Collectanea chymica

The Liquor Alkahest.

3. Question. Of what substance is it?
4. Answer. It is a noble circulated salt, prepared with wonderful art until it answers the desires of an ingenious artist. Yet it is not any corporal salt made liquid by a simple solution, but a saline spirit which heat cannot coagulate by the evaporation of its moisture. It is a spiritual, uniform substance, volatile with a gentle heat, leaving nothing behind it. Yet this spirit is neither acid nor alkali, but salt.
5. Question. Which is its equal?
6. Answer. If you know the one, you may without difficulty know the other. Seek, therefore, for the gods have made arts the reward of industry.
7. Question. What is the next matter of the Alkahest?
8. Answer. I have told you that it is a salt. The fire surrounded the salt and the water swallowed up the fire, yet overcame it not. Thus is made the Philosophers' Fire The refined, internal fire of the alchemist., of which they speak: "The vulgar burn with fire, we with water."
9. Question. Which is the most noble salt?
10. Answer. If you desire to learn this, descend into yourself, for you carry it about with you, as well the salt as its Vulcan The alchemical agent or heat used to activate the substance., if you are able to discern it.
11. Question. Which is it, tell me I pray you?