Splendor of the Sun

The philosophers call the nature of this same matter mercury original: "mercurius"; here referring to the "philosophical mercury" or the essential spirit of matter, rather than just the common liquid metal or quicksilver. However, it is not necessary to know here how this Mercury, through the workings of nature, reaches a perfect form of gold, silver, or the other metals; the teachers of nature natural philosophers or scientists of the era describe it sufficiently in their books. Upon this is placed and grounded the Art of the Stone The "Philosopher's Stone," the legendary substance capable of perfecting base metals into gold of the philosophers; for it has its beginning in Nature, from which also follows a natural end, in a proper form through proper natural means.