The Chemical Theatre, Vol. IV

OF RAYMOND LULL###

The first radical and artificial principle is God, the creator of all things. The second, the exemplary principle, is moved by God Himself, and is called Wisdom. The third succeeding principle, however, is Matter, created through God—that is, through the Wisdom which is moved by Him. This is the primordial element which we call hyle original: "hyle," from the Greek ὕλη, meaning wood or raw material; in alchemy, it refers to the fundamental, formless substance of the universe. We have declared this to you—if you have understood well—but you should not presume to seek it in its simple form to begin our work. Although we could not know our work nor bring it to an end without it, we must instead seek it in its composite form. We must purge it and clear it by fire so that it becomes pure and bright, as we said above: that all elements are created from this substance and enlivened by it for the purpose of creation and corruption.

Because it is necessary—as it naturally appears—since every thing existing under the sphere of the moon This refers to the "sublunary" realm, the physical earth where things are subject to change and decay, unlike the unchanging heavens. is created and formed from the said matter called hyle, there is a greater influence of it in every elemental thing—more in one than in another, as we find through nature—and it rests therein. By this, however, you may be certain that no thing in the world can exist without this "created and non-generated" substance, because it is the collector and the bond colligantia|a binding force or glue of the whole elemental body in the work of nature. Therefore, we call this hyle original Greek: ὕλην "Nature," and the primordial principle of everything elemental—that is, of all elemental things—because in its substance, it is simple.

The elements, which are the matter of nature, were first created through divine separation: namely, earth, water, air, and fire. These are elemental bodies formed from the primordial principle and the simple element that exists within them. From this understanding proceeds the Methanoftrica chronicle Likely a reference to a specific philosophical or alchemical text regarding transformation (from the Greek "metanoeo," to change one's mind or purpose)., which says that the species of the elements are found within their own limits and in their said principle, which is the primordial principle of their things.

Therefore, if you seek this matter, attend to this: it is the pure subject, which is the union and motion of forms, and in which every form is held in potentiality. It contains infinite flux and instability in its motion, according to the diversity of those forms—both the extremes and the intermediaries—which it receives into itself. And therefore, by analogy, it is named by some the "receptacle of forms," which are born from celestial matter that exists above its own nature. By other philosophers, it was called the "forest" original: "forestum," a term used by medieval philosophers like Bernardus Silvestris to describe the chaotic, raw state of prime matter., comparing it to a coarse and raw thing by reason of its potentiality. And by yet other philosophers, it was called "potentiality," because it possesses no form in actuality, but contains every form within itself as if enclosed—like silence without hearing, or like those who do not see, nor can they be seen because of the darkness. And thus must this matter be understood,