The Hermetical Triumph; or, The Victorious Philosophical Stone (1745) - Page 17

in the Fire—The original says indeed in the Fire, but because the Germans, when speaking of chemical operations and mentioning Fire, often mean Digestion original: "Digestion"; in alchemy, this refers to the process of exposing a substance to gentle, continuous heat over a long period, mimicking the warmth of a living body, which is performed by Fire; therefore, the phrase [or in Digestion] has been added, so that the reader might have both meanings and choose which of the two he judges most proper.

I could easily have added my opinion on several passages in this work; for instance, on page 41, where mention is made of the stars of *Venus and Diana* <note>In alchemical symbolism, "Diana" refers to the Moon</note>. Those two signs or characters, when put together, produce the one that signifies *Mercury*; for if the character of horned *Diana* [☽] is placed upon that of *Venus* [♀], it yields a character in this form ☿. But I omit such commentary, lest I should be thought