Two Treatises on the Nature of the Elements and the Fifth Essence

[natu]re is converted, water into air, from which
emerges a certain perpetual commo-
tion, expanding itself everywhere, circum-
ding the entire face of the earth, and
moistening it. Furthermore, water made
subtle In this context, "subtle" refers to a substance becoming thinner, more refined, or turning into a gas/vapor. in this manner, when, penetrating
the slightly warmer air, it reaches the
colder and thicker air, it is again com-
pressed, condensed, diminished, and re-
turns to its ancient character,
that is, the nature of water, rushing down-
ward drop by drop: which fall a tranquility
necessarily follows, just as we ex-
perience in the time of rains: unless perhaps
the vapor and that continuous ascent of
water persists further with a greater volume
and force than the cold air can
condense. Just as heat renders both the
air and the water more subtle, rarer, and
larger: so cold, the opposite of heat, makes
the same things thicker, denser, and smaller:
by this law drawing back the winds, which
had vanished by the power of heat. This we
shall touch with our eyes and hands, if,
having placed the mouth of an empty Retort original: "Cornutæ," an alchemical flask named for its curved, horn-like neck
in cold water, you place its belly over the
fire, you will immediately see, as soon
as it has first been warmed by the livi- The text ends mid-word on "viui." likely leading to "vividness" or "living fire" on the following page.