Splendor of the Sun

The nature of art and, conversely, the art of nature, works with symbolic tools and with measured action and methods suited to nature so that such a form is created. And although it must proceed with art—so that the aforementioned Stone The Philosopher's Stone reaches its form through art—the form nonetheless comes from nature. For every essential form of every thing, whether it be animal, plant, or metal, arises from the internal power of the matter, except for the human soul alone. But it should be noted that the essential form does not arise within? the matter unless it happens through the action of a suitable form; not out of the power of that same form, but out of the power of another active substance, which is fire or another accidental heat that acts upon it. Let us take an analogy from a hen's egg: in it, the essential form of the chick does not arise except through the accidental form, which is a mixing of the yolk and the white by the power of the heat acting upon the egg—that is, from the brooding hen. And although the egg is the matter of the hen, neither the essential nor the accidental form arises from it except through the rotting original: "feüllung"; here referring to the breakdown of matter necessary for new life which occurs with the help of heat.

So also in the natural matter of the aforementioned Stone, neither the accidental nor the essential forms arise without the rotting or "cooking." How this rotting is prepared follows hereafter.

The Rotting or Putrefaction original: "Putrefactio"; the alchemical stage of decomposition where matter turns black

This occurs sometimes with external heat in a thing when the natural heat or warmth of a moist thing is drawn out. Rotting likewise occurs from excessive cold, when the natural heat is destroyed by cold; this is actually a killing, for every thing maintains itself through natural warmth. Such rotting finally occurs in moist things. The Philosophers The ancient alchemists do not speak of any other kind of rotting; rather, their rotting is a moistening or soaking, through which dry things return to their former state so that they may turn green and grow. In this rotting, the moisture is united with the dryness and not destroyed, so that the moist [unites with] the dry