The Heaven of the Philosophers:OR,A Book of Vexations.ByPhilippus Theophrastus Paracelsus.
The Heaven of the Philosophers:OR,A Book of Vexations.ByPhilippus Theophrastus Paracelsus.
The Art and Nature ofAlchymy, and what is to be thought concerning it; being comprehended in Seven undoubted Rules, respecting the Seven vulgar Metals.
ThePREFACE.Theophrastus Paracelsusto all Alchymists and Readers of this little Book.
Beloved and Expert of the Art ofAlchymy, and all ye who promise to your selves much Riches and Gains of much Gold and Silver, which thingAlchymydoth plentifully teach, and ye (who being occupied about these things) would be vexed, and cannot cease until you have experienced what it gives, and what promises it performs; verily, daily Experience teacheth, that there is not one of a thousand that becomes Master of his Desire; which I will not call the fault of the Art or Nature, but the unskilfulness of the Artificer.
Wherefore I will not stuff this little Book ofAlchymywith difficult Art and tedious Labours, as the common Alchymists are wont to do.
(℞ ♁ melt it with Nitre and Tartar, of this take one Lot, of Gold one Lot, of Tin three drams, of Schlich one dram, of Sulphur two Lots, of Vitriol two lots; let them flow with ☽ in a Crucible with Arsenick.)Because also all the signs of Heaven, and the characters of the Stars and Planets, together with their changed and inverted terms and names, as also the Receptacles of the matter, and the Instruments of Artificers are usually very well known; It will not be needful to treat of these things anew in this Book, although herein are used these signs, names, and characters, when it seems convenient and profitable.
Now here is delivered another Reason ofAlchymy, in seven Rules, accommodated to the seven Metals, after an infallible manner, although in Expressions not adorned, but undressed and simple: Yet, as to the sence, the expressions are abstruse and profound as can be; which may deservedly be called the Mistriss and Summ of allAlchymy; from which even the mysteries of other things may be produced, divined, and known, with many new Speculations, from whence new Cogitations and wonderous Operations, do (by examining and trying) come forth to the Light, that in many places they are even, in the Examen or tryal it self, found to contradict the Pleasures of the Philosophers.
Likewise in this Art nothing is more certain, than that which is least apprehended and believed; and this is the only fault and cause of all various Operations inAlchymy; whence ’tis that many suffer loss by their own unskilfulness, and so labour in vain, either because there’s more of the matter, or less, or equal weight, whence the thing is more corrupted in operation and destroyed; or if the thing is truly lighted on, it is become more exalted, and tends unto Perfection.
For the way is most easie, but is found by but very few. It’s also expedient, that an ingenious man consider the Art and certain Rule ofAlchymy, whether he would make something or nothing: he ought to make a nothing, that he may bring something unto nothing, and that something may be again generated out of nothing; which Saying is incredible, but yet most true;Corruption makes a good thing perfect: Yea, good cannot appear, because of his covering and hider; good also is begun whilst ’tis hidden; the hider ought to be removed and destroyed, then the good being freed, will manifestly appear in his lustre, theGloss: the hider or covering is the Mountain, Sand, Earth, or Stone wherein the Metal was generated. Now every visible metal is the obscurer or hider of the other six metals.
Because therefore that by the Element of fire Imperfect things are corrupted, burnt up, and sublimed such as the five metals,♂, ♃, ☿, ♀, & ♄are; but the Perfect not at all,viz.the two most Noble, the☉and the☽, therefore they ought to abide even in the fire, and to assume their body out of the other Imperfect metals, in which they are destroyed, and to appear visibly; which thing,how it may be done, and what helps are thereto necessary, shall be taught in the seven Rules,viz.What the nature and property of every metal is; what operation he hath, being mixt with others; and what he can do.
’Tis also to be observed, that these seven Rules cannot forthwith be understood by one that is somewhat dull, at the first reading and view, a weak understanding cannot compass hard things. Hence every of these Rules wants much search and travel. Some are pufft up and proud, supposing themselves well to understand; and these things are childish, which are here delivered, and they know far better, and do plainly contemn these things of mine.
Glaub.] This Preface is of it self perspicuous, and needs not any singular Interpretation or Explication, but indeed the Process which he mentions requires a more accurate Observation.
Take Antimony, melt it with Tartar and Nitre, of this take one lot; of Gold one Lot; of Tin three drams; of Schlich one dram; of Sulphur two lots; of Vitriol two lots: let them flow with Silver in a Crucible with Arsenick.
This is the Process of making Gold and Silver, whichParacelsuswill not have to be accounted like unto other Processes, of much labour and long time, but is confident, that by the help hereof he can get Gold and Silver with little labour, time, and costs.
’Tis not to be doubted, but that this hath been tryed by thousands, and frustrated the hope of such as laboured thereabouts; and that not without cause, they imagining that these are foolish ingredients to be taken for such work; my self have heard many of those that have made trial, to be very much displeased: By what means can gold and silver be made by volatile and preying ravenous things, such as ♁, Vitriol, Sulphur, & Arsenick are, which do not only yield from themselves no Gold or Silver, but even corrupt them, and bring them to fume, or at the least turn them toScoria; my self trying this when I had blown them altogether, I found that these metalline species, as Schlich, Vitriol, Sulphur, and Arsenick did, corrupt the Sun and Moon, spoiling of its metalline form, and transmuted it intoScoriaor dross. But now this is the thing whichParacelsusrequires and aims at, and therefore should not by any means hinder or deterr us; he presently, for the better explication of his meaning, adds, Something ought to be made a Nothing; and again, the Nothing to be made Something; which thing the unskilful doth not heed or believe, that Metals being corrupted and madeScoria, when by the benefit of Art they are reduced, are by this means meliorated; which albeit it be most true, yet are they but a very few (as he saith) who believe it to be true: and he confirms the whole process throughout the Chapter, even to the Chapter of ☿, and explains it, saying,Corruption makes a good thing perfect.
The Good cannot appear by reason of its covering. The hider or veil must be taken away, that the Good may be freed and become conspicuous; that also the first covering, under which metals are hidden, and wherein they are generated, is a Mountain, Sand, Stone, or Earth, all which are to be separated by fusion, that the metals may become pure.
Here the Metallurgist desists, and is clearly ignorant of any other covering. ButParacelsusaddeth, That each metal is a hider of the other metals, which thing the Seven Rules do largely demonstrate, and adviseth the Chymist not to rest satisfied, when he hath gotten from the Mines a vendible metal, as ♂, ♀, ♃, ♄, melted from the dross, but to consult further with natural Philosophy, and to examin whether or no these are pure enough, without any adhering and deteriorating veil.
How great the difference is betwixt a rude and a vile Mineral (where the metal is largely dispers’d and commixt with much stony matter and other impurities) and a tractable metal faithfully separated, is well known. So much, and more, is the difference betwixt a vulgar and imperfect metal, and the Gold and Silver which it contains shut up in its bowels. But because the melting of metals out of their mines is, by reason of its long use, grown vile, and not esteemed an Art, but a Trade, and every where exercised, without any ones admiration; yet in its beginning, before it became so commonly known, it was worthily accompted a deep Secret, although now disrespected. We may not doubt, but that even yet another veil adheres to metals, and may with as much facility be removed; and its inward, pure, and fixt center, Gold and Silver be melted out and separated, if the way were but known. But because men do not bestow any further Labour and Industry in searching, and the use of vulgar metals is highly necessary, we rest contented, in that metals once melted from their mines become malleable, and fitted for the use of man: Nor is this unadvisedly done, for the life of man can as little want Iron, ♃, ♀, and Lead, as it can gold and silver.
Paracelsusteacheth, That imperfect metals are corrupted and brought into a nothing, by the force of fire; which they cannot sustain or bear; but their good parts, Gold and Silver, cannot be destroyed, but in the great strait and force of fire do come together out of the imperfect metals, and mutually defend each other, the impure portion being burnt up and removed.
Now then, that the species and ingredients of this process may be understood, something must be mentioned by us thereabouts.
Thus then ’tis written; ℞. ♁ melt it with Nitre and Tartar, of this take one lot; ’tis to be noted that you are not to take the lot of the whole molten mass, but of one of the two, either the upper part being theScoria, or inferiour or lower being theRegulus, which this flowing mixture sends downward.
But which it is, it cannot be perceived by the words; yet becauseParacelsus’s intention here is to destroy gold and silver by the admixtion of the aforesaid ingredients, and to bring them to nothing, out of which nothing the destroyed augmentation of the sun may be afterwards by some additament, obtained, in reducing it, it seems probable to think that theScoriaof the mixture is not to be taken, but theRegulus, which hath Ingress into Tin, Arsenick, and Schlich, and unites them with gold and silver, for it is the Property of theRegulus, to unite & conjoin contrary Metals and Minerals.
Tin is joined with malleable metals, and melted and suffers the fire with them, brings them intoScoria, the which thing Sulphur, Vitriol, and Schlich, also perform, and are here used byParacelsusfor no other end than to corrupt the sun and moon, and bring them intoScoria. But what schlich (Schlich) this is, because no proper name of Gold, ☽, ♂, ♀, ♄, or ♃, is added, no body can easily tell, for this is called schlecht by Chymists and Metallurgists when they take a Mineral excellently well ground, and washed with water, thereby separating the mineral or the rubish and stone, the heavyer, and more noble part of themetal remaining in the bottom of the vessel, which examining they thereby Conjecture the value of the metal or mineral: this labour they call a bringing intoSchlich, or alsoSecher, and because all metals may be reduced into schlichs or calx, this word Schlich or Calx may suit with all metals, or else it may be that most small dust or powder in polishing mills, (Schleiff-muhleu) where various Iron Instruments, Swords, Brest-plates, and other Arms are Polished, and which is wont to be under the grinding stone in deep guttars destinated to that purpose, or gathered in wooden vessels, and sold to such as dy black cloaths, and is called calx or Schlich. But now whether or no, he means this or the calx of any other metal, it is uncertain, nor doth it much concern; for the Sun and ☽ may be reduced into a nothing without any of these Calces, and may be again augmented, and brought into something, as you shall see in the following Chapters of the Transmutation of metals.
Vain was their expectation who thought to turn all these speices, thus blown together, into Gold and Silver, but yet could not get any other thing than a yellow, or spadiceousScoriacontrary to their hopes but the Corruscation (Blief) is most blessed and gladsome, if any one can get by reduction from a destroyed metal brought into Scoria, a most noble one and better than heretofore it was. But this destruction and reduction is not uniform, but is perfected many several ways as the following Chapters teach.
Of the Nature and Property ofMercury.
All things are absconded and hidden in all things, but of all things there is one which is a coverer or hider of the rest, and is a Corporeal Body, External, Visible, Moveable: all fluxes are manifest in this vessel, for this vessel is a Corporeal Spirit, and therefore all Coagulations, and Consistences are captivated and shut up therein being overcome by its flux compassed about and strengthened thereby, what this flux is, its cause and name what it is called, cannot be found, because there is no heat which may be therewith compared. The burning of theGehennalFire may be likened thereunto, on which account this Flux hath nothing at all of Community or Affinity with other fluxes, which are melted by the heat of common fire, and become hard and coagulated by natural cold. These fluxings or meltings cannot thus operate with ☿, they are too weak, he values them not; hence ’tis to be observed, that the mortal Virtues of the four Elements have no ingressive Operations upon the Cœlestial Virtues, which Virtues we also call Quintessence, because Elements cannot either give unto, or take any thing from this Quintessence; the Cœlestial or Infernal Virtue cares not for the four Elements.
Hence note, That none of the Elements, nor any Elementary thing, be it dry or moist, hot or cold, none of these can do any thing against that Quintessential Virtue, but each hath its operation and efficacy for it self apart.
Glaub.] In this Chapter or first Rule of ☿,Paracelsususeth succinct but yet perspicuous words, saying, that the fluidity of Mercury ariseth not from the four corruptible Elements, but from the Quintessence, and therefore hath not any affinity with these Elementary fluxings and meltings. Now, what this Quintessence properly is, whichParacelsushere mentions, much might be spoken, but ’tis not so convenient at this time, my self and other Philosophers have largely treated thereof, and therefore speak not of it now.
This only I add over and above, ThatParacelsuswill have the Quintessence to be a thing not subject to the four Elements, but permanent and incorruptible, whereby he gives to understand, That seeing ’tis so, that the fluidity of Mercury hath its originality from the Quintessence, and not elementary Fire, so its coagulation is in like manner to be made by the Quintessence and not by the elementary Fires, be they hot or cold.
But now, what that Quintessence is, that coagulates Mercury, and transmutes him into Gold or Silver, it may be easily conjectured, that it is not to be sought for out of Vegetables and Animals, but to be extracted out of Metals, and ought to be much more pure, fixt, and meltable than they are.
Many are the things whichParacelsushath written of this Quintessence, attributing great Virtues thereunto; he that desires it, may read thereof in his Writings. Likewise many Philosophers affirm it to be a thing reduced by the benefit of Art into the purest and highest substance. Which name of Quintessence, some there are that attribute unto that Tincture, wherewith perfections are wont to be made. By which it is evident, That by the name of Quintessence is alwaies understood the most pure, the best, and the most powerful part of a thing. But be it what it will be, ’tis clear, That Mercury is a wonderful subject, nor is to be coagulated and fixed so easily, as many have falsly believed, and tryed the contrary to their great loss.
Many are the Coals which have been vainly consumed about his fixation, and are consumed, although alwaies in vain; my self have also, though not often, handled him with a great deal of tediousness, which although not permanently fixt, yet observing therein many singular things, of which I count it expedient to relate something. In him is a most great power and virtue, most friendly to Metals; he is easily mixed with the purest Metals, and most difficultly with the impure; which denotes him to be of a most pure nature: And now, if he come to be fixed, I could demonstrate, if need were, by indubitable reasons, that a thing more pure than Gold would flow therefrom. It alwaies produceth something as often as it is added to Metals, and constrained to undergo some fire, helping them evidently, even whilst it is in its Volatility; what then would it do, if being therewith fixed, it were along while melted with them in the Fire?
This I add for the better Lights sake.
When I was in my youthful days, and saw many attempting to fix Mercury with Gold and Silver, by Amalgamation, Sublimation, Coagulation, Precipitation, and other Labours of that kind, to transmute it into Gold and Silver; my self also attempted somewhat about him, by the advice ofParacelsus’s Sayings, That in Saturn its Coagulation is to be found. On this account I melted in a little Crucible 6 or 7 parts of Lead, and added one part of Mercury; this I put into another Crucible where Nitre did flow, that it might be covered over thereby; in the mean while I melted the glass of ♄, (being made of 4 parts ofMinium, and one part of Flints) in a greater Crucible, whereto I put the two former Crucibles heated to be covered by the glass.These three I again sunk into a new Crucible flowing with the glass of ♄, thinking that I should this way keep in the volatile Guest, having now shut up Mercury in so many walls, I put him to the fire, intending to fix him, and then indeed he sustained it, not being able to break through; but increasing my fire, and the Glass melting with Nitre, away he goes leaving an empty nest, and left ♄’s weight whole and perfect, which having examined, it yielded a grain of Silver heavier than the common ☽ which I believed to be Mercury fixt and coagulated, but reiterating that labour, I found it to be otherways,viz.that the Mercury was not it self fixed, but flown away, but yet by his occult power penetrated and meliorated the lead, that it afforded a little silver; also the whole mass of lead was hereby made black, and hardened like tin, whereby I perceived, that Mercury being a pure, meer fiery spirit, is most impatient of the Fire, and cannot be fixed without a Quintessence.
But thus much indeed it can do, if being joined with other metals, it can be so long held, as to endure the Fire; although it presently vanisheth away, it doth in a manner change them, not by bettering them, but stirring them up by its penetration, that they may mutually act each upon the other, and receive a meliorating faculty, although without any great profit, as far as I know, but I only intend to discover its possibility, its miraculous and almost unsearchable power, for it may deservedly be esteemed a Miracle of Nature. It is a meer invisible Fire; albeit such as are ignorant account it cold, and by Art it may be made far more fiery and volatile; which I sometimes have tryed, where being often injected into a vehement fire, again and again, and received in Glasses, it hath elevated it self without any fire, and gone away into its ownChaos. In a word, many men have accomplished prodigious things with Mercury, but all of them without any fruit; of which more shall be spoken in its place.
OfJupiterand his Nature.
Whatsoever thing is manifest, (as the Body ofJupiterfor example) the six other Corporeal Metals are therein hidden spiritually, and one more profound and remote than another.Jupiterpartakes not of the quintessence, but of the nature of the four Elements, therefore his fluidity is manifested by a little heat of the Fire, and his coagulation in like sort perfected by a little cold, and hath communion with the rest of the metalline Fluxes.
Wherefore by how much one thing is in nature like to another, by so much the readier is it united thereunto, if they mutually touch one another; that also which is nigh, is more efficacious and sensible; for that which is afar off, doth not enforce, nor is that which is remote, how great soever it be, much feared. Hence ’tis that heaven is not desired, because ’tis far distant, nor seen by any one; neither is hell feared, because it is far off, whose form none hath known and seen, nor felt the Torment, and therefore ’tis valued as nothing. Those things then that are absent, are little regarded, or plainly rejected, being constituted in a thick place, for by the property of the place every thing is deteriorated or meliorated; which thing may be proved by many Examples.
By how much thereforeJupiteris farther off from♂and♀, and nigher to the Sun and Moon, by so much the more Golden or Silver-like is he in his own body, and seems more great, potent, pellucid, sensible, more fair, pleasant, notable, palpable, more true and more certain than elongated, or at a distance. On the contrary, by how much the more he is elongated, by so much the more vile and abject he is in the matters aforesaid: for things present are alwaies more notable than those which are absent: by how much any thing visible is nearer, by so much a thing invisible is more remote. Therefore it behoves the Alchymist to study how he may placeJupiterin a spiritualArcanumand remote place, in which areSolandLuna; and that he may takeSolandLunafrom far, and bring them near, into a place whereJupiterexisteth corporally, so that theSolandLunamay also be corporal and truly present before his eyes in theExamen. For there are various labours and modes of transmuting metals from their imperfection, into a perfect state.
To mix one with another, and again to separate the one from the other pure and sincere, is nothing else but a genuine permutation made by the labour of Alchymy. Note, thatJupiterhath much Gold, and not a little Silver. Put to himSaturnandLuna, and theLunawill be augmented by the rest.
Glaub.] Although I do not certainly know the reason whyParacelsusbeginning with Mercury, passeth next to Jupiter; nevertheless it is very probable that he would thereby point at some singular Mystery. Here he repeateth the former sentence, saying, Every visible metal hideth in it self the rest invisibly, from which if we would reap any good, their invisible and spiritual Gold is to be taken and brought near, or to be visible; and on the contrary, the visible to be removed afar off and made invisible. But how this ought to be done he doth not teach, but leaves the Reader to search it out in his seven Canons or Rules, which are very difficult to be understood not only by a rude Tyro, but even by one well exercised: And seeing that not one in a thousand understands them, it is no wonder that his Writings have been had in Contempt.
Without doubt he aimed at our good, supposing he had written very clearly, and directed his speech in such a manner, as if he had to do with one that is skilful in the metalline nature, without having any respect to the common blindness and ignorance, whereby he received great thanks, and was highly esteemed of by all.
But what shall we say or do? ’Tis bad meeting with wicked proud men, as thou most clearly writest; yet because the unexercised, if they have even once erred, they wrack and abuse the Writer with meer slanders: Hence it comes to pass, that many desire rather to be silent, and leave unto fools their own toys and vanities: But the Case being with more accurate examination considered, it seemeth evil to be revenged on the Innocent as well as the Guilty.
As for Tin, if thou searchest into its nature and property, it is a pure (compared with the other metals) unripe metal, abounding with very much combustible Sulphur, whereby it obtains its liquifaction and corruption in the fire: which being removed (and it may be done with a gentle fire) it loseth its metalline fluidity, and very much resembles unmelted ashes, whereto if you add another sulphur, whereby that ashes may turn into a metal; and againconvertest it into ashes, repeating this labour until all its combustible sulphur being burnt up, it refuseth to go into ashes, by Calcination, and then melt it, ’twill easily give forth its gold and silver in the trial (im abtreiben.) Now, in the being mixt with Lead, it causeth a strife in a strong Fire, and getting uppermost, turns into ashes, that is to be imputed to the combustible sulphur, whereby it so being melted with Gold, Silver, Copper and Iron, it makes them brittle like to Glass, but being dispelled of that Sulphur, by roasting or calcining by Incineration or Cementation, or any other way, it doth not any more make them brittle (which thing to do is full of difficulty) but is melted with them, and most easily separated with, Venus (last sich sehgern) she knowing how by her kind and flattering words to perswade the two old men ♄ and ♃, mutually to abide each other in the fire; Gold and Silver will also do the same thing; but because they are precious and easily flow out of the Crucible, and the Work may perish, it is sufficient to use ♀, which also will give from it self its own hidden Gold and Silver, and not to take these metals which are purified with great labour, and drown them afresh in impure metals, and destroy them.
There are also other waies of purging ♃, from his superfluous sulphur,viz.a Nitrous fire. If filed ♃, being mixt with Nitre, Sulphur, & Sawdust, be kindled, part of the tin is elevated up into flores, and a part remains reducible in a strong fire, which is to be so often handled the aforesaid way, till all the substance be reduced, into flores and ashes, the metallick form and nature being most plainly destroyed; after this, let the flores be gathered out of the Receivers, and the ashes elixiviated or washed, and by the help of a good Flux be reduced into a metal, which is to be again filed, sublimed, and burnt, as before, until all the Tin remains like Scoria, and will not sublime; which being melted with Lead and separated, (mit Blen amstieden und abtreiben) thou shalt find gold and silver shut up in its bowels.
Likewise pour fixed Nitre (the liquor of it) on the filings of Tin, digest it its time, supply the evaporating moisture with new Liquor, that it may be alwaies moist, but yet let it not be too wet, but like thick water. This Liquor dissolves and takes away the combustible sulphur of the Tin, and fixeth that which is incombustible, and makes it capable of enduring the fire; so that being melted with Lead, and purged (aensieden und abtreiben) it yields its gold and silver.
Another separation is thus instituted; Reduce Tin with common ♄ orRegulus, ♁ j. into Glass or Amausa, which keep a good while in Flux in a strong fire, (forget not the inceration of Nitre or salt of Tartar) by which labour the purer parts of the ♃ being gathered together, do give aRegulus, the impurer parts separating themselves with the Lead and Salt into Scoria, theRegulusbeing purged (abgetieben) thou shalt have the fixed gold and silver in the Cupel.
But ’tis to be known, that these Operations may be done without Copper, but yet will yield more ☉ and ☽ if Copper be added; not only for that the ♀ it self gives forth its ☉ and ☽, but because Tin of it self, without the admixtion of ♀, doth not willingly let go its own ☉ and ☽. But in seeking of shelter amongst its own ♀, and withdrawing it self to theScoria, is there hidden (the Labour being finished) theScoriacan no more attract it into it self.
♀ therefore is as it were a Receptacle, wherein the Sun and Moon collected and separated out of the mass, can defend and hide it self, and is by Chymists called a Bath orBalneum.
In the 4th. Chapter, which treats of ♀, a more large account is given of this labour of metalline Glass. Moreover gold and silver may be separated out of tin in this wise.
Melt common Lead in a Test (treib scherben) under a Muffle (een muffel) and being throughly hot, cast in a little ♃, and it will incontinently have Ingress, but will forthwith ascend and kindle like burning sparks and go into ashes; which must be taken off with a crooked Instrument, and more new Tin put in; which being burnt, let it be taken out. Repeat this labour so long, till all the Lead be devoured as it were by the Tin.
Put these ashes on a Test, under a Muffle, and let them be yet well heated by the fire for an hour; so that if any grains of ♄ remain, they may be made ashes, and the calcined ashes of the tin may be the better fixed. Reduce these ashes, and ’twill become a metal, which let be again made ashes upon a Test; repeat this labour, until in reduction it refuseth to go into a metal, but remains aScoriaand a metal destroyed; which put into an excellent Crucible, and by a Flux made of Tartar and Nitre, let it melt its due time, and the fixed Tin, together with part of the Lead, will go to the bottom into aRegulus; which being washed (abgetrieben) makes manifest the gold and silver hid in the Tin on the Test. This Labour is neat, easie, and but of small charge, especially where wood and coals are cheap, theScoria, from which theRegulusis separated, is not to be thrown away, but kept for other uses, of which we shall presently speak.
Now he that promiseth Gain unto himself from this small work on a Test, is deceived, because hereby is only found how much ☉ and ☽ is contained in an hundred weight of ♃, and what costs are expended in its melting, whereby may be computed what gains may be expected every day, nor indeed is this work (thus done under a muffle) so profitably accomplished, as ’tis in greater Furnaces, where being a greater heat of fire, a more plentiful gain is promised. And although because of many various Imployments my self never tryed, yet I will briefly delineate and describe how a large Return may be made, according to Calculation, computed by a smaller quantity.
An hundred of Tin requires 10 or 12 C. of ♄; (the work being wisely handled) the price of the Lead, ♃, Coals and Labour, being summed up, and being substracted from the ☉, there seems to remain but a very little to defray the charges. But if you look thereinto a little more narrowly, you will find a recompence and benefit arising thence, not to be despised, especially if you use Lead impregnated with ☽, which by reason of not considering the benefit and gain, remains unseparated therefrom. Likewise you may use a golden ♃, such being often found as contains as much ☉ as the ♃ costs; and you may also meet with ♄, which contains as much ☽ as the Lead is worth, but not separated by the Refiners, because they are ignorant of this separation, which by the usual way cannot be separated with profit: and that your Labour may be the more beneficial, you may add to your ♃ some golden or silverstones and minerals, as Marcasites, ♁, Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt, and various Pyrites or Kisij (which because of the small quantity of their included ☉, are never wont to be melted) & let them bescorified, which yielding also their gold and silver, do bring in a greater profit; but especially if these Minerals having been first melted with Copper, are by the benefit of Iron (or melted with Iron) brought intoRegulus, and their Gold reduced to a narrow compass, whichRegulusbeing thrown into the Lead, together with the Tin, let be made intoScoria, and then their ☉ is gotten without much charge, and is depurated by the Tin. But now, if you would have this separation profitable, it is not to be done in Crucibles, but in well compact Furnaces or Hearths, whereon the bright flames running, let your metals be throughly heated or calcined, and your Calcination, Incineration, or Annihilation being accomplished, let Reduction be made in an acute Furnace, (im Stichofen,) of which thing my time permits me not to give any larger account; its sufficient to have experienced the truth thereof in a lesser quantity; any one may try his fortune in Metallick Operations.
Now, although there are more waies of separating ☉ and ☽ from ♃, yet what I have already declared seems sufficient for this time; the following Chapters, wherein the nature of the other metals is treated of, will manifestly open what I have decreed to discover concerning them.
OfMarsand his Property.
The six hid Metals have thrust out, or expelled the seventh from them, and made him Corporeal, leaving unto him lowest Dignity, and imposing on him the most thick hardness and labour. In this body have they manifested their whole strength, and hardness of Coagulation to be, shutting up, or keeping inward, their Colours and Nobility, with their Fluidity. ’Tis hard and full of Labour, to make a Prince or King of a Peasant, or common Fellow: But♂by his Vertue, obtains Honour, and gets up into the high Throne of the King: But ’tis expedient, that care be used, least hastily posting forward, he be taken. It is to be considered by what Art♂may be promoted to the Throne; but the☉and☽put in the place of♂with♄.
Glaub.] We are come now toMarsin order, it being the3d.according to the Compute also of the Astronomers, descending from above. NowParacelsusdoth not attribute the first place to ♄, as the Astronomers do, but to ☿; and haply, not without great Cause, hinting hereby some singular thing. He goes on, and saysMarsis rude, sharp, and thick, because the other Metals have cast out their most ignoble, and basest part upon him, which thing experience testifies: He is composed of hard knotty Timber, and hath in him but little good; he is sharp and churlish, and not at all to be compared to gentle, tender, and noble ♃; but if he be once freed from his knottiness, which is hard to do, and render’d tractable, he shews his Virtue, and discovers himself also to be a partaker of the Royal Blood.Paracelsusadds, that ♄ can take away his knots, and elevate him to an higher degree, although the Astronomers are very much displeas’d with the Conjunction of these two, as being the Author of all evil, and have therefore inserted peace-making, and benignJupiterin the middle. Now that LameSaturnmay polish and make crabbed ♂ smooth,Paracelsustells you that there’s need of Caution, lest by over hastiness, he bring loss upon himself. He stoutly resists, nor doth he easily yield, but rather busily contrives how to captivate and destroy others; yetParacelsusmentions its possibility; whose Reasons, Way, or Manner, we will briefly illustrate. ♄ indeed is by Birth, fitted to wash the other imperfect Metals, and to purge them from their superfluous Sulphur, if any good doth accidentally adhere unto them, but knows not how to remove their radical, and innate Impurity; and that it is not alone sufficient for this thing, the trial of the Test witnesseth; for although you add Iron to ♄, to be separated upon the Cupel; (Abgehen Lassen) yet hath it no sincere ingress into ♄; but if it be so far brought by great labour, it doth not remain, but speedily separates to the Superficies, likeScoria, and leaves nothing with the Lead, but what was accidentally in it, himself withdrawing with his whole power, and native goodness; Tin also doth the same; but Copper albeit it swims not upon the Lead, nor goes away, yet it is not therewith radically joined, but being reduced with the Lead, into LiquableScoria, descends into the porous Ashes, of which we have accurately treated in the Fourth Part of our Furnaces, and in the Appendix.
Lead is not therefore the true washing of Metals, but that it may so become, ’tis clear that it must be aptly prepared; and if you do more exactly contemplate on the thing, you’ll find it very rational; for by what means can ♄ the most liquable of all the Metals, freely copulate with ♂, which is the hardest: Indeed ’tis true, that they enter each into the other by mutual fusion; but ’tis forcedly and superficially, not radically; as if one boils Water, mixt with Meal, into a Pulse; the Water thickens, the Flour moistens; yet neither entring into the other, radically; but the Water getting into the Pores of the Meal, or Flour, makes it Pap: In the same manner is it with ♄ and ♂, they are indeed mixt; but cannot equally sustain the violence of the Fire. ♂ doth not alter his breeding or wit; but in the melting together, remain an hard, and not easily melted Metal; nor is the humidity and liquability of the Lead hereby corrected; for although they are become one Mass, yet each keeps his old Condition: but if they are so order’d, that both of them may undergoe the same Fire; then the Iron will yield, and deliver his Gold unto the Lead, and his warm Volatile Sulphur maturates the Silver, lying hid in the Lead; exalts it, and makes it corporeal, that each bestows on the other, his Goodness and Virtue; each supplies the others defects, and both are perfected; for although hard crabbed ♂ be made flow with liquid and combustible Sulphur, or a Sulphureous Mineral, as ♁,Arsenick, orAuripigment; yet is not any transmutation made, each remaining in his own Nature, without alteration; like as ☿ being reduced intoAmalgama, with ☉ or ☽, makes no solution, only adheres unto the Gold, and easily separates therefrom, leaving the Gold to himself: But if any one know how to conjoin, ☉ and ☽ withMercuryradically, they would not forsake one the other; but would perfect themselves mutually in a strong Fire; so would the other Metals too, were they but radically commixt. Some one may ask, what is this radical or spiritual Commixtionof the Metals, and what I understand thereby? for Answer, They are to be so united with an implanted Love, that they freely join together, and so remain equally, enduring prosperity and adversity; and neither of them discernible from the other, that they penetrate the shut Gates, and thick Walls, without any obstacle; that the Volatile exhales not in the Fire: that which is liquable, separates not from what is illiquable; thereby penetrating the Vessel, leaving behind it, the more fixt, or rougher part, in the form ofScoria: But thou mayst demand by what means I spiritualize the Metals, and radically conjoin them; what, must they first be dissolved inAqua fortis, or other corrosive Spirits, and be distilled by anAlembick, that they may become Volatile? No, I mean not any of this; this kind of spiritualization is a meer deceitful, and cheating Labour, hindering many thousands, which otherwise would be nigher to the Truth: All the Philosophers disswade you therefrom, that you do not torment the Metals with sharp spirits, whereby instead of being perfected, they are corrupted and mortifyed radically. ’Tis madness to pour more Water into any one that is suffocated with Water, thereby to restore him to Life; this is to put the Bridle on the Horse’s Tail. Now ’tis evident, that the superfluity in imperfect Metals, is their combustible and corrosive Sulphur; and by how much, the more imperfect and base they are, so much the more of a combustible Sulphur do they possess: an evident Testimony, of which we have in Iron, or ♂: ’Tis only his acid Sulphur that deprives him of every degree of dignity, which gross, acid, and vitriolated Sulphur, did he not so much abound withal, he would not contract Rust so easily; and by the attractive Moisture be so soon corrupted: and were he not so quickly rusty, he would be put to better uses, than now he is. But you may object, that you cannot conceive, how he can have such a corrosive Sulphur, whence should it happen to him, for the Mineral, and Stones, whence he is extracted, do not appear to be impregnated with such a Sulphur; whence comes it therefore to be in him? Besides, if the Mineral did partake of such a Sulphur, surely it would never abide a Fire so violent, but it would be driven away.
My Friend, thou dost not at all understand the Nature of Metals, and for what end it was, that Nature left such a Sulphur in Iron, and the other imperfect Metals; for it is a Nutriment unto their better Parts, being like anEmbryo, and as it were, a Covering or a Matrix, in which a noble Child is maturated, and is (after the ripeness of the pure Metal) thence excluded. For Natures intention was not, that Iron should be but Iron, but rather Gold; but the digger not willing to wait so long, and knowing the manifold uses of Iron, allows not time for it to become Gold, just like the Fisher-man (who catching a very small Fish, and the Fish desiring to return into the Water, until being grown bigger, he might the better fill the Platter) said, nay, but I will hold thee, as thou art, for ’tis uncertain, whether or no, being grown bigger, thou mayst then be found. Just thus doth the Miner do, he waits not the Irons becoming Gold, but puts it to its present use.
’Tis commonly known, that there is abundance of corrosive Salt therein, which is not combustible in melting Fire, neither needs it any further demonstration; it having been also treated of in the Annotations of my Appendix: and that thou mayst see that a Metal can preserve, and keep its volatile combustible Sulphur in a melting Furnace, I will expound it somewhat clearer: Gold having already obtained its perfection (it being a mature product) Nature hath separated this combustible Sulphur, or acid volatile Salt therefrom; because it needs it not for any further nutriment: neither would it hold it, if it should be put unto it, but thrusts it from it in the Fire, and hath no affinity therewith, as the other imperfect Metals have.
NowLunaalthough it be not so compleatly perfect asSol; yet, ’tis more perfect than the others, and hath notwithstanding, a Commerce with this sulphureous Salt; yea, so as to hold common Sulphur a very long while in a great heat, which we shall declare anon in the separation of Metals; and if ☽ (which is almost a ripe Metal) doth thus, questionless the other more imperfect ones will do it more willingly; which thing, that you may be the more assured of, incorporate a sulphureous Salt with any Metal, and continue it in a great heat; and after a few hours you shall see that your Metal will hold that Sulphur, and defend it against the force of Fire; but if a Metal be in some sort freed from this sulphureous Salt by a melting Fire, it doth again receive and hold it; Will it not therefore hold its own, wherein it was born and from whence it came forth. ♂ excells them all as to this, being not only a friend to sulphureous and corrosive Salts, but also to Vrinous which (when it cannot have acid salts) it doth by a magnetick power attract and defend these in the fire. For example; mix the filings of ♂ with Nitre and salt of Tartar, and these salts, in a melting Fire, will be fixed with ♂, and resists the Fire. Which thing is most worthy observation, and by no means to be neglected.
But to return to my former purpose of demonstrating, that Imperfect Metals are not only, not bettered by corrosive salts and spirits, but are rather corrupted: Daily experience doth prove it before the eyes, that all such as have used corrosive spirits in their bettering of metals, have done no good at all therewith, but have, to their hurt, lost both their time and labour: whereas those that have used othermenstruumsthat are not corrosive, have profited more therefrom, and have seen more than they have sought; such as those are in a way tending to dissolve metals without corrosives; to make them spiritual, and radically to unite them, that they may mutually act in, and sustain or undergo the Fire alike, and may co-operate to purity and perfection, and may ennoble themselves. Of whichSpiritualizationmore shall be spoken in the Sixth Chapter, whereParacelsusalso treats thereof. This therefore do I affirm of ♂, that he must be handled with suchmenstruumsas are not only not corrosive, but contrary to Corrosives, and such as mollify and separate those Corrosives which the Metals hold in fusion, that so for the time to come they may attract no more any moisture, and thereby contract Rust, and be corrupted; but may be rather able to preserve and defend themselves against Corrosives and combustible Sulphur. But let none think, that ♂ being by this Antidote freed from its thick, earthy, and combustible, and corrosive sulphur, will be wholly turned into ☉, for ’tis the smallest part of ♂ that is good: by how much the ☉ is more noble than common ♂, by so much is the ♂, fromwhence the Sol is separated more vild than other Iron, and the remainder is nothing else but a most vild Earth orScoria, void of all metallick fusion. The milk of a Cow or another Animal, if unmixt with water, is good milk; but yet ’tis far inferiour in goodness to pure, good, well-wrought Butter; and by how much milk is more vild than butter, by so much is the whey and acid milk from whence the Cream is separated, more vild than that which is sweet and abounds with Cream. If generous wine be spoiled of its spirit most sweet and most excellent, by the benefit of Destillation, one part of that is better than 12 parts of wine out of which it was extracted; the remainder cannot be wine any more, but is much inferiour to good wine, as wine is to the spirit.
The like is it with Metals, which being deprived of their soul, whereby they obtained a metallick form, they can no more be malleable Metals. Therefore ’tis good to consider whether or no in the separation of ☉ out of the Imperfect metals, it will be answerable (in value) to the metal, and other Expences necessary about extracting it; but now, if you know how to apply the residue of the Metal to other uses, you may with the more confidence attempt the separation. But to return to the words ofParacelsus, I will shew how ♂ may, through ♄’s help, arrive to a Kingly dignity. I have before said, that there is no familiarity between the most fusile and most hard metal, but the one will be gone away in fume before the other will melt, and that we cannot want ♄ in the separation of ♂; but how it is to be handled, I will briefly explain.
Saturn of himself is liquable and volatile, but yet can be made illiquable and fixt without detriment of the Radical Moisture or Metallick Nature; so as to undergo the same Fire with ♂, and being brought to this pass, it is then fit for the separation of ♂. ’Tis many waies made illiquable (Hartflussig) but the best way is by fixed Salts, of a contrary nature to the superfluous Sulphur in ♂, and excellently well separated from theRegulimade of ♂; for Nitre and Salt of Tartar do not only harden ♄, but unite other metals with him, making them spiritual, and most like to transparent, soluble Glass, the which having sustained the Fire their proper time, the Agent being taken away, and the Patient sufficiently purged, the purest part of the Metals, thus spiritually mixt together, doth by the force of ♄ separate from the other unprofitable part. TheRegulusis purged easily, so that there’s no need of separating the whole Mass by precipitation and reducing it intoReguli; but ♄, by his innate force, doth in its due time finish the separation or precipitation of the pure from the impure, of metals thus spiritually commixt and united. This is enough spoken concerning the way of separating gold out of ♂, by ♄,viz.♄ being first fixed by salts, and made hard to melt, so as to endure the same force of Fire with ♂, or otherwise ’twill be impossible to have any thing from ♂ by the usual way of the Refiners, by the help of scorifying with ♄ (mit ansieden) and separation (abtreiben) which even as ♃ also doth not stay with common Lead in a strong fire, but separate themselves and go intoScoria; the which we have also hinted in the First Part of this little Book, whereto we referr the Reader. This separation of ☉ out of ♂, may be done withRegulusof ♁ and Nitre, and in some manner better than with common Lead, but that I do not deliver the whole Process from top to bottom, let no body wonder thereat, for then the Book would grow to too great a bulk, and I should not receive any reward the more from the Unthankful: Let it suffice, that I have declared the manner and the Species wherewith ’tis to be done; for ’tis for the sake of such Chymists as are most expert in the Fire and Metalline Works that I write, and not for the common Destillers of Waters. And as touching what may tend to illustrate what is said, it shall be supplyed with some Processes at the end of the seven Rules.
Whereas I have attributed to ♂ in the First Part of this Treatise and elsewhere, that he doth not only unwillingly deliver his own gold, but also if any be either accidentally, or of set purpose, added thereto, he swallows it up and hides it, and will not restore it without detriment and loss. Some body may admire how it’s possible for to be done so easily by ♄ and Salts; let him know that this Extraction of ☉ out of ♂ is not any the common Examen or Trial, (abtreiben,) but a true and Philosophical separation (Seigerungh) wherewith ♂ being well dissolved, is most throughly separated from his thick and hard body, concerning which, I never met with any full pregnant Processes any where. And albeit that I am not ignorant that many, yea most that read, will not have any higher thought or consideration, yet I say that there is something else hereunder; and do believe, that it is to be esteemed far more excellent than Sol it self; which that thou maist not over-much trouble thy head about, I will not be shy in communicating it also unto thee.viz.Out of Iron is prepared a Salt without any corrosive, which is able to extract the soul from Gold, that it will remain half dead. But ♂ will be impregnated as it were divinely, so as to be able to give forth a golden Child: the debilitated Gold will recover its lost Colour and Virtue by ♀ and ♁. Other Philosophers have likewise made mention hereof,viz.that ♂ will not spare even the King, out of whose bowels he will steal Treasures, and will not blush to adorn himself with the same. Concerning which Secret the most famousSandivowwrote on this wise. “The Chymists know how to change Iron into Copper or ♀, without the Sun: They likewise know how to make ☿ out of ♃: Others there are that can make ☽ out of ♄; but if they knew how to administer the Solar Nature to these mutations, questionless they would find a thing more precious than any Treasure. On which account I say, that we must not be ignorant of what metals are to be conjoined one with the other, and whose nature of them corresponds to Nature. There is therefore given one metal, which hath a power to consume the other metals, for it is as it were almost their water and their mother; one thing there is that only resists it, and is bettered thereby,viz.thehumidum Radicaleof the Sun and Moon; but that I may discover it, ’tis calledChalybs.”
Thus you see, that from ♂ also some good is to be gotten, although all speak ill of him; and indeed he is wicked if he gets possession: Nor will he spare the highest Powers, from whom he will forcibly wrest their hidden Treasures, but yet by Commerce with ♀ he will again repay it in time to be distributed amongst the subjects; although the king being robb’d of his goods, looks pale upon it, yet he lays not down his Life, and he remaining alive, there is no cause of complaining, for as long as the Riches are not exported, but remain in the Kingdom,distributed amongst the subjects, he is able to receive his former majesty and splendor from his Revenues, and to gather new Riches, and preserve his kingly dignity whole and sound.
Here I foresee that our common Know-littles, in the light of Nature, will traduce me, as if I enterpretSandivow’s Chalybsto be common ♂, and say that ’tis not to be understood according to the Letter, but the Author would hint somewhat else thereby; but ’tis no matter, what I have written, I have written, and that not without cause. I am not ignorant, that he means not common Iron no more than I, but his inmost Magnetick force and power, or essence, prepared without corrosive, and known to few, which doth most greedily extract and transmute the soul of Gold above all other things. And herewith we will rest and cease.