Alchemy

The method of the coming together of metals. Metallic matter.

...and so on, but even from these things by themselves, you can bring back a metal no less than you can bring lead from lead-glass, or wood from the ashes, salt, and water of wood. The philosophers therefore indicated that those principles are to be sought from nature in their natural union, and corrected by art, and thoroughly perfected by applying what is necessary. This seemed easy if mercury, received from nature, were purified in the best possible ways, and brought to its maturity by the application of heat and analogous vessels. For from whatever juice metals consist—whether it first came together in the form of a vapor original: "halitus", as Aristotle holds, or received a seminal power when it first existed—that juice is called mercury. But since the "spurious" can hardly, if at all, be distinguished from the "legitimate"—namely, the fertile mercury, which already has the seed and potential of metal, from the sterile—and then even if it is certain that it has received the metallic disposition and power, the outcome remains uncertain whether it will turn out to be the best metal or a monstrosity. Indeed, too much time and expense would be required.

The seed of metals.

They found another, less difficult and expensive way by which they might reach the same goal. Just as in plants and animals each thing propagates itself by the benefit of a seed generated within it, in which both the virtue and potential of the whole is enclosed—so that the seed is δυνάμει: potentially that which the thing whose seed it is, is in act—and afterward, by the application of heat, digestion, and proper nutrition, it even turns out similar to the original in substance; they judged that it would be the same in the genus of metals, following the same analogy.

Metallic seed cannot be collected from a sparse matrix on its own.

Therefore, they turned their greatest efforts to investigating the seed. Two methods occurred. One, that it be snatched from the womb of the earth; the other, that it be taken from the tree (so to speak) in which it is born. Paracelsus indeed, in his foolishness, thought it could be found formally meaning as a distinct, visible substance; but of it being found and shown to the senses, we first desire an example. Miners sometimes recognize traces of it in immature veins; but since it is volatile and dispersed, they do not dare to extract it. It is easy to understand by the aid of reason that in immature veins of bismuth, there is both this seed and silver; and one must wait for maturation—which has indeed followed, as the histories of miners testify—and so it is in other cases. But to separate the seed by art for one’s purpose is a work of great labor. They approached the tree itself, and sought the desired thing from metal perfected in its own nature. Just as in men, cattle, and plants, likewise perfected in their substance, you find indeed a seminal humor, but not always a seed successful for procreation; so it is in metals. Yet the matter is more direct here, because what is found in cattle as separate entities—namely the male and female—is here in one. Nor should nature be thought defective in this part, as if she granted seed to one and denied its dynamin: power or potential to another.

Our Sulfur and Mercury are perpetually only in metals: whatever the sophist may prattle.

Where silver or gold was present, absolute in all its parts, they found it more closely. Where it was weak and, as it were, diseased, the disease had to be removed first by art, and the integrity of nature's power excited toward the seed. This is that thing which they call the "stone," which they call the Elixir, the soul and seed of gold, the tincture, and other names; which, when projected into its own matter, disposes it toward the best. It does not only dispose it, but immediately—since it has the closest aptitude—it changes the matter to become such as the body from which it was extracted. This is what they call "tinging" The alchemical process of "coloring" or transforming a base metal into a noble one. Here there is a difference between minerals and living things.

The Philosopher's Stone. Tinging.

For mineral tinctures, when they are strong and firm in well-disposed matter, act immediately, just as fire immediately turns naphtha into a spirit like itself. In living things, a series of intervals is required. However, in nature metals are not made suddenly, nor is the stone itself

The Stone in nature.

prepared in a moment. Thus, here they agree again. Furthermore, when I said that whole and perfect seed is in the nature of the perfected metal, it does not differ from what they say: that the philosopher’s stone is found created by nature, and needs nothing except that the superfluous parts be removed. For art cannot give essential power, but is forced to receive it from nature; as it is there, so it will be in the artifice. In this art, where perfect and absolute virtue is sought, it is necessary that the seed cannot be sought from anything imperfect, nor from a void in the metallic mass.

The Stone from metals.

Truly, however, that which is so perfected by nature is nonetheless imperfect for the end of the art. For it has some indispositions which prevent gold from being able to seed itself and generate its like in suitable matter. These are what is rightly called "superfluous," and it is not just a certain quality, but a corporeal grossness, from which the soul of gold is drawn out by art; this is taken, and the other neglected. Furthermore, it is asserted that both powers, the masculine and feminine, are contained in one, just as in

Others take the Sun for the male, as also sulfur; and mercury for the female.

plants. But nonetheless, the philosophers afterward took two bodies—gold as the male, and silver in place of the female—more successfully mixing the common matter for each ferment, and tempering the fiery nature of the masculine body. From this, a disagreement arose in the writings of authors. Some mention only one perfected thing, as some contend for gold alone, or

Where the seed may be drawn out.

silver alone. Others require two, namely those who make a common matter for the "white" and the "red" referring to the White Work (silver) and Red Work (gold), and afterward animate certain parts separately with their own ferment. Moreover, that very seed can neither be drawn out from the perfected metal without a "familiar liquor" by which the joints of the perfected things are opened and destroyed, nor perfected without the "primordial menstruum" The primary alchemical solvent, which possesses the nature and power of the first metallic matter. And yet

The Mercury of the Philosophers. Symbols of mercury.

only one menstrual and feminine nature is required. They therefore made him whom they call the "Mercury of the Philosophers," in whom is the nature of both perfected things, and additionally the primordial menstrual matter fertilized with feminine virtue. From this, so many riddles have arisen: namely, that all things came from water, and all things must be reduced to water; all from one, all into one; and that it is one thing, in which however two, three, and four are enclosed; and that one circle is made, which must be reduced to a square, a triangle, and finally again into a double circle

What the Philosopher's Stone is.

where raw and corporeal mercury concur, and almost innumerable similar things. This mercury is the principle of the work, and the true matter, as I have clearly declared elsewhere. It is clear, therefore, that the Philosopher’s Stone is nothing other than the seminal essence of the perfected metals, used to perfectly transmute others into their nature; and that it is prepared from perfected things and given transmuting efficacy by art to the likeness of those bodies from which it comes. This cannot happen except in things similar in genus—namely, in metals reduced to their first matter, or provided with its nearer potential.

Why it is called a "Stone."

As to why it is called a "stone," and not rather by its own name by which it might be more easily known, a certain person says it is done for this reason: because it is a brittle thing, which like stones can be ground; but he is not mistaken who judges it was so named for the sake of concealment. For they were accustomed to use any names, even from the slightest similarity...