Hermes: A Journal in Occasional Issues

...indeed speak of common mercury, they by no means intend to present it as that which is being discussed here. Whoever knows how to cook In alchemical practice, "cooking" or "decoction" refers to the process of applying steady, controlled heat to the "matter" within a sealed vessel over a long period to bring it to maturity. common mercury can prepare the Stone from it alone; how, then, could it be the medium through which the cooking takes place?

An unnamed ancient philosopher expresses himself excellently regarding the Mercury of the Wise: “Nature has left us some specimen of that ancient, confused Mass or First Matter original: "Materia prima." This refers to the original, undifferentiated substance from which all things were thought to be created. in a dry water that does not wet original: "Aqua sicca non madefaciente." This is a famous alchemical paradox describing a substance that behaves like a fluid but does not dampen surfaces—often interpreted as a metallic vapor or a highly refined mineral salt., which, gushing forth from the cavities or even lakes of the earth, flows out pregnant with the manifold seed of things; it is entirely volatile, even at the slightest heat. From this—when coupled with its male [principle] Alchemy often uses gendered allegories; the "male" usually represents the fixed, fiery principle (Sulfur), while the "female" represents the volatile, watery principle (Mercury). by one who knows how to extract the intrinsic elements, skillfully separate them, and join them together again—one may boast of having attained the most precious secret of Nature and Art, indeed, a compendium of the celestial essence.” original Latin: "Antiquae illius Massae confusae seu Materiae primae specimen aliquod nobis Natura reliquit in Aqua sicca non madefaciente, quae ex terrae Vomicis aut etiam lacubus scaturiens, multiplici rerum semine praegnans effluit, tota, calore etiam levissimo, volatilis: Ex qua cum suo masculo copulata, qui intrinfeca Elementa eruere, et ingeniose separare et iterum coniungere noverit, pretiosissimum Naturae et Artis arcanum imo coelestis Essentiae compendium adeptum se jactet."

Character of the Hermetic Mercurial Substance.

This substance, say the best classical...