Manly P. Hall Collection, Box 3

basin and hay, and distill thus out of humidity six times, dissolving and pouring over the powder. That which you distill from it is called its "sweat." In this sweat, it is washed of its impurity, just like an infant in the maternal womb. After the sixth distillation, take it out and place it on the sand, and distill off all the sweat. Afterward, calcine by increasing the fire with two good blacksmith's coals, and calcine in this way for the whole day and night. After this calcination, extinguish and let it cool, as you must cool after every calcination; for as soon as you poured cold sweat onto a hot glass, the glass would shatter. I also warn you, when you open the glass, beware of its odor, for it has a sweet smell to the nose, but it kills a man immediately. This is that "Basilisk" of which many philosophers speak, and simple alchemists think that this is the true Basilisk—the poor and wretched ones are mistaken. This is actually the Dragon or Basilisk that they do not understand, and here our mass begins to become our antimony. Afterward, take the glass, pour its sweat over the matter again, place it on the basin for humidity, and distill with a slow fire as before. Then you will see in the glass, when it stands in the basin in the warm distillation, a triple miracle: you will see your body at the bottom, the beauty of the water in the middle, and a very great fatness/oiliness at the top. Distill little by little as before 6 times, the seventh in the sand, and after distillation, calcine for a day and night with the same fire, as it should be after the other grade. Afterward, let it cool and open it, and pour the sweat over the stone until it dissolves. Afterward, place it again on the humidity of the basin, and distill with a slow fire as before six times, and the seventh time calcine as before. Do this twelve times, distilling and calcining. After this other grade, the third gradation begins toward distillation and calcination and the increase of fire. —