The 6th Chapter.

not with the volatile salt from calcined Tartaroriginal: "Sale volatili ex calcinato Tartaro"; a substance derived from the potassium bitartrate crystals found in wine barrels, often used in early chemistry, if it is made without the addition of a foreign salt, can do much, except mostly in medicine; and what it performs in metallic matters contributes nothing toward transmutationThe alchemical goal of transforming base metals into noble ones like gold. The " constant flow of air through the world and " all creatures indeed nourishes and sustains " all things, but it also " corrupts and devastates all things again; for because " the most subtle essence of all creatures (I " except only the " rational spirit of man) " consists of the " general Salt-Spiritoriginal: "Saltz-Geist"; in this context, an animating, spiritualized mineral essence " original: "secundum majus & minus" to a greater or lesser degree; so each " creature is sustained in life from equal parts " of the general Salt-Spirit in the " flow of air by its own spirit: But as soon as the proportion Preservation of Life. " of the general Salt-Spirit with " the general Salt-Body [Vitrioloriginal: "Vitriolo"; a term for various sulfate minerals, here representing the physical "body" of the salt] " is changed through external accidents or " internal movement by the flow of the stars, " or otherwise, " then the flow of air licks up the general " Salt-Spirit of that body, or " rather, in its passage through, the " air leaches out the Salt-Spirit, just as " water leaches a flowing Salt-Body out from " an earth.

19

Of the Air.

C 2

leaches out a flowing Salt-Body. Then " a thing falls apart and " From whence comes destruction? becomes powerless, except " that from the remaining Salt-Body " a saltpeter can still be made. This " which I have now reported is not " known to the scholars, and therefore " it is indeed necessary that it be " explained more extensively for a " greater understanding of the same. I " therefore refer the reader to the " chapter on Mercury and Vitriol, wherein " he shall find more explanation. "

CHAPTER VII.

Of Water.

Chap. VII. Of Water.

Water is also counted as an element among the scholars. Its definition can be seen in many authors. I find it to be the second and most fluid part of the World-Slimeoriginal: "Welt-Schleim"; the primordial, chaotic matter from which the universe was created or elements, and a Vehicleoriginal: "Vehiculum"; a medium or carrier for more subtle substances of the air. It gives to all things [mixed with a little earth] their body; just as their soul arises from the air, and their spirit from the Air-Spirit. It easily becomes earth, if it only finds a suitable matter; it can indeed also through mere artificial treat-