may !e done !y means of fi%e or six su!limations* dissol%e , and
then coa#ulate, as in the case of sulphur, "hether for the "hite or red. Arsenic is of less potency in
the coa#ulation of Mercury than sulphur, !ut it is possi!le to extract from it an i#neous %irtue.
Albertus Magnus ~ Li4ellus de Alchimia
1H. #he Four %pirits o Metals .hich Color HHH (ote that the four spirits of metals are mercury,
sulphur, auripigmentum or arsenicum, and sal ammoniac. hese four spirits color metals "hite and
red, that is, in Gold and Sil%er: yet not of themsel%es, unless they are first prepared !y different
medicines for this, and are not %olatile, and "hen placed in the fire !urn !rilliantlyB
1J. .hat is Auripigmentum an& .hat is its 5riginK HHH Auripigmentum is a mineral stone and
is made thus. 5arthen dun# pits in the !o"els of the earth throu#h lon# processes of decoction
transform it into the su!stance of auripigmentum. 'ts %iscosity is t"ofold: one is fine and the other
coarse: one is freed throu#h "ashin# and decoction in urine* another throu#h su!limation, as stated
!elo".
A++ition# Auripigmentum is acti%e and !urnin#, unless "hitened. After su!limation it may "hiten
copper into a species of sil%er: this is done !y addin# t"o parts of sal ammoniac to four of rock salt,
placin# the latter on top of the former, and repeatin# the process three times until you are satisfied.
1L. 2hat is ArsenicumG HHH Arsenicum is a su!tle su!stance of a sulphurous color and occurs as a
red stone S&eal#arT. )y nature it is likeauripigmentum: the flo"ers are "hite and red. 't is easily
su!limed and is "hitened in t"o "ays: throu#h decoction and su!limation.
DD. 2hat is Fi)ation and in How %any 2ays are 'odies Fi)edG HHH -ixation is the appropriate
temperin# of a %olatile su!stance in fire. 't "as de%ised so that e%ery colorin#, and e%ery alteration
is perpetuated in another and is not chan#ed: for !odies, "hose perfection has !een diminished
throu#h calcinations, are fixed "hen they are freed from corruptin# and %olatile sulphureity.
Sulphur and arsenicum are fixed in t"o "ays: one method is the repetition of their su!limation
from one state to another, or until they achie%e sta!ility. Spirits are also fixed in another "ay, either
"ith the solutions of metals or "ith oil of tartar, as ' shall say !elo".
A++ition. ake su!limed mercury, an e1ual amount of sal ammoniac, and su!lime se%en times, or
until melted, let the stone remain at the !ottom* crush it and expose to damp air so it "ill !ecome a
li1uid. Soak metallic arsenicum in this "ater, dissol%e in distilled %ine#ar, and distill se%en times,
or con#eal, and dissol%e, and a stone "ill result.
Metallic arsenicum is made !y meltin# one part of arsenicum "ith t"o parts of "hite soap.
Another procedure is #i%en in Ge!ers 3iber Fornacum: "here you may read it if you "ish. 5ither
su!lime mercury, or sulphur, or prepared arsenicum, or se%eral of these, at the same time, alon#
"ith sal tartarum or saltpeter, or sal ammoniac. Do this many times until they remain fixed, then
extract "ith "arm "ater.
DC. How is Auripimentum 2hitenedG HHH Cou should #rind auripigmentum and !oil it one day
in %ine#ar, and another in urine. hen add to it a like amount of !lack iron po"der, mix "ell, then
su!lime, doin# e%erythin# as ' tau#ht concernin# sulphur, and it "ill !ecome "hite.
A++ition# Auripigmentum is called yello" arsenicum# Auripigmentum is prepared from %ine#ar and
salt until it rises clear* there is no !etter "ay of purifyin# it. &hases says the same else"here: salt is
the !est of all for this preparation.
@H. How is Arsenicum 2hitenedG HHH Arsenicum is of the same nature as auripigmentum, !ut it is
not necessary to !oil it. herefore, #rind "ell and im!i!e "ith stron# %ine#ar 9&o#er says "ith
distilled %ine#ar, as you "ill see, "hen he speaks of the calcinations of !odies@ t"o or three times,
or four, and dry as many times. hen it can !e reser%ed as a po"der "hich "ill !e suita!le for
calcinin# !odies. )ut if you "ish to su!limate, #rind "ell !y itself and add to it the same amount of
!lack iron po"der. Su!limate se%en times or more, follo"in# all ' ha%e tau#ht concernin# mercury,
and it "ill !e "hiter than sno".
Fr. Pico 6ella Miran&ola ~ Upon Gold
' ha%e experienced the truth of this matter often in %arious "ays...
(or shall ' omit to mention "hat a certain poor man told me occurred to him durin# sleep, "hich
he soon pro%ed !y experiment. When he "as anxious and did not kno" "here to turn to !ear his
hun#er, for he "as oppressed !y %ery hi#h taxes, !y a forei#n treasury and !y a lar#e num!er of
children, he "ent to sleep and sa" a certain hea%enly !ein# "hose name is in the catalo#ue of the
saints, "ho tau#ht him the art of makin# #old in riddles and then hinted at the "ater he should use
for makin# #old* he used it, at first !y himself, to make #old, not a #reat "ei#ht, ho"e%er, !ut
enou#h to feed his family, and he also made #old t"ice from iron, from orpiment three or four
times, and !y experiment he therefore pro%ed to me that the art of makin# #old is not an empty one,
!ut truthful...
Bhu&eb Moo<erFee ~ ,asa@7ala@Nidhi
Haritalam -#rpiment/ *** *aritalam, properly purified, cures phle#m, %ataraktam, poison,
excess of air, and fear from #hosts. 't stops menstrual dischar#e, is soothin#, pun#ent, and produces
a "arm effect on the system. 't increases the appetite and cures leprosy...
"vils of Usin Haritalam6 not properly purified *** *aritalam, not properly purified, shortens
life and #i%es rise to an a!normal excess of phle#m, air, spermatorrhea, #onorrhea, inflammation,
!oils, and contraction of the lim!s. 't should therefore !e purified %ery carefully...
Test of .ncinerated Haritalam *** *aritalam is considered to !e properly incinerated, if it does
not emit any smoke "hen put upon the fire* other"ise it is to !e considered unHincinerated.
Merits of incinerated haritalam: 92@ 'ncinerated haritalam cures N= different kinds of disease due to
an a!normal excess of %ayu 9%i7., paralysis, etc.@...
9K@ *aritalam may !e used in asthma, !ronchitis, leprosy, rin#"orm, itches, car!uncle, and
diseases due to an excess of "ayu.
Transformation of 4ase metals into old 4y Haritalam *** *aritalam is to !e ru!!ed "ith the
/uice of ru+anti. 8opper leaf, smeared "ith thisharitalam, turns into fine #old. he leaf of a metal
consistin# of 2< parts of sil%er and 2K parts of copper is to !e smeared "ith an amal#am made of
haritalam, mashikam, hin#ula, manasHshila, and mercury, all ru!!ed to#ether for three days "ith the
/uice of kakamachi, the "ei#ht of these metals !ein# >AK part of the leaf, "hich is to !e heated after
it is so smeared. he product is #old...
Morienus ~ A Testament of Alchemy
(o" consider "hat an authority said, that this ma#istery is customarily accomplished "ith a
sin#le matter. Attend "ell to this and apply yourself to it, and you "ill find no contradictions amon#
the natures "hich you "ill percei%e. Fno" that sulfur and orpiment !urn, !ut do not lon# "ithstand
com!ustion. Guicksil%er al"ays lon# "ithstands com!ustion, "hile all su!stances "hich
approximate the nature of fire !urn 1uickly. hus you may expect !est results from somethin#
"hich !urns 1uickly in the fire and is reduced to coals...
)ut that "hich prepares this !ody is !lood, or %ir#in$s milk, for it unites and /oins all the %arious
su!stances and properties into one !ody, it !ein# only necessary to apply to them a #entle heat that
lon# continues at the same de#ree, neither increasin# nor decreasin#... (o" the foul earth readily
recei%es the "hite sparks and pre%ents destruction of the !lood, or air, or %ir#in$s milk, durin#
decoction. )ut such is the !lood$s stren#th that it must !e !roken in order to promote rather than
impede, and this is done after "hate%er still dark of the confused minerals has !een "hitened, thus
accomplishin# the full fruit of this ma#istery, the truth of "hich you may "ell not at first ha%e seen.
hat is in sum the secret of your operation, as ' ha%e condensed it and set it forth for you...
he philosophers referred to the impure !ody as lead. he purified !ody is tin. he #reen lion is
#lass and alma#ra is latten, althou#h it may ha%e !een called red earth earlier. And !lood
is orpiment, and foul earth is foul sulfur. 5udica is apart from all these and is called #la7e, or the
dre#s or impurity of #lass. he red %apor is red orpiment, the "hite %apor 1uicksil%er and the
yello" %apor yello" sulfur.
Joseph 4ee&ham ~ The Theoretical 'ac(round of "li)ir Alchemy
-iii/ Time as the "ssential Parameter of %ineral Growth *** he protean metalline
metamorphoses of the *uai Nan T5u !ook "ere a%oided !y later alchemists, "ho accepted much
more strai#htfor"ardly the archaic idea of the #radual perfection of minerals "ithin the terrestrial
matrix. .ere the idea is expressed "ith pristine simplicity in one of the most influential of all
alchemical "ritin#s, the supplementary instructions 9chueh@, pro!a!ly of the early Sun#, "hich no"
accompany the .an Cello" 5mperors 0anon of the Nine'(essel Spiritual -li2ir)
%ealgar occurs in the same mountains as orpiment, and is formed !y the transformation
of orpiment. 9his latter@ #reat medicine of hea%en and earth 9i.e., of the natural order@ is called $doe
yello"$ 9t5hu huang@. When ei#ht thousand years ha%e passed, it transforms into realgar, the %ariant
name of "hich is $imperial male seminal essence 9ti nan ching@. After another thousand years ha%e
passed it transforms into yello" #old, "ith the %ariant name $Dictuals of the Perfected 9or &eali7ed@
'mmortals 9chen en fan@...
Amon# the scriptures taken do"n !y Can# .si, hao had also found actual instructions for
alchemical preparations. "o of these formulae still exist in their entirety. 0ne, called Thai'Shang
Pa'0hing Ssu'=ui T5u'0hiang :Wu'0hu; 0hiang Sh>ng Shen Tan Shang 0hing :-2alte+ !anual of
the -ight'%a+iances Four'Stamens Purple'Flui+ 0rimson $ncarnation Numinous -li2ir, a haiH
Shan# Scripture@, is preser%ed in the Shang'0hhing Thai'Shang Ti 0h?n 0hiu 0hen 0hung 0hing
:Ninefol+ %ealise+ !e+ian 0anon of the $mperial 3or+, a Shan#H8hhin# haiHShan# Scripture@* a
"ork other"ise de%oted to techni1ues for encounterin# %arious deities in meditation HHH makin#
them appear from "ithin one$s !ody, from the sun and moon, and from inside unusually coloured
clouds that conceal the immortals as they tra%el throu#h the sky. he elixir recipe itself, for all its
t"entyHfour in#redients and 2=L days of heatin#, is clearly phrased in the lan#ua#e of the
la!oratory, and could !e carried out in one today. he in#redients are #i%en ela!orate co%erHnames,
!ut all are defined in notes recordin# oral instructions 9khou ch?eh@ ascri!ed to the first Patriarch of
aoism, 8han# aoH,in# 9ZKnd century@: e.#. 8rimson umulus Dermilion )oy 9chiang ling chu
erh Y cinna!ar, .#S@, 5lixir Mountain Solar Animus 9tan shan ih hun Yrealgar, As
K
S
K
@, Arcane
)el%edere ,unar &adiance 9hs?an thai y?eh hua @ orpiment, As
K
S
>
@. he formula is not dissimilar
on the "hole to later alchemical recipes in terminolo#y and techni1ue...
5xamples of spatial orientation ha%e already appeared in se%eral of the documents a!o%e.
Alchemical specifications of location "ere so tied conceptually to temporal correspondences that
they are practically ne%er found in isolation. 0ne of the %ery fe" exceptions is particularly
interestin# !ecause it is early, its context is medical, and it is concerned implicitly !ut unmistaka!ly
"ith emplacin# the reactants "ithin the reactionH%essel in such a "ay as to create a microcosmic
confi#uration. his is not an alchemical elixir !ut a $Panaceal Su!limed Cello" Po"der$ 9kuang chi
fei huang san@, prescri!ed for sores and ulcerations in one of the #reat medie%al compendia of
medical prescriptions, Wan# hao$s Wai Thai Pi Aao :$mportant !e+ical Formulae an+
Prescriptions re%ealed !y a pro%incial #o%ernor@ of Z3?K. hat its ultimate source "as alchemical is
more than likely. Coshida Mitsukuni has pointed out, similarities to a recipe in the Thai'0hhing
Shih Pi 0hi :%ecor+s of the %ock 0hamber* a haiH8hhin# Scripture HHH !efore ZN=<@, a practical
collection of alchemical and iatrochemical formulae "ith Mao Shan associations. What Wan# hao
says is as follo"s:
ake: ,aminar malachite 9tsh>ng chhing@ Ma#netite 9t5hu shih@, 7rpiment :t5hu huang; %ealgar
:hsiung huang;, -i!rous arsenolite :pai y? shih;8inna!ar 9tan sha@, one ounce of each. Grind the
a!o%e six in#redients to fine po"ders, and emplace them accordin# to the colour correspondences
of the directions: laminar malachite to the east, cinna!ar to the south, "hite arsenolite to the "est,
ma#netite to the north, and realgar in the central position. "o earthen"are urns 9wa w>ng@ are
coated inside "ith yello" clay t"o or three times in order to make 9a linin#@ fi%eH or sixHtenths of an
inch thick. hen place po"dered orpiment in the !ottom. 8om!ine and sie%e the other in#redients
and put them on top, after"ards layin# 9the other@ half of the orpiment on top as a co%er. Spread
clay closely on the /oint 9!et"een the t"o %essels, the mouths of "hich are no" /oined@* and do not
allo" any of the chhi to leak out...
(ot lon# after Wu Wu$s time someone "ho "as tryin# to reason out the !est possi!le "ay of
makin# a container represent an e## hit upon the unsurpassa!le solution: he used a hen$s e## itself.
his may ha%e come earlier, as early as the ZRth century, !ut more pro!a!ly it "as a little later, in
the Southern Sun#. he 40omplete 0ompen+ium on the 3ea+'!ercury Perfecte+ Treasure4 90hhien
*ung 0hia King 0hih Pao 0hi 0hhing@ !y 8hao (aiHAn, cites 4Secret Directions for the Aellow
Sprouts Great -li2ir4 :*uang Aa Ta Tan Pi 0hih;. 0ne sta#e of the preparation #oes as follo"s:
7rpiment, 2AK ounce, Sal ammoniac, and White arsenic, 2AL ounce each. -irst #rind the orpiment*
then #rind the arsenic and sal ammoniac separately, fine as flour. ake an e## and make a hole in it.
Get rid of the yolk !ut keep the "hite. Spread half the arsenic and sal ammoniac on the !ottom
inside the e##* put the orpiment in the middle, and half the arsenic and sal ammoniac to co%er it.
ake some"hat less than half an e##Hshell to co%er the hole, and seal it on "ith iron oxide solution
9chiang fan shui@ "hich has !een mixed 9"ith the e##H"hiteI@. hen take a pound of minium
9huang tan@ and an iron reactionH%essel 9ting@. Put half the minium into the %essel and place in its
centre the medicines in the e##. hen co%er them "ith the rest of the minium, applyin# a little
pressure. -ill the %essel "ith lime 9shih hui, e%idently ra"@ and lute it ti#htly. :sin# half a pound of
charcoal, heat it #ently in an ash !ath. When it is taken out it "ill !e finished. -or each ounce of pai
hsi 97inc or tin@ use a piece the si7e of a red mun# !ean 9hsiao tou@. -irst melt the metal, and "hen it
is li1uid pro/ect the medicine upon it. Pour it out and "ait for it to cool. 't "ill then !e the colour of
#old.
5xactly "hat form of aurifaction "as takin# place here is not immediately o!%ious. he rea#ents
heated to#ether "ere arsenic trisulphi+e, ammonium chloride 9or car!onate@, arsenic trio2i+e, ferric
oxide, lead tetroxide and calcium oxide, "ith or "ithout, as the case may !e, a protein as source of
car!on, nitro#en and hydro#en. Whether or not the tin or 7inc "as tin#ed #olden only superficially
is not clear from the description: if so,arsenical and other sulphides mi#ht ha%e done /ust as "ell !y
themsel%es 9cf. pt. K, p. K?K a!o%e@. 'f, on the other hand, copper "as meant thou#h tin or 7inc
actually stated, then a uniformHsu!strate #olden alloy of arsenical copper could easily ha%e !een
produced !y pro/ection as descri!ed 9cf. pt. K, p. KK> a!o%e@.
Isaac 4eEton ~ 0erses at the end of '3 0alentine&s %ystery of the %icrocosm
Arsenicum
he soot of meltin# houses is my name
)ein# a noysome fierce E poys$nous steam
' can pretend unto no further mi#ht
Since ' my !ody ha%e forsaken 1uite
herefore no man as once t"as heretofore.
8an no" attain my !ody to restore
)ut "hensoere "ith dextrous art E skill.
My noysom %enom you shall tame E kill
hen man E )east may !oth !e cur$d !y me
And oft from dan#erous sicknesses set free.
5ls ' am poyson still E so remain
Puttin# rash heads E hearts to deadly pain.
Cet take #ood heed you ri#htly me prepare
o "atch E "ard me ha%in# a due care
"enry 4ollius ~ The $hemist&s *ey
.e that kno"s not ho" to fix Arsenic, to take a"ay the corrosi%e nature of su!limate, to
coa#ulate sulphureous spirits, and !y a con%enient specifical Medicine to !reak and analy7e stones
in the #reater "orld, "ill ne%er in the !ody of Man allay and tame the Arsenical spirits of the
Microcosmic Salt, nor 1uite take a"ay the %enomous indisposition of the Sulphur, nor dissol%e the
Stone in the !ladder, and dri%e it out !ein# dissol%ed. 't is a no!le, safe and pious course "e
examine and try the force and %irtues of Medicines upon Microcosmical su!stances, !efore "e
apply them to our fello" creatures, and the rare fa!ric of Man.
$&Ear& 4oEell ~ $ertain $hemical 2or(s 2ith True Practice
Preace.
B,ike"ise do learn our mineral spirits three
-rom "hence they rise, Arsenick of "hich !ein# one,
he other Sulphur, ye last Mercury.
he -umin# Spirits chiefest of our Stone
0ne of those poisonous "ith his piercin# !reath
8on#eals Guicksil%er to a solid 5arthB
5 #rue Principles.
22. 0ur Arsenick doth of these participate
Wherefore .ermaphrodite "e do it call
)ut of itself no Metal may !e#et
0ur in and ,ead are Salts ethereal
Mars and Denus t"o fumes from Sulphur rise
he "hich from Ditriol dissol%ed comes..
#he #rue .or<.
Bhis ,ead dissol%e like !utter some"hat soft,
Dissol%e in )alneo "hat "ill thence arise.
When fire of Sand "ill rise t"o fumes aloft
A White, and &ed, called Arsenick of the Wise.
he -aeces !lack, calcine in fire you may
ill they !e White or else look some"hat GreyB
B his White lea%ed 5arth, di%ide it into t"o
And in one part the Soul a#ain must #ro"
his Soul is Arsenic "hich like"ise di%ide
-rom #reatest part se%er, the "hite from &ed
'nto fixed 0ils "ith fire let them !e fried
Which are the ,i#hts, true ,ea%ens for our )readB
Microcosmus.
B 0ur Stone !ein# ra" "e "ater call "herein contained is
Saturn, Oupiter, and Denus our filth of Sil%er cleaned
Which !ein# in Guicksil%er, Ma#nesia ' do mean
White Sulphur "e do call it !ut !ein# !oiled red
's Gold, 8oral, and 7rpiment and ,ea%en for our !readB
#o #he 6eri&ers o Alchemy.
B (ot common !rimstone or Guicksil%er crude
)ut foliate 5arth and Arsenick to conclude,
0f "hich !y lon# concoction "e do frame
A Po"der &ed "hich 5lixir nameB
5lympio&orus o Ale>an&ria ~
-irst incture, 8olorin# 8opper White !y Means of Arsenic, as follo"s:
Arsenic is a kind of sulphur "hich %olatili7es 1uickly* that is to say, %olatili7es o%er the fire. All
su!stances similar to arsenic are also called sulphurs and %olatile !odies. (o" the preparation is
made thus: takin# 2L ounces of lamellar arsenic the color of #old, cut it into pieces, #rind it so as to
reduce it to particles as fine as do"n* then soak it in %ine#ar for K or > days and as many ni#hts, the
material !ein# closed up in a #lass %essel "ith a narro" neck, carefully luted at the top at the top so
that it shall not !e dissipated. Shakin# once or t"ice a day, do this for se%eral days* then, emptyin#
the %essel, "ash "ith pure "ater, only /ust until the odor of %ine#ar has disappeared. Guard the
most su!tle part of the su!stance* and do not let it !e thro"n out "ith the "ater. After allo"in# the
mass to dry and contract in the air, mix and pul%eri7e it "ith fi%e ounces of salt of 8apaddocia
Scommon saltT.
(o" the use of the salt "as de%ised !y the ancients to a%oid the arsenic stickin# to the #lass
%essel. his #lass %essel is called asympoton !y Africanus. 't is luted "ith clay* a #lass co%er in the
shape of a cup is placed a!o%e. At the upper part, another co%er en%elopes the "hole* it is fastened
ti#htly on all sides, so that the distilled arsenic may not !e dissipated.
hen distill it repeatedly and pul%eri7e it, until it !ecame "hite* thus "e o!tain a "hite and
compact alum. hen melt the copper "ith some hard (icean copper* then take some of the flo"er of
soda and thro" it into the !ottom of the cruci!le K or > parts to flux it. (ext add the dry po"der
9su!limed arsenic@, "ith an iron ladle* put in the amount of one ounce to K pounds of copper. After
that, put into the cruci!le for each ounce of copper a little sil%er, "ith a %ie" to makin# the color
uniform. hen thro" into the cruci!le a#ain a small amount of salt, hus you "ill ha%e a %ery fine
alloy. S M. )erthelot W 0ollection +es Anciens Alchimistes Grecs T
5stanes ~ The 'oo( of #stanes
And others ha%e said that arsenic itself is the stone of the nations, of little "orth, and re/ected and
cast out of doors and into the dun#hills and se"ersB S)erthelot W !oyen Age '''T
#heophrastus Paracelsus ~ The Aurora of the Philosophers
)ein# therefore mo%ed "ith compassion to"ards the "ellHmeanin# operators of this art, ' ha%e
determined to lay open the "hole foundation of philosophy in three separate arcana, namely, in one
explained !y arsenic, in a second !y %itriol, and in a third !y antimony* !y means of "hich ' "ill
teach the true pro/ection upon Mercury and upon imperfect metals.
$hapter .13 $oncernin Those 2ho Have Souht The Stone .n %inerals *** (o", here note
that (ature has distri!uted its mineral sperm into %arious kinds, as, for instance, into sulphurs, salts,
!oraxes, nitres, ammoniacs, alums, arsenics, atraments, %itriols, tutias, haematites,
orpiments,realgars, ma#nesias, cinna!ar, antimony, talc, cachymia, marcasites, etc. 'n all these
(ature has not yet attained to our matter* althou#h in some of the species named it displays itself in
a "onderful aspect for the transmutation of imperfect metals that are to !e !rou#ht to perfection.
$hapter 13 $oncernin Those 2ho Have Souht The Stone And Also Particulars .n
%inerals *** Some ha%e taken arsenic se%eral times su!limated, and fre1uently dissol%ed "ith oil of
tartar and coa#ulated. his they ha%e pretended to fix, and !y it to turn copper into sil%er. his,
ho"e%er, is merely a sophistical "hitenin#, for arsenic cannot !e fixed unless the operator !e an
Artist, and kno"s "ell its tin#ein# spirit. ruly in this respect all the philosophers ha%e slept, %ainly
attemptin# to accomplish anythin# there!y. Whoe%er, therefore, is i#norant as to this spirit, cannot
ha%e any hopes of fixin# it, or of #i%in# it that po"er "hich "ould make it capa!le of the %irtue of
transmutation. So, then, ' #i%e notice to all that the "hitenin# of "hich ' ha%e /ust no" spoken is
#rounded on a false !asis, and that !y it the copper is deceitfully "hitened, !ut not chan#ed.
(o" the sophists ha%e mixed this counterfeit Denus "ith t"ice its "ei#ht of ,una, and sold it to
the #oldsmiths and mintHmasters, until at last they ha%e transmuted themsel%es into false coiners HHH
not only those "ho sold, !ut those "ho !ou#ht it. Some sophists instead of "hite arsenic take red,
and this has turned out false art* !ecause, ho"e%er it is prepared, it pro%es to !e nothin# !ut
"hiteness.
$hapter 1.? $oncernin the True ! Perfect Special Arcanum of Arsenic for the 2hite
Tincture *** Some persons ha%e "ritten thatarsenic is compounded of mercury and Sulphur, others
of earth and "ater* !ut most "riters say it is of the nature of Sulphur. )ut, ho"e%er that may !e, its
nature is such that it transmutes red copper into "hite. 't may also !e !rou#ht to such a de#ree of
perfection as to !e a!le to tin#e. )ut this is not the "ay pointed out !y such e%il sophists as Ge!er
in The Sum of Perfection, Al!ertus Ma#nus, &hasis and Polydorus* for these "riters, ho"e%er many
they !e, are either themsel%es in error, or else they "rite falsely out of sheer en%y, and put forth
receipts "hilst not i#norant of the truth. Arsenic contains "ithin itself three natural spirits. he first
is %olatile, com!usti!le, corrosi%e, and penetratin# all metals. his spirit is crystalline and s"eet.
he third is a tin#ein# spirit separated from the others !efore mentioned. rue philosophers seek for
these three natural properties in arsenic "ith a %ie" to the perfect pro/ection of the "ise men. )ut
those !ar!ers "ho practice sur#ery seek after that use in the cure of "ounds, !u!oes, car!uncles,
anthrax, and other similar ulcers, "hich are not cura!le sa%e !y #entle means. As for that tin#ein#
spirit, ho"e%er, unless the pure !e separated from the impure in it, the fixed from the %olatile, and
the secret tincture from the com!usti!le, it "ill not in any "ay succeed accordin# to your "ish for
pro/ection on Mercury, Denus, or any other imperfect metal. All philosophers ha%e hidden this
arcanum as a most excellent mystery. his tin#ein# spirit, separated from the other t"o as a!o%e,
you must /oin to the spirit of ,una, and di#est them to#ether for the space of thirtyHt"o days, or
until they ha%e assumed a ne" !ody. After it has, on the fortieth natural day, !een kindled into
flame !y the heat of the sun, the spirit appears in a "hite !ri#htness, and is endo"ed "ith a perfect
tin#ein# arcanum. hen it is at len#th fit for pro/ection, namely, one part of it upon sixteen parts of
an imperfect !ody, accordin# to the sharpness of the preparation. -rom thence appears shinin# and
most excellent ,una, as thou#h it had !een du# from the !o"els of the earth.
#heo. Paracelsus ~ The ,evelation of Hermes
his spirit in its fiery form is called a San+araca, in the aerial a Kybrick, in the "atery an A7oth,
in the earthly Alcohoph and Aliocosoph. .ence they are decei%ed !y these names "ho, seekin#
"ithout instruction, think to find this Spirit of ,ife in thin#s forei#n to our Art. -or althou#h this
spirit "hich "e seek, on account of its 1ualities, is called !y these names, yet the same is not in
these !odies and cannot !e in them. -or a refined spirit cannot appear except in a !ody suita!le to
its nature. And, !y ho"e%er many names it !e called, let no one ima#ine different spirits, for, say
"hat one "ill, there is !ut one spirit "orkin# e%ery"here and in all thin#s
#heo. Paracelsus ~ The "conomy of %inerals
$hapter 10...3 $oncernin Arsenic used for Alchemy *** 't seems ri#ht to
connect Arsenic #enerically "ith Sulphurs rather than "ith Mercuries, and to treat it immediately
after Sulphurs. Some old chemists, or rather sophists, la!ourin# at chemistry, s"ellin# "ith
/aundice, that is, "ith desire for #old, a sort of yello" dropsy, "hen they sa" in Arsenic the "hite
incture of Denus, and the red tincture in the calamine stone, !elie%in#, too, that the true arcanum
of the stone "as contained in these, thou#ht the "hite and red electrum "ere sil%er and #old until
they found out the contrary !y tests, and learnt that they had !een en#a#ed in a %ain "ork. And not
content "ith that they "ent on per%ersely in order to arri%e at a fixation, and perse%ered until they
had neither house nor possession left. hey had "rou#ht a transmutation in themsel%es rather than
in the metalU And "hat "onderI hey approached this "ork "ithout /ud#ment, and possessin# no
kno"led#e of minerals and metals, as so many of those "ho em!ark in the Art at the present day
do. Since the time "hen the name of electrum #i%en !y the ancients passed into o!li%ion, there has
forth"ith follo"ed the ruin of those "ho chan#ed that name into fictitious #old and sil%er. hat has
!een the destruction of modern chemists. o define 5lectrum: it is a metal made from some other !y
Art, and no lon#er resem!lin# that -orm from "hich it "as made. -or example: arsenical metal,
prepared accordin# to the form of metallic preparation, cemented "ith Denus in the accustomed
manner, con%erts the "hole copper into "hite electrum more "orthless than its o"n copper. What
need is there to depra%e metals at #reat expenseI Would it not !e !etter to lea%e the copper in its
o"n natural essence, to keep one$s money, and de%ote time and la!or to a more useful "orkI he
ancients called 5lectrum !y its proper name, the moderns falsely call it sil%er. he ancients "ere not
losers, !ecause they kne" the 5lectrum itself* the moderns, !ecause they ha%e no kno"led#e of
5lectrum, thro" a"ay their faculties, la!our, and time. (o", since in Alchemy all mistakes are
constantly propped up "ith some ne" hope, it "as tried to fix Arsenic !y means of re%er!erations
for some "eeks, and !y other de%ices. hence it ensued that the Arsenic !ecame red and !rittle like
coral, !ut of no use in Alchemy except for 5lectrum, as "as /ust no" said. hen !y descent and
precipitation they effected nothin# more than !y their calcinations. hus it happens in Alchemy
o!durate men are decei%ed !ecause they do not learn thorou#hly from the foundation all the terms
of the Art. 't is true that Arsenic does, in its o"n natural condition, contain #old, and that this #old,
!y the industry of the artist, can sometimes !e separated in a cement, or a pro/ection, or other"ise,
into sil%er, copper or lead !y attraction, !ut it does not therefore follo" that this is produced !y his
operations and his tinctures. 't means only that the #old "hich "as there !efore has !een deri%ed !y
a process of separation, as it #enerally is, from its ore. 't is nearly al"ays found #olden, and %ery
seldom lacks #old, as is the case "ith many other su!stances. So far, then, ha%e ' #i%en
concernin# Arsenic "hat ' kno", or "hat it is ad%isa!le to "rite. ,et e%ery!ody first of all
dili#ently examine its name, so that he may understand. 0ther"ise error is apt to arise easily in !oth
faculties, "hich is only at len#th disco%ered !y the result.
!aphael Patai ~ The 7ewish Alchemists
he #reen suspita mentioned in connection "ith #old had #i%en rise to %arious interpretations.
he Bohar commentary Nosose 7rot explains: +'t is called in Ara!ic 5arnikh CarsenicD, and in
,a$a7 orpimento, and it causes men$s hair to fall out.+ ,ater commentators explained it as +#reen
copper "hich is called allatun+. &o!ert 5isler, in a 2RK? article on the terminolo#y of Oe"ish
alchemy, emended the readin# of the "ord to susepta, and su##ested that it stood for the
Greek sussepte, meanin# decayed or putrefied #old...
Pearce the Blac< Mon< ~ Upon the "li)ir
'n Arsenick su!limed there is a "ay strai#ht...
%ealgar and Arsenick ' defende...
6om Antoine*Joseph Pernety ~ Treatise on the Great Art
When the Mercury of the Sa#es is mixed "ith sil%er and #old, it is called the 5lectra of the
Philosophers, their !rass, their latten, their copper, their steel: and in operations, their %enom,
their arsenic, their orpiment, their lead, their latten "hich it is necessary to "hiten: Saturn, Oupiter,
Mars, Denus, the Moon and the Sun...
Alphidius teaches us that this matter, or this White Smoke, is the root of the Art, and the
Guicksil%er of the Sa#es... he Philosophers ha%e #i%en it, amon# other names, those "hich follo":
White 8opper, ,am!, Spotless ,am!, Al!athest, Whiteness, Al!orach, .oly Water, .ea%y Water,
alc, Ar#entHDi%e, 8oa#ulated Mercury, Purified mercury, Sil%er, Poticon, Arsenic. 7rpiment,
Gold, White Gold, A7och...
6om Antoine*Joseph Pernety ~ Dictionaire %ytho@HermAti8ue
Arsa& *** Arsenic.
Arsaneck *** Su!limated arsenic. Also called Arcanec, E Artanech 9Oohnson@.
Arsenic *** in terms of .ermetic 8hymistry, is taken to !e no" the mercury of the Wise, no" the
materia "herefrom it !e dra"n, E a#ain for the materia in putrefaction. 8ertain ha%in# disco%ered
in the %erses of one of the Sy!ils, that the name of the materia from "hence is taken the philosophic
mercury, "as composed of nine letters, "hereof are four %o"els, the rest consonants, "hereof is
one sylla!le composed of three letters, and the rest of t"o, !elie%ed they had disco%ered that
materia in the name Arsenicum, the more so in that the Philosophers hold their materia to !e a
poison of the most dan#erous nature* !ut the materia of the stone is the %ery same as that "hence
are formed arsenic E the others compounds, E the mercury of the "ise is not dra"n from arsenic*
for arsenic is sold !y Apothecaries and Dru##ists, and the ore of mercury is e%ery"here to !e
found, in the "oods, in the mountains, in %alleys, in "ater, on earth, E in all lands. Philalethes E
%arious other Philosophers #a%e also the name arsenic to their materia in putrefaction, for it is then
a poison most su!tile E of the #reatest %iolence. At times also !y arsenic they understand their
%olatile principle, the "hich does office as the female. 't is their Mercury, their ,una, their Denus,
their %e#eta!le Saturne, their Green ,ion, Ec. his name, arsenic, comes of the fact that it !lanches
their #old, as does %ul#ar arsenic !lanch copper.
Arsenic of the Wise HHH 't is the Mercury of the Wise* a#ain, the material from "hence is dra"n
the Philosophic Mercury* a#ain, the materia of the .ermetics "hen that it has come to the !lack*
a#ain, the sulphur or male seed E a#ent. 8ertain do !y this name intend the salt that is link !et"ixt
Sulphur E Mercury, and "hich, all three, are the principles of nature E of all compounds.
$ncombustible Arsenic of the Wise *** he Stone of the .ermetics perfected unto the "hite.
$irenaeus Philalethes ~ ")periments for the Preparation of the Sophic %ercury
-:/ The Secret of the Philosophic( Arsnic( *** ' took one part of the -iery Dra#on, and of the
Ma#netical )ody t"o parts* ' prepared them to#ether !y a stron# -ire, and in the first fusion there
"as made a!out ei#ht ounces of the true Arsnick.
-F/ The Secret of Preparin the %ercury with His Arsenic(6 for the Separatin its Faeces *** ' did
take one part of the !est Arsnick, and ' made a marria#e "ith t"o parts of the Dir#in Diana into one
)ody* ' #round it %ery fine, and "ith this ' ha%e prepared my mercury, "orkin# them all to#ether in
heat, until that they "ere most ex1uisitely incorporated: then ' pur#ed it "ith the Salt of :rine, that
the -aeces did separate, "hich ' put a"ay.
-D/ The Secret of the Bust Preparation of the Sophic %ercury *** 5%ery sin#le preparation of the
Mercury "ith its Arsnick is one 5a#le, the -eathers of the 5a#le !ein# pur#ed from their 8ro"Hlike
!lackness, make it to fly the se%enth fli#ht, and it is prepared e%en until the tenth fli#ht.
-C/ The Secret of the Sophic %ercury *** ' ha%e taken the proper 1uantity of the Mercury, and '
mixed it "ith its true Arsnick, to "it, a!out four ounces of Mercury, and ' made a thin commixed
consistence* ' pur#ed it after a due manner, and ' distilled it, and ' had a pure )ody of ,une, "hence
' kne" that ' had ri#htly prepared it: after"ards ' added to its "ei#ht of Arsnick, and ' increased its
former "ei#ht of Mercury, in so much that the mercury mi#ht pre%ail to a thin flux, and so ' pur#ed
it, to the "astin# of the !lackness almost to a ,unary "hiteness: then ' took half an ounce of
theArsnick of "hich ' made a due Marria#e, and there "as made a temperature like Potters ,oam,
!ut a little thinner* ' pur#ed it a#ain, after a due manner, the Pur#ation "as la!orious: ' made it "ith
the Salt of :rine, "hich ' ha%e found to !e the !est in this Work.
-H/ A Threefold Tryal of the Goodness of the Prepared %ercury *** ake thy Mercury prepared
"ith its Arsnick of se%en, ei#ht, nine or ten ea#les, put it into a Phial, and thou shalt lute it "ith the
,utum Sapientiae: place it in a -urnace of Sand, and let it stand in an heat of Su!limation, so that it
may ascend and descend in the Glass, until it !e coa#ulated a little thicker than )utter: continue it
unto a perfect 8oa#ulation, until it !e as "hite as Sil%er.
$ir. Philalethes ~ ,ipley ,evived
An ")position upon Sir Geore ,ipley9s Third Gate @@@ (ote then that Su!limation, "hich
other"ise is called Separation, Di%ision, Ascension and Descension, is the Fey of the Work* it is
placed for the third Gate, and yet it is the last and the first* the last it is called !y &ipley, and ' to
5cho his Doice assure thee it is the first and last.
And as the Fey of all our 0perations is Separation, so the Fey to it is our true Mercury, truly
prepared and proportioned as it ou#ht to !e. (o" the proportion of thy Water, is in reference to its
internal additional Sulphur, "hich is added !y the Philosopher* "hich is done !y successi%e 5a#les,
"hich are made !y our Philosophical Arsnick, the num!er of "hich ou#ht to !e se%en. he darkness
%anishin#, and the li#ht appearin#, after many sho"ers, !efore the fli#ht of each 5a#le, our Water
!ein# thus actuated, is !y Acuation pur#ed, and then it !ecomes po"erful in dissol%in# the )ody,
"hich "ill !e done "ith a fe"er num!er of ea#les, or a #reater, !ut "ith 3 or R most desiredly.
his actuated Water is also the 'nstrument "hich doth mo%e the #old to putrefie, "hich no other
A#ent in the World can do* for !y this the )ody is #round, softened and mollified, the pores of it
are softened, and the Sulphur in%isi!le is set at li!erty, "hich causeth the )ody to rot, chan#e
colours, and at len#th !ecome !lack like unto melted Pitch.
)ut if thou omit any of the num!er of ea#les, or fail in the #oodness of thy Arsnick, or err in the
preparation of the Water "ith thy Arsnick, either in 8on/unction, or Purification, or Di#estion, or
any other errour, of "hich experience "ill "arn thee, do not then expect that the most exact
&e#imen of heat of thy external -urnace "ill do the Work.
An ")position upon Sir Geore ,ipley&s Preface @@@ And no" indeed if any !e i#norant, let him
!e i#norant* ' kno" not "hat more to say, and not trans#ress the silence of Pytha#oras. ' ha%e told
you that our matter is t"oHfold, crude and fixed* the fixed is !y (ature perfected to our hands, and
"e need only to ha%e it made more then most perfect, "hich (ature alone could ne%er perform* nor
is there any thin# that can thus exalt inctures, !ut our dissol%in# Water, "hich ' told you flo"eth
from three Sprin#s* the one is a common Well at "hich all dra", and of "hich Water many use* this
Well hath in it a Saturnine drossiness, "hich make to Waters unuseful* these fri#id superfluities are
pur#ed !y t"o other Sprin#s, throu#h "hich the Water of this Well is artificially caused to run:
these Sprin#s make !ut one Well, "hose Waters appear dry, the humidity !ein# sealed* the Well it
self is surrounded !y an Arsenical Wall, the slimy !ottom a!ounds "ith the -irst 5ns of Mineral
Salt and Sulphur, "hich acuate the Water of the first Well, "hose primary 1uality is 8oldness*
!ein# thus actuated, it !ecomes so po"erful a Menstruum, and so pleasant to the Metals, that for its
peculiar Dertue it is chosen for to !e the )ath of the Sun and Moon.
An ")position upon Sir Geore ,ipley9s Fifth Gate HHH 'f then thou accend this heat so much as
that it predominate, it "ill not then dissol%e the )odies, as thou expectest, !ut contrari"ise !urn the
-lo"ers !efore they are extractd from the depths of their marro": this thou mayst easily do, either if
thy Arsnick !e not made as it ou#ht, or else the num!er of 5a#les exceeded, or the proportion of thy
Water to thy )ody not a#reein# to the num!er of 5a#les, or thy Glass not "ell proportioned to thy
Matter* it "ill easily !urn, if thy Glass !e too !i#, for so the moisture "ill so much !e dispersed
a!out the 8onca%e, that it "ill not return !efore the earth !elo" !e left too dry. ' ha%e #i%en &ules
easily to a%oid all these incon%eniences.
And on the other hand, !e sure that thou do not erre in too little heat* let thy Water ha%e -ire
enou#h "ithin it, to make a true di%ision and corruption, "hich if either thy Arsnick ha%e sufficient
-iery %irtue, or if the union of this and thy Water !e not "ell attended, !ut sli#htly performed, or
the Pur#ation of thy "ater !e not thorou#hly made each ea#le, for so t"o or three ea#les may not
add the %irtue of one, or if thy num!er of ea#les !e not /ust, or thy proportion of 1uantity !e not
duly o!ser%ed...
Pray then to God, that he "ould !e propitious unto your studies and la!ours, in #i%in# thee the
true kno"led#e of this secret Mystery* it is the #ift of God, ' ha%e holpen thee "hat ' can, !ut
%enture not to practice !arely upon my "ords, for kno" that "hat ' ha%e only hinted, is far more
then "hat ' ha%e disco%ered* and "hat ' ha%e declared to thy first apprehension most openly, hath
yet its lurkin# Serpent under the #reen Grass, ' mean some hidden thin# "hich thou ou#htest to
understand, "hich thou !ein# 8ockHsure at first !lush "ilt ne#lect* !ut yet it "ill !ite thee !y the
heel "hen thou approachest to practice, and make thee !e#in a#ain, and it may !e at last thro"
a"ay all as a man desperate: for kno" that this is an Art %ery 8a!alistical, and "e do study
expression such as "e kno" "ill suit almost "ith any mans fancy, in one place or other* !ut !e sure
to take this Maxim from one "ho kno"s !est the sence of "hat he hath "ritten: Where "e speak
most plainly, there !e most circumspect, for "e do not #o a!out to !etray the Secrets of (ature*
especially then in those places "hich seem to #i%e &eceipts so plain as you "ould desire, suspect
either a Metaphor, or else !e sure that somethin# or other is supprest, "hich thou "ilt hardly
"ithout 'nspiration e%er find of thy self, "hich in tryal "ill make all thy confident kno"led#e
%anish* yet to a Son of Art, "e ha%e "ritten that "hich ne%er heretofore "as !y any re%ealed.
$ir. Philalethes ~ An #pen "ntrance to the $losed Palace of the *in
$hapter ..3 #f the $omponent Principles of the %ercury of the Saes ''' 't is called
our Arsenic, our Air, our Moon, our Ma#net, and our 8haly!s: these names representin# the
different sta#es of its de%elopment, e%en unto the manifestation of the kin#ly diadem, "hich is cast
out of the diadem of our harlot. ,earn, then, "ho are the friends of 8admus* "ho is the serpent that
de%oured them* "hat the hollo" oak to "hich 8admus spitted the serpent. ,earn "ho are the do%es
of Diana, that o%ercome the #reen lion !y #entleness: e%en the )a!ylonian dra#on, "hich kills
e%erythin# "ith its %enom. ,earn, also "hat are the "in#ed shoes of Mercury, and "ho are those
nymphs "hom he charms !y means of his incantations.
$ir. Philalethes ~ A Short %anuduction to the $elestial ,u4y
herefore you must take 8are that you dont 5rr in this first 5ntrance, for the Work is spoiled
unless you !e "ary here. he common 5rrors on this 0peration are many and %arious* -irstly, of
them "ho kno" not "hat is to !e 8alcined, !ut seek the Principle of GoldHmakin# in 5xtraneous
thin#s. Some !rin# in for their Material Principle, those thin#s "hich are not of the same 'mposition
"ith Metals, such are )orax, Alloms, Attrement, Ditriol, Arsnick, Seeds of Plants, Wine, Dine#ar,
:rine, .air, )lood, Gums, and the &osins of the 5arth* some do endea%or 9such is their
)lockishness@ to Generate Salts of e%ery kind, out of the flame, ' pass !y these understandin#
nothin# at all in this ArtB
P. !ay ~ History of $hemistry in Ancient ! %edieval .ndia
$hapter ..3 $hemistry in ,asaratnasamuchchaya *** Talaka :orpiment; is of t"o kinds: the one
is of a leady structure, the other is found in !alls or cakes and is of #olden color... and !ri#ht. 't is
purified !y !ein# di#ested in the /uice of cucum!er and the alkaline "ater of the ashes of sesamum,
or in lime "ater.
Talaka is to !e ru!!ed "ith !uffalo$s urine and thrice macerated in the decoction of /utea
monosperma of the consistency of honey, and then to !e roasted in a co%ered cruci!le and
po"dered. his operation is to !e repeated t"el%e times. hen it is fit to !e used in medicines.
SMost likely a sulpharsenite of potash is formed in the processT
!anassila :realgar; is mixed "ith oneHei#hth part of its "ei#ht of ironHrust, molasses, !dellium
and clarified !utter, and then enclosed in the koshthiapparatus and stron#ly heated, "hen it yields its
essence...
All the #ems "ith the exception of diamond are killed "hen roasted ei#ht times "ith a mixture
of realgar, sulphur and orpiment, ru!!ed in the /uice of Artocarpus lakoocha.
Dhatu"a+a *** 'n the .imalaya, there is a %ery #ood and "ellHkno"n plant called kustha :0ostus
speciosa;, from the leaf of "hich drops to"ards the earth a fluid ha%in# a colour like !ri#ht #old...
Pure orpiment is to !e ru!!ed "ith this oil for K= days. he former is killed there!y and loses its
%olatility. he ei#ht metals in the molten state !ein# treated "ith this orpiment, ac1uire the po"er
of transmutation...
!hasis ~ The Liht of Lihts
#f the Spirits HHH here are three mineral spirits: 1uicksil%er, sulphur, and arsenic. Arsenic is hot
and dry, of #reat %irtue and potency, yet li#htly esteemed. 't !urns up all other !odies. here are t"o
kinds of arsenic, one is of a pale "hite, the other red. he red is com!usti%e, the "hite is sol%ent,
and useful for the incture* "ith 1uicksil%er it makes sil%er. 't has a fiery nature, and su!limes
1uickly. his spirit "e stri%e to render corporeal and fixed, in order that it may permanently colour
our su!stance. 't has #reat affinity for %ine#ar.
his spirit must !e cleansed, su!limed, and exalted* then it "ill do "hat no man "ould think
possi!le. ake pallid arsenic, pound "ell into po"der, place in a #la7ed pot, pour o%er it four times
as much clear stron# %ine#ar. When most of the arsenic is dissol%ed, after three days, place o%er a
#entle fire, steam off the li1uid, take it out, place in a dish, "ash "ell of all saltness "ith pure "ater,
and dry in the sun. Place a#ain in a #la7ed pot, pour o%er it four times its 1uantity of "ater of alum,
and let it e%aporate o%er the fire. Put in an aludel, add t"ice its 1uantity of common purified salt,
close the %essel, and seal it up carefully. Su!lime co%er fire from mornin# till noon. 8ool, open the
%essel, and you "ill find in it a !rilliant su!stance. Place it in a #lass %essel, pour o%er it its o"n
1uantity of "ater of alum, and lea%e for ei#ht days. ake up "hat floats on the surface, put it in a
small narro"Hnecked !ottle, coa#ulate, and you "ill find a crystalline stone* keep until necessary to
use, and see that it is free from dust. 'f you di#est this arsenic "ith milk or oil of !itter almonds, and
after"ards "ith "ater of alum, it "ill !e %ery !rilliant and !eautiful in the su!limation* and then it
dissol%es %ery easily. 'farsenic !e cooked "ith oli%e oil, and then "ith "ater of atrament, it "ill !e
found in the su!limate !rilliantly red and easily solu!le. &ed arsenic, "hen its ferment is added,
makes #lad the heart of the Alchemist* !ut it is not so easily dissol%ed as "hite flaky arsenic. .ence
you should use the later for dissol%in# and su!limation. o su!lime "ith 1uicksil%er, cook in the
manner descri!ed one pound of arsenic "ith one ounce of 1uicksil%er.
#f Sulphur HHH he decoction of sulphur is the same as that of arsenic. )ut as sulphur has much
air, as "ell as much hotness and dryness, it is not easily su!limed. o effect this purpose, cook it
"ell, and dissol%e it* you "ill then !e on the road to perfection. Without the three su!stances "hich
' ha%e mentioned, there can !e no sil%er or #old, arsenic !ein# !est for sil%er, and sulphur for #old.
Some say that if sulphur !e mixed "ith li%in# calx, it can !e easily su!limed* !ut ' do not "ish you
to "aste your la!our. Fno", ho"e%er, that arsenic is more %alua!le in the ,unar, and sulphur in the
Solar "ork. Sulphur is partly "hite "ithout, and partly red "ithin. 0f arsenic the opposite holds
#oodB
#f Gold HHH he Sa#es call #old the product of the sun. When it is perfect, the fire cannot hurt it,
!ut rather intensifies its colour. 'f you "ish to make #old, you must ferment it, or all your la!our
"ill !e in %ain. Moreo%er, the ferment must !e pure. (e%ertheless, it does not re1uire much
purification, since it is in itself sufficiently pure, !ut it must !e prepared so that it may !e easily
incorporated and fermented, and for this purpose it must !e calcined as "e "ill she" further on.
)eat pure #old into thin lea%es* then take red arsenic, pound, add a third part of common salt
9i.e., oneHthird part of the arsenic@, take se%en ounces of steel filin#s, pound the three to#ether* take
a small, ne", #la7ed pot, put a little of this po"der at the !ottom of the pot* o%er it place a plate of
#old, co%er the plate "ith more po"der, and so fill up "ith alternate layers. ake another #la7ed
pot, put in one pound oli%e oil, !oil o%er a #entle fire, add four ounces of clear yello" sulphur*
remo%e at once from the fire, stir "ith an iron rod till the sulphur is melted, and allo" to cool. Add
some of this oil to the contents of the other pot* simmer o%er #entle fire, till a!sor!ed* add more,
place a#ain on the fire, and so on, little !y little, till all the oil has !een a!sor!ed. hen lea%e it on
the fire till 1uite dry. All this can !e done in KL hours. Stop up the pot "ith the clay of Sa#es* next
mornin#, place the pot amon# the coals of a #entle fire, so that it is entirely co%ered, from < to R
a.m.. ake pot, cool, !reak it, pound its contents* after"ards pound the #old, place the "hole in
dish, add s"eet and clear "ater, and stir it. When the po"der has settled at the !ottom, remo%e the
"ater 9for it is salt@* add more "ater, till the po"der has 1uite lost its saltness. Dry it in the sun, or
!y a fire, place in a small pot, stop up "ith clay, place in furnace for the space re1uired for !akin#
!read. hen re/oice, for you ha%e pul%eri7ed and fermented #oldB
#f Silver HHH Sil%er, thou#h composed in the same "ay, is not 1uite so pure or "ell di#ested as
#old, and suffers from t"o kinds of humidity, sulphureous and phle#matic, or e%aporant. Cet sil%er
may !e properly purified !y fire* !ut if !ein# cooked "ith common sal and orpiment, it #ro"s
!lack, "hile there is no !lackness in the salt or the orpiment, this is a si#n that it is sufferin# from
the first humidity. he si#n of the second humidity is diminishment in the fire. )y purification and
di#estion it can !e transmuted into #old, for its infirmity is of a ne#ati%e kind.
he follo"in# is the !est "ay of chan#in# sil%er into #oldB ake thin plates of SpureT sil%er, fi%e
pounds of arsenic, and one ounce of steel filin#s* pound them "ell to#ether. ake some of this
po"der, co%er "ith it the !ottom of a pot, put o%er that place a sil%er plate, o%er that some more of
the po"der, and so fill the pot "ith alternate layers of plates and po"der. ,et there !e po"der o%er
the top of all. Place on a slo" fire, o%er the coals, pour o%er it stron# %ine#ar, and lea%e it from < to
R a.m.. ,et the moisture e%aporate, stop up "ith clay of Sa#es, and plun#e pot amon# redHhot coals*
keep up a po"erful fire or 2K hours. hen open the pot 9after coolin#@, separate the sil%er from the
po"der, pound in mortar, "ash "ith clean "ater in a dish. Dry in the sun. Add to the po"dered
sil%er e1ual 1uantities of sal armoniac, of su!limed coa#ulated 1uicksil%er, and of "hite
su!limed arsenic* pound, put in a !ottle, pour o%er it four times as much "ater of alum, and lea%e
for t"o days. Plun#e !ottle up to neck, "hich should !e narro", in a pot full of ashes* the !ole
should !e unstopped ill its contents are coa#ulated. hen stop it up, and place o%er fire for KL hours.
,et it cool, and then !reak !ottle* if anythin# !e su!limed up to the neck, com!ine all to#ether*
pound its contents, place in #lass %essel, pour o%er it t"ice as much "ater of alum, and lea%e for N
days, shakin# it t"ice or thrice e%ery day. Skim off "hat floats on the surface into a small narro"
necked !ottle* e%aporate the li1uid from the remainin# faeces, add oneHhalf ounce of it to K= ounces
of copper, and it "ill !ecome the purest sil%er. 8oa#ulate the contents of the !ottle in a pot full of
ashes, then add oneHhalf ounce of it to K?= ounces of copper, 2?= ounces of tin, or ?= ounces of
lead, and you "ill "itness a "onderful transformation. here is another "ay of carryin# out this
operation, !ut here is the most efficacious, and ho"e%er the coa#ulated su!stance the preparation of
"hich ' ha%e descri!ed may !e o!tained, it has the property of transmutin# lar#er or smaller
1uantities of copper, tin or lead into the most irreproacha!le sil%er.
#f Arsenic HHH Arsenic is a mineral !ody composed of earth and "ater* it is olea#inous, like
sulphur, !ut ha%in# more earth than oil, and containin# a more #ross and earthy sulphur. 'ts
pur#ation for the first su!limation is !y means of su!stances "hich dry up and consume its
olea#inous superfluity, "hich is the first humidity. he a1ueous superfluity, "hich is the second
humidity, must !e e%aporated.
'n Gods name, take ponderous, lucid, red or yello" arsenic, pound small "ith an e1ual "ei#ht
and a half of iron or copper filin#s* sprinkle "ith %ine#ar, dry, place !et"een layers of its sediment
o%er a fire, till there is no more steam, close up the %essel, increase the fire more and more till all is
su!limed* cool, collect "hat appears outside the sediment, place !et"een ne" layers, in each case
a!out the thickness of one inch* su!lime as !efore, till it is "hite, pure, crystalline, and free from all
humidity and superfluity. his may !e done !y means of fi%e or six su!limations* dissol%e, and then
coa#ulate, as in the case of sulphur, "hether for the "hite or red. Arsenic is of less potency in the
coa#ulation of Mercury than sulphur, !ut it is possi!le to extract from it an i#neous %irtue.
George !ipley ~ The "pistle unto *in "dward .0
-or then !oth )ody and Spirit also !oth 0il and Water,
Soul and incture one thin# !oth White and &ed,
After 8olours %aria!le it containeth "hat so men clatter*
Which also is called "hen he hath once !een Dead:
And is re%i%ed our Marcasite, our Ma#net, and our ,ead,
0ur Sulphur, our Arsenick, and our true 8alx %i%e...
G. !ipley ~ %edulla Alchimia
Another "ay, !y "hich the )ody of #old is 5lixirated !y the po"er of the -ire a#ainst (ature,
"hich is thus. Dissol%e the )ody of pure Gold in the -ire a#ainst (ature, the same fire !ein# "ell
rectified Arsenick as the manner is* from "hich Gold !ein# to dissol%ed into a 8itrine, clear and
shinin# Water, "ithout any .etero#eneity or Sand remainin#, let the "ater !e a!stracted, till the
)ody does remain in the !ottom of the Glass, like a fixt 0yl...
Christian :norr 'on !osenroth ~ *a4ala Denudata
$hapter < *** A!out metallic thin#s &. Mordecai "rote: ,et the red mineral of sil%er !e taken, let
it !e #round most finely, then add to six ounces of it an ounce and a half of the calx of ,una. ,et it
!e placed on a sand !ath in a sealed %ial. ,et it !e #i%en "eak fire for the first ei#ht days lest its
radical humidity !e !urnt up. 'n the second "eek, one de#ree stron#er, and in the third, yet stron#er*
and in the fourth so that the sand should not !e red hot, !ut that "hen "ater is dripped upon it, it
should hiss. hen on top of the #lass, you "ill ha%e a "hite matter, "hich is the materia prima, the
dyein#arsenic, the li%in# "ater of the metals, "hich all philosophers call dry "ater, and its %ine#ar.
his is ho" it is purified: ake some of this su!limated crystalline pure matter. ,et it !e #round on
mar!le "ith calx of ,una in e1ual parts. ,et it !e put in a sealed %ial, a#ain in sand, in the first t"o
hours "ith #entle fire, in the second "ith stron#er, in the third yet more %iolent, and increased until
the sand "ill hiss: and our arsenic "ill a#ain !e su!limated, "ith starry rays !ein# sent forth. And
since a lar#e 1uantity is re1uired of this, au#ment it thus: ake some of this six ounces, and of the
purest filin#s of ,una one ounce and a half, and let it !e an amal#am, and let it !e di#ested in a
sealed %ial in hot ashes, until all the ,una is dissol%ed, and con%erted intoarsenical "ater. ake of
this prepared spirit one ounce and a half, put it in a closed %ial of hot ashes, and it "ill ascend and
descend* "hich heat should !e continued until it no lon#er s"eats, !ut lies at the !ottom, ha%in# the
color of ashes. hus the matter is dissol%ed and putrefied. ake of this ashy matter one part, and of
the aforementioned "ater half a part, mix them and let them s"eat in a #lass as !efore, "hich "ill
happen in a!out ei#ht days. When, thereafter, the ashy earth !e#ins to "hiten, take it out, and let it
!e im!i!ed "ith fi%e "ashin#s of its lunar "ater, and !e di#ested as !efore. ,et it !e im!i!ed the
third time "ith fi%e ounces of the same "ater, and coa#ulated as !efore, for ei#ht days. he fourth
im!i!ition re1uires se%en ounces of the lunar "ater, and once the s"eatin# is ended this preparation
is finished.
(o" for the "hite "ork. ake of this "hite earth t"entyHone drachmas. 0f lunar "ater, fourteen
drachmas. 0f the calx of purest ,una, ten drachmas. ,et them !e mixed on mar!le, and committed
to coa#ulation until they harden. 'm!i!e it "ith three parts of its o"n "ater, until it had drunk up
this potion, and repeat this until it flo"s "ithout smoke on a #lo"in# copper plate. hen you "ill
ha%e a tincture for the "hite, "hich you can increase in the aforementioned manner. -or the red,
calx of sol, a stron#er fire must !e applied. And this is a "ork of more or less four months. hus
says he. his should !e compared "ith the "ritin#s of the Ara! philosopher, in "hich he descri!es
the arsenical material in more detail...
)y the Spear of Phineas is meant the -orce of 'ron actin# upon the Matter to cleanse it of Dross:
)y "hich 'ron, not only is the Arsenical Sulphur killed, !ut also the Woman herself is at len#th
mortified* so that the Miracle of Phineas may !e fitly applied here...
Martinus !ulan&us ~ A Le)icon of Alchemy
Aes *ermetis *** is the same as Mercury. 't is also Solar Dust, the .ead of the &a%en, our copper,
citrine earth, the thin# containin# and the thin# contained, our lead. Mirerius calls it Gold extracted
out of Metals* it is also termed Denus* Ditriol* 7rpiment6 Arsenic* Money* the Soul* the Green
,ion* Green Water, !ecause it #erminates* Permanent Water* Wine* )lood. )ut it is truly and
properly an imperfect !ody, not yet prepared, and in its ori#inal state.
Alernet *** 7rpiment.
A&uala *** Philosophical Arsenic.
Arsag *** Arsenic.
Arsa"eile *** Su!limed Arsenic. 8alled also Arcanec and Artanec.
Arsenic *** 'ncom!usti!le Arsenic of the Philosophers HHH the .ermetic Stone perfected to the
"hite de#ree.
Arsenic of the Philosophers *** he Mercury of the Wise HHH other"ise, the matter from "hich
this Mercury is extracted. 't is also the .ermetic Matter "hen it has reached the !lack sta#e, and the
Sulphur or acti%e and masculine seed. Some also understand !y this term that Salt, "hich is the
!ond !et"een Sulphur and Mercury, and is one of the three principles of (ature, and of all
composites.
Arsenicum is the Greek (itre, 5fful#ence of Metals* Salt of Metals, and of Saturn. 8alled also
Artanek, or Artanech... 't is also ,una, and our Denus. Accordin# to Ge!er, it is Sulphur$s
companion. 't is the soul, the hermaphrodite, the means "here!y Sulphur and Mercury are united. 't
has community "ith !oth natures, and is, therefore, called Sun and Moon.
Arta"eck. Artaneck *** Arsenic, of "hich there are three species: White, Cello", and 8itrine.
Cello" orpiment, #olden dye* crystalline arsenic. 'tem: &ed Greek Sandaraca "hich is of t"o
kinds, rou#h and manufactured* the former "as a red arsenic mixed "ith !rimstone, the latter a kind
of %ermilion.
Auripigmentum is 7rpiment. Arsenical 5arth... 't is a nati%e metallic su!stance, and is found in
com!ination "ith Sandarac Syello" 7rpimentT. 't is co%ered "ith a crust, and #litters "ith a #old
colour. 'n its fundamental nature it is a certain kind of sulphur, and is, so to speak, a terrestrial
excrement in the ca%erns of the earth, "hich in the lon# process of time is turned into 7rpiment...
he Ara!s, ho"e%er, confound Sandarac "ith Arsenic, and, in fact, #i%e the name
of Arsenic indiscriminately !oth to Sandarac and 7rpiment, and, distin#uishin# only their %ariety
accordin# to colour... 7rpiment is also the )lood of the Stone. he Turba calls it the female "hich
"e use to color the Sun and to cook "ith Mercury. 't is, ho"e%er, #enuine Sulphur.
Guicksil%er 7rpiment is Sulphur "hich rises from the composition...
0al *** Philosophical Arsenic, or the Matter of the 8hemists, not only durin# the period of its
dissolution, "hen it is a %irulent poison, !ut also "hen it has arri%ed at the "hite state.
0erusa *** i.e., &ust of ,ead, White ,ead, the Psimytim, Psimytion, or Aphide#i, of the Greeks, a
Poisonous )ody, accordin# to Dioscorides and (icander, "hich is cold and dry in the second
de#ree... 't should !e noted that there is some confusion !oth of names and ideas in re#ard to this
su!stance. Sandaracs, or Sandaracha, is a kind of red colour* there are t"o species, rou#h and
manufactured* the former "as a red arsenic mixed "ith !rimstone, other"ise red orpiment* the
second "as a kind of %ermilionB
0hambar *** Poison, the fruit of Poison, or Ma#nesia. he ur!a says: 't is the White Stone, and
calls it 7rpiment, Pendrio, A!aemech, 8halul. )ut "hen it has !ecome "hite and innocuous, then it
is called ,ead, 5xo!mich, Ma#nesia, Martech, White 8opper.
Disposition *** A Philosophical 8onfection soHcalled !y Maria, !ut re%isan terms it Wei#ht or
Proportion, and others name it 8omposition. 't is a synthesis of the three principles philosophically
com!ined. 'n his (a+e !ecum, Philalethes says that "e must take one part of the red or the "hite
!ody, "hich ans"er to the male, t"o or three parts of arsenic, "hich fulfils the office of the female*
and four parts or more, up to t"el%e, of the seaH"ater of the Sa#es* the "hole, !ein# "ell mixed,
must !e placed in the %ase, "hich must !e "ell sealed, and the %ase placed in the athanor, "here it
must !e su!/ected to the re1uired re#imen.
-loan2 *** is 7rpiment#
-lome *** is 7rpiment#
Falcanos *** 0ther"ise Arsenic* %ul#arly 7rpiment.
Filum Arsenicale *** i.e., Su!limed Arsenic.
Fuligo !etallorum *** Properly Arsenic, !ut it often si#nifies Mercury.
Fumus %ubeus *** is 7rpiment. 't is also called Gold !ecause it is !ri#ht.
Ga5a Fumi *** i..e., 8rystalline Arsenic.
Gol+) $ts Artificial Pro+uction *** 't is not only !y the common operations of minin# and di##in#
in the profundities of the earth that it is possi!le to o!tain Gold. 't is 1uite "ithin the po"ers of Art
to imitate (ature in this matter, for Art perfects (ature in this as in many other thin#s. We propose
to pro%ide in this place an account of a formal experiment, the "orth of "hich has !een tested o%er
and o%er a#ain, and has in fact !ecome little less than familiar amon# operators in the pursuit of the
Grand Work. 'n order to perform it a lar#e cruci!le must !e pro%ided, and it must !e of such a
1uality as "ill !e a!le to resist the action of intense heat. his cruci!le must !e set o%er a !urnin#
furnace, and at the !ottom of the %essel there must !e stre"n Po"der of 8olophony 9a kind of resin@
to a!out the thickness of the little fin#er. A!o%e this undermost layer there must !e another layer of
-ine Po"der of 'ron HHH that is, the -inest 'ron -ilin#s HHH "hich shall !e of the same thickness.
Su!se1uently, the filin#s must !e co%ered "ith a little &ed Sulphur. hen the fire in the furnace
must !e increased till the iron filin#s ha%e passed into a li1uid condition. he next operation is to
thro" in )orax HHH that kind "hich is made use of !y #oldsmiths for meltin# #old. o this must !e
added a like 1uantity of &ed Arsenic, and as much Pure Sil%er as "ill !e e1ui%alent to the "ei#ht of
the 'ron -ilin#s. ,et the entire composition under#o coction !y dri%in# the furnace, takin# care at
the same time not to inhale the steam, on account of the arsenic in the %essel. ake then another
cruci!le into "hich, !y inclinin# the first %essel, you must pour the cocted matter, ha%in#
pre%iously stirred it effectually "ith an iron spatula. Proceed in such a manner that the composition
"ill flo" into the second cruci!le in a purified state, and de%oid of recremental matter. )y means of
the Water of Separation, the Gold "ill !e precipitated to the !ottom. When it has !een collected, let
it !e melted in a cruci!le, and the result "ill !e #ood Gold, "hich "ill repay all pains and expense
"hich ha%e !een de%oted to its production. his chemical secret is contained in the M*ermetic
0abinet, and the facility "ith "hich the experiment can !e performed has led many persons to
undertake it. he authority cited in support of it is no less than that of the most learned )asil
Dalentine, "ho also affirms that the operation of the Grand Work of the Philosophers can !e
performed in less than three or four days, that the cost should not exceed three or four florins, and a
fe" earthen %essels are sufficient for the "hole experiment.
Guma Para+isi *** 7rpiment.
*ernec *** he 7rpiment of the Philosophers.
Kibrius or Kebrick *** is Arsenic.
3apis Philosophicus *** Su!limation of the Stone:BTurba says: Su!limate 8ham!ar of
Mercury* thus Sulphur !ecomes mixed "ith Sulphur, and is called 5thelia, 7rpiment, Pendrio,
8hulul, Ma#nesium, and under many other names is his "hite nature set forthB he &edness of the
Stone:B When it is red, it is called .ea%en, Gold, &ed Sulphur, 8ar!uncle, and has the names of
e%erythin# that is red and costly !et"een hea%en and earth, such asB &ed 7rpiment of the
PhilosophersB he Whiteness of the Stone:B 't is also calledB !y the names of all thin#s that are
"hite HHH Salt, Alum and Mar!le, 8rystal, 5thelia, Al!a, "hite Sil%er ,ithar#e, Arsenic, (itreB he
Di#estion of the Stone:B When the mixture is completed, it is calledB7rpimentB
3empnias *** Some call this 7rpiment, !ut "ron#ly, for it is a &ed Si#illated 5arth.
3empnias 3empnia *** i#e#. 7rpiment#
3eo 0itrinus Foliatus *** 7rpiment#
!arcasita Alba *** White Marcasite, i.e., White Arsenical Pyrites.
!ercury *** is mentioned e%ery"here, in e%ery alchemical "ork, and is supposed to perform
e%erythin#. 5%ery!ody "astes his !rain and his money in endea%orin# to produce a 1uantity of itB
it is also calledB 7rpiment Setc.TB
75o *** i##e#. Arsenic.
Pompholi2 *** 8oncernin# this su!stance and the %arieties of the same, see Dioscorides, "ho
seems to confound Pompholix, Spodon, and Antispodon. 'n the first place, Pompholix is the same
as that "hich is called "hite nothin# or nil !y %endors of medicines. .ence the pro%er! that nothin#
is #ood for the eyes hey also call it White Pompholi#um, "hich is coarser. 0n the other hand.
Spodium is "hat the chemists call )lack PompholixB Pompholix is a Metallic Ash, "hich
produced upon the tops or "alls of furnaces, or of huts "here there are extin#uished furnaces. his
Ash %aries "ith the metals and the place of production. Grey Pompholix is o!tained from Pyrites
rather than from StoneB hat "hich adheres to the tops and "alls of furnaces Spodion. 0n the
other hand, that "hich han#s from the top is Pompholix differin# from the first in "hiteness and
polish. Dioscorides states that difference is specific, not #eneric. Spodon is: 92@ )lack, 9K@ .ea%y,
9>@ -ull of Stra"s, 9L@ S"ept from the floors of ,a!oratories.
Pompholix is White like a )u!!le, or like that Greek %essel of #lo!ular shape from "hich it
o!tains its name. 't is fat, li#ht, and pure, and is produced on the top of furnaces. here are,
ho"e%er, properly speakin#, t"o kinds of Pompholix:
2. Some"hat thick, and of a copperish hue. 'ts proper name is #rey nothin#.
K. 5xceedin# "hite, of the hi#hest polish. Produced either in perfectin# 8opper, "hen the
8admia purposely stre"n upon the surface is ru!!ed off* or from 8admia melted !y means of
!ello"s. Dioscorides #i%es a len#thy description of the method. he thin and %ery li#ht matter
"hich finds its "ay to the top of the furnace and adheres to the "alls and roof is Pompholix, !ut the
hea%ier su!stance "hich !etakes itself to the lo"er parts is Spodion.
Dioscorides #i%es us further information as to #enuine and adulterated Pompholix, the method of
"ashin# it, its %irtues as an astrin#ent, coolin#, purifyin#, o!structin#, and dryin# a#ent. .e
descri!es its torrefaction or roastin#, and tells us from "hat su!stances it is prefera!ly o!tained HHH
namely, Gold, Sil%er, ,ead, and )rass. (ext to Pompholix from 8yprian 0re comes Pompholix
from ,ead. Pliny endorses these statements. Galen ascri!es more po"erful %irtues to Pompholix
than to Spodion.
'ndeed, Pompholix has a com!ination of %irtues. :nder 8admia "e ha%e mentioned that 8admia
)otryitis, or GrapeHshaped 8admia, is called Ara!ian utty. Accordin#ly, that of Alexandria is
called Dry or Solid. )ut )otryitis 8admia is not the same su!stance as 8admia, to "hich the Ara!s
and Serapion testify. -or the Spodion here treated of is utty and a matter of importance. )otryitis
is not utty. Dioscorides mentions Spodion and not utty. What is called utty !y the Ara!s and
Pompholix !y the Greeks is !y us termed Spodion. A%icenna testifies to this fact. We can use
)otryitis 8admia instead of utty, that is, of Spodion, if it has !een prepared. he difference
!et"een )otryitis and 8apnitis 8admia, and !et"een Pompholix and Spodion, "hich are all made
of the same material, depends upon the places "here they are made. 8admia )otryitis is made or
deposited on the "alls or the hi#hest roofs of the furnaces. 0n the other hand, 8apnitis is, properly
speakin#, o!tained from the ed#es of the furnaces. Genuine Pompholix, or White (othin#, an
exceedin#ly li#ht Metallic Ash, is produced on the tops of furnaces, or e%en on the tops of the huts
in "hich the furnaces are situated. 'f o!tained from the mouth of the furnace, it is 8admic 8apnitis*
if from the sides and roofs, it is Pompholix* that "hich adheres to the "alls is Spodion. Coun#
students should dili#ently o!ser%e these points. he Ara!s distin#uish t"o %arieties of utty: (ati%e
utty HHH White, Green, or 8itrine HHH found amon# minerals on the shores of the 'ndian 0cean* also
Manufactured, of "hich "e treat here. 0!ser%e also that !esides the Sooty Spodion of Serapion,
Dioscorides, Pliny, and Galen, "ho says: ' ha%e ne%er used Spodion, !ecause ' ha%e al"ays found
Pompholix in a!undanceB
Pompholi2 *** 92@ he Soot "hich is collected in 8ompartments of -urnace* 9K@ Pompholix from
Sil%er* 9>@ Slimy, stickin# to the "alls "here Sil%er is separated from !ead. Cello", Poisonous,
8rystalline Arsenic* 9L@ -rom Mansfeld 8opper* 9?@ hat "hich is collected "here Sil%er is
separated from 8opper* 9<@ 0!tained from -urnaces "here White ,ead is smelted* 93@ Purest White.
)est 8rystalline Arsenic* 9N@ hat "hich is Solidified from Pieces of Stone roasted "hen 8opper is
cooked* 9R@ White Pompholix, termed !y the Metallur#ists White (othin#.
Pompoli2. Tutty, and Spo+ius *** are one and the same.
Pompholi2 3ursa *** 8rystalline Arsenic.
Euebricum *** is, accordin# to some, Arsenic, !ut, accordin# to Stephanus, it is Sulphur.
%ealgar *** &ed 7rpiment# %ealgar is properly a Mineral Smoke, "hich has somethin# of the
nature of 7rpiment. or Arsenic. Metaphorically, it is that poison of the !ody "hich #enerally is the
cause of :lcers. 't is of four kinds, correspondin# to the four elements, so there is the %ealgar on
the Surface of Water, the Arsenical %ealgar of the 5arth, the ere!inthine %ealgar of Air, and that
Saturnine 8on/unction "hich is the %ealgar of -ire.
Sal Factitium *** here is ra#esium Salt, Arsenical Salt, or Su!limated ArsenicB
San+araca, other"ise 5rythace *** A -ood for )ees. As to its production, see Pliny 92. 22, c. 3@.
)ut in this place "e are dealin# "ith a nati%e metallic su!stance, "hich the Germans call 7rpiment.
%ealgar. Arsenical 7rpiment, &ed Sulphur, -ire Sulphur, &ed 7rpiment. 't is hot and dry in the
second #rade.
Sandarac is a Metal and a Purple 5arth. 't is found in the same metals as (ati%e 7rpiment, of
"hich there is a species resem!lin# this in smell, su!stance, and properties, thou#h it differs in
colour, correspondin# therein to 8inna!ar, "hich is red. .ence Pliny says that Arsenic is a
compound of the same matter as Sandarach, meanin# 7rpiment !y ArsenicB
San+aracha *** 7rpiment, 8rystalline Arsenic, Cello" 7rpiment. here are four species: 92@
nati%e Sandarach, Cello" 7rpiment* 9K@ he artificial named Ditru%ius, the Sandix of the Greeks,
Minium, &ed ,ead.
San+erich *** ,unar Spittle, White 0re, White Ma#net "hich attracts iron, Cello" 7rpiment HHH
the thin# "e seek HHH %ealgar, Minium, Spirit "hich makes &ed, also a White Sandarach.
San+i2 *** A Wild .er!, &ed 5arth, Philosophical Paul, &ed 7rpiment.
Sanguis *** )lood is 7rpiment, that is, the Stone "hich is not yet perfect, the Philosophical Water
"hich #i%es life and unites, accordin# to Morien...
Sira *** 7rpiment.
Soot of !etals *** Arsenic.
Speculum Album *** Precipitated Arsenic.
Speculum 0itrinum *** 8itrine Arsenic.
Spiritus 0hymicae *** he Spirits of 8hemistry are se%en in num!er: 92@ )lack Guicksil%er* 9K@
&ed Sulphur* 9>@ Cello" 7rpiment* 9L@ Green Sal Ammoniac. hese four are li%in# as they come
from the ore, or dead "hen they are melted. Marcasite, )ismuth, and utty 9out of Denus and
Mercury@ complete the list, and are called spirits, !ecause they admit of ele%ation, and !ecause they
escape fire.
Spo+os *** 92@ AshHcoloured Soot, hea%ier than Pompholix. A #rayishH!lack, 8rystalline Arsenic*
9K@ Cello" 8rystalline Arsenic, from the refinin# furnaces of metalsB
Sulphur *** Sulphur is the seed of the stone, and is of t"o kinds HHH an external, "here!y the
internal is !orn in Mercury, "hich, !ein# earthy, com!usti!le, useless, is remo%ed as menstrual
"ater from a child. he internal Sulphur is the po"er "hich makes and prepares the !ody and
cannot !e separated from it, !ecause it is inherent, con#enital in its %ery heart and su!stance. 't is
ori#inally "hite, !ecomes red !y means of heat, /ust as food in the !elly !y means of the li%er, and
is the form of the matter, the soul and ferment of the stone, the hus!and, the kin#, and !ride#room
HHH &ed Arsenic, )urnt Ashes, our Gold Setc.TB
Sulphur %ubeum *** Arsenic.
Terra %ubea *** i#e#. 7rpiment.
Thaphneus *** A 8leansed and Pur#ed Medicine, a Preparation of Arsenic 9I@.
(entus %ubeus *** &ed 7rpiment.
(irgin *** he Moon or Mercurial Water of the Sa#es, after it has !een purified from the unclean
and Arsenical Sulphurs "ith "hich it has !een com!ined in the minesB
Water *** Arsenical Water. he Green ,ion of the Philosophers. S(.).: HHH 7rpiment in ammonia
"aterT.
Ari+is, or Ari+e *** hat is, 7rpiment.
Banere *** 7rpiment.
Barnich *** hat is, 7rpiment, called also Parnec, Parneck, and Parne.
Bericum *** hat is, a kind of Arsenic.
Bernic *** he 7rpiment of the Philosophers.
%olinus %alt7al ~ Fountain of Philosophical Salts
)ehold, no" ' ha%e dou!led mercury in my possession: (o" ' o"n it HHH "hite lily, po"der of
adamantine, chief central poison of the dra#on, spirit of arsenic, #reen lion, incom!usti!le spirit of
the moon, life and death of all metals, moist radical, uni%ersal dissol%in# nutriment, true menstruum
of the philosophers, "hich "ithout doin# any harm reduces metal to first matter. his is the true
"ater for sprinklin#, in "hich the li%in# seeds of metal inhere, and from "hich other metals can !e
produced...
.illiam 'on %chroe&er ~ .nstructions ,espectin the Art of Transmutation
Plinius in his >> )ook of Natural *istory, says: that there exists a process "here!y Gold is made
!y means of orpiment, a process "hich in%ited the 5mperor 8ali#ula, a prince %ery co%etous of
&iches, to cause some men to "ork a #reat 1uantity of orpiment* !y "hich operation perfect Gold
"as procured, !ut so small a 1uantity that the 5mperor had reason to repent of his a%arice...
't is yet fresh in memory, that not lon# a#o a .ollander, a #oldsmith, of the name of Sommer
resided in Dienna, "ho fixed out of a incture of mercury into pure Sil%er.
' ha%e made the 5xperiment "ith my o"n hands* ' ha%e seen his Medicine under t"o forms... '
ha%e once seen the operation of preparin# the Medicine, "hich "as performed in 2< hours, in a
stron# fire, in the open air, on account of the poisonous fumes.
he )asis of the Medicine "as a fixed Arsenic, "hich fixation, ' found, had !een made "ith
)orax in a cruci!le...
'n re#ard to the Most :ni%ersal Su!/ect out of "hich &aymundus ,ully, )ernhardus re%isanus
and )asilius Dalentinus ha%e made the most :ni%ersal incture, it is called 5lectrum
'mmaturatum...
(ote further that Sulphur and Mercury or Sulphur and Arsenic are the first seminal principles of
all the metals. hese t"o principles are certainly the most hetero#eneous and most natural Feys to
dissol%e the metals radically, in order that death and &e#eneration may follo".
When such a &e#ulus is melted, it im!i!es all the Metals, "hich you put into it, and those metals,
"hen after"ards treated and distilled... form a metallic oil in the same manner as if you had used
&e#ulus AntimonyHMars. he &e#ulus of %ealgar or 7rpiment a!sor!s metals 1uicker than the
&e#ulus of Antimony, and renders the metals more %olatile...
= Siismund 'acstrom&s Notes /1BCB3 ? *** )aron Schroeder called his su!/ect an unripe
5lectrum, so does Paracelsus "ho names it 5lectrum Minerale 'mmaturatum. Auripigmentum as
"ell as 8inna!ar and Antimony is an 'mmature 5lectrum, "here the first metallic principles are
found.
LimoFon &e %t. 6i&ier /A. #oussaint3 ~ Hermetic Triumph
"udo)us *** hese expressions should not seem stran#e to you, the Philosophers themsel%es call
their Stone dra#on, and serpent, "hich infects all thin#s "ith its %enom. 'ts su!stance in effect, and
its %apour, are a poison, "hich the Philosopher kno"s ho" to chan#e into an heriac !y the
preparation, and !y coction. he stone also is the 5nemy of Metals, since it destroys them, and
de%ours them. he 8osmopolite says that there is a metal, and a steel, "hich is as the "ater of
metals, "hich has the po"er to consume the metals, that nothin# !ut the radical moisture of the sun
and of the moon can resist it. ake care ho"e%er, not to confound here the Stone of the
Philosophers, "ith the Philosophical Stone* !ecause if the first like a %erita!le dra#on, destroys, and
de%ours the imperfect metals* the second as a so%erei#n medicine, transmutes them into perfect
metals, and renders the perfect more than perfect, and fit to perfect the imperfect.
Bernhar& &e #re'isan ~ 0er4um Dismissum
All this !usiness then is nothin# else !ut to create Sulphur of (ature and reduce the composition
to its -irst Matter of the Metallick kind, for as Al!ertus saith in his /ook of !inerals* JWe must not
so much alter or distance our Stone from the nature of Metals6. Fno" then that this 8ompound is
the su!stance out of "hich ou#ht to !e dra"n the Sulphur of nature !y comfortin# it, and nourishin#
it in /oinin# to this su!stance the Mineral Dirtue, to the end it may !e made a ne" (ature stript from
all its Sulphureous terrestreity and corruption and all phle#matic humidity, hinderin# di#estion. 't is
further to !e o!ser%ed that accordin# to the di%ers alterations or chan#e of the one and the same
Matter in di#estion, di%ers names are imposed on it !y the Philosophers accordin# to its di%ers
complexions, some ha%e called it a coa#ulatin# pressure, some A7oc, Arsenic, others Al!um and
tincture illuminatin# all !odies, some ha%e called it, Philosophical 5##, for a 5## is composed of
three parts, %i7., Shell, White, and the Colk, so is compounded out Philosophical 5##, or )ody,
Soul and Spirit. Althou#h in truth our Stone is !ut one thin# accordin# to )ody, Spirit and Soul, !ut
accordin# to the di%ers reason and intentions of Philosophy, is no" called one hin#, and then
another, "hich Plato meant "hen he said, Jhe Matter flo"s infinitely or al"ays, if the -orm stay
not its flux6, so is it rinity in :nity, and :nity in rinity, for there is )ody, Soul and Spirit. here
is also Sulphur, Mercury andArsenick, for the Soul !reathin#, that is castin# out its Dapours
!y Arsenick Works in con/oinin# Mercury of "hich philosophers say that the property
of Arsenick is to !reathe, or respire, the property of Sulphur is to coa#ulate or con#eal Mercury,
ne%ertheless this Sulphur, this Arsenick and this Mercury are not those the %ul#ar think of "hich are
not those %enomous Spirits the Apothecaries sell, !ut the Spirits of the Apothecaries are those
%ul#ar Spirits, theirs are more of imperfection and corruption, to pre/udice rather than repair
imperfect Metals. Wherefore it cannot #i%e perfection and incorruption to them, "hich perfection
ou#ht to !e #i%en !y our Medium, Dainly therefore do those Sophisters "ork, "ho endea%or to
make the 5lixir, from such %enomous Spirits full of corruption. -or certainly, in no other thin# is
lod#ed the ruth of the So%erei#n su!tility of (ature, !ut in the three matters a!o%e said, to "it,
Sulphur, Arsenick and Mercury Philosophical "herein the reparation and total perfection of )odies
that are to !e pur#ed, lod#es, only all the Philosophers ha%e imposed di%ers names on our StoneB.
his Sulphur so su!limed, no "hiteness in the "orld exceeds it, for it is di%ested of all
corrupti!le thin#s, and is a ne" nature, a Guintessence arisin# from the pure parts of the four
5lements. $is the Sulphur of (ature, Arsenic, not !urnin#, the incompara!le treasure, the Ooy of
Philosophers, and the Deli#ht so much desired !y them, the White, 8lear and -oliate earth, the )ird
of .ermes, the Dau#hter of the Great Secret, and the ne" White )lack )ird "hose -eathers exceed
8rystalline )ri#htness, White as Sno", of clean su!tility and a#ility...
Another translation -4y Patric( Smith/ *** Fno" therefore that this 8ompote is that Su!stance
from "hich the Sulphur of (ature must !e "ithdra"n !y comfortin# and nourishin#, !y puttin# the
mineral Dirtue into this Su!stance, so that finally a ne" (ature is made, stript of all superfluous and
corruptin# terrestreities, and of all phle#matic humidities, "hich hinder the Di#estion. At "hich
point it is to !e o!ser%ed that, accordin# to the di%erse alterations or mutations of one same Matter
in its Di#estion, di%erse names are imposed on it !y the Philosophers* and accordin# to different
tempers, some ha%e called this 8ompote coa#ulatin# or thickenin# &ennet, "hile others ha%e names
it Sulphur, Arsenic, A7ote, Alum, incture illuminatin# all )odies, and the 5## of the Philosophers:
-or as an 5## is composed of three thin#s, namely, of the shell, the "hite and the yello"* like"ise
our physic is composed of )ody, Soul, and Spirit, althou#h our Stone is indeed one same thin#,
accordin# to the )ody, the Soul, and the Spirit* !ut accordin# to di%erse reasons and intentions of
the Philosophers, it is presently called one thin#, and anon another* "hich Plato has us to
understand "hen he said that the Matter flo"s endlessly, that is to say, al"ays, if the form does not
arrest its flux.
hus it is a rinity in :nity, and a :nity in rinity* !ecause there are )ody, Soul and Spirit* there
are also Sulphur, Mercury and Arsenic: for the Sulphur, !reathin#, that is to say, castin# out its
%apor into Arsenic, operates !y couplin# the Mercury* and the Philosophers say that the property
ofArsenic is to !reath, and that the property of Sulphur is to coa#ulate, to con#eal and to arrest the
Mercury. Cet this Sulphur, Arsenic and mercury are not those %enomous Spirits "hich the
Apothecaries sell* !ut they are the Spirits of the Philosophers "hich should #i%e our Medicine*
"hereas the other Spirits can #i%e nothin# for the perfection of Metals.
't is therefore in %ain that la!or those Sophists "ho make their 5lixir from such %enomous Spirits
filled "ith corruption. -or certainly the truth of the so%erei#n su!tlety of (ature is in no other thin#,
than in these three hin#s HHH %i7., Sulphur, Arsenic, and Philosophic Mercury HHH in "hich alone is
the reparation and complete perfection of the )odies, "hich must !e pur#ed and purified.
Grbigeris ~ Aphorisma Ur4ieris
he imperfect metals contain t"o factors "hich they can impart to the imperfect: tincture or
fixation. -or some, !ecause they are tin#ed "ith a pure Sulphur, that is, "ith a "hite and red one,
and are fixed, can therefore also tin#e perfectly if they are prepared "ith their o"n Sulphur
and Arsenic. 0ther"ise, they do not ha%e the po"er to au#ment their tincture.
Basil ,alentine ~ Triumphal $hariot of Antimony
A#ainst these ' do in a special manner exclaim and protest, a#ainst these, ' say, "ho 9i#norant of
Preparation@ exhi!it Poison to Men: for Mercury,Auripigment, Antimony, and such like, are %enoms
in their Su!stance, and unless ri#htly prepared remain Denoms. Cet after a ,e#itimate Preparation
all their Denenosity is !roke, extin#uished and expelled, so that no part of them remains, !ut "hat is
Medicine, "hich resists all internal Denoms, althou#h most deeply rooted, and radically destroys
the same. -or Denom, !ein# in such a manner prepared, as it can no lon#er hurt, resists all Poison,
"hich is not as yet prepared, and so %ery "ell prepares and su!/u#ates it, as it is compelled "ith the
same to put off its o"n %enomous (ature.
#homas 2 !ebecca ,aughan ~ A8ua 0itae? Non 0itis
The 2hole Art *** here is one uni%ersal "ay, that is all, and it is made as follo"s, nor !y any
other "ay. ake "ater from the !ath and con#eal it "ith its prepared sulphur, proper and !riny.
Su!lime the con#ealed air, after the fluid has !een first cast off, and you "ill ha%e sal ammoniac of
the philosophers.
(o": ake our arsenic* let it flo" throu#h resin, and !e rarified in its cham!ers "ith moderate
fire. Grind "hat has !een rarified "ith caustic ma#nesia, and concoct it into cinna!ar.
0f this 8inna!ar, Ooin one part "ith a half part of our sal ammoniac* and let the mixture !e
thickened "ith proper phle#m, and distilled "ith a !are flame, and it "ill !e made. his is sophic
mercury, and the uni%ersal menstruum, and first philosophical "ater, "ithout "hich nothin# is
madeB
Arnold9s Stone from the 7uice of Three Her4s *** ake su!limated arsenic, or its spittle. Grind
it "ith calcinated ma#nesia, dissol%ed, dried, and extracted, as you kno". Add con#ealed mercury,
as follo"s.
Dissol%e mercury in a1ua fortis and dra" out* decoct it in cold distilled "ater, and then dra" out,
and su!lime. )ecause it "ill settle, dissol%e in distilled %ine#ar, dra" out, and dry. hen /oin "ith
sulphur and arsenic, and it "ill !e madeB
0arious and True 2ays to the First %etallic 2ater *** he accustomed method is, hat
calcinated /uice !e #round "ith su!limated arsenic or "ith "hite precipitated po"derB
0ur Mineral artar -ixes all su!limated spirits and makes "onderful thin#s "ith ammonia, mercury
and arsenicB
Arnol& &e ,illa 4o'a ~ Lucidary
...)ut the po"der ascendin# up"ards from the faeces is ashes extracted from ashes, and earth
su!limed and honoured, !ut that "hich remains !eneath is ashes of ashes, and the lo"er ashes is to
!e condemned and disposed as faeces and dross. Make, therefore, a difference !et"een the clear
and !ri#ht thereof, !ecause "hen it is most "hite and ascends like sno" then it "ill !e
accomplished. Gather it, therefore, "arily that it fly not a"ay in fume, !ecause it is a #ood thin# to
!e sou#ht for, a "hite foliated earth, con#ealin# that "hich is to !e con#ealed and cleansin# that
"hich is to !e cleansed, and purifyin# Arsenic and "hite Sulphur, of "hich Aristotle says that it is
the !est thin# the Alchemists can take, that of it they may make Sil%er...
An e)ample from minerals? Salts6 .n(s6 Alums6 Arsenic6 Auripiment *** All metals are ductile
and li1uefia!le "hich dra" their ori#inal from Mercury, !ecause the matter of them, out of a "atery
su!stance mixed "ith an earthy su!stance, !y a stron# commixtion that the one cannot !e separated
from the other, "herefore that "atery su!stance is con#ealed "ith cold more after the action of heat
and therefore they "ill !e more fa!rile or ductile, and the "ater only is not con#ealed !ut only "ith
the earthly dryness "hich alters the "ateryness, "hen as there is no unctuous moisture in them,
!ecause the con#ealin# of them is of earthly dryness. herefore they are not easily dissol%ed unless
!y the %ehement action of the heat in them, accordin# to "hich they are most easily commixt. )ut
there are lesser and middle minerals "hich take not their ori#inal from Mercury, and of these are
Salts "hich easily melt in moisture, as Alum, simple Salt, Salt Armonick, stony Salt and all kinds of
salts. And surely they ha%e %irtue in them. (either do they easily melt "ith moisture only,
as Auripigmentum. Arsenic and Sulphur, "hen as the "ateryness of sulphurous !odies is mixed
"ith slimy earth, !y stron# commixtion, "ith the fer%ency of heat, until they !e made %irtuous and
then they are coa#ulated of coldB
-or many of the i#norant sort ha%e la!oured and do yet la!our in these %e#eta!le and sensi!le
thin#s, "here they ha%e found out no truth, !ut certain humilities "hich "e "ill declare to the
i#norant that they may a%oid the deceits. -or they ha%e extracted a lon# time out of these thin#s,
after"ards to !e spoken of, "hich they call artificial Ar#ent %i%e and oils and "aters, "hich they
named the four elements, namely "ater, earth, air, and fire, and Salt Armonick, Arsenic, Sulphur
and Auripigmentum, "hich they could ha%e !ou#ht cheaper in the market and had sooner !rou#ht it
to pass...
And there are other Alchemists la!ourin# in lesser minerals, that is to say in four Spirits as in
common Sulphur, Arsenic. Auripigmentum, and Salt Ammoniac !ein# desirous to make a tincture
!ut this they cannot do as is manifest !y the definition of the tincture...
Arnol& &e ,illa 4o'a ~ ,osarius
$hapter ..3 2hence the Physical Stone is ")tracted *HH 0ur physical Stone, or Medicine, may
!e o!tained from all metals* !ut it is found in the hi#hest perfection in #old and sil%er. Without the
Sun and its shado", the Moon, "e can ha%e no tin#ein# 1uicksil%er, and he is foolish "ho attempts
to accomplish our Ma#istery in their a!sence. 0n the other hand he "ho kno"s ho" to tin#e
1uicksil%er "ith the Sun and Moon is in possession of our arcanum "hich may !ecome red sulphur,
!ut at first is called "hite sulphur. Gold is the father, and sil%er the mother of the proximate
su!stance of our Stone, for out of these !odies, prepared "ith their sulphur or arsenic, is our
medicine elicited. 't may, indeed, !e possi!le to deri%e it from other !odies, !ut it is found nearer to
the hand, and more easily, in 1uicksil%er, "hich is the father of those li#hts and the root of all
metals. 0f this "ere they all made, and into the same all of them return. hat "hich is no" our
Stone is not 1uicksil%er, !ut once formed part of it, and it is this "hich imparts to it its !ri#htness,
preser%es it from com!ustion, and is the cause of its perfection. Do not "ork "ith anythin# except
Mercury and the Sun for the Sun, and Mercury and the Moon for the Moon.
Arthur $. .aite ~ Paracelsian Le)icon
Arsenic HHH he arcane sense of the term refers it to the Mercury of the Philosophers, and at times
to the matter of the philosophers "hen in the sta#e of putrefaction. 't is stated, or supposed to !e
stated, in one of the Si!ylline %erses, that the name of the matter "hence philosophical Mercury is
extracted consists of nine letters. 0f these, four are %o"els and the rest consonants. 0ne of the
sylla!les is composed of three letters, the rest are of t"o. .ence it "as concluded
that Arsenicum "as the name in 1uestion, more especially as the philosophers affirm that their
matter is a deadly poison. .o"e%er, the mater of the stone, accordin# to other authorities, is
not arsenic, thou#h it is the matter of "hich arsenic and all mixed !odies are formed. (or can the
Mercury of the Sa#es !e extracted from arsenic, for arsenic is sold !y apothecaries and the minera
of Mercury is found e%ery"here. he name has !een #i%en !y some other "riters to the matter in
putrefaction, !ecause then it is a most su!tle and %iolent poison. Sometimes it refers to the %olatile
principle of the sa#es, "hich performs the office of female. 't is their Mercury, their Moon, their
Denus, their %e#eta!le Saturn, their #reen ,ion, etc. he arsenic of the philosophers "hitens #old,
e%en as the common arsenic "hitens copper.
Fulio %ercurii *** he fuli#o Metallorum is properly arsenic in alchemical sym!olism, !ut it
often stands for Mercury.
#ertum or #ertinum***i#e#. 7rpiment.
Iliadum6 Iliadus Ileidus6 etc3 *** he interior spirit "hich informs the mem!ers of e%ery !ody.
0ut"ardly it #enerates health, !ut in"ardly disease in humanity. 't also leads on to the crisis in
diseases. Disease is the resolution of Cliadus. he reason of this seems to !e that the interior spirit
contains many species of salts. he resolution of arsenic in the !ody causes pla#ue* the resolution
of o#ertinum, or orpiment, causes pleurisyB
John .ebster ~ %etalloraphia? #r6 An History of %etals
...3 #f the Generation of %etalls6 and whether they Grow6 and have 0eeta4ility HHH he author
of Arcae Arca. STheatr# 0hym.T from ,ully and Mathesius tells us thisB Mhat the matter 9%i7. of
Metals@ !efore it !e coa#ulated into a metallick form, is like unto )utter made of the 8ream of milk,
"hich may !e clamed or spread as )utter, "hich he 9he meaneth Mathesius@ calleth Gur, "hich '
also 9saith the Author 1uoted@ ha%e found in the Mines, "here (ature hath produced ,ead. o
ratifie this, and to put it forth of dou!t, ' shall relate "hat ' my self ha%e found, and ho" ha%e some
pounds of it !y me. 'n1uirin# after this Gur of all persons that ' could hear of that "rou#ht in
Mines, there could some of them tell me, that often in the sudden !reakin# of some Stone, there
"ould !e a li1uor spurt forth !ri#ht and shinin#, "hich they re#arded not, !ecause they kne" no use
nor !enefit to !e made of it, nor kne" ho" to sa%e or keep it. At last, meetin# "ith an in#enious
youn# man, "hose -ather had all his days !een experienced in "orkin# in the Mines of ,ead in
Dar!yshire, and he therein also had !een trained up from his youn# years: one "hom ' had formerly
much imployed in seekin# and procurin# for me, se%eral sorts of 0ars, Minerals, Stones and 5arths,
"herein ' had found him %ery faithful and dili#ent* and discoursin# "ith him a!out "hat li1uid
/uices or "aters he had e%er o!ser%ed in di##in# in the Mines, and instructin# him in all that '
understood of such thin#s, accordin# as ' had read in Paracelsus, .elmont, or other "riters, he
thou#ht the thin# mi#ht !e feasi!le. So accordin# to my directions, pro%idin# himself "ith some
"ooden dishes to take "ith him, it "as not %ery lon# ere he !rou#ht me a lar#e 1uantity, found in a
trench* "here the he #ot #ood store of ,ead 0re, such as the Miners account the !est for their
purpose* that is, such as "ill most easily run, or melt, and yield the most ,ead: the description of
"hich ' shall here #i%e as fully as ' am a!le. 't "as 9as he most faithfully affirmed@ "hen he first
!roke the hard stone in "hich it "as enclosed, some of it especially %ery thin and li1uid, so as he
could hardly preser%e it* and the other as soft as )utter, and the inmost part of that he !rou#ht "as
as soft as )utter, to my touch and feelin#, and the outside more hard* for the lon#er it lay to the air,
the harder it #re". 't "as of a #rayish or "hitish colour, and "ould spread "ith ones fin#er upon a
ta!le, or smooth piece of "ood, as like )utter as could !e, !ut not so fatty, or #reasie: and as
.elmons saith, "as like unto soft soap, !ut most of it somethin# harder, for he had !rou#ht it near
t"o miles to me, and thou#h he had made haste, yet it had hardened !y the air in the "ay. .e also
!rou#ht di%ers pieces of the hard #rey stone, in "hose holes and ca%ities it lay, and some of it in the
midst, little pieces of lead, !ri#ht and pure 0re. So that if a man may #i%e any reasona!le
con/ecture, one "ould %erily ima#ine tat the piece of ,ead inclosed in this soft matter, did in
continuance of time, chan#e, or ripen it into its o"n (ature* "hich ' "ill not positi%ely affirm, !ut
commend it to further trial and in1uiry, for there had need !e any careful experiments, !efore an
0pinion !e raised from the. )ut ' remem!er that the 8olliers and those that seek for 8oalHmines,
find in their !orin# or other "orkin#, such matter as they call 8ro"Hstone, 8oalHstone, and SoapH
stone* the last of "hich is a !lack su!stance like fat 8lay, and "hich 9as the Gur@ spread like )utter,
!ut "ill soon harden in the air, into an hard mater that "ill hardly !e cut "ith a knife, and some"hat
harder then the other !y: "hich !oth make me more and more admire the skill and kno"led#e of
Paracelsus and .elmont, and to "onder at our i#norance in these thin#s.
An o!ser%ation a#reea!le to this 9as ' concei%e@ that ' ha%e related of mine o"n experience, is
that of .elmont, "hich he #i%es us thusB M-or it often happeneth that a MineHman in the Pits
!reakin# stones, the "all is opened and she"s a chink from "hence a "ater hath flo"ed of a
some"hat "hitish #reenness: "hich !y and !y hath thickened, like soft Soap 9' call it /ur@ and
forth"ith the soem"hat #reenish paleness !ein# chan#ed, it #ro"eth yello"ish, or "hitish, or more
fully #reenish. his ' "ould ha%e the &eader to consider seriously of, in comparin# it "ith the
former relation* and to note, that "hereas he calls it /ur, ' suspect the Print is false, and that it ou#ht
to read Gur.
)osimos ~ #n the "vaporation of the Divine 2ater
akin# the orpiment, "hiten it in the follo"in# manner. Make a fatty paste, of the si7e of a small
%ery thin mirror, pierce it "ith small holes, in the manner of a sie%e, and place a!o%e it a small
receptacle, "ell ad/usted, containin# some sulphur. Put into the sie%e some arsenic, as much as you
"ish. After ha%in# co%ered it "ith another receptacle, and ha%in# sealed the points of /unction, after
t"o days and t"o ni#hts you "ill find ceruse Susually "hite lead* here, arsenic trio2i+eT... his is
the construction of the apparatus.
5rpiment
!ealgar
Arsenic
Arsenopyrite

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