The Book of Vexations by Paracelsus

Canon 3.

Of Mars and its properties

25. The seven hidden metals bury the seventh the metal representing the endpoint of the process, and push it away from themselves; and they impose that base bodily state, leaving to it the least value, and imposing the greatest hardness and burden: by doing this, they seclude and manifest all their power of coagulation and hardness into that one: on the contrary, they have retained for themselves the color and the state of liquefaction along with its nobility.

Note

26. It is most difficult and laborious for an inept and common man to become a Prince or a King: But Mars, with a strong and combative hand, acquires dominion and occupies the King's place. Yet, there is that which he must guard against, from ambushes, lest he be captured unexpectedly. It must be considered by what reasoning the royal place of Mars, and the Sun and the Moon with Saturn, are able to obtain the place of Mars.

Canon 4.

Of Venus and its properties

27. The other six metals, through all their color and the medium of their liquefaction, with their inconstancy, make the body of Venus outwardly base. Nevertheless, it would be necessary to demonstrate with a few examples by what means the visible can become invisible, or hidden, through the benefit of fire; and how this invisible can become visible, or material, and manifest.

28. Whatever is combustible can naturally be transmuted by fire