WILLIAM SALMON
professor of physick
CHAPTER XXXVII
OF THE ORIGINAL OF METALS, AND PRINCIPLES OF THE MINERAL WORKI
I. The Bodies of all Natural Things being as well perfect as imperfect from the Original of time, and compounded of a quaternity of Elements or Natures, viz.,Fire, Air, Earth, Water, are conjoyned by God Almighty in a perfect Unity.
II. In these four Elements is hid the Secret of Philosophers:
The Earth and Water give Corporeity and Visibility: The Fire and Air, the Spirit and Invisible Power, which cannot be seen or touched but in the other two.
III. When these four Elements are conjoyned, and made to exist in one, they become another thing; whence it is evident, that all things in Nature are composed of the said Elements, being altered and changed.
IV. So Saith Rhasis, Simple Generation and Natural Transformation in the Operation of the Elements.
V. But it is necessary that the Elements be of one kind, and not divers, to wit, Simple: For otherwise neither Action nor Passion could happen between them: So Saith
Aristotle, There is no true Generation, but of things
agreeing in Nature. So that things be not made but according to their Natures.
—1—
VI. The Eldar or Oak Trees will not bring forth Pears; nor can you gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles, things bring not forth, but only their like, or what agrees with them in Nature, each Tree its own Fruit.
VII. Our Secret therefore is to be drawn only out of those things in which it is. You cannot extract it out of Stones or Salt, or other Heterogene Bodies: Neither Salt nor Alum enters into our mystery: But as Theophrastus saith, The Philosophers disguise with Salts and Alums, the Places of the Elements.
VIII. If you prudently desire to make our Elixir, you must extract it from a Mineral Root: For as Geber saith, You must obtain the perfection of the Matter from the Seeds thereof.
IX. Sulphur and Mercury are the Mineral Roots, and
Natural Principles, upon which Nature her self acts and
works in the Mines and Caverns of the Earth, which are
Viscous Water, and Subtil Spirit running through the
Pores, Veins, and Bowels of the Mountains.
X. Of them is produced a Vapour or Cloud, which is the substance and body of Metals united, ascending, and reverberating upon its own proper Earth, (As Geber sheweth) even till by a temperate digestion through the space of a
—2—
Thousand Years, the matter is fixed, and converted into a Mineral Stone, of which metals are made.
XI. In the same manner of Sol which is our Sulphur, being reduced into Mercury by Mercury, which is the Viscous Water made thick, and mixt with its proper Earth, by a temperate decoctiOn and digestion, ariseth the Vapour or Cloud, agreeing in nature and substance with that in the Bowels of the Earth.
XII. This afterwards is turned into most subtil water, which is called the Soul, Spirit, and Tincture, as we shall hereafter shew.
XIII. When this Water is returned into the Earth, (out of which it was drawn) and every way spreads through or is mixed with it, as its proper Womb, it becomes fixed. Thus the Wise man does that by Art in a short time, which Nature cannot perform in less than the Revolution of a Thousand Years.
XIV. Yet notwithstanding, it is not We that make the metal, but Nature her self that does it. Nor do or can we change one thing into another; but it is Nature that changes them. We are no more than meer Servants in the work.
—3—
XV. Therefore Nedus in Turba Philosophorurn, saith, Our Stone naturally contains in it the Whole Tincture. It is perfectly made in the Mountains and Body of the Earth; yet of it self (without art) it has no life or power whereby to move the Elements.
XVI. Chuse then the natural Minerals, to which, by the advice of Aristotle, add Art: For Nature generates Metaline Bodies of the Vapours, Clouds, or Fumes of Sulphur and Mercury, to which all the Philosophers agree. Know therefore the Principles upon which Art works, to wit, the Principles or beginnings of Metals: For he that knows not these things shall never attain to the perfection of the Work.
XVII. Geber saith, He who has not in himself the knowledge, Qf the Natural Principles, is far from attaining the perfection of the Art: being Ignorant of the Mineral Root upon which he should work.
XVIII. Geber also farther saith, That our Art is only to be understood and Learned through the true wisdom andknowledge of Natural things: that is, with a wisdom searching into the Roots and Natural principles of the matter.
—4—
XIX. Yet saith he, my Son, I shew thee a Secret, through thou knowest the Principles, yet therein thou canst not follow Nature in all things. Herein some have erred, in Essaying to following Nature in all her properties and differences.
—5—
CHAPTER XXXVII I
OF THE MERCURY, THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF THE WORK.
I. The second Principle of our Stone is called Mercury, which some Philosophers call (as it is simple of it self)
a Stone. One of them said, This is a Stone, and no Stone, and that without which Nature never performs any thing; which enters into, or is swallowed up Of other Bodies, and also swallows them up.
II. This is simply ARGENT VIVE, which contains the
Essential Power, which Explicates the Tincture of our
Elixir or Philosophers Stone.
III. Therefore saith Rhasis, Such a thing may be made of it which exceedeth the highest perfection of Nature. For
it is the Root of Metals, Harinonises with them, and is the Medium that explicates and conjoyns the Tinctures.
IV. For it swallows up that which is of its own Nature and production; but rejects what is Forreign and Heterogene: being of an Uniform substance in all its parts.
V. Wherefore our Stone is called Natural, or Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal, for it is Generated in the Mines, and is the Mother or Womb of all Metals, and by projection coverts into Metals: it Springs or Grows like a Vegetable:
—6-
and abounds with Life like an Animal, by peircing with its Tincture, like Spirit and Life, every where, and through all particles.
VI. Morien saith, This Stone is no Stone that can Generate a living Creature. Another saith, It is cast out upon the Dunghill as a vile thing, and it is hidden from the Eyes or understandings of Ignorant Men.
VII. Also in Libro Speculi Alchymiae, it is said, Our Stone is a thing rejected, but found in Dunghils (i.e. in putrefaction, or the Matter being putrefied) containing in it self the four Elements, over which it Triumphs, and is certainly to be perfected by humane industry.
VIII. Some make MERCURY OF LEAD, Thus: Rx Lead, melt it six or Seven times, and quench it in Salt Armoniac dissolved, of which take lb. iij Sal Vitrioli, lb j. Borax lb. mix, and Digest Forty days in Igne Philosophorum:
So have you Mercury, not at all differing from the Natural, But that is not fit for our work, as the Mineral is. If you have any understanding, this Caution may sufficiently instruct you.
—7—
CHAPTER XXXIX
OF THE PURIFICATION OF THE METALS AND MERCURY FOR OUR WORK.
I. This is a great and certain truth, that the Clean ought to be separated from the Unclean, for nothing can give that which it has not: For the pure substance is of one simple Essence, void of all Heterogeneity: But that which is impure and unclean, consists of Heterogene parts, is not simple, but compounded (to wit of pure and impure) and apt to putrifie and corrupt.
II. Therefore let nothing enter into your Composition, which is Alien or Foreign to the matter, (as all Impurity is;) for nothing goes to the Composition of our Stone, that proceedeth not from it, neither in part nor in whole.
III. If any strange or foreign thing be mixed with it, it is immediately corrupted, and by that Corruption your Work becomes frustrate.
IV. The Citrine Bodies (as Sol, etc.) you must purge by Calcination or Cementation; and it is then purged or purified if it be fine and florid.
V. The metal being well cleansed, beat it into thin Plates or Leaves (as is Leaf Gold,) and reserve them for use.
—8—
VI. The White Liquor (as Mercury) contains two Superfluities, which must necessarily be removed from it, viz. Its foetid
Earthiness, which hinders its Fusion: and its Humidity, which causes its flying.
VII. The Earthiness is thus removed. Put it into a Marble or Wooden mortar, with its equal weight of pure fine and dry salt, and a little Vinegar: Grind all with the Pestle, till nothing of the matter appears, but the whole Salt becomes very black. Wash this whole matter with pure Water, till the Salt is dissolved, this filthy water decant, and put to the Mercury again as much more Salt and Vinegar, grinding it as before, and washing it with fair water, which work so often repeat till the water comes clear from it, and thaq the Mercury remains pure bright and clear like a Venice Looking Glass, and of a Coelestial Colour. Then strain it through a Linen Cloth three or four times doubled, two or three times (into a clean Glass Vessel) till it be dry.
VIII. The proporation of the parts is as 24 to 1. There are 24 Hours in a Natural Day, to which add one, and it is 25. (To Wit, the Rising of the Sun). To understand this, is Wisdom, as Geber saith. Indeavour through the whole Work, to over—power the Mercury in Commixtion.
—9—
IX. Rhasis saith, Those Bodies come nearest to perfection, which contain most Argent Vive: He farther saith, That the Philosophers hid nothing but Weight and Measure, to wit, the Proportions of the Ingredients, which is clear, for that none of them all agree one with another therein:
which causeth great error.
X. Though the matters be well prepared and well mixed, without the Proportions or Quantities of the things be just, and according to the reason of the Work, you will miss of the truth, or the end, and lost all your Labour; you will not indeed bring any thing to perfection.
XI. And this is evident in the Examination: When there is a Transmutation of the Body, or that the Body is changed, then let it be put into the Cineritium or Test, and then it will be consumed, or otherwise remain; according as the proportions are more or less than just; or just as they ought to be.
XII. If they be right and just, according to the Reason of that, you Body will be incorruptible and remain firm, without any loss, through all Essays and Tryals: you can do nothing in this work without the true knowledge of this thing, whose Foundation is Natural matter, purity of substance, and right Reason or proportion.
—10—
CHAPTER XL
OF THE CONJUNCTION OF THE PRINCIPLES, IN ORDER TO THIS
GREAT WORK.
I. Euclid the Philosopher, and a man of great understanding, advises to work in nothing but in Sol and Mercury; which joyned together make the wonderful and admirable Philosophers Stone, as Rhasis saith: White and Red, both proceed from one Root; no other Bodies coming between them.
II. But yet the Gold, wanting Mercury, is hindered from
working according to his power. Therefore know that no
Stone, nor Pearl, or other Forreign thing, but this our
Stone, belongs to this work.
III. You must therefore Labour about the Dissolution of the Citrine Body, to reduce it into its first matter: for as Rhasis saith, We dissolve Gold, that it may be reduced into its first Nature or matter, that is, into MERCURY.
...
asaniol