The Resurrected Brother Basil Valentine: An Explanation of the Process for the Great Stone of the Ancient Sages

Chapter 2

To elicit and draw out Matter and Form original: "Materia und Forma." These are Aristotelian concepts: "Matter" is the raw substance, while "Form" is the specific essence or "blueprint" that makes a metal what it is (e.g., the "form" of gold vs. the "form" of lead). from the metals in which they were created and most nearly left by the Art. Regarding this, Raymundus Lulius Ramon Llull (c. 1232–1315), a major philosopher and mystic whose name was attached to many influential alchemical works. says: Where nature ends, there the craftsman begins. original: "Ubi natura definit, ibi incipit artifex." This is a fundamental alchemical maxim: Nature produces raw metals in the earth, but the alchemist is required to "finish" them into the Philosopher's Stone.

Likewise, Theophrastus Paracelsus (Theophrastus von Hohenheim). says in his Book of Minerals: That God was the beginning of all things, and so long as the ultimate Matter original: "ultima Materia." The final, perfected state of a substance. of any thing is not prepared, the first Seed original: "primum Semen." The primal, creative spark or essence of a metal. and beginning of that thing cannot be found through Art.

For Nature completes its degree original: "Gradum." A step in the natural progression of growth or maturity. as far as it is able, and (because its action continues in a plain and simple manner) it cannot go beyond the common metallic disposition The natural state or "mood" of the metal as found in the earth.. From that point, Art takes it up and perfects it to its predestination The "destiny" of a metal was believed to be its evolution into gold; the alchemist accelerates this natural destiny. and high perfection; this, Nature is unable to accomplish without the help of Art.

Therefore, it is not in vain that Theophrastus in his Book of Vexations original: "Vexationum libro." A famous treatise by Paracelsus concerning the "vexations" or transmutations of the seven metals. cites the seven canonical rules of the seven metals, along with their relationship, so that no Bodily thing can exist without the six Spiritual things, nor the six Spiritual things without a Bodily one. In the alchemical worldview, the seven metals (Gold, Silver, Mercury, Copper, Iron, Tin, Lead) were linked to the seven planets. This passage suggests a hierarchy where one metal serves as the "body" (likely gold) while the others represent different "spiritual" or volatile stages of the same essence. And he commands with all earnestness to take heed of the Spiritual and Metallic state, which rules are so well-founded that there is no need to write further of them.

And all the ancient Philosophers A term used specifically for alchemists who understood the secret workings of nature. confirm this,