The Microcosmic Animal Stone, or the Supreme Medicine from the Little World of the Human Body

):( iiii

Now, I do not wish to speak here of the definition of the Philosopher’s and Universal Stone original: "Lapidis Philosophici & Universalis." / for such things are found everywhere in the writings and books of the Philosophers; instead, I only wish to instruct the common practitioners here who are unlearned in Latin / and who understand the philosophical terms original: "Terminos." These are the specialized vocabulary of alchemy. not according to their internal nature and property / but only by name original: "nominetenus." and superficially; for the Philosopher’s Stone original: "Lapis Philosophorum." and the Universal are not always one and the same thing / and they do not always stand as interchangeable terms. original: "termino convertibili." In logic, this refers to two terms that mean exactly the same thing and can be swapped; Starycius argues they are distinct concepts.

~ Therefore, know / that Raymundus Lullius Ramon Llull (c. 1232–1315), a Majorcan philosopher and polymath whose name was frequently attached to alchemical works in the Renaissance. made twelve Universal Stones, each one distinguished from the other; but otherwise, the Philosophers generally have three Universal Stones, and beyond these yet one Most Universal Stone original: "Lapidem Universalissimum." / and this is first the true Philosopher’s Stone and blessed Stone of the Wise.

The first General or Subordinate Universal Stone original: "Lapis Universalis Generalis oder Subalternus." is Vegetable original: "Vegetabilis." This refers to an alchemical medicine or stone derived from plant matter rather than minerals or metals. / this must now be sought materially in the Vegetable kingdom / its solvent original: "Menstruum." In alchemy, a menstruum is a solvent capable of extracting the "essence" or "soul" of a substance. must be vegetable / and with the ferment A substance (like yeast in baking) added to the alchemical work to trigger a transformation or "ripening" of the material. and all else, it must be naturally proceeded and handled formally and simply / without any other foreign additions / for as the seed is, so also is the fruit / and one must not violate Matter and Form if one wishes to perform something fruitful in Nature; For nature rejoices in nature, nature strengthens nature, nature conquers and sur- original: "Natura enim naturâ gaudet, natura naturam roborat, natura naturam vincit ac su- [perat]." This is a famous ancient alchemical axiom, often attributed to the pseudo-Democritus, emphasizing that like affects like in the natural world.