Alchemiae Gebri cum Lull et Bacon

That is: a greater perfection in some, such as in copper and iron; a lesser imperfection in others, such as in tin and lead.

...of each one's perfection. Truly, the second [consideration] concerns these four, namely tin, lead, copper, and iron, according to the imperfection of each. And because these imperfect bodies In alchemy, "bodies" refers to the base metals cannot be restored to health and perfection unless the contrary is worked within them—that is, that which is manifest visible/physical is hidden, and that which is hidden is made manifest—and since this operation or "contrariety" is achieved through preparation, preparation must therefore be applied to them. Preparation [see pages] 4, 7, 16 To prepare, therefore, is to take away the superfluous, to supply what is absent, and thus to impart to them the mark of perfection. Perfect bodies Gold and silver do not require this [type of] preparation. However, they do require a preparation by which their parts are further refined original: "subtilientur" and reduced from their corporality to a fixed spirituality. The intention of this is to make from them a fixed spiritual body—that is, to thin and refine them much more than they were before. Regarding the preparations of all these things, according to our investigation, we shall treat them sufficiently in their proper place in this book. After they have been sufficiently prepared, they will be fit for the Great White or Red Elixir The "White Elixir" transmutes metals into silver; the "Red Elixir" into gold to be made from them.

Concerning the Stone of the Philosophers: that it is only one, for both the White and the Red; from what things it is extracted; and concerning the possibility and method of perfection.

Chapter III.

From whatever [thing]—Note Well: For there are various things from which quicksilver is extracted, as also follows here.

We have found, however, that modern philosophers unless it be moderns to us write of only one single Stone, complete for the White or the Red, which we also concede to be true. For from whatever thing the White or Red Elixir is composed, there is nothing else in it but quicksilver mercury and sulfur, one of which does nothing without the other, nor can it exist. And therefore it is called "one stone" by the philosophers, although it may be extracted from many bodies or things. For to extract it from a thing in which it does not exist would be a foolish and vain thought, as certain fools think—