Curious Physics

CHAPTER XI.

Concerning my Thessa.

Thessa is a new technical term Thessa: A word invented by the author to protect alchemical secrets; it refers to a purified "white earth" or prime matter. and encompasses within itself a particular mystery in the knowledge of creation; I have chosen it because I could not name or express what I mean by it with any other known term. Although it has been used differently in my other writings and not always with the same meaning, this was done solely to slide a bolt before the Art against the unworthy, so that they might not immediately grasp these matters. Besides this single term, I have—to my knowledge—used no others that were not used in their proper and known sense. However, I now wish to explain and reveal it openly: it means nothing other than the snow-white earth, What the earth signifies further in my philosophy original Latin: Quid ulterius terra significet in meâ Philosophia without smell or taste, which was made from the world-slime The "world-slime" or limus mundi refers to the primordial, chaotic matter from which the universe was formed. without fire, and in which the universal Mercury and Vitriol lie hidden, as can be seen in detail in the 8th Chapter concerning the Earth.

CHAPTER XII.

Concerning Salt.

Salt is a good thing, the most magnificent among all visible beings, the grain and seed of the entire world. It is of two kinds: fluid and constant, thinning and thickening, sweet and sour. I wish to briefly report on its origin:

When the Devil fell with his angels and became dark through the corruption of his highly extended light, the spirits of all of them were terrified. As the previous subject original Latin: subjectum, referring to the underlying substance or essence of light departed from Lucifer and the other angels during the Fall, a terror contracted within them as they fell—as if from fear of divine punishment—and it thickened greatly. Thereupon, its coarsest parts (See the work The Concentrated Center regarding these) became mist and subsequently Origin of Vitriol original Latin: Origo Vitrioli slime; however, the finest and most powerful parts mostly compressed themselves in the center of the slime (much like how brandy original German: Brandewein acts in a barrel of wine in winter when it freezes) and became a fluid, constricting salt. Then, out of mercy, God created a new light for the slime to thin it,