THE METALLIC BIFOLIUM - BIFOLIUM METALLICUM

or

A Twofold Medicine for Metals and Sick Humans,
discovered, developed, and transmitted to posterity by the Nobles of the Hermetic Art, under the title of the Philosopher’s Stone; now indeed

Re-examined anew, with all circumstances, requirements, and procedures, methodically set forth without deceit, and proposed to the lovers of this divine Science by Pantaleon, skilled in Hermetic Wisdom.

Available in Nuremberg,
at the shop of the late bookseller Paulus Fürst, his widow and heirs.

1676

To Momus

Praised by these, blamed by those, known by few; therefore let the desire to criticize remain with you, along with your ignorance. I do not wish to please those for whom it is praise to be displeased.

SACRED TO THE TRIUNE GOD

Almighty, eternal, and ineffable Light,
Fountain and Origin of all Wisdom and Truth.

It pleased Your Divine Majesty, through the incomprehensible path of Creation, to reveal the unfathomable abyss of Your Wisdom and to make Yourself known through the countless orders of things, by the mere exhalation and embodiment of the word FIAT.
The origin of all things is from You, just as all things in turn end in You, absorbed into the eternal age. This I, most ungrateful among Your creatures, am especially compelled to confess. For although from youth I have unceasingly sought natural wisdom—by reading, by labor, by traveling, and by every possible diligent effort without weariness—and have feared no risk to life or health, nonetheless, looking back on the anxieties I have endured and the barrenness of scholastic wisdom, I am compelled to exclaim with the poet:

— Oh, how much emptiness there is in things!

And on the other hand, to confess with the Apostle Paul that:

Every good thing and every light of true Wisdom
is from above, from the Father of lights—
sometimes mediately, sometimes immediately.

Both forms, solely by Your grace and undeserved mercy, have I experienced. For it pleased Your most glorious Majesty, by the sole illumination of the mind, with arduous labor as companion, and without the favor of any man, to bestow upon me—almost without my awareness—the very summit of the august and venerable Natural Wisdom, granting only the power to use it for a few years.
But for what purpose I experienced such varied fortune in the meantime is known to You alone.
Looking back now, I realize that, by Your pure goodness, and to instill in me greater gratitude, I was drawn away from practical work.
For if I had immediately become rich, perhaps given over to vanity, sloth, and other human weaknesses, I would not have pursued further knowledge, but would have lived content with what I had attained.

Yet it pleased Your Majesty, for an inscrutable reason, to impoverish me and to leave Yourself the opportunity to pour out—upon me, so unworthy—the remainder of the more Divine knowledge, though mediately, and graciously to communicate also the other path, which the Adepts call the moist way.
Thus now nothing at all remains for me but to render to You, most merciful and kind heavenly Father, immortal and eternal thanks for this inestimable treasure, together with the most devout petition that You would prolong my life so far,

until I may sufficiently proclaim the praise of Your unfathomable goodness.

But lest this precious Talent should entirely die with me, and yet the truth of this Mystery—which among many who are learned in letters, among the Revollaceans (barbarically so called), and among those who are properly vain Philosophers, seems to be in agony—be restored to its own source for distribution; therefore I have wished to offer up and sacrifice this rich Bifolium to You, most holy God, with the renunciation of my own ego.

May it please Your most merciful Majesty to accept, from the hand of Your most lowly servant, what is scarcely suitable for the preservation of an impure world.

Indeed, I have fully surrendered my will into Yours Divine, but in the meantime, I trust in that protection and guidance which You have from age to age bestowed upon such labors. And I too, for my part, ardently desire, ask for, and await it.

Preface

I had recently published, under the early stirrings of my compulsion to write, two offspring of the same conception—namely, The Open Tomb of Hermes and The Alchemical Examination—with the intention of commending no further writings of this kind to the public, lest I seem to others to deserve the name of Halophant rather than Adept. For the present age—worse than that of our ancestors—has already brought forth a generation so corrupt that among a thousand men scarcely one pursues the truth. But each one, upon reading my writings, argues from himself to me as follows:

"I and nearly everyone in this city have never or only rarely pursued the truth—not because we do not know it, but because, like ancient coinage abolished, it is worth nothing anymore. Therefore, Pantaleon cannot be the only steward of truth. These are trifles, subtle tricks, sophistries and frauds. Perhaps he will find a fool who believes him—but we will not. Let him show us gold and silver produced by his art, and then we will believe," etc., etc.

Thus not only the common crowd, but even the nobles, each by their own standard and measure, come to fear lovers of the truth. What wonder, then, is it that so many impostors have arisen everywhere in this science?

For if everyone wishes to judge others by a preconceived opinion drawn from themselves, then surely they must invent lies so that truth may suffer no injustice; at the very least, one must conform oneself to the opinion of the one whose favor one seeks.

But indeed, if this last dreg of time—rightfully the final point of a cyclical period—is to enjoy equal dignity with its beginning, and thereby pass into eternity, as some of the ancient Mystagogues have prophesied, and as reason itself not obscurely suggests, that all the miracles of nature will be revealed before its dissolution and give praise to their Creator, then I would make little progress if I feared the envious bite of the ignorant and buried in silence the talent granted to me from above. For surely what the heavenly Cornerstone—our Savior—proclaimed of truth would come to pass: If these keep silent, the stones will cry out, and another would seize the crown from me as I ran this race, branding me with the mark of envy against my own kind.

Therefore, having changed my mind, I have again taken up the pen I had laid aside, and to the former two writings I now add this third little treatise, by which I desire to commend myself to the true Philosophers. The first was for novices and the wandering flock; the second, for the great ones, to restrain the outpouring of bile against this art. This third is the last and is for the Adepts, so they may know that I am like them and their brother.

If the former works are interpreted as fables and vain curiosities by the unskilled—as I do not doubt they may be—at least this latter one will be recognized by the Adepts as genuine, for to them alone will the described dual operation be plainly evident, from the enumeration of parts and the manner of procedure. Meanwhile, I also do not doubt that by means of my Bigam (twofold way), many wandering Philosophers will be led to the fountain of Physical Truth, where they will satisfy their long-standing thirst.

To the enemies of this Art—those who would rather live by the sins and blood of others than soil their hands with charcoal—I will be a peddler of trifles and an impostor. But those who have tirelessly united the reading of books with the universal stylus, and who have many times been fumigated with the poisonous vapors of minerals, and yet have gained nothing but sheer nothingness—along with the destruction of their health and possessions—

those will understand me well, though they speak through clenched teeth, and they will draw back their sails. These alone will grasp why they so often washed bricks in vain, and how they undertook plainly impossible things with their inept agents.

May God grant that each of these attain what they desire. As for me, I call God—the searcher of hearts—to witness that in this little work I have faithfully, not cunningly, handed down all that is required for the preparation of these two greatest Arcana, both in essence and in accident, albeit in the philosophical style.

He who can receive it, let him receive it, and live well.
Amen.

Chapter 1
On the Basis or Foundation of This Bifolium

In the royal school of universal Nature, the circular reciprocity of beings does not err, because the very first mover, Nature naturing, God blessed forever, proceeds from one into three and from these three again into one, endlessly terminating and returning. Hence the most wise King Solomon declared: There is nothing new under the Sun, but a perpetual circulation of things through destruction and building up.

This is clear also from among other things the Queen of all disciplines, commonly called Alchemy, which many times has lain hidden, then again has risen, and again, like moss on wooden planks, or sometimes enclosed within the bars of walls, has flourished—but never has it been fully seized.

There never lacked remarkable minds, by God's providence, who diligently and laudably sought this art with the highest zeal, just as there always was a plentiful abundance of foolish men and supine negligence of worshippers. Therefore, this offspring of the gods, sometimes lying still in its cradle, buried and dug up again, sometimes even raised to manly age, has rarely been so matured.

In the Roman monarchy, as is known, over a hundred years ago, Lullius and Arnold flourished; then, after a certain interval, Augurellus succeeded. It is said that Pope Leo X himself, for his most beautiful and precious dedicated Alchemical poem, offered a purse together with this appended remark: If he himself knew how to make gold, he would need nothing but the vessel. This response fits as a fist to the eye.

For there is a great difference between theory and practice, between principle and end, between act and potential. It does not follow that just because someone has learned the way, they can immediately arrive at Corinth, due to lack of necessary provisions; thus it does not follow: I know the mastership of the metallic tincture, therefore I can produce it, because costs, opportunity, place, strength, and health may be lacking. Therefore it is a foolish subtlety to object: If you know, then do it, etc.

After Augurellus, our Alchemy lay long oppressed by oblivion, but finally shone again in monasteries, sometimes among the Germans, sometimes among the Spaniards, as lightly appears from histories; until in the 15th century from the Germans rose Theophrastus Paracelsus, who was initiated in this art by Trithemius, Abbot of Spanheim, but was taught, as it is said, in the East by a Persian or Greek.

After this star had extinguished, total eclipses again arose in demonstrative Philosophy, with the ill-omened appearance of the hairy comet, Thomas Erastus, a physician of Lorraine.

This man, as one thoroughly learned in Aristotelian philosophical discourse, almost casting a shadow on the sun itself, endeavored to deprive our true physical truth of all honor, even of life itself, by his reasoning: since words and weapons are unequal arms, our truth remained unharmed, withdrawing meanwhile to its secure hiding place, and this ill-learned creature raised a loud laugh for all posterity learned. For whoever denies the transmutation of base metals into gold and silver suffers the same infirmity of mind as those who denied the existence of the Antipodes before the time of Columbus; both, if not fools, at least hypochondriacs.

From those times, this art began to be disputed in Germany. The literati, following Erastus’s footsteps, preferred verbal and syllogistic reasoning—arguing that the species of things cannot be transmuted—on the charge of violating the Majesty of Nature and its Creator, placing such demonstration above all others, as even a few years ago the very learned Conringius wished to maintain. Moreover, Paracelsus had written in the vernacular about his art, and because of this was despised as an unlearned idiot by schools, as if truth could only be written in Latin. Hence every petty master or Bachelor of Aristotelian Philosophy directed his dull barbs as a specimen of learning against Paracelsus and his followers, excluding all who thought otherwise except the learned doctors. They went so far as to cause learned and prudent men to shun this art, rather forcibly than voluntarily, so that it might be held among the schools as belonging to the ignorant and foolish. For they think that Aristotelian Doctrine and Chemical Art are incompatible; and have persuaded princes that those physicians who practice chemistry are not to be entrusted with the lives of kings because of violent chemical remedies; which is true of common chemists, but not of the true philosophers or adepts, whom, laudably, Helmontius of Belgium, a man dear to Parnassus and Vesuvius (that is, learned in letters and fire), defended orally and in opposition to schools forty years ago. To those professors he sufficiently answered that it is so, but he believed that men would remain. Thus behaved the learned.

However, some unlearned yet prudent men dared to defend Paracelsus and his hidden doctrine, based on repeated transmutational practice. Many of these, unfortunately, fought for lack of a true foundation, which Paracelsus omitted and was to be sought in other tongues.

Both sides erred; for if the literati had abandoned pride along with laziness, and the unlearned had been illuminated by letters, perhaps our alchemy would now receive its due honor and walk with both legs to cure, namely sick men and metals. But the former have hard foreheads, and the latter hard necks: the former took from Plato the axiom: Philosophy must not deal with the arts, for philosophy sits loftily and does not teach hands or feet but minds; the latter rely on their manipulations and artfully constructed furnaces, believing if they examine all, the truth will finally appear. But both are miserably deceived; literary study is not enough, nor mere fire test, nor either joined together, unless to know the foundation—once known, much is accomplished. Then, preparations are required, which are written nowhere and known only to the Adepts. Therefore, from neglect and misunderstanding, a wondrous variety of errors and impostures arose to this day. Many despair and consider the whole art to be non-existent. Many extol salts, others metals; many seek our point in air and elements; and finally all, exhausted, meet in nothingness, as I indicated in my Alchemical Examination.

But lest I be longer in these prolegomena than the curious reader and the nature of this Bifolium permit, I will briefly explain what its stalk or basis is, borrowing consideration from the similar essence of a vegetable herb, called by this name, which, being uniform from root to tip according to the norm of all herbs, found nothing dissimilar; by analogy the stalk of our metallic bifolium will not differ from its leaves, which are metallic and produce similar fruits. No solid objection holds against those who say not to seek metal, but more than metal; therefore it is unnecessary to seek the matter from metals alone.

But I respond: The tincture in the metallic body is not simple and external, but multiplied, exalted, and adorned with internal perfection. For if that compound were not metallic by its nature, it would not mix with metals, and if it were not more than perfect, it would not perfect the imperfect. When, therefore, our stalk emerges in gold, which is the most homogeneous, therefore even it itself, as cause with its effect, is comprehended under equal identity; so that the basis of our metallic bifolium is the purest and most uniform mercurial metallic root.

Chapter 2
On the Mastery of the Universal Tincture on the Moist Way

And all was very good; the Spirit of God Himself glorifies the completion of Creation, according to Moses in Genesis 1. But in this present age, all things are very bad, imperfect, sorrowful, and impoverished. This province is oppressed by martial sword, that one by hunger and thirst, a third by incurable diseases, and a fourth by monetary exactions, and so forth — and all this solely because of poverty. For all men complain of poverty; nowhere is money sufficient, but everywhere it is lacking; and the more coin is minted, the more it seems to fail — which is certainly contrary to the very good constitution of kingdoms and provinces, of which and of the whole Earth’s provision the Creator, thrice glorious, declares that nothing is lacking whereby man, the inhabitant, might need for use.

But truly, the misfortunes that befall us are no concern to the gods above; “Your destruction is from yourself, Israel” — we know better, we follow a more just course from the condition of the eternal mind, from the instinct of the fleeting soul fallen from its prerogative. For what we, who bear the name of Christ, do through the pursuit of earthly gain, warring for many years and filling all things with slaughter and bloodshed, does not touch the Creator, who made the whole Earth habitable and left a great part of it vacant. That hunger and poverty afflict many is far less attributable to Him, who has given us the most vast and rich bowels of the earth, its surface impregnated with gold and silver; but the daily increase of incurable diseases is believed to be due to our own fault, because the sacred book expressly says that God made all nations of the Earth healable, and that there is no remedy for extermination on Earth. I prove this plainly.

Is it a sign of utmost goodness, that the thrice best Creator not only impregnated the whole Earth with gold, but also created a certain subject and immediately inspired to the first world a method and reason, by which above the Earth, God Himself might be imitated in a certain way — to create gold from non-gold, and to remove diseases that have entered the human nature laterally? Moreover, lest human envy, if there were only one method and one subject serving this, should hide this divine knowledge, He very kindly granted many subjects and many ways, perhaps at different times, as is most clearly evident from the whole antiquity of the Sages.

Although many among our predecessors assert that there is but one single thing, one single method, which leads to this mystery — which in its own certain way is true — I nevertheless consistently hold and demonstrate that multiple paths lie open to the same goal, with the consent of Geber, Chapter 28.

But chiefly two methods have been observed so far in the course of nature and art, and recommended by Professors of the Chemical Art: the Moist (Humida) and the Dry (Sicca). Each of these we shall place plainly before the eyes, without many words and with possible brevity, yet with all circumstances, after the Philosophical manner, beginning with the moist way, as the most ancient, noble, easiest, yet most hidden.

Therefore, lift up your ears, Pamphilus, and receive our Philosophic Saturn in great measure: reduce it, without any foreign addition, to the first chaos; command that light be made; gather it into a body partly solar, partly lunar; the remaining stars will shine from these; carry the darkness to the false mountain of Venus, and gently separate the subtle from the dense, with great skill. Having done this, the stars will begin to work, through fire, air, and water upon your earth, and penetrate it, and form the golden chain of Homer, verifying the saying of Hermes: "As above, so below."

Thereafter, the impregnated earth will sprout most pleasant flowers, refreshing the eyes and the mind; the sea will show its fish before all, the air the bird of Hermes. Fire will conceive the seeds of the salamander. Then you will behold beasts walking upon the earth itself.

Now climb to a higher mountain of this world, where you will find a double flower, white and red; join these, and they will form a calendula for you; sacrifice this to your Mercury, who will eagerly devour it, and then with winged hands and feet ascend his throne.

Because evils are still mingled with goods, and the worst poison of all kinds of vices, chiefly homicide, yet lurks in our earth, it will be necessary to extinguish this devouring fire with its contrary, and institute a flood. Let the Ark of Noah be well closed and supplied with food, so that it perish not from hunger, preserved by the water. After forty days open the chest and a little preacher shall go forth.

He will be glad and joyful, and shall be the sole and unique incorruptible and eternal Lord of Heaven and Earth.

Thus far is the preparation and adornment of the Philosophic Mercury, which agrees most beautifully with the creation of the world; as can be found among the Chortalasseans.

Now also consider how you might treat this royal infant of both Indias, for dignity, and reward his perpetual misery and want in prison with royal abundance. But beware lest you be too prodigal in feeding him delicate and euchymic dishes; nor bring him more than one meal at a time — for it often happens that those exhausted by long hunger, if they fill themselves with too much food, then...

Observe the royal diet and only provide a certain part of ambrosia or nectar to the eater at lunch or dinner; and let the chamber and especially the bed be warmed so that he neither sweats nor chills — for both notably hinder the growth of infants — until after one or two periods of time his stomach and all viscera grow stronger and can better endure the injuries of errors.

The more often you feed it, however, with perfect concoction, the taller, more beautiful, and stronger it will become; no Hector nor Milo of Croton shall surpass it in strength or virtue. The parable ends, and a declaration of the Practice follows, which I would gladly give in a clearer, even manifest form, so that finally the ineffable valuation of gold among men would be diminished, and sole virtue restored to its kingdom and dignity — were it not for the most weighty opposing reasons that restrain the runaway pen and hang it in the Temple of Apollo.

That I may satisfy my promise in part, I sincerely say that for this Mystery only one thing is required, which nevertheless is also manifold: given that method of proceeding is held and known, nothing foreign is added, but at least the superfluous is removed and the remainder committed to the fire.

This matter, however, which we have by no means described as singular or hidden, is not simple, similar, or homogeneous, although sometimes it contains a pure homogeneous substance within itself, but rather composite and consisting of various heterogeneous parts; therefore the Philosophers have also called it Electrum Minerale. Just as metallic electrum is composed of several ingredients, so too our electrum involves many dissimilar substances far removed from the perfection of metals.

Furthermore, in artificial analysis, the three Chemical Principles — Salt, Sulfur, and Mercury — are perfectly emitted from it by themselves, which likewise include all Elements and can be separated by the act itself.

Moreover, it is aptly and aptly called the Philosophic Saturn, and the Father of all metals, although it yields no perfect metal in common assay, because Nature has only lightly begun to act upon this matter and has left it imperfect.

This mineral is most easily known by the name of the Western Lion, which by a clearer name it imprudently gives to men, anathema be it. For if anyone understands the generation of metals, he will immediately, at midnight, behold this chaotic false earth, needing no other optical tube.

But if one is still blind, let him approach the Chemical Writings of Henricus Conradus of Leipzig, in which he will see what kind of earth the Philosophers desire to have dug to their knees; the rest Agricola has taught rather plainly.

Reason forbids me to give a clearer etymology, which is why I begin with the preparation of our hylogelais under this pretext.

But since I do not write here for beginners but for accomplished Philosophers, I agree with the most clear description of Chortalasseus, which is expressed in these words:

“When the poisonous vapors abandoned my stone, my white flower first appeared; afterward I had to seek the red one in the lowest part, which at last also emerged.”

And elsewhere: “My little country showed me two starry flowers, white and red, growing on one stem, which scattered seven rays from themselves,” etc.

Which I explain thus: after separation of poisonous halitus by calcination, the solution which lies in the wine vat, and further the separation and reunion of pure from impure must be established, all of which is clearly taught in the Equestrian War in these words:

“God created for us this metallic ore, which we receive alone; we corrupt the hard body, cast away the superfluous, choose the kernel, and prepare from the poison an antidote.”

See more there and in the Lantern of the Philosophic Salt.

Having passed this manifold labor, you will possess a viscous, metallic, transparent, homogeneous, moist water, which the ancients called Mercury by its proper name, the Mother of the Sun and Moon, hidden in the secret kingdom of the Philosophic Saturn.

This Magistery, above all others, possesses five prerogatives, of which the First is the easy multiplication of the solvent:
For once you have obtained one or two ounces of this virginal milk, you will be able to multiply it to infinity without repeating the ordinary labor; this knowledge is invaluable and divine, far surpassing in worth all gold and gems by many parasangs.

Secondly, it adds great nobility to the mechanic’s secure mode of conscientious work:
For whatever the artificer may be, great or small, king or shepherd, and whatever overseers, learned, experienced, circumspect, or diligent he may have, he will yet be able to establish his multiplicative practice without care or fear, while all these others remain foolish and gain nothing, and that with very slight labor.

The third prerogative of this Mystery consists in the simple and linear decoction of the whole compound, beginning from the first degree of heat unto the last:
The dry way at the start immediately threatens the breaking of the glass vessels because of the intense degree of fire and the volatility of the enclosed matter; which danger is absent in the moist way, wherein with the increase of heat also the fixity of the matter is increased, and so no peril exists either of annihilation by the stronger fire, or of destruction of the enclosed matter, or of burning of the flowers. Hence the Philosopher’s proverb is confirmed, that it is the work of women and the play of children — to be understood with limitation if the masters understand their magistery, otherwise men can effect nothing at all.

Fourth, the tincture born from this Magistery exists above all others as a new God for human nature:
It illuminates and disperses its morbid darkness as the radiance of the sun; this because before fermentation it does not have such a high metallic fixity as the tincture from the dry way, but still participates somewhat of the nature of soluble salts, and therefore more readily obeys fiery solvents, and is espoused with the animal Archeus.

The fifth preeminence of this moist way is that from one and the same subject, by a somewhat different operation, is produced that famous liquor called by Paracelsus the Alkahest:
With this immortal solvent all things return to the first Being and are given their native qualities; the original stains of bodies, their ferocities, their inhuman deserts, and their great and inexplicable powers are cleansed away. This is to be considered fitting, as Helmont, Paracelsus, and Ludwig of the Counts affirm everywhere; I send the eager Reader to study these, for to make many words and to commend this truth which is by itself true and incomparable, I have long since grown weary, being more prepared to demonstrate strongly than to speak.

By this noted parenthesis I would signify the ineffable Wisdom and Providence of the Creator regarding this artifice.
For the blessed God had established from all eternity for the human race that supreme mystery for curing all diseases, preserving health, and consoling poverty, freely bestowed out of pure goodness and clemency; but because He likewise foresaw that the fallen man would render himself unworthy to enjoy life in safety, He made the subject curing diseases and metals one and the same, and scarcely collected a method of operation, so that the artificer would have no cause, from greed for gold, to mitigate the penalty of sin, the long-lasting and generally incurable diseases, and to resist the anger of the Divine.

For he who sins against his Creator, according to the sacred Code, falls into the hands of the Physician, and so is punished and wiped away stroke by stroke.
It is most true that ordinary physicians are ministers of human Nature, that is of the living, not the dead; this is evident from the multitude of incurable diseases.

For if no enormous motion, no obfuscation of the Archeus, no diminution of Essential powers joined with corporeal infection of the viscera is present, and if the patient is held weak by occasional and accidental causes, after removal of these by purgation or sweat, even spontaneously the sick sometimes recovers: otherwise, though he might consume an entire pharmacy, he would still do nothing; because the remedies of workshops derived from vegetables and animals are subjected to the fermentations of the viscera, overcome, and exhausted of their special medicinal virtue, leaving only a certain shadow of weakness which the rooted diseases then despise as inferior.

What should be held regarding the remedies of common manual workers, we have taught in the Corollary.

On the contrary, remedies prepared by means of the Alkahest liquid are altogether fixed, illuminating, and restorative by their own indomitable presence, and without acrimony, corrosiveness, or penetration; by whose equal scythe all diseases are cut down and dreadful defects annihilated, to the astonishment of Nature itself — just as Helmont rightly boasts concerning corrected and perfected sulphurs, distinguishing thereby the true Physician from the ordinary quack and pretender.

However, some, like Poleman in his Lumen, wish erroneously to derive this most praised liquid from proper salts. This is a mistaken opinion. For whichever salt is chosen for this office, its contrary will always be found, which does not happen with this liquid. Secondly, even if salts saturated to the utmost in spirit be expressed by great labor and the torture of fire, an active solvent never emerges; such spirits, sluggish and often produced by great toil over many years, I myself have prepared, but never with the desired effect. The Alkahest liquid, however, in a single distillation, often fulfills its role and is separated again unchanged. Moreover, such salts are not homogeneous, because they consist by art from contraries and do not easily dissolve from dry to fluid without self-connection — which the aforementioned Van Helmont specially praises concerning this constructive liquid. Thirdly, if that liquid were composed of homogeneous salts, Helmont would not commend volatile tartar salt to those ignorant of this mystery, as he did in his book De Febribus, chapter 15.

Putting these matters aside, let us return to where we digressed — to our Magistery in the moist way.
We have taught its principal part, namely the key that both closes and opens, the liquid Mercury of the Sages. Nothing remains except the manner of cooking it into a tincture, which is perfected by gentle fire, gradually strengthening, with a little corporeal gold, over the space of one year. A fuller explanation of this operation does not permit the narrow limits of our intention, nor is it demanded by the Philosophers to whom I write; besides, it is easily found in many Authors, should it be desired here.

Regarding the tincture’s coloring efficacy, it is very great, because it almost entirely consists of pure Mercury, as the most profound King Geber declared in chapter 28:
"If you perfect the matter from Mercury alone, you will be the seeker of the most precious Magistery."
The Reader will find recorded other miraculous effects among the Mysteriarchs of this way — Chortalasseus, P. Fabricius of Montpellier, Basil Valentine, Richard of England, Isaac of Holland, and others — whence I dismiss the matter.

Yet lest I fail at the very heart of the matter and before the last Judge, suffer equal punishment with other envious and malicious writers, I warm my initial cold intention in the forum of the good Christian, and will show to the whole world, to all wise and honest men, that I have abundantly fulfilled my name and calling, and that no one like me existed before our times.

It must be noted, therefore, that our Subject, pertaining to this way, provides two menstruums: one composing, the other destroying.
If the first, it is joined with gold according to the art’s precepts, and a tincture results from the metals; but if the second is preferred by unavoidable error, the gold added is destroyed, killed, and finally passes into volatile medicinal salt, which ultimately terminates in tasteless elemental water with other adjuncts.

Since it is simply impossible by unillumined human ingenuity to navigate beyond this Scylla, I wished to reveal this rock to all Artists, so that after my death they do not curse my ashes, having wasted time, expense, and health with an unfortunate and unexpected outcome. Let him who has ears to hear listen, and test his powers beforehand, before undertaking the work.

Further, it is to be noted:
The Wisdom and Providence of the Highest Creator, who connected and united these two liquids so that they cannot be separated without His express will and knowledge, did this so that the world would remain the unclean valley of misery, and men would strive the more eagerly and servilely for another life.

He likewise placed a similar knot on the dry way, in the destruction and separation of Mercury, as we shall warn in its proper place. Therefore, there is no need to fear that gold and this auriferous science will become worthless, because the learned and the unlearned, the experienced and the inexperienced, are all included under one and the same predicament (at this point)—except for that one alone whom the Most High guides by the hand.

For although someone may possess and handle our subject (although it is difficult to acquire and easily lost, depending on the circumstances), yet he would not produce gold but rather destroy it; because this manipulation, which is required for the true solvent liquid, or the moist Mercury of the Sages, surpasses human intellect.

Therefore, we laugh at the snub-nosed, self-deceiving, and self-assured wise opinionators; yet we pity in equal measure the large flock of diligent workers who labor so plainly in vain. We commend frequent and devout prayers made in spirit and truth. For to those who seek and knock, the light from on high will undoubtedly arise, so that they may see how sincerely we have handed down the truth.

Secondly, it must also be noted regarding our subject and its secret preparation, the entire foundation of all generations and corruptions, as both Agricola and Sendivogius indicate, saying that in the kingdom of the Philosopher’s Saturn there is a mirror in which all natural actions in the whole system of the world appear.

For although someone may be most unlearned and hardly not foolish, if the Magistery itself is demonstrated to him in this way, immediately at that moment he grasps the generation of metals, minerals, and all things under the sun; as Agricola and many others have declared.

Chapter 3.
On the Universal Metallic Tincture, by the Dry Way.

The incomparable Mystery preceding, as up to this day, is by the enemy of first truth, the evil spirit of darkness, in various ways attacked, obscured, and corrupted; so too this following Mystery, as its brother born of the same parent, is wonderfully perverted and adulterated with false other opinions, with the sole purpose that man might not be without the calamities of flesh and poverty, and that the Creator of these secrets might be better known, more closely adored, and more fully praised.

Concerning the Magistery, by its ethnic sophistication it first persuaded even the most learned men, by syllogistic reasoning, that this liquid was nothing but false, and indeed from the highest necessity, otherwise:

1. It could neither invade, disjoin, nor dissolve the joined sun; but without solution, nothing would succeed.

2. Although the Philosophers say that the corruption, generation, and even more than perfection of gold are celebrated in its own likeness, yet without salt added, the salt of wisdom is not attained. Therefore many, with Cyprian vitriol, as if charged with the primal roots of gold, and many more with nitre, like Solinus Saltzthal, a modern trifler; others began the work with common salt, others with salt extracted from fat earth; and these salts only sweetened the matter, because they dared to lack the universal solvent with corrosive bitterness; sometimes, by diverse combinations, they prepared an acrid salt smelling of ammonia by distillation, and called it the Philosophical ammonia. Many employed the most fugitive and subtle spirit of urine, since Morienus says the first matter of the Stone is in you and me, etc. Others invented various empty subtilities with great industry, and provoked a certain universal Spirit at a certain time, because according to the Philosopher's opinion, the universal solvent is everywhere and grants life to all created things; which indeed is true, but badly explained by them.

It does not follow that the Philosopher’s prima materia, pertaining to the universal work, is everywhere and sustains all things. Therefore it is used in our work in a general state of qualities; for the same can be had by nature itself specified and stripped of generality: to make matter universal, general, and special, is the work of nature alone, not of art; otherwise the absurd would follow that a man could artificially make outside himself, from one and the same universal matter, without distinction, sometimes a man, sometimes a dog, sometimes a plant, sometimes a metal; which no madman has ever raved. But it is necessary that human nature subjugate this matter and appropriate it to itself by the power of the seed inhabiting it; which is also true of the dog, plant, and metal still existing in the mine.

They indeed object: Man by himself and his nearest art does not specify or appropriate this universal matter, but gold added, by its internal worker, the Archeus, bestows this. To which it is replied: There must be a distinction between perfect and imperfect bodies, closed and open, living and dead. The entire animal and vegetable kingdom, in respect to gold, is imperfect and therefore requires daily renewal; this indeed cannot be obtained without an individuator of life and open capacity to receive or the ingress of nourishment. Therefore, it is not absurd to state that man and a plant are one and the same by the same path, if again a distinction is made between total and particular nourishment, proximate and remote. Indeed, universal food is hidden in the air; but whether animals live by this alone, the oxen may teach.

Gold, on the contrary, the most perfect of all bodies, most enclosed and plainly dead, neither wishes nor can assume any apposite universal matter; because this cannot happen without radical opening and vital vigor, which it does not possess. Only things agreeing in kind and species with closed and dead things in the mineral kingdom can infuse life; because life is the specific gift of all things, granted by the Creator. Therefore that very universal matter or spirit for the dissolution and regeneration of dead gold does nothing, but requires one nearer in kind and species, and adorned with its specific life. Which is against the reason of universality; as Philosophers also everywhere inculcate, saying: “Our water is not cloud water, but living and of the nature of the sun.” The nature of the sun is specific, and common to no other thing outside genus and species; therefore it is nowhere to be sought except there.

This concerning the preceding way and mystery. Concerning this following other way, namely the dry, again many clouds and fogs of darkness have been stirred up in human nature, obscured by transgression, which to recount all in order would be tedious to me and the reader. At least one common objection I will untangle: namely that running Mercury, in its flowing nature, cannot fulfill the Philosopher’s office, because it is a metal, etc. But it is answered by distinguishing between perfect and imperfect metal, between one beginning and holding the first degree of metallicity, and one consummated. Then it passes that running Mercury is metal, which does not hinder but rather benefits our Practice, for whose illustration we say that metallic coagulation is twofold: one by the internal good sulfur, the other by the external arsenical sulfur; the former is primary and proceeds from the intention of Nature; the latter accidental and indirect, and therefore separable; as our present Magistery will teach.

If therefore the external metallic coagulation is removed by the running Mercury, it certainly remains; a matter more flowing than before, but one unable to bear the true etymon (archetype) of the metal: for every true metal consists of two things, the coagulating and the coagulated, of which, if one is removed, the other immediately changes.

I remain silent that common Mercury is not metal, but rather the matter of metals, because from the lack of firmer coagulation it does not spread under the hammer.

If it were formal metal, it would be held as the principle and cause of metals by Geber, which it is not.

Therefore the Philosophers’ running Mercury is no longer metal, but rather a spiritual metallic water, wholly lacking all metallic coagulation, yet capable of receiving it from its like and bringing that power into action, as is seen widely in Bernard Arnold and the entire choir of ancient Sages.

But here something singular, which Philalethes did not omit without weighty reason, I must warn in Christian charity, lest others and even he himself labor in vain. One must be wary with all cunning lest in the separation of pure from impure, the whole Mercury go away into terrestrial black slags, just as it is also with the Regulus of Mars by frequent admixture of salts and fusion, or by the addition of excessive amounts of glowing iron; for in both ways the purest Regulus is wholly converted into the most impure arsenical slags; which I wished to forewarn so that Mercury would not be thought uniform, similar, and wholly impure, which the unskilled might easily conjecture from this error. Here lies great sluggishness and the hardest Gordian knot, which the unknowing scarcely untie; it is deeply hidden and most complicated; which I can affirm to my detriment, who have thrown away Mercury thus destroyed, several times under the mask of useless slag into dung heaps, and after one or two days collected it flowing again.

Whoever does not know how to avoid this Charybdis, although otherwise well instructed, cannot avoid certain shipwreck. Few words to the wise. But if anyone finds this our sincere, plain, and unadorned deduction elsewhere, let him inform himself, tend the fire long, and at the end admire his profound judgment.

Indeed I have made mention of such a double running Mercury of the Sages in my Hermetic Tomb, as is also gathered from Geber and Bernard: But if that sublimation of Geber from those bodies, with which metallic Mercury does not agree, interprets the difference of perfect and imperfect or beginning metals, that is, of volatile metallic nature, little and originally fixed by itself, unmalleable, then these two sublimations hardly differ: Therefore we hand down the safer, shorter, and better known of Bernard with all its manipulations, which nevertheless is also described in part by the Anonymous Philalethes, although he either did not know or concealed the fundamental reason of his own work, as is infallibly demonstrated by my arguments in the Hermetic Tomb.

Of the thing itself and the goodness of this Mercury I say nothing nor blame, but only concerning the foundation of the Magistery, which we propose far better and more clearly to the entire learned world by the following scheme. Required for this Practice are:

1. The bond of Mercury, whose indiscreet quantity does no harm, but suffices as much as desired.
2. Natural mineral fire.
3. Fire contrary to nature.
4. The winged Babylonian Dragon, and
5. The terrestrial Dragon.

All these, by the help of the limping Vulcan, Neptune, our God of the sea, are transmuted; then he, regarding the winged Dragon as our Chaos, will poison all the beasts of the sea with his venom, and leave them for the vultures and eagles to devour, sparing only the sea unicorn himself.

Having done this, Saturn, God of the Earth, will survey the coasts of the sea, and observing the beasts slain, will banish them from his territory and drive them down to the lowest Tartarus, and restore to Neptune only the living and half-dead Serpent to resuscitate.

Meanwhile the terrestrial Dragon, seeing the languid sea unicorn, is captured by love and contracts marriage; but because poisonous and non-poisonous animals can scarcely cohabit without great harm, after one or two couplings the sea unicorn dies, becomes putrid, and emits a terrible stench by which the terrestrial Dragon is also killed, and shortly after dies; hence immediately a tempest arises in the air from the foul sulphurous exhalations ascending, and the fire of nature comes forth sharpened against the fire contrary to nature, the winds rage terribly, the sun and moon are darkened, until after a great rain the moon appears in full, and proclaims peace through Mercury, fixing it on the gates of Heaven.

An explanation follows.

It was said above, from Bernard, that this operation is carried out by sublimation from those bodies with which it agrees. But here is not understood the common sublimation of the chemists by alembic, flask, or similar glass vessels, but the Philosophical sublimation. For their sublimation, calcination, solution, grinding, filtration, and precipitation differ far from the common operations of the chemists, although they may sometimes coincide, as is sufficiently evident by the common sublimation of Mercury from metals.

For the little blackness (nigredo) that is then separated is nothing compared to the abundant blackness sought in our art. Indeed, one could continue such sublimations for a whole year, yet would not reach the predetermined goal because of the lack of the most subtle mediator who opens and separates (the “doves” of Philalethes). Indeed, even if this distillation were carried out with gold itself, as is possible by a certain manipulation, it would nevertheless be found ultimately futile, for reasons known to the Adepts of the Sun.

Therefore, one must seek another sublimation, and add to it one which, by its purest mineral and metallic fire, can illuminate the heterogeneous mercurial body, and by its operation remove that arsenical sulphurous earth from its center. For as soon as scorched Mercury feels the conceived fire, it is rebuilt anew from heel to head, and takes wings, leaving behind its exuviae and burnt sandals; just as most truly Philalethes, the highest Adept, has taught, whom I commend to all in this matter.

For his Practice and ours are one and the same; differing at least in this, that his is more tedious, foul, and unhealthy, although ours too does not lack its own poisonous stench, and requires a cautious operator. Mercury resulting from both does not vary in quality or quantity, but in both cases pure, homogeneous, and very white mercurial water is obtained, from which no heterogeneous substance can be separated by any artifice; but it either flies away wholly in fire or remains uniform and fixed by the transmutation of the seed.

But here is something to our Particularists in their ear! They think that having this mercurial sophic substance, because it is pure and equal in homogeneity to the Sun, even superior, it can immediately in one or two months by precipitation and fixation be transmuted into gold. But truly, if they had pressed a frequent reading of books upon their workshop; if through frequent resolutions of natural things they had learned the generation of metals; if they were not fools but knew what they sought, they would remain at home with such clatter and not reveal their ignorance.

But since 1. they neglect literary study from presumption, 2. lack deep judgment, 3. untimely pursue worldly pleasures, 4. wish to find the greatest art by light labor and chance, and 5. despite these great defects, arrogantly teach others without theory or practice; therefore, lest they impose on disciples our universal natural religion tainted with some Quaker poison, and slander the art itself, otherwise marked by a black stone, I propose to them a brief examination and ask: Have you heard from Geber that the principles of metals are three: living silver (Mercury), Sulphur, and its arsenical counterpart? Also, that the cause of all coagulation is from Sulphur and Arsenic?

If you know this, then I tell you that the Philosophical Mercury is entirely freed from all Sulphur and Arsenic by our hidden art, and therefore has lost the cause of coagulation. How then could it precipitate? I ask again: If you say, “By adding gold,” you speak like ignorant fools, because you ought to know from Philalethes that the sophic Mercury, when joined with gold and slightly heated, waits for the final judgment of the world; it is not precipitated into gold by a great fire but rather, before that, decays into a red scorched powder or, after that, into a blackish, lead-like and volatile substance.

If you want gold from this Mercury without gold added, again you proceed foolishly and ignorantly; for you ought to have learned either from Helmont that Mercury made a virgin and cleansed of its original stain does not precipitate into the form of earth by any fire because of its greatest simplicity, being comparable to the element of water; or from the same Philalethes, that this final precipitation, made by great fire and not in a short time, does not produce common and saleable gold but Philosophical gold.

I add no more out of indignation that you so arrogantly and disdainfully presume to dispute even with present Adepts like Philalethes, who yet know no more about the point of transmutation than a blind man about color.

I could philosophize more deeply with you and mechanically show how gold is constructed by nature and art both within and outside the earth; but because your heads are filled with fixed Moon and Mercury (those old wives’ tales), they will not grasp this generation of gold until they are well rubbed with hellebore; since I do not expect this, nor write for the ass to speak to Balaam, but that the truth of sciences be recommended to posterity: Therefore, be content with my Alchemical Examination, and if you do not, be free to go mad. For, as the poet says,

There is a certain pleasure in weeping.
So too sometimes it is good to go insane.

This by way of digression.

Now we must return to our Mastery, whose ingredients, style, and method of working we have described enigmatically; he who is a Philosopher by fire will need no clearer demonstration. And although I might have written a perfect recipe and consigned everything to its proper names, I would not have gained more favor than that rustic man in Aesop who raised a snake in his bosom, unless I were plainly considered an impostor. Which the Philosophers wisely warn against, saying: “No one would believe it if we wrote simple and naked truth.”

At least I know some proclaim me a mere theorist and a compiler of harmonies of famous authors in the art. For they think that so many sublime sciences and Divine arts cannot fall under one subject; but this comforts me—that they think so and do not know. I am not so proud a bubble as to distinguish wickedly between natural virtue, proper and granted by grace, just as I have not prefixed my proper name to these little works, so that I do not incur the mark of vain ambition among the envious.

Concerning the entire process to prepare the Tincture by this way, it may be found sincerely described in Philalethes; but those things which are still omitted even there, the fire itself will teach.

This most corrupt age does not deserve clearer instruction, unless it is allowed to mix truth with falsehood, and thus lead the impious novice astray, which we justly abhor as an inexcusable sin, and therefore we resolve to leave posterity nothing but bare truth, however harsh it may be softened.

It is better to teach the truth than to deprive a hundred lives and goods.

Corollary Question:
What are Chemical Remedies?

About two centuries ago, the Medical Republic in Germany began to be unsettled by Paracelsus, under the introduction of mineral remedies prepared by the fire’s pestle; whereas before, Flora with her herbs and roots reigned in the Pharmaceutic Workshops. Many learned men embraced this upheaval, more cursed it. The ignorant common folk, as always desirous of novelty, did not fail, in this turbulent state of Medicine, to give their judgment on an unknown matter and to prefer a small amount of these mineral remedies, brewed into nauseating vegetable decoctions, before cups of vegetable medicines. Yet many even among the common people, seeing that Mercury of life often became Mercury of untimely death, preferred to cry out with senna and rhubarb rather than remain silent and be buried with antimony and mercury.

On the other hand, some observed the good success of these remedies, accidentally emerging in athletic habit and rooted diseases, and joyfully joined the earlier sect. However, few knew the naked truth and true chemical remedies; leaving aside the discord among the doctors about the excellence of these remedies, to be derived from experience. For both parties of disputants alleged their own examples, but no one certainly knew to which cause the effect was to be ascribed; from the old and popular ill of the whole world, which is to see only what is done, and not to inquire how it was done.

Some wiser doubters, choosing the middle way, judged it not inappropriate nor alien to human nature if vegetables were treated chemically and concentrated into essences or tinctures; for by this method they were more agreeable to the palate and stomach. By this stratagem, though they effected little in the battle against diseases already arisen, the chemical method of operation has been tolerated and named in workshops thus far.

Mineral remedies and polycrests (if it is lawful to believe), as the offspring of corrupt reason and twisted experience, along with other rubbish, were rejected from medical use, and rightly so. Although those chemical remedies by which Paracelsus and Helmontius acquired immortal fame are worthy of all honor, the vulgar successors, invented by putative interpreters of Nature such as Crollius, Poterius, and others, rather fatten cemeteries than provide political help to mankind through healing.

Therefore it must be distinguished between the Chemical Remedies of Paracelsus, Helmontius, and the Adepts, which touch even metals themselves or act in the power of their inner parts and only regard animals; and between the remedies of the vulgar alchemists, which are diametrically opposed to the former. For those mostly persist in untamed fire and act as illuminating, mineral malignities either introverted or transmuted; these, however, exist raw, poisonous, gross, or even dull mineral poisons, more exasperated or utterly killed by contrary solvents, as appears in antimony and its glass and flowers, about which Helmontius truly declared: Antimony and Mercury, as long as they cause vomiting and bowel movements, are not good remedies for men.

Although the contrary does not immediately follow, if they only cause sweating and are prepared in a vulgar manner, as witnessed by diaphoretic antimony from workshops, whose efficacy does not differ from that of burnt “Horn of Deer”; for both are destroyed by violent fire and yield nothing but dead lime, which is fermented by stomach acid and thus incidentally causes sweating.

For metals and minerals to deposit their astral nature in us, to illuminate the dark innateness of the Archæus, or to be transmitted inward to the depths and converse with us as it were, the use of either the Alkahest liquor or circulating salt, greater or lesser, is necessary.

For these three solvents of Nature alone and uniquely can soften, open, and close metallic and mineral bodies. Where these fail, however the minerals subjected to vulgar chemistry are twisted, they produce nothing worthy of the chosen physician; because they are either destroyed by vehement fiery qualities or exalted in their malignity by saline additions, etc.

But in true Philosophical preparation there is no destruction, but reduction; no mortification of poison, but inclusion and transmutation; which common saline solvents cannot accomplish, since they only dissolve to the surface, superficially corroding and, in a word, only disintegrate.

And if indeed they extract the sulphurous part from the mercurial, they act against the intention of Nature, which uniquely intends the radical union of these. Hence such sulphurs do not afterwards satisfy the wish unless entrusted to certain vehicles, by which they are again radically dissolved and driven inward.

Therefore, I conclude with Helmont that all mineral and metallic remedies made without Alkahest or circulating salt, greater or lesser, are of no importance; and that the Medical Schools, at this time, polluted from below, rightly prefer those vulgar chemical remedies to Galenic and simple vegetable ones, although they do not always produce miracles, yet better serve their own conscience than those mineral cooks and spurious braziers with their chemical pretensions.

To whom health and life are dear, follow my advice and avoid those sirens. There is no mineral or metal in all Nature that I have not examined inside and outside fire, with various solvents, sometimes for an entire year or more, by means of vulgar Chemistry; but if I said that the outcome satisfied my expectation and description of those thaumaturgic secrets, I would lie most wickedly.

I assure this to learned and skillful physicians in Germany, who have long since been taught, partly by fire and imparted experience, about their poverty; but I only wish to warn those who do not profess Medicine and yet are curious, lest something unexpected happen to them. For sensible physicians in Germany scarcely anymore patronize vulgar Chemistry: but because Germans are held by nearly all nations as a stupid, unlearned, and brutish people, since they do not value knowledge themselves but others’, many foreigners of diverse professions impose upon our countrymen a reheated and rejected dish, under the secret known symbol of the external sun, sell it at great price, and return home rich, bursting almost with laughter.

If therefore Princes and Magistrates were truly shepherds of their flock, and relegated that arrogant Carbonaria scum—burned, vitriolated, and puffed up with universal panaceas, tinctures, and arcane secrets—to the farthest Thule, they would accomplish a noble work worthy of all remembrance. For they would cause ancient Medicine, safe and salutary, to be restored to its former brightness, and would prevent it from being treated so unfairly and undeservedly by those charlatans.

For as soon as such a thaumaturge—thought to be a chemist—is called to aid by the sick who are discontented and impatient, immediately the first complaint and outcry arise against the ordinary city physicians.

Hah, how plainly these men know nothing! They stray far from the truth, they do not understand the disease nor the three chemical Principles. The cause of this illness is a loosened Cagastricum [gastric humor], not the intercus water, etc. Had I been called before a week, I would have restored health within 24 hours: what are these Galenic Doctors? They know nothing but their herbs, etc. God protect every man from them. But since what is done cannot be undone, I shall be concerned to correct this error, with this prayer that I can promise nothing to the sick, because I was called too late, the nature destroyed by those Doctors; nevertheless, I order not to despair, but I will do what is mine: I have here an excellent crematum, impregnated with the kisses of Venus and Mars; just one unique spoonful daily produces marvelous effects, though it works imperceptibly; then I also have the Solar Panacea, which takes away all pain and moreover expels the disease and its cause by sweat.

True Chemical Medicine works only through the pores of the skin and by diaphoresis (perspiration).

By these and similar insults, learned and experienced doctors are torn apart by these squinting dilettantes, although those very doctors, at times destroyed by their own mineral remedies, have proven themselves to be wholesome, sufficiently learned, and rather θεῶν χεῖρες (“hands of the gods”), as I have observed and noted in various places. Oh, how good—nay, how excellent it was then for their irritated and vomiting stomachs, to apply electuaries made of astringents, cordials, and stomachics, together with plasters and ointments of the like, nor did the tincture of roses lack its praise, although more often it was scorned and mocked by the sick! Truly, at that time, their essences and tinctures from gold, gems, etc., rested unused, because they were unable to produce anything of value. Thus at last the Phrygians [a proverbial slow people] grow wise, though only late and with patience.

For when such a petty chemical doctor so wickedly and calumniously insults the ordinary licensed physicians, the sayings and foundations of the ancient Wise Men, stripping them of sense as the Devil does Scripture, and adorns himself with the feathers of other doctors like a crow, then often not only the common folk but even nobles lend credulous ears, to their own profit, as they say.

I have only seen that many are brought to eternal rather than temporal life by these malignant remedies; I often remain silent about the common and slight illnesses, aggravated vehemently and made anonymous by untimely stimulation of nature. If such agents and violent nature’s followers were banished from cities, they would preserve their subjects for the Republic and look to themselves through physicians practicing in the usual and proper way by the doctrine of Galen and Hippocrates, in proper order.

True chemists, as they are exceedingly rare, do not need the help of others, nor do they cure diseases except by grace, without any demand for money, which they themselves often abundantly generate. Therefore, I lay down this Rule: Whoever claims the title of a true chemist must first publicly demonstrate, instead of mere disputation or examination, in ordinary schools, either the Liquor Alkahest, or the greater or lesser circulated salt, or the very metallic tincture, and then glory in his superiority over dogmatic doctors of the schools—no sooner than that.

From these premises it is clear what true chemical remedies are and where to seek them, namely among the current adepts and true philosophers, not those mere distillers of minerals, even though they are furnished with a hundred cunning furnaces. Indeed, the multitude and architecture of their furnaces are shown with curious fingers as proof that their heroes still dwell in apprenticeship and are far from being Galen, the least of all the rulers of human and metallic nature.

True chemical science needs not Chrysulca, spirit of nitre, salt of sulfur, etc., nor does it use circulatory glassware, rostrated pelicans, amphora-like vessels, and other monstrous apparatuses made of copper, iron, or earth, but a single simple distillation sometimes accomplishes the entire business; because it follows nature and operates with her fitting, secret instruments.

Although it does not produce gold even in the greater Arcana, by the “fox’s tail” [a metaphor or specific process], it nevertheless demands singular ingredients and instruments. Remedies prepared by this art are generally fixed and shine like mirrors, which illuminate our vital light, and expel messengers of death—darkness—that intrude upon the vital Spirit, and thus positively and by themselves remove diseases.

Yet some are false, belonging to the category of saturators, which, without losing their power, surpass all cookings and open obstructions of the viscera; some even perform both functions. However, no philosophical apothecary dispenses a purgative except the genuine Coralline Mercury of Paracelsus alone. All others assist only through transpiration, urine, or sweat; this each one, trained in Galenic medicine and experienced in Chemistry, can discover from their own physician before perilously exposing themselves and their own to contempt of the ordinary dogmatic physicians.

Epilogue.

To enclose great things in small ones is more delightful than tedious. In the preceding few pages, marked by a flowing style, you have seen, judicious Reader, outlined and constructed two of the most beautiful palaces in the whole world: one Winter, the other Summer; each surrounded by a triple wall and secured by a wooden bridge, lest the wild beasts of the field casually enter this habitation consecrated solely to men and depart again. For their Lord or Patron has chosen only the wiser men among humans as tenants; accordingly, each fortress has its own Portentary (warden), who rigorously examines any strangers, from wherever they come and whatever knowledge they hold.

This gatekeeping duty is exceedingly troublesome due to the multitude and persistence of those wishing to enter. For although hardly one in a thousand withstands the examination and gains entry, the others are rejected day and night; they cause uproar and disturb all sleep. Many attempt it precariously, some by stealth, more with armed force to break the gate and enter; but since these guardians are armed with many kinds of weapons, all such attempts end in nothing but wounds and incurable injuries from this unusual and unlawful struggle.

Therefore, it is far safer to proceed amicably with a friend and to seek the matter to be acquired by lawful means, not by force. And since friendly information can greatly facilitate this solemn Examination, I shall now impart to all and each traveler the chief points of this Examination, so they may be forewarned on their journey and know what to answer.

The said Examination consists of three questions:

1. What sort of guests are they?
2. What do they think of these Palaces?
3. By what arts do they intend to live there?

Regarding the first question, each must commend themselves; regarding the second, which is by far the most intricate, thorny, and ambiguous, we will supply a fuller doctrine. This question itself involves another: from what remote and proximate material these two strongholds are built.

It is to be known that the Winter Palace is not composed of flint, quicklime, bricks, fertile virgin earth (which indeed, they dig one or two feet beneath the horizon), nor of pyrite, calamine stone, Armenian earth, lazurite, amianthus, antimony, arsenic, quicksilver, borax, white lead, native cinnabar, magnesia, marcassite, red lead, ammoniacal sulphur, talc, vitriol, hematite, cobalt, chalk, smirida, nor even that foul, poisonous material which glues itself in subterranean burrows and is called Gur by metallurgists, nor of any other metal except coagulated salt, but from pure crystalline hylegial water and sufficiently pure virgin earth, as a moved and proximate subject.

But since these Janitors are crafty and yield nothing but what they see, it is therefore necessary to produce some part of this salt in the middle— for it is through the salt, properly and improperly so called, that the entrance lies. The Summer Palace, however, consists of remote material from the sacred stones, and of proximate material from the purest, snowy, fiery water pressed therefrom.

It would indeed be possible to build a similar fortress from other stones and earths, but because they are too hard, and do not yield to the chisel or lathe, and require much time, it is better to remain content with these. That which can be done with few things ought not to be attempted with many.

All metals are therefore rejected along with the previously enumerated subjects, except two—fiery and aqueous. But since this general response is not enough even for the Gatekeeper, you must show him those three requisites beyond the Essential, which are required as a medium, and immediately this question will be resolved, and you will be received not as a guest, but as a close friend.

Concerning the third question, I cease to impose much new, for it is not so difficult, and besides, the Gatekeeper himself, having contracted friendship, will not deny you the due assistance. You will enter then, soon after, through various porticoes and pavements shining with gold and gems; and in the upper story, above the inner gate, beneath the pinnacle, in a splendid little tower, you will behold Democritus laughing and weeping.

The other chambers are great and filled with Persian luxury. Whether in the morning of summer or winter, or in either season of the year, nothing temporal will be lacking to you; but see that you also unite eternal blessedness with this.

Meanwhile, enjoy the desired happiness, and most sincerely confess whether, by our favor and instruction, you have been relieved from infinite miseries and owe us immortal thanks.

Farewell.

---

LATIN VERSION

BIFOLIUM METALLICUM

seu

Medicina duplex, pro metallis & hominibus infirmis, à Proceribus Artis Hermeticæ, sub Titulo Lapidis Philosophici, inventa, elaborata & posteritati transmissa; jam verò

Denuò recognita, cum omnibus circumstantiis, requisitis & manipulationibus, sine dolo, methodicè tradita, & hujus divina Scientiæ amatoribus proposita à Pantaleone, Hermeticæ Sophiæ perito.

Prostat Noribergæ, apud Pauli Fürstii Bibliopolæ b. m. viduam & hæredes.
M. DC. LXXVI.

Ad Momum.

Laudatur ab his, culpatur ab illis, cognoscitur a paucis; quare penes te maneat libido reprehendendi cum inscitia. Nolo placere illis, quibus displicuisse laus est.

DEO TRI-UNI SACRUM.

Omnipotens, æternum ac ineffabile Lumen, Fons & Origo omnis Sapientiæ ac Veritatis.

Placuit divinæ Tuæ Majestati, per viam Creationis incomprehensibilis, abyssum inexhaustam Tuæ Sapientiæ detegere, ac Temet ipsum, per tot innumerabiles rerum ordines, patefacere, solà verbi FIAT exhalatione & corporificatione.
Origo rerum omnium à Te, sicut in Te omnia iterum desinunt, absorbo seculo; quod imprimis ego, Creaturarum Tuarum ingratisfima, fateri cogor; quantumvis enim, ab Adolescente, Sapientiam naturalem, legendo, laborando, peregrinando, omniq[ue] possibilì solertià indefatigatus continuò perquisi[v]erim, nec ullum vitæ ac sanitatis discrimen formidaverim, nihilo tamen minus, retrospiciendo adperpessas anxietates & sapientiæ scholasticæ nuditates, exclamare me oportet, cum Poetâ:

– ô quantum est in rebus inane!
& contra cum Apostolo Paulo confiteri: quod omne bonum & omne lumen Sapientiæ veræ

sit desuper a Patre luminum; aliquando mediáte, aliquando immediaté. Utrámq[ue], ex solá Tuá gratiá ac clementiá immerenter sum expertus. Complacuit enim Tuæ gloriosissimæ Majestati, solá mentis illustratione, Comite labore improbo, absq[ue] ullius hominis favore, mihi quasi inscio, ipsum apicem augustissimum venerabilis Sapientiae Naturalis largiri, retentá tantum potestate utendi ad aliquot annos; in quem autem finem tam varíam fortunam interea expertus fuerim, Tibi soli liquet. Aposteriori autem adverto, quod ex merá Tuá bonitate, & ad majorem gratiam in me miserum collocandam, à praxi abstractus fuerim. Si enim dives statim factus fuissem, forsán ingloviæ, desidiæ & aliis infirmitatibus humanis deditus, ulteriorem scientiam non appetivissem, sed partá contentus vixissem.


Colibuit autem Tuæ Majestati, ex causá imperscrutabili, me depauperare, Tibiq[ue] occasionem relinquere, illud, quod reliquum erat, scientiæ Divinioris, super me indignum, mediáté tamen, effundere, & alteram quoque viam, quam humidam nominant Adepti, gratiosé communicare; ita ut jam nil penitus refset, quám Tibi, misericors ac benignissime Pater cælestis, immortales & æternas Gratias, pro hoc inæstimabili thesauro persolvere, cum annexâ devotissimâ petitione, vitam eo usq[ue]
prolongare, donec bonitatem Tuam abyssalem
satis deprêdicare queam.

Ne autem hoc pretiosum Talentum mecum plane moriatur, & tamen veritas hujus Mysterii, quæ apud multos literaliter doctos, Revollaceos barbaricè, proprie inanes Philosophos,
agonizare videtur, suo fonti, ad dispensandum, restitutatur; propterea pingue hos Bifolium, Tibi, sanctissime Deus, adolere & cum egoitatis meæ abnegatione immolare volui. Dignetur Divina Tua Majestatis clementissima à manu servi sui vilissimi accipere, quod pro custodiâ impuri mundi minimè quadrat.

Resignavi quidem voluntatem meam ple nissimè in Tuam Divinam, sed interim credo protectionem hujus opusculi & directionem ab ævo consuetam, quam & ego, pro meâ parte, avidissime opto, rogo expecto.


Praefatio.

Edideram nuper sub primitiis scribendi lacessitis, binos foetus, ejusdem conceptûs, Tumulum nempe Hermetis apertum & Examen Alchymisticum, cum proposito, nil amplius literarum in hoc genere commendare, ne Halophantae potius, quam Adepti, nomen merere aliis videar. Praesens enim aetas, pejor avis, dedit jam progeniem ita vitiosam, ut è mille hominibus vix unus veritatem sectetur; sed unusquisque, legendo mea scripta, argumentatur à se ipso ad me ita: Ego & omnes ferme in hâc civitate veritatem nunquam vel raro colimus, non quod nesciamus, sed quod, sicut moneta antiqua abrogata, nil amplius valet, propterea hic Pantaleon non erit solus veritatis Promus-condus: Sunt nugæ, subtiles technæ, sophisticatiônes & imposturæ. Forsan inveniet desipientem, qui ipsi credit, nos non. Monstret nobis aurum & argentum, quod suâ arte confecit, & tunc credimus, &c. &c.

Ita non tantum plebs, sed etiam Magnates suo modulo ac pede, veritatis amatōres metuuntur. Quid mirum jam est, si tot Impostores in hac scientia ubique ingruunt?

Si enim unusquisque, praeconcepta opinione de aliis judicare vult, argumento à se ducto,
necessum sanè est, mendacia excogitare, ne veritati fiat injuria: ad minimum opus est
se conformare opinionii istius, quem ambire statutum est.

Verùm enim verò, si ultimum hoc temporis sedimentum, jure Periodici circuli, cum suo primo puncto, dignitate pari gaudere atque sic postea aeternitari debet, prout hariolati sunt aliqui ex Mystagogis antiquis, ipsa[que] ratio non obscurè suadet, quòd omnia miracula naturae ante ejus resolutionem innotescunt, suum[que] Creatorem laudabunt, parùm proficerem, si quorundam ignorantium dentem lividum formidarem, & talentum meum desuper collatum tacendo defoderem: eveniret enim procul dubio, quod Lapis angularis coelestis, Salvator noster, de veritate promulgāvit, dicens: Si hi tacebunt, lapides loquentur; alius[que] palmam mihi in hoc stadio currenti, praeriperet, ac notam invidiae erga genus proprium inureret. Propterea mutatâ sententia, repositum calamum iterum arripere & prioribus duobus tertium hunc Tractatulum adjungere, eòq; me apud Philosophos veros insinuare volui. Primus enim erat pro Tyronibus & grege errantium; secundus pro Magnatibus, ad coercendam bilis effusionem contra hanc artem. Tertius hic est ultimus pro Adeptis, ut sciant, me illis similem & confratrem esse. Si priores pro fabula & inani curiositate, ab imperitis interpretantur, sicut non diffido, saltem hic Posterior ab Adeptis pro genuino agnoscetur, utpote quibus solis, descripta haec duplex operatio ex partium enumeratione ac modo procedendi facile patebit. Interim tamen etiam non dubito, quod per hanc meam Bigam Philosophi multi deviantes ad fontem veritatis Physicae deducentur, ibiq; siticulosam suam constitutionem explebunt.


Artis osoribus, & qui peccatis ac sanguine aliorum vivere malunt, quàm manus carbonibus commaculare, ero nugivendulus & impostor: qui verò librorum lectionem cum stylange universalì indefessè copulârunt ac multoties mineralium venenosis halitibus suffumigati sunt, nil tamen, nisi ipsum nihil, cum destructione sanitatis & bonorum, mercati sunt,

illi me benè, licet intra dentes loquentem, intelligent & retrorsum vela dabunt: Capient nimirum hi soli, quare tam saepe laterem lavârint; & quod planè impossibilia moliti fuerint ineptis suis agentibus. Faxit Deus, ut unusquisq; ex his voto suo potiatur. Quantum ad me, Deum testor, cordium scrutatorem, quod in hoc opusculo candidè, non muralitè, omnia illa, stylo tamen Philosophico, tradiderim, quae ad parandam haec duo maxima Arcana requiruntur tam essentialiter, quàm accidentaliter.

Qui potest capere, capiat & bene vivat,
Amen.









Chapter 1.
De Basi seu Fundamentio hujus Bifolii.

IN Schola reali Naturæ universalis, reciprocatio Entium circularis non peccat, eò quod ipsum primum movens, Natura naturans, DEUS benedictus in sæcula, ab uno in trinum & ab hoc iterum in unum sine fine terminatur & redit. Hinc sapientissimus Rex Salomon edixit: Nil esse sub Sole novi, sed perpetuam rerum circulationem, per destructionem & ædificationem. Liquet hoc inter cætera etiam ex Regina omnium Disciplinarum, Alchymia vulgò dictâ, quæ multoties latuit, rursùsque emerfit, ac iterum, qualis cum muscis post tabulata, quandòq; intra muri repagula inclusa, elisit; nunquam tamen prorsus enecta fuit. Nimiram non defuerunt unquam ingenia, providente Deo, quæ hanc artem summo studio laudabiliter inquirerent, sicut etiam semper copiosa ubertas extitit hominum desipientium & supinam negligentiam adorantium. Proinde hæc Divorum proles, aliquando in cunabulis adhuc jacens, sepulta, iterumq; effossa, aliquando etiam, sed rarò, ad virilem ætatem educata fuit.

In Monarchiâ Romanâ, ante centum aliquot annos, quantum scitur, floruit Lullius & Arnoldus, successit dein, post interstitium quoddam temporis, Augurellus, de quo fertur, quod Leo X. Pontifex Romanus ipse, pro dedicato suo pulcherrimo & pretiosissimo Poemate Alchymistico, obtulerit peram cum hoc annexo Scommate: Si sciret aurum ipsemet conficere, non indigeret nisi receptaculo. Quae responsio quadrat sicut pugnus ad oculum. Magna enim differentia est inter Theoriam & Praxin, inter principium & finem, inter actum & potentiam. Non cui libet contingit adire Corinthum eo momento, quo viam didicit, propter defectum commeatus necessarii: ut neque sequitur: Scio magisterium Tincturae metallica, ergo valeo praesticare; quia deesse possunt sumtus, occasio, locus, vires ac sanitas. Insulsa ergo argutia est objiciendi, si scis, ergo fac. &c.

Post Augurellum nostra Alchymia oblivione longa pressa, tandem in Monasteriis iterum emicuit, modo apud Germanos, modo apud Hispanos, sicut ex historiis leviter apparet; Donec seculo decimo quinto ex Germanis assurgeret Theophrastus Paracelsus; qui in hac arte initiatus fuit à Trithemio Abbate Spanhieimiensi, edoctus vero, sicut ajunt, in Oriente à Persâ vel Graeco.

Extincto hoc sydere, eclypses iterum totales in Philosophia demonstratoria subortae sunt, accenso infausto Cometâ crinito, Thomâ Erasto, Lotharingico Medico.

Hic vir, ceu in Philos. Aristotelicâ sermonicali apprime doctus, umbram ferme in solis faciens, nostram veritatem Physicam realem omni honore, imo vitâ ipsâ, Logismis suis privare conatus est: Quia vero verba & telae sunt arma inaequalia, proinde incolumis remansit nostra veritas, se interea subtrahens ad sua securitatis latibula, & hoc animal discitax toti posteritati doctae altum cachinnum excitavit. Qui enim transmutationem metallorum inferiorum in aurum & argentum negat, eandem cerebri infirmitatem patitur cum illis, qui ante Columbi tempora Antipodes negarunt, ambo enim, si non sunt stulti, saltem sunt Hypochondriaci.

Ab istis temporibus coepit in Germania haec ars disputari. Literati enim, Erasti vestigiis insistentes, vim concludendi verbalem & syllogisticam, quod species rerum non possint transmutari, ob crimen laesae Majestatis Naturae & ipsius Creatoris, omni demonstrationi praeferabant, sicut ante paucos annos etiamnum sustinere voluit Conringius vir literaliter doctissimus. Huc accedebat, quod Paracelsus, in vernacula, de sua arte scripserat, & propterea tanquam idiota indoctus à scholis magis contemnebatur, quasi veritas non posset scribi, nisi Latinè. Hinc unusquisque; Magistellus vel Baccalaureus Philosophiae Aristotelicae, sua obtusa spicula pro specimine eruditionis, in Paracelsum ejusque sectatores dirigebat, omnesque, aliter sentientes exceto doctorum excludebantur. Quô etiam tantum effecerunt, ut vix non in hunc usque diem, viri bene docti & prudentes hanc artem, coactè potius, quàm voluntariè aversentur, ne scil. à Scholis pro indoctis & fatuïs habeantur. Putant enim hæ, quod Doctrina Aristotelica & Ars Chymica invicem sint incompatibilia; unde etiam Principibus persuaserunt, Medicis illis, qui Chymiam colere praesumunt, non esse committendà vitam Regum, propter remedia Chymica violenta; quod quidem de vulgaribus Chymicis verum est, non de veris Philosophis seu Adeptis, quos laudabiliter ore & re contra Scholas tutatus est, ante 40. annos, Helmontius Belga, vir Parnasso & Vesuvio charus, idest literis & igne perdoctus; iis ipsi sufficienter respondit, dico earum Professoribus, quod quidem sit, sed credo, quod remanebunt homines. Sic se gesserunt Docti. Indocti vero aliquot, ceteroquin prudentes, ausi sunt Paracelsum ejusque reconditam Doctrinam defendere, ex habitâ semel atq; iterum Praxi transmutatoria. Plurimi vero ex his infeliciter pugnarunt ob defectum veri fundamenti, quod Paracelsus omiserat & ex aliis linguis petendum erat.

Utrobique erratum fuit; si enim literati superbiam cum ignaviâ abjecissent & indocti literis illuminati fuissent, jam forsàn nostra Alchymia debitum honoris gradum sentirent & utroq; crure ambularet ad medendum, nempe infirmis hominibus & metallis. Verum Priores sunt durae frontis & posteriores durae cervicis: illi ex Platone Axioma sibi proposuerunt, quod sonat: Absit, Philosophari esse artes tractare, altius nimirum sedet Philosophia, nec manus edocet aut pedes, sed animos: Hi confidunt in suis manipulationibus & furnis artificiose exstructis, creduntq; si omnia examinent, quod veritas se tandem in conspectum datura sit. Sed ambo misere decipiuntur; non enim sufficit studium literarium, nec solum ignis examen, nec utrumq; conjunétum, nisi ad fundamentum cognoscendum, quo quidem cognito, multum actum est. Sed requiruntur deinde praeparatoria, quae nullibi scripta & solis Adeptis nota sunt. Propterea, ex re neglecta & male intellecta, mirabilis errorum & imposturarum varietas usq; huc exorta fuit. Multi ex desperatione artem totam pro Non-ente habent. Multi extollunt salia, alii metalla, multi in aëre & elementis punctum nostrum perquirunt & tandem fessi omnes in nihilo conveniunt, sicut in meo Examine Alchymistico pluribus indicavi. Ne autem prolixior sim in prolegomenis, quam curiosus Lector & ratio hujus Bifolii concedunt, breviter exponam, qualis sit ejus caulis seu basis, consideratione mutuata à similari essentia herbae vegetabilis, hoc nomine vocatae, quae cum ad normam omnium herbarum à radice ad summitatem uniformis reperiatur, nilq; dissimilare se fundat; jure analogiae caulis nostri Bifolii metallici diversus non erit a suis foliis, quae metallica sunt & similes quoque fructus proferunt. Nil enim solidi objiciunt, qui dicunt, non quaeri metallum, sed plusquam metallum; propterea necessarium non esse, ut è solis metallis materia petatur. Sed respondeo, non quaeritur in corpore Tincturae metallī simplex & externum, sed multipliciter augmentatum, exaltatum & interna perfectione ornatum. Nisi enim compositum illud esset pro sua metallīcitate, non misceretur cum illis, & nisi esset plus quam perfectum, imperfecta non perficeret; Cum vero noster caulidis se egremit in aurum, quod homogeneum maxime est, propterea etiam ille ipse, tanquam causa, cum suo effectu, sub pari identitate comprehenditur; sic ut Basis nostri Bifolii metallici sit radix metallica mercurialis purissima & uniformis.

Cap. 2
De Magisterio Tinctura universalis in viâ humidâ.

ET omnia erant valdè bona; de Creationis complemento gloriatur ipse Spiritus Dei, apud Moysen Gen. 1. Hodierno verò, seculo omnia sunt valdè mala, imperfecta, luctuosa & depauperata. Haec provincia premitur ferro martiali, illa fame & siti, tertia morbis incurabilibus, & quarta exactionibus pecuniosis, &c. & hoc unice propter solam inopiam. Omnes enim homines conqueruntur de paupertate, nullibi sufficit pecunia, sed ubique deest; & quo plus monetae cuditur, eo magis deficere videtur; quod certe contrarium est constitutioni valde bonae Regnorum & Provinciarum, de quarum & totius Terrae provisione opulenta Creator ter gloriosus effatur, quod nil desit, quo incola Homo ad usum usque indigeat. Verum enimvero, quae culpa nostra accidunt, nil faciunt superos; perditio tua ex te Israël, &c. meliorem scimus, ex conditione mentis aeternae, rectiora sequimur, ex instinctu animae caducae, per lapsum praerogativam nactae. Quod enim nos, qui Christo nomen dedimus, propter tractum terrae palmarem acquirendum, tot annis belligeramus, & omnia caede ac sanguine replemus, Creatorem non tangit, qui habitabilem fecit totum Terrarum orbem, magnâque ex parte reliquit vacuum. Quod fames ac paupertas plurimos affligunt, multò adhuc minùs eidem potest imputari, qui vastuosissima terrae viscera, ad superficiem, auro & argento infarta, nobis donavit; quod verò Catalogus morborum incurabilium cotidie ampliatur, nostro quoque vitio fieri, credendum est, quia expressè dixit codex sacer, quod sanabiles fecerit Deus omnes nationes Terrae, nullumq; sit exterminii remedium in terris, Haec probo ad oculum sic.

Numquid extremæ bonitatis indicium est, quod Creator ter optimus, non tantum totam terram auro impŕegnávit, sed insuper etiam subjectum certum creavit, modumq; ac rationem priori statim mundo inspiravit, quo supra terram, ipsum Creatorem, certo modo, æmulari, aurum ex non auro constituere, ac morbos lateraliter naturam humanam ingressos tollere valeret; imo, ne invidia humana, si una tantum methodus, unumq; subjectum eo inserviret, hanc divinam scientiam absconderet, plura subjecta, pluresq; vias, diverso forsan tempore, benignissime concessit, sicut ex tota antiquitate Sophorum evidentissime patet.

Quamvis enim multi ex Prædecessoribus affirment, unicam rem, unicum modum, ad hoc mysterium ducere, quod etiam suo ac certo modo verum est, constanter tamen teneo & demonstro, plures vias ad unum scopum patefieri, annuente hoc Gebero, Cap. 28.

Duplex autem imprimis hucusq; in cursu naturæ & artis observata, & ab artis Chymicæ Professoribus commendata fuit, Humida nimirum & Sicca. Utramq; singulatim, sine multis verborum ambagibus, possibilib brevitate, cum omnibus tamen circumstantiis, more Philosophico, ob oculos ponemus, incipienda ab humidâ ceu antiquissimâ, nobilissimâ & facillimâ, sed occultissimâ. Arrige ergo aures, Pamphile, ac Recipe Saturni nostri Philosophici q.pl. reduc ipsum, sine omni additione extranea, in primum chaos, jube, ut fiat lux, hanc coge in corpus partim solare, partim lunare, reliqua astra ex his lucebunt, tenebras defer in montem falsum veneris, & subtile separa à spisso, suaviter, sed magno ingenio. Praestito hoc, incipient astra operari, mediante igne, aëre & aquâ super tuam terram, eamq; penetrare, & catenam auream Homeri efformare, dictumq; Hermetis verificare, dicentis: Inferius est sicut superius. Postea statim impraegnata Terra germinabit flores jucundissimos, oculos & animum exhilarantes: mare pisculum Echineis ante omnia ostendet, & Aer Aviculam Hermetis. Ignis vero Salamandrae semina concipiet. Bestias dein conspicies in ipsâ terrâ ambulantes. Jam scande in montem altiorem hujus mundi, invenies ibi florem duplicem, album & rubrum, conjunge hos & constituent tibi calendulam, hanc Mercurio tuo sacrifica, quam avidè vorabit, & deinde alatus manibus ac pedibus thronum suum conscendet.

Quia vero mala bonis adhuc mixta sunt, & pessimum venenum omnis generis vitiorum, praecipuè homicidii, in nostrâ terrâ adhuc latet, necessarium erit, hunc ignem voracem suo contrario extinguere, & diluvium instituere. Arca ipsius Noachi sit bene clausa & alimentis instructa, ne fame pereat, quod undâ conservatum est. Post 40. dies aperi cistam & egredietur concionatorille

Deorum laetus ac hilaris, eritq; solus & unicus Coeli ac Terrae Dominus incorruptibilis & aeternus. Hucusq; praeparatio & exornatio Mercurii Philosopĥici, quae cum creatione mundi pulcherrimè convenit; sicut apud Chortalasseum invenire licet.

Jam etiam cogita, quomodo Regium hunc Infantem utriusq; Indiae, pro dignitate, tractare & perpetuam ejus in carcere miseriam ac inopiam Regiâ affluentia recompensare queas; cave autem, ne nimium prodigus sis, in coemendis cibis delicatis ac euchymicis, nec ultra unum ferculum, unâ vice, ipsi affer; accideret enim, quod diuturnâ famé exhaustis solet, si nimio cibo se repleant, tuncq; Regiae dietam observes, & certam tantum partem ambrosiae vel nectaris prandenti vel coenanti appone; cubiculum & imprimis lectus sit ita calefactus, ne sudet vel algeat, utrumq; enim impedit notabiliter infantum vegetationem; donec post unum vel alterum tempus, ventriculus ejus & omnia viscera robustiora facta, injurias errorum melius perferre possunt.

Quò saepius vero ipsum, absolutâ tamen concoctione, cibaveris, eo procerior, pulchrior ac fortior evadet, nec ullus Hector vel Crotoniatês Milo viribus ac virtute eum superabunt. Explicit Parabola, & sequitur declaratio Praxeos, quam lucidiorèm, imo manifestam, libentissimè darem, quò tandem ineffabilis auri aestimatio apud homines minuetur & sola virtus pulsa suo Regno ac dignitati restitueretur, nisi ponderosissimae rationes contrariae excurrentem calamum reprimerent & in Fano Appollinis suspenderent.

Ut autem Promissioni meae ex parte satisfaciam; sincere dico; quod ad hoc Mysterium tantummodo requiratur Res unica, quae tamen etiam multiplex est, habita illa & cognita procedendi methodo, nil additur extranei, sed superfluum saltem demitur, & reliquum igni committitur. Non est autem illa materia, quam singularem & occultam minime tam praediximus, simplex, similars aut homogena, licet purum homogeneum nonnunquam in se contineat, sed composita, variisq; heterogeneis constans; quare etiam a Philosophis Electrum minerale vocitatum est. Sicut enim Electrum metallicum compositum est ex pluribus ingredientibus, ita etiam hoc nostrum Electrum plura involvit dissimilaria a metallica perfectione dissita. Deinde etiam, in analysi artificiosa, perfectissime de se fundit tria illa Principia Chymica, Sal, Sulphur & Mercurium, quae similiter in se concludunt omnia Elementa, ipso actu separabilia. Praeterea vocatur etiam appositissime & nervose Saturnus Philos. & Pater omnium metallorum, quamvis perfectum nullum metallum in examine vulgari praebeat, quia Natura tantum leviter incepit agere super hanc materiam, eamque imperfectam reliquit. Omnium autem facillimè cognoscitur haec minera per nomen Leonis occidentalis; qui clariori nomine imprudenter hominibus indigitat, anathema esto. Si quis enim metallorum generationem callet, ille statim, mediâ nocte, hanc terram Chaoticam falsam conspiciet, nulloque alio tubo optico indigebit. Qui verò caecus adhuc est, aggrediatur Henrici Conradi Lipsiensis Scripta Chymica, in quibus videbit, qualem terram ad genua effossam Philosophi velint; reliquum satis aperte docuit Agricola. Etymologiam clariorem dare, prohibet sana ratio, quare ad praeparationem hylogelais nostri subtexto me accingo.

Quoniam verò hic Tyronibus non scribo, sed consummatis Philosophis, propterea acquiesco in clarissimâ descriptione Chortalassaei, quae his verbis comprehenditur: Ubi vero vapores venenosi lapidem meum dereliquissent, in conspectum prodibat primò flos meus albus, rubrum oportebat me postea quaerere in infima parte, qui tandem etiam proveniebat. Et alibi: Ruricula meus monstrabat mihi duos flores stellares, album & rubrum, crescentes super uno caule, qui septem radios de se spargebant, &c. quod explico sic: Postquam per calcinationem separatio halituum venenossorum facta est, solutio, quae in dolio vinili latet, & ulterior, puri ab impuro, separatio ac reconjunctio instituenda est, quæ omnia perspicuè docentur in Bello Equestri his verbis: Deus creavit nobis hanc mineram metallicam, quam unice accipimus, corpus durum corrumpimus, superflua abjicimus, nucleum seligimus, & ex veneno Alexipharmacum paramus, plura vide ibidem & in Lucerna Salis Philos.

Superato hoc labore multiplici, Possessor eris aquæ viscosæ, metallicæ, diaphanæ, homogenæ, humidæ, quæ ab antiquis Mercurij, proprio tamen nomine, Mater Solis ac Lunæ in abstruso Saturni Philosophi, regno latens, appellata est.

Hoc magisterium, præ aliis, 5. prærogativas possidet, quarum Prima est facilis multiplicatio solventis: habita enim semel una vel altera uncia hujus lactis virginiei, multiplicationem patrare poteris in infinitum, absq; repetitione laboris ordinarii; quæ scientia inæstimabilis & divina penitus omne auri & gemmarum pretium multis parasangis antecedit. Secundò magnam nobilitatem addit ipsi Mechanicæ securus conscienciendi modus: qualiscunq; enim sit artifex, magnus vel parvus, rex aut opilio, & qualescunq; habeat Ephoros, doctos, expertos, circumspectos vel industriosos, poterit tamen sine curâ ac metu Practicam suam multiplicatoriam instituere, omnibus istis insipientibus, sed nil capientibus & quidem levissimâ operâ. Tertia prærogativa hujus Mysterii consistit in totius compositi decoctione simplici ac lineari, incipiendo à primo caloris gradu in ultimum.

Via enim sicca in principio statim rupturam vitrorum minatur ob intensum ignis gradum & materiæ inclusæ volatilitatem, quod in humidâ hác non est, in quarum augescente calore fixitas quoque materiæ augetur, & sic nullum periculum subest vel annihilationis, per ignem justo validiorem ruptis vitris, vel destructionis ipsius materiæ inclusæ, floribus combustis. Unde verificatur proverbium Philosophi, quod sit opus mulierum & ludus puerorum, limitatè intelligendo, si magistriumm callent, aliter enim viri etiam nil efficient.

Quarto Tinctura ex hoc Magisterio prognata, præ omnibus aliis, Naturæ humanæ, tamquam novus Deus existit, ejusq; morbosas tenebras, solis radiantis instar, illuminat & dispergit; ex hac ratione, quia ante fermentationem tam altam fixitatem metallicam conclusam non habet sicut Tinctura ex viâ siccâ, sed adhuc aliquid participat de naturâ salium solubili, & proptereà solventibus igneis facilius obedit, & cum animali Archæo desponsatur.

Quinta præeminentia hujus viæ humidæ est, quod per eam, ex uno eodemq; subjecto operatione paulò diversa, producatur liquor ille famosissimus, à Paracelso Alchaest nominatus, quo solventi immortali, cuncta remeant in primum Ens, præbentq; dotes nativas; absterguntur enim labes originales corporum, feritates, inhumana deserta, magnæ & inexplicabiles potestates, nancisci est opportunum; sicut passim affirmant Helmontius, Paracelsus & Ludovicus de Comitibus, quò Lectorem sciendi cupidum remitto; quia multa verba facere, & rem per se veram ac incomparabilem commendare, me jam diu cœpit tædium, qui magis paratus sum valiter demonstrare quàm fari. Per Parenthesin hanc notatam velim ineffabilem Creatoris Sapientiam ac Providentiam, circa hoc artificium. Constituerat enim Deus benedictus in sæcula, generi humano, mysterium illud summum, morbis omnibus medendi, sanitatis conservandi, pauperiemq; consolandi, ex merâ bonitate ac clementia elargiri; quia vero pariter præscivit, quod lapsurus homo, vitâ incolumi fruendâ se indignum redditurus sit; proinde subjectum, morbos ac metalla curans, unum idemq; fecit, modumq; operandii vix non colligavit, ne artifex opus habeat, ex cupiditate auri, pœnam peccati, morbos diuturnos ac vulgò incurabiles, mitigandæ iræq; Divinæ resistendi.

Qui enim contra Creatorem suum peccat, testante Codice sacro, incidit in manus Medici & sic scopis scopis castigantur ac everruntur. Verissimum enim est, quod Medici ordinarii sint ministri Naturæ humanæ, stantis scilicet, non jacentis; loquente id cateruâ morborum incurabilium ad ravim. Si enim nullus motus Enormanticus, nulla obfuscatiò Archaei, nullaȝ virium imminutio Essentialis cum viscerum labe corporeâ conjuncta adfunt, atq; hic occasionali & accidentali causâ infirmus tenetur, remotâ illâ per purgationem vel sudorem, etiam sponte suâ, æger quandoque convalescit: Secus licet quis totum Pharmacopolium voraret, nil tamen ageret; quia officinarum remedia ex vegetabilibus & animalibus petita à fermentis viscerum subiunguntur, superantur & speciali suâ medicinali proprietate exuuntur, remanente tantum umbrâ quâdam imbecillit, quam dein morbi radicati, ceu imparem, contemnunt. Quid de remediis manualium vulgaribus tenendum sit, sub Corollario docuimus.

Contra; remedia per liquorem Alchaest præparata, sunt omnia fixa, illuminativa, restaurativa per se, suâ indomabili præsentia, & innoxiè, absq; acrimoniâ, Corrosivâ, penetrantiâ; quibus æquâ falce demetuntur omnes morbi, imminesq; defectus annihilantur, stupente ipsâmet naturâ; sicut Helmontius de sulphuribus correctis atq; perfectis verissimè gloriatur, coq; nomine Medicum verum à putationtio & visitatore ordinario distinguit.

Quod verò nonnulli, sicut Poleman in suo Lumine, volunt hunc liquorem laudatissimum ex salibus propriè dictis depromere, erroneum plaum placet. Qualecunq; enim sal ad hoc officium eligatur, inveniet tamen semper suum contrarium, quod huic liquori non accidit. 2. si vel maxime salia saturata in spiritum, magno labore & torturâ ignis, exprimantur, activum tamen solvèns exinde non emergit; segnes enim tales spiritus multoties ingenti labore, elapsis annis, ipsemet paravi, nullo vero desiderato effectu. Liquor vero Alca-
hest, in unică destillatione, plærumq; suo munere fungitur, & immutatus iterum separatur. Præterea, talia salia enixa homogenae non sunt, quia ex contrario per artem constant, nec facile in siccam in fluidam, absq; connexione sui, resolvunt, quod tamen prædictus van Helmont, de liquore isto constructivo, laude peculiari nunciat, 3. si ex salibus liquor ille homogenes componeretur, non commendaret Helmontius salem tartari volatileni iis, qui istud mysterium nesciunt, sicut fecit lib. de febr. cap. 15.

Hæc per transennam. Jam redeamus, quò digressi sumus, ad nostrum Magisterium, in viâ humidâ. Docuimus Principaliorèm ejus partem, clavem nimirum claudentem & aperientem, Mercurium Sophorum liquidum. Nil restat amplius quommodùs illum in Tincturam excoquendi, quod mediante igne remissò, gradatim invalescente & pauco auro corporali, unius anni spatio perficitur. Pleniorem hujus operationis informationem fuggerere, limites angusti nostræ intentionis non permittunt, ut neq; à Philosophis, quibus scribo, postulatur, & insuper apud multos Authores invenire est in promptu, quod forsan hic desideratur.
Quoad tingendi efficaciam Tincturæ hujus universalissimæ, ingens ea valdè est, quia fermè ex mero Mercurio constat: sicut edixit profundissimus Rex Geber cap. 28. Si ex solo Mercurio rem perfeceris, indagator eris pretiosissimi Magisterii. Alios effectus miraculosos, apud hujus viæ Mysteriarchas, Chortaslæum, P. Fabr. Monsp. Bas. Val. Richard. Angl. Isaac Holl. &c. annotatos reperiet Lector, quò eum ablegamus.
Ne tamen in ipso rei cardine deficiam, & coram Judice extremo, pari pœnâ, cum cæteris invidis ac insidis scriptoribus affligar, intentionem primam, frigidam, penes forum boni Christiani calefaciam, totiq; mundo, omnibus cordatis & ingenuis viris ostendam, quod Nomini & vocationi meæ abundè satisfecerim, meiq; similem ante nostra tempora non extitisse.

Notandum ergo, quòd Subjectum nostrum, ad hanc viam pertinens, duplex menstruum præbet; unum componens, alterum destruens. Si primum, cum auro, secundum artis præcepta, conjungitur, tinctura metallis ca inde resultat; si alterum, per errorem inevitabilem, præfertur, aurum adjunetum interfiscitur, necatur, & tandem in Salem volatilem, medicinalem abit, quod ultimo cum aliis adjunctis in aquam elementalem insipidam terminatur.

Quia vero per ingenium humanum, non illuminatum, hanc Scyllam praeternavigare, est simpliciter impossibile, proinde hunc scopulum omnibus & singulis Artistis detegere volui, ne, post fata, cineribus meis maledicant, si tempus, sumptus, & sanitatem, sinistro fine, insperate obtento, amittant. Qui habet aures ad audiendum, audiat, & suas vires antea exploret, quam opus aggrediatur.

Ulterius notandum est. Sapientia & Providentia Creatoris altissimi, qui istos duos liquores ita connexiit & univit, ut ferme sine ejus expressa voluntate & informatione separari nequeant, in istum finem, ut mundus maneat immundus miseriarum vallis, & homines eo crebrius ac servidius ad alteram vitam anhelet.

Similem nodum etiam ad viam siccam posuit, in destructione & separatione Mercurii, sicut suo loco monebimus. Propterea metuendum non est, ut aurum & haec scientia aurifera vilescant, quia doctus & indoctus, expertus & inexpertus, omnes sub uno praedicamento (in hoc puncto) comprehenduntur; excepto illo solo, quem altissimus manuducit.

Licet enim aliquis subjectum nostrum pernoscat & possideat, (quamvis difficulter acquiratur & etiam facile, diverso respectu) aurum tamen non construeret, sed destrueret; quia ista manipulatio, quae ad verum liquorem solventem, sive Mercurium Sophorum humidum requiritur, ingenium humanum superat.

Ridemus proinde nasutos, philautos & sibimetipsis sapientes opinatores; miseret vero pari gradu nos gregis copiosi industriosorum, quod tam plane frustra laborant. Commendamus autem orationes frequenter devotas, in spiritu & veritate factas. His enim quaerentibus & pulsantibus lumen ex alto procul dubio orietur, ut videant, quam sincere veritatem tradiderimus.

2. Advertendum etiam est, circa hoc nostrum subjectum & ejus praeparationem occultam, totum fundamentum omnium generationum & corruptionum, prout Agricola & Sendivogius etiam indicant, dicentes, quod in Regno Saturni Philos. speculum sit, in quo omnes naturales actiones in toto Systemate mundi appareant.

Licet enim aliquis sit indoctissimus & vix non stupidus, si ipsi hoc nostrum Magisterium in hac via commonstratur, eo momento, statim capit generationem metallorum, mineralium & omnium rerum sub sole; sicut multis edidisset Agricola & alii.

Chapter 3.
De Tincturâ universali metallicâ, in via siccâ.

Praecedens incomparabile Mysterium, sicut in hunc usque diem, à primæ veritatis hoste, spiritu maligno tenebrarum, vario modo infestatur, obscuratur & corrumpitur; ita etiam hoc subsequens, tanquam prioris germanus frater, ab eodem mirè pervertitur, falsisq; aliis opinionibus adulteratur, in hunc tantummodò finem, ne homo calamitatibus carnis & paupertate careat, ipseq; Creator horum arcanorum melius cognoscatur, propius adoretur, & plenius laudetor. Circa Magisterium prius mediante suâ Ethnicâ sophisticatione, hominibus etiam doctissimis, syllogistice persuasit, non esse liquorem istum nisi falsum, & quidem ex summâ necessitate, aliàs

1. Solem adjunctum invadere, disgregare ac solvere nequiret; absque solutione vero res non succederet.

2. Licet Philosophi dicant, quod auri corruptio, generatio ac plus quam perfectio, in suo simili celebretur, absque sale tamen addito sal sapientiae non impetrari. Propterea multi cum vitriolo Cyprico, tanquàm primis auri radicibus referto, plurescum Nitro, sicut Solinus Saltzthal, neotericus nugator; alii cum sale communi alii cum sale ex terrâ pingui extracto negotium inceperunt; istaq; salia modò dulcificarunt, quia solvens universale ponticitate corrosivâ carere audiverant; modo ex combinatione diversâ, sal acre, ammoniaci naturam redolens, per destillationem parârunt & ammoniacum Philos. vocârunt. Multi urinæ spiritum fugacissimum ac subtilissimum adhibuerunt, eò quod Morienes dicat, Lapidis materiam primam esse in te & me, &c. Alii alias inanes subtilitates, magnâ industriâ, adinvenerunt & universalem quendam Spiritum, certo tempore, provocarunt, quia ex Philos. sententia, solvens universale sit ubique, & omnibus creatis vitam tribuat: quod quidem verum est, sed ab illis malè explicatur. Non sequitur Philosophorum materia prima, ad opus universale pertinens, est ubique & sustentat omnia. Ergo in statu qualitates generalissimâ manens ad opus nostrum adhibetur; potest enim eadem ab ipsâ naturâ haberi specificata & generalitatem exuta: Materiam enim universalem, generalem & specialem facere, est opus solius naturæ, non artis, alias sequeretur hoc absurdum, quod homo, extra se, ex unâ eademque materiâ universali, sine discrimine, artificialiter constituere valeret modo hominem, modo canem, modo herbam, modo metallum; quod nullus unquam maniacus deliravit; sed necessarium est, ut natura humana istam materiam subiugat, sibique appropriet, virtute semenis inhabitantis, quod etiam de cane, herbâ & metalllo, in minerâ adhuc existente, verum est.

Objiciunt quidem: Homo per se & suum artificium proximum materiam istam universalem non specificat vel appropriat, sed aurum adjectum, per internum suum opificem, Archeum, hoc præstat. Resp. Distinguendum est inter corpora perfecta & imperfecta, clausa & aperta, viventia & mortua. Totum regnum animale & vegetabile, in respectu ad aurum, est imperfectum, ac propterea quotidianâ refectione indiget; hæc vero absque individuatorem vitâ, & recipiendi aptitudine apertâ, vel ingressu alimenti, obtinere nequit; quapropter absurdum non est, statuere, & hominem & herbam una eademque quadraviâ esse; si distinctio iterum fiat inter alimentum totale & particulare, proximum et remotum. In aëre quidem est absconditus cibus vitæ universal is, an vero animalia solo hoc vivant, bubulci doceant. Aurum è contrà, corporum omnium perfectissimum, maxime conclusum & planè mortuum est; ideòq; nec vult nec potest ullam appositam materiam universalem assumere, quia hoc sine apertione radicali & vigore vitali, quam non possidet, fieri nequit. Vitam vero rebus clausis & mortuis in regno minerali infundere tantummodo queunt res genere ac specie convenientes, eò quod vita rerum omnium speciè donum est, à Creatore concessum. Ergo universalissima illa materia sive spiritus ad solutionem & regenerationem auri emortui nil facit, sed requiritur proximior genere & specie ipsâq; vitâ specificâ ornatus. Quod est contra universalitatis rationem; prout etiam Philosophi ubique inculcant dicentes: Nostra aqua non est aqua nubis, sed viva ac de natura solis: Natura vero solis specifica est nulli rei communis, extra genus & speciem, ergò nullibi quaerenda nisi ibidem. Hæc de præcedenti viâ & mysterio. Circà hanc sequentem alteram, scil. siccam, multas iterum nebulas & fuco concivit tenebrarum Princeps, in naturâ humanâ, per prævaricationem obnubilatam, quæ omnia secundùm ordinem recensere, & mihi & lectori tædiosum foret. Unam saltem objectionem communiorem enodabo; quod nimirum Mercurius currens, in currenti suâ naturâ, Philosophici munus obire nequeat, quia sit metallum &c. Sed respondetur distinguendo inter metallum perfectum & imperfectum, inter incipiens & primum metallicitatis gradum tenens, & inter consummatum. Deinde transeat, Mercurium currentem esse metallum, nil tamen obest, sed potius prodest nostræ Practicæ, ad cujus illustrationem dicimus, quod coagulatio metallica sit duplex, una à sulphure interno bono, altera à Sulphure externo arsenicali: illa est primaria & ex intentione Naturæ proficiscitur: Hæc accidentalis & indirecta, ac proptereà separabilis; sicut præsentì Magisterio docebimus.

Si ergo coagulatur metallicus externus à Mercurio currente removetur, manet utique; materia magis currens, quàm antea, sed quae metalli veri etymon portare nequit: quia omne metallum verum constat ex duplici, coagulante & coagulato, quorum uno ablato alterum statim mutatur.

Taceo, quòd Mercurius vulgaris metallum non est, sed potius metallorum materia, quia ex defectu coagulatonis durioris, sub malleo non extenditur.

Si enim esset metallum formale, pro principio & causâ metallorum à Gebero mahaberetur, quod statuâisse abest.

Proinde Philosophorum Mercurius currens metallum amplius non est, sed potius aqua metallica spiritualis, omnis coagulatonis metallicae expers, habilis tamen, eam à suo simili recipiendi, deducendo potentiam in actum, prout passim videre est apud Bernhardum Arnoldum & totum chorum Sophorum antiquorum.

Sed hic aliquid singulare, quod Philaletha non sine pregnanti ratione omisit, ex charitate Christiana admonere debeo, ne ege aliis et illi sibi frustra laborent. Cavendum nempe est omni solertia, ne in ista separatione puri ab impuro, totus Mercurius, in scorias terrestres, nigras abeat, sicut etiam sit cum Regulo Martiali, per crebram salium admixtionem et fusionem, vel etiam nimiae copiae ferri candentis adjectionem; utroque enim modo Regulus purissimus in impurissimas scorias arsenicales totaliter convertitur; quod praemonere volui, ne uniformis, similaris et totaliter impurus habeatur Mercurius, quod imperiti ex isto errore facile coniecturari possent. Hic enim jacet multa tarditas et durissimus nodus Gordius, quem inscii vix solvunt, est enim reconditus et implicatissimus; quod meo damno contestari satis possum, qui Mercurium hoc modo destructum, aliquoties sub larva scoriae inutilis ad sterquilinium projeci, et post unum vel alterum diem, currentem iterum collegi.

Qui hanc Charybdim evitare nescit, licet quoad caetera optime instructus sit, naufragium tamen certum evitare non potest. Sapienti pauca. Si cui vero haec nostra sincera deductio jejuna et incompta apparet, is alunde se informet, ignem diu adeat et suum profundum judicium in fine admirabitur.

Duplicis quidem talis Mercurii currentis Sophici, in meo Tumulo Hermetico, mentionem feci, prout etiam è Gebero & Bernhardo colligitur: Verum si sublimatio illa Geberi, ab iis corporibus, cum quibus non convenit Mercurius metallicus, de differentia rerum metallicarum perfecte & imperfecte seu inchoativetialium, id est, de natura metallica volatili parum & originaliter ac per se fixa, immalleabili, interpretatur; tunc istae duae sublimationes vix differunt: Proinde tutiorem, breviorem, magisq; notam Bernhardi cum omnibus manipulationibus trademus, quae tamen etiam ex parte ab Anonymo Philaletha est descripta, licet suae ipsius fabricae fundamentalem rationem vel nesciverit, vel subticuerit, sicut in meo Tumulo Herm. argumentis & demonstrationibus infallibilibus evictum est. De re ipsâ & bonitate istius Mercurii nil dico vel reprehendo, sed tantum de fundamento Magisterii, quod longè melius & clarius toti mundo literato, sequenti schemate proponimus. Requiritur autem ad hanc Practicam 1. vinculum Mercurii, cujus indiscreta quantitas nil nocet, sed, quantum placet, sufficit. 2. Ignis mineralis naturalis. 3. Ignis contra naturam. 4. Draco Babylonius alatus, & 5. Draco terrestris. Haec omnia, ope Vulcani claudicantis, Neptuno, Deo nostro maris, transmutantur; ille dein de Draconi alato hoc nostrum Chaos objiciet, et suo veneno bestias omnes maris interficiet, easq; ad vorandum vulturibus & aquilis relinquet, solum vero unicornum marinum ipse remittat. Hoc praestito, Saturnus, Deus Terrae lustra bit ripam maris, bestiasq; interfectas advertens, eas ex suo territorio proscribet & ad infima Tartara detrudet, solumq; Serpentem viventem adhuc & semiexanimem resocillandum Neptuno restitutet. Interea Draco terrestris unicornum marinum, languidum conspiciens, amore ejus capitur, & nuptias contrahit; quia vero animalia venenata & non venenata, absq; ingenti noxâ vix coire possunt, propterea post unam vel alteram cohabitationem, unicornu marinum moritur, putredinem concipit & terribilem foetorem emittit, quo ipse etiam Draco terrestris interficitur, ac brevi post emoritur; hinc statim tempestas oritur in aere a tetrciis halitibus sulphureis ascendentibus, ignisque naturae in aciem prodit cum igne contra naturam, venti saëviunt cum horrore, ipseque Sol & Luna obscurantur, donec post largum imbrem Luna in plenilunio apparet, pacemque per Mercurium publicatam valvis Coeli affigit. Sequitur explicatio.

Dictum est supra ex Bernhardo, quod hoc negotium peragatur, per sublimationem ab illis corporibus cum quibus convenit. Sed hic non intelligitur sublimatio vulgaris Chymistarum, per alembicum, phialam aut similia vitra, sed Philosophica. Horum enim sublimatio, calcinatio, solutio, trituratio, filtratio, praecipitatio a vulgaribus Chymistarum operationibus longissime differunt, quamvis nonnunquam coincidiant, sicut per sublimationem vulgarem Mercurii a metallis sufficenter patet. Pauca enim nigredo, quae tunc separatur, nihil est in comparatione ad copiosam illam, quae nostro magisterio se quaeratur, licet enim quis per integrum annum ejusmodi sublimationes continuaret, scopum tamen praefixum non tangeret, ex defectu mediatoris subtilissimi, aperientis & separantis (columbarum Philalethae) Imo si cum auro ipso haec destillatio perageretur sicut per certam manipulationem est possibile, aeque tamen frustranea in fine reperiretur, ob rationes solis Adeptis notas. Propterea aliam quaerere sublimationem, eaque addere oportet, quae igne suo purissimo, minerali & metallico, corpus mercuriale heterogeneum illuminare, eandemque opera terram illam arsenicalem sulphuream, ex suo centro amovere queant; quamprimum enim Mercurius scoriosus ignem conceptum sentit, aedificatur de novo a calce usque ad caput, alasque assumit, relictis suis exuviis & calceamentis combustis; sicuti verissime docuit Philaletha, Adeptus altissimus, quem in hoc negotio omnibus commendando; Est enim ipsius Practica cum nostra una eademque; in hoc saltem differens, quod taediosa magis, foetida & insalubris est, quamvis etiam nostra suo foetore venenato non careat, & cautum operatorem requirat. Mercurius ex utraque resultans non variat nec qualitate nec quantitate, sed utrobique obtinetur aqua mercurialis, homogenea, purissima & albissima, a qua, nullo artificiorum genere, quicquam heterogenei separari potest, sed vel tota in igne avolat, vel per seminis transmutationem manet uniformis & fixa.

Sed hic nostris Particularistis aliquid in aurem! Putant enim hi, habito hoc Mercurio sophico, quod, quia purus & Soli in homogeneitate par, imo superior sit, ille statim in uno vel altero mense, per præcipitationem & fixationem, in aurum transmutari queat; Verum enim vero, si librorum crebram lectionem coquinæ suæ præmisissent; si per frequentes rerum naturalium resolutiones, generationem metallorum didicissent; si denique stulti non essent, sed scirent, quid quærerent, cum similibus crepundiis domi manerent, & suam ignorantiam non patefacerent. Quia vero 1. studium literarium ex præsumptione negligunt, 2. judicio profundo carent, 3. mundanas voluptates intempestive sectantur, 4. artem maximam levi labore & casu arte inveniendam volunt, & 5. his non obstantibus magnis defectibus, docere alios, sine theoria & praxi, impostorie præsumunt; Propterea, ne catholicam nostram religionem naturalem, Quakeriano aliquo veneno infectam, discipulis obtrudant, artemque ipsam, alias nigro calculo signatam, plus diffament, breve Examen ipsis propono & quæro: Numquid audivistis ex Gebero, quod Principia metallorum sint tria, Argentum vivum, Sulphur & ejus compar Arsenicus? Item, quod causa omnis coagulationis sit a Sulphure & Arsenico?

Si hoc scitis; tunc vobis dico, quod Mercurius Philosophicus omni penitus Sulphure & Arsenico sit liberatus, per nostrum occultum artificium & propterea causam coagulationis amiserit: quomodo ergo praecipitaretur? iterum quaero: Si dicitis, auro adjuncto; loquimini sicut idiotæ ignorantes; quia scire deberetis ex Philalethâ, quod Mercurius sophicus, cum auro copulatus, parvo igne immutatus, ultimum mundi judicium expectet; magno vero non praecipitatur in aurum, sed vel ante putredinem in pulverem rubrum scoriosum vel, post eam, in plumbeam nigriramam ac volatilem substantiam. Si absque auro aurum ex hoc Mercurio vultis, stolide & ignoranter iterum proceditis; quia debuissetis discere vel ex Helmontio, quod Mercurius factus virgo, & a labe sua originali mundatus, nullo igne in formam terrae praecipitur, ob simplicitatem suam maximam, quia aquæ elemento comparetur; vel ex eodem Philaletha, quod tandem praecipitatum illud, magno igne ac tempore non adeo brevi factum, aurum commune ac vendibile non praebeat sed Philosophicum. Plura non addo ex indignatione, quod tam arroganter ac superciliose ipsos Adeptos actuales, sicut Philaletha est, in disputationem rapere praesumitis, qui tamen de puncto transmutandi plus non scitis, quam caecus de colore.
Possem vobiscum altius philosophari ac monstrare mechanice, quomodo, in & extra terram, aurum a natura & arte construatur; sed quia vestra capita, Lunâ & Mercurio fixo (anilibus istis fabellis) sunt repleta,

hanc auri generationem non capient, donec helleboro benè sint fricata; quod quia non exspecto, nec propterea scribo, ut Asinus Bileam loquatur, sed ut veritas scientiarum Posteris recommendetur: Proinde contenti sitis meo Examine Alchym. si verò nequ; huic creditis, liberum esto vobis delirare: sicut enim, secundum Poetam,

– – – – est quaedam flere voluptas.
Ita etiam quandoq; insanire juvat. Haec per digressionem.

Jam redeundum ad nostrum Magisterium, cujus ingredientia, stylo Philosophico, describimus, modumq; operandi sub aenigmate docuimus; qui Philosophus est per ignem, clariori manifestatione non indigebit. Et, licet perfectum Recipe scripsissem, omniaq; suis nominibus propriis consignassem, majorem tamen gratiam non reportassem, quam Rusticus ille apud Aesopum, qui anguem in sinu educavit, si non planè pro Impostore haberer; quod Philosophi salutariter monent, ne fiat, dicentes: Nemo crederet, si simplicem & nudam veritatem scripsissemus. Ad minimum hoc scio, quod nonnulli me pro mero Theorico & compilatore Harmonico Authorum in arte celebrium proclamant. Putant enim, quod tot sublimes scientiae & artes Divinae in unum subjectum cadere nequeant; sed hoc me consolatur, quod putent, & non sciant. Non sum tam tumida bulla, ut nequam distinguere inter virtutem naturalem, propriam, & ex gratia concessam, sicut nec nomen meum proprium his opusculelis praefixi, ne ambitionis vanae notam apud invidos incurrerem.

Quoad Processum integrum ad Tincturam, hâc viâ elaborandam, invenire eum licet sincere descriptum apud Philaletham; quae vero etiam ibi sunt omissa, ignis ipsemet docebit. Non meretur vitiosissimum hoc seculum clariorem informationem, nisi concessum sit vera falsis miscere, atq; sic Tyronem impietum seducere, quod nos, tanquam inexcusabile peccatum, merito aversamur, & proinde nisi nudam veritatem, quantvis palliatam, posteris relinqui mus. Melius est veram docere, quam centum vitâ ac bonis privare.

Quaestio Corollaris.
Quid sunt Remedia Chymica?

Circiter duo saecula retro, Respublica Medica, in Germaniâ, inquietari coepit à Paracelso, sub introductione remediorum mineralium, pistillo ignis confectorum, dum antea in Officinis Pharmaceuticis regnaret Flora cum suis herbis ac radicibus. Multi ex doctis hanc seditionem amplexi, plures exsecrati sunt. Plebs vero indocta, sicut semper novitatis cupida, ita in hoc turbulento


Medicinae statu, non defuit, suum judicium ferre de re incognita, paucamque molem istorum remediorum mineralium, poculis nauseabundis decoctorum vegetabilium anteponere. Multi tamen etiam ex plebeiis, cum notarent, Mercurium vitae saepius fieri Mercurium mortis intempestivae, maluerunt cum sena & rhabarbaro clamare, quam cum antimonio & Mercurio tacere ac sepeliri.

Contrà observârunt aliqui bonum successum istorum remediorum, in habitu athletico & morbis radicatis per accidens emergentem, & priori sectae cum tripudio se adjunxerunt. Pauci verò utriusque nuditatem & vera remedia Chymica sciverunt; relictâ discordiâ inter Medentes, de remediorum horum praecellentiâ, ab Experientiâ desumendâ. Utraque enim pars Disceptantium sua specimina allegabat, nemo autem ex illis certo sciebat, cui causae effectus secutus sit adscribendus; ex mundi totius inveterato & populari malo, quod est, videre tantum quid fiat, & non scrutari quomodo factum sit.

Dubitantes pauci prudentiores, mediam viam eligentes, censebant, non incongruum fore, nec humanae naturae exoticum, si vegetabilia Chymico more traderentur & in Essentias vel tincturas, concentrarentur; hoc enim modo, palato ac ventriculo magis arriderent; quo quidem stratagmate licet parùm effecerint in praelio contra morbos in gradum surrectos; toleratum tamen est nomen & modus Chymicus operandi in officinis eâ ratione hucusque.

Mineralia vero remedia & arcana polychresta (si credere fas est), ceu corruptae rationis & obliquae experientiae partus, cum aliis quisquiliis, ex usu medico rejecta sunt; & quidem non inique. Licet enim illa remedia Chymica, quibus immortalem sibi famam conciliavit Paracelsus & Helmontius, omni honore digna sint, successanea tamen illa vulgaria, à putatitiis Naturae interpretibus, Crollio, Poterio, &c. inventa, cimiteria potius saginant, quàm ut generi humano politicam opem medendo praestent.

Distinguendum igitur est inter Remedia Chymica Paracelsi, Helmontii & Adeptorum, quae vel etiam simul ipsa metalla tangunt, vel in virtute partium sunt interiora, & animalia sola respiciunt; & inter Remedia Chymistarum vulgarium, quae prioribus ex diametro sunt opposita. Illa enim plerumque in igne indomita persistunt & illuminativa agunt, malignitate minerali vel introversa vel transmutata; haec vero cruda, venenata, grossa vel etiam obtusa existunt venenositates minerali, per solventia contraria magis exasperata aut plane enecata, sicut apparet in Antimonio ejusque vitro ac floribus, de quo verissime Helmontius edixit: Antimonium & Mercurius, quamdiu vomitus ac sedes movent, non sunt boni viri remedia.

Quamvis etiam contrarium non statim sequatur, si tantum sudorem cient & vulgari modo praeparata sunt, testante Antimonio diaphoretico officinarum, quod efficaciâ à Cornu Cervi ustò non differt; utrumque enim igne violento est destructum & nil nisi calx mortua, quae cum acido ventriculi fermentatur atquè sic per accidens sudorem propellit. Ut enim metalla & mineralia astralem suam Naturam in nobis deponant, tenebrosam Archæi insimitatem illustrent, vel intrò ad penetiora transmittantur, ac nobiscum quasi confabulentur, opus est vel Liquore Alchaest, vel Sale circulato majore aut minore.

Haec enim tria solventia Naturae, tantum & unicè, possunt metallica & mineralia corpora demulcere, aperire & claudere. Ubi haec desiciunt, quomodocumque torqueantur mineralia subjecta per Chymiam vulgarem, nil tamen efficiunt electo Medico dignum; quia vel destruuntur per igneas qualitates vehementes, vel in malignitate suâ exaltantur per salinosas additiones, &c.

In verâ autem Philosophicâ praeparatione nulla est destructio, sed reductio, nulla mortificatio veneni, sed inclusio & transmutatio; id quod solventia salina vulgaria praestare nequeant, quia tantum cortice tenus subjecta solvunt, superficialiter corrodunt, & uno verbo nil nisi disgregant.

Quod si vero sulphuream partem à mercuriali extrahunt, etiam contrà intentionem Naturæ agunt, quæ unionem horum radicalem unicè intendit. Unde etiam ejusmodi Sulphura deinde voto non satisfaciunt, nisi vehiculis suis certis committantur, quibus mediantibus iterum radicaliter solvantur & introè adigantur.

Concludo ergò cum Helmontio, quod omnia Remedia mineralia & metallica, absq; Alchaest, sale circulato majore aut minore facta, sint nullius momenti; quod Scholæ Medicæ, hoc tempore, à posteriori, subolafctæ, remediis illis Chymicis vulgaribus, Galenicà & simplicia vegetabilia merito anteponunt, licet enim miracula non semper præstent, conscientiæ tamen suæ melius consulunt, quàm isti mineralium coqui & braxatores spurii cum suis putatitits Chymicis arcanis. Cui sanitas & vita cordi est, sequatur meum consilium & fugiat istas Syrenas. Non est minerale vel metallum in totâ Naturâ, quod ego non in & extrà ignem, cum solventibus variis, aliquando per integrum annum & ultrà continuatum, ope vulgaris Chymiæ, examinaverim; sed, si dicerem, quod eventus meæ expectationi & descriptioni thaumaturgicorum istorum arcanorum satisfecerit, mentirer sicut nequam. Nil quidem novi, dum hæc assecuro, Medicis doctis & solertibus, in Germaniâ, aperio, qui paupertatem suam, hanc in parte, ab igne & experientiâ impertasâ jamdudum sunt edocti; sed monere tantùm volo vollo illos, qui Medicinam non profitentur, & tamen curiosuli sunt, ne inopinatum quid ipsis accidat; licet enim cordati Medici, in Germaniâ, Chymiæ vulgari vix amplius patrocinentur: quia verò Germani ab omnibus fere Nationibus, pro gente stupidâ, indoctâ ac brutali habentur, eò quod scientès non æstiment, sed alios: proinde multi extranei, diversarum Professionum, nostratibus imponunt, cramben duodecies cocam ac rejectam, sub arcano solis Exteris noto, apponunt, magno pretio vendunt, & domum divites reversi, risû penè crepunt.

Quod si ergò Principes ac Magistratus Pastores essent suæ gregis, & saburram istam Carbonariam superba, cum cremato vitriolato, universalibus Panaceis, Tincturis & Arcanis arcanislandis, ad ultimam Thulen relegarent, opus præclarum peragerent & omni memoriâ dignum. Nam efficerent ut Medicina antiqua salutaris ac tuta suo nitori pristino restitueretur, & tam iniquè ac indignè ab istis ciniflonibus non tractaretur. Quamprimum enim à malecontentis & impatientibus infirmis talis Taumaturgus opinionatus, Chymista, in auxilium vocatur, tunc statim prima querela & vociferatio est super Medicos ordinarios Civitatis.

Vah, quàm planè nil sciunt hi homines! longe deviânt à veritate, non intellexerant morbum, nec tria Principia Chymicorum. Causa hujus morbi est Cagastricum resolutum, non aqua intercus, &c. modo ante septimanam vocatus essem, & in 24. horis sanitatem restituissem: quid est cum istis Doctoribus Galenistis? Nil sciunt, nisi suas herbas, &c. Deus custodiat hominem unumquemq; ab illis. Sed quia factum infectum fieri nequit, proptereà sollicitus ero de resarciendo hoc errore, cum hâc tamen precatione, quod infirmo nil possum promittere, quia nimis tardiè vocatus sum, destructâ naturâ, ab istis Doctoribus, non tamen desperare etiam jubeo, sed faciam, quod meum est: Habeo hîc egregium crematum, quod basio Veneris & Martis est impregnatum, hujus tantùm unicum cochlear quotidie sumptum mirabiles effectus edit, licet insensibiliter operetur: deinde est mihi quoque Panacea Solaris, quæ omnem dolorem aufert & insuper morbum ejusq; causam per sudorem expellit. Vera enim Medicina Chymica non nisi per cutaneos poros & diaphoræ operatur.

His & similibus convitiis Medici docti & expertes ab istis lusciosis sciolis lacerantur, licet illos ipsos aliquando, per propria remedia mineralia destructi, salutares, satis doctos & potius θεῶν χεῖρες experti sint, me inspiciente & annotante in diversis locis. O quam bonum imò præstantissimum fuit tunc ipsorum stomacho irritato ac vomenti, electuarium ex astringentibus, Cordialibus & stomachicis, cum emplastris & unguentis similibus adhibitis, tinctura etiam rosarum suâ laude non caruit, quam tamen sæpius sannis ac ludibrio exceperunt: Ipsorum verò essentiæ & tincturæ ex auro, gemmis, &c. tunc temporis pausabant, quia nihil canere valebant. Sic tandem sēro sapiunt Phryges, tertio interim seducto & paciente. Quando enim talis Doctorellus Chymicus Medicis ordinariis tam nequiter & calumniosè insultat, Sapientum antiquorum dicta & fundamenta, detruncto sensu, sicut Diabolus scripturam, allegat, & alienis Medicorum plumis, cornicularum instar, se exornat, tunc saepe non tantum plebs, sed etiam magnates, aures credulas ei præbent, quo emolumento, dicant ipsi.

Ego tantum hoc vidi, quod plures ad æternam quam temporalem vitam per ista maligna remedia inferunt suscitati, taceo saepe morbos communes ac leves eorum vehementiâ exaltatos & anonymos factos, naturâ intempestivè stimulatâ. Si igitur tales Agytæ & violenti naturæ pedissequi ex civitatibus abrogarentur, conservarent pro Reipublicæ suos subditos & prospicerent sibi de Medicis, modo vero & ordinario, per Doctrinam Galeni & Hippocratis, graduatis.

Veri enim Chymici, sicut sunt rarissimi, ita aliorum ope non indigent, nec morbos sanant, nisi ex gratiâ, absque ullâ exactione pecuniæ, quam non raro, ipsimet copiè se construunt. Quare in Regulam pono. Quicunque Titulum veri Chymici prætendit, ostendat prius in loco publico, vice Disputationis vel Examinis, Scholis usitati, vel Liquorem Alchahest, vel sal circulatum majus aut minus, vel ipsam Tincturam metallicam, & tunc glorietur de præeminentia super Medicos Dogmaticos Scholarum, citius non.

Ex his praemissis constat, qualia sint vera remedia Chymica, et ubi quaerenda, scilicet apud Adeptos actuales ac veros Philosophos, non illos Destillatores mineralium, licet centum artificiosis furnis sint instructi. Imo multitudo et architectura furnorum curiosa tanquam digito monstrant, ipsorum Herum adhuc in Tyrocinio versari, ac nil minus esse quam Galenum, omnium autem minime Naturae humanae ac metallicae Imperatorem.

Vera enim scientia Chymica non indiget Chrysulca, spiritu Nitri, Salis Sulphuris etc., nec utitur vitris circulatoriis, pelicanis rostratis, receptaculis amphoratis et monstrosis aliis praeparatoriis, ex aere, ferro et terra effictis, sed unica quandoque destillatione simplici totum negotium absolvit; quia naturam sequitur eiusque instrumentis competentibus occultis operatur.

Quamvis etiam in Arcanis maioribus, per caudam vulpinam, aurum non producit, sed singularia ingredientia et instrumenta exposcit. Remedia vero hac arte praeparata sunt plerumque fixa et tanquam specula lucentia, quae nostrum vitale lumen illustrant, mortisque nuncios, tenebras, in Spiritum vitalem irruentes, expellunt, atque sic per se & positivè morbos tollunt. Nonnulla tamen falsa sunt, ex saturatorum genere, quae proinde, indeperditis viribus, coctiones omnes transcunt & obstructiones viscerum aperiunt; quaedam etiam utrumque praestant. Purgans vero nullum hoc Pharmacopolium Philosophicum dispensat, praeter unicum Mercurium Corallatum genuinum Paracelsi. Caetera omnia per transpirationem, urinam vel sudorem opitulantur; quod unusquisque, Galenicae Medicinae pertractus, apud suum Medicum Chymia insignitum, prius expiscari potest, antequam se suosque periculose prostituat & Medicos ordinarios Dogmaticos contemnat.



Epilogus.

Magna parvis includere, delitiosum magis quam taediosum. In Praecedentibus paucis pagellis, stylo currenti signatis, delineata & exstructa vidisti, judicisose Lector, duo pulcherrima totius mundi Palatia: Unum Hyemale; alterum AEstivale, utrumque muro triplici circumdatum & Ponte sublicio firmatum, ne pecudes campi casualiter hanc hominibus solis consecratam habitationem intrent ac descedent; quia vero Dominus sive Patronus eorum, sapientiores tantum ex hominibus, pro inquilinis elegit; proinde cuique Arci suum Portentarium praefixit, qui advenas hospites, unde veniant & quid sciant, rigorose examinet. Hoc officium janitorium est valde molestum, ob multitudinem & importunitatem intrare volentium; quamvis enim ex mille vix unus examen sustineat & intromittatur, caeteri tamen rejecti die noctuque; tumultuantur, omnemque somnum impediunt. Multi enim precario, multi clamculum, plures armatâ manu Portam frangere & intrare cupiunt; sed quia hi custodes multiplici armorum genere sunt muniti, omnes tandem nil nisi plagas & insanabilia vulnera, ex ista inusitâ & illegitimâ luçtâ lucrantur. Proinde tutius longe est, cum amico amicabiliter procedere & rem togâ acquirendam Sago non expectere. Quia verò amica informatio istud solemne Examen valde facilitare potest; proptereà omnibus & singulis peregrinantibus hujus Examinis summa capita prodam, ut se in itinere praemunire, & quid respondendum sit, queant praeconcipere. Consistit autem praedictum Examen in tribus quaestionibus. 1. est, quales sint hospites? 2. quid sentiant de illis Palatiis? & 3. quibus artibus ibi vivere intendunt? Quoad primam quaestionem, quisque semetipsum commendet; quoad secundam, quae omnium intricatisima, spinosa & ambigua est, propriorem doctrinam suppeditabimus. Involvit autem ista quaestio aliam, nimirum, ex quâ materiâ remotâ & proximâ haec duo fortalitia sint aedificata: Ubi sciendum est quod Hyemale non consistet, ex silice, calce vivâ, lateribus, Terrâ pingui virgineâ (quam scilicet unum vel alterum pedem subutus Horizontem effodiunt) neque ex pyrite, lapide calaminarî, armeno, lazureo, amiantho, antimonio, arsenico, argento vivo, borrace, cerussâ, cinnabari nativo, magnesiâ, marcassitâ, minio, ammoniaco sulphure, talco, vitriolo, haematite, cobalto, cretâ smiride, vel etiam pingui illâ venenatâ materiâ, quae se in cuniculis subterraneis agglutinat & a metallurgis Gur vocatur, neque ullo alio metallo, exceptò Salis coagulo, sed ex merâ aquâ hylegiali crystallinâ & terrâ virgineâ satis â, tanquam subjecto moto & proximo.

Verum quia Janitores hi sunt astuti & nil cedunt, nisi quod vident; propterea opus est, ut hujus salis partem aliquam in medium producas, per salia enim est introitus, propriè & impropriè sic dicta. Aestivale verò constat, quod materiam remotam, ex s. lapidibus, quoad proximam, ex purissimâ, niveâ, aquâ igneâ, inde expressâ.

Possibile quidem esset, similem arcem ex aliis etiam lapidibus & terris construere, sed quia nimis duri, ligoni & torno non obediunt, multumque temporis exigunt; melius est in illis acquiescere. Quod enim potest fieri per pauca, non debet tentari per plura.

Rejiciuntur ergo cum prioribus enumeratis subjectis omnia metalla, exceptis duobus, igneo & aqueo. Sed quia Portitori etiam haec generalis responsio non sufficit, ostendas ipsi illa tria requisita extra-Essentialia, quae tanquam medium requiruntur, & statim quaestio haec erit soluta, ac Tu non pro hospite, sed Amico intimo susceptus.

Ratione tertiae quaestionis, multa de novo inculcare supersedeo, quia adeo difficilis non est & praeterea Portenarius ipse, ex amicitia contracta, suppetias debitas tibi non denegabit. Intrabis ergo, paulò post, per varios porticus ac pavimenta, auro gemmisque relucentia, & in superiori contignatione, super porta interiori, sub pinnaculo, in splendidâ turriculâ conspicies Democritum flentem ac ridentem.

Cubicula vero caetera magna sunt & Persico luxu repleta. Mane vel in aestivali vel hyemali, vel in utroque suo anni tempore, perinde est, non deerit tibi quicquam temporale; vide autem, ut aeternam quoque beatitudinem cum hac conjungas.

Interea fruere desideratâ felicitate, maximâ & ingenuè confitere, annon, favore & informatione nostrâ, ex infinitis miseriis relaxatus, gratias immortales nobis debeas.

Vale.