Arthur Edward Waite, editor - Collectanea Chemica, 1893 by gnosisclassics

YALE MEDICAL LIBRARY

HISTORICAL LIBRARY

s5&

aollectanea Cbemlca.

Collectanea Cbemica

BEING

CERTAIN SELECT TREATISES ON

ALCHEMY AND HERMETIC MEDICINE.

EIREN/EUS PHILALETHES,

Dr.

GEORGE 8TARKEY, And

Sir

FRANCIS ANTONY,

GEORGE RIPLEY,

ANONYMOUS UNKNOWN.

Xon&on

JAMES ELLIOTT &

CO.,

TEMPLE CHAMBERS, FALCON COURT, FLEET STREET, J89

E.C.

CONTENTS. I'AC.B

The

Secret of the Immortal Liquor called Alkahest

Aurum

Potabile

The Admirable Efficacy of the True Oil of Sulphur Vive The Stone

of the Philosophers

The Bosom Book

The

of Sir

George Ripley

Preparation of the Sophie Mercury

37 55

.121

149

JAMES ELLIOTT AND

CO.,

LONDON,

E.C.

prefatory 1Rotc.

The Hermetic Tracts comprised in this volume are pi-inted from a quarto manuscript (itself

but

now

a transcript from an older

untraceable work) belonging to the

Mr. Fredknown among

celebrated collection of the late erick Hockley,

who was

modern students of the only

for the

library, but

with

many

zvell

secret sciences, not

resources of

for

Hermetic

his

his practical acquaintance

branches of esoteric

lore,

and

for his real or reputed connection ivith the numerous but unavowed associations which now, as at anterior periods, are supposed to dispense

initiation into

While practically the tim,

occult knowledge.

reprint

would have been a

of confusion, sufficiently

needless source

a subject which

confused,

verba-

have

already

reproduced

PREFATORY NOTE. the

obsolete

the

capitals,

unnecessary

orthography,

the superfluous

perplexing parentheses,

and

italics,

the

the chaotic punc-

These, thereof the original. have been abandoned in favour of

tuation fore,

a simpler method. tiqriity

But

the flavour of an-

sometimes vahced for

rather than

its

excellence;

its

and partly

age in

deference to this prejudice, there has been

no attempt

to reconstrttct the style

old writings.

of these Moreover, though somewhat

barbarous and entangled, sufficient

purgation.

difficulties

does not present

justify

a drastic

THE SECRET

IMMORTAL LIQUOR\

ALKAHEST OR

IGNIS-AQUA.

By EIRENVEUS PHILALETHES.

Communicated

to his Friend,

a Son of Art, and

a Philosopher.

By Question and Answer.

now

THE SECRET OF THE LIOUOR ALKAHEST.

— What

Question.

Answer.

—

It is

Menstruum, and,

the Alkahest

a Catholic and Universal in a

word,

may be

called

(Ignis-Aqua) a Fiery Water, an uncom-

pounded and immortal

ens,

trative, resolving all things

which

Liquid Matter, nor can anything power, for

but

its

equal,

brought into subjection dissolved entire in

same

;

suffer

by which but after

other things,

all its

resist its

acteth without any reaction

from the patient, nor doth anything

pene-

into their first

from it

hath

remaineth

former nature, and

of the

virtue after a thousand operations as

at the first. 2.

—

— Of what substance

is it ?

noble circulated

pared with wonderful art

till it

salt,

pre-

answers the

;

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

desires of an ingenious artist

any corporal solution, but

but

it is

not

by a bare

a saline spirit

which heat

by evaporation of the of a spiritual uniform

cannot coagulate moisture,

yet

liquid

made

salt is

;

substance, volatile with a gentle heat, leav-

ing nothing behind

yet

;

not this

spirit

either acid or alkali, but salt. 3.

— Which

—

equal

is its

you know the one, you may

know the other seek Gods have made Arts

without difficulty

;

therefore, for the

the reward of industry. 4.

—What

Alkahest A. fire

—

the next matter of the

have told you that

surrounded the

swallowed up the so

made

they speak

fire,

salt

;

the

the water

yet overcame

the philosopher's ;

it is

and

fire,

not

of which

the vulgar burn with

fire,

with water. 5.

—

—Which

the most noble salt

you desire

into yourself, for

to learn this, descend

you carry

about with

THE LIQUOR ALKAHEST. you, as well the salt as

are able to discern

— Which

— Man's

man's urine,

is it, tell

the

for

and fixed

collect

urine

and prepare

salt

;

pray you

from

you know how

have a

will

human

property of

Is the

— By

many

urine

degrees, for though

an excrement only, yet like in the

its salt

hath not

its

parts

and

volatile

fixed

;

according to the variety of ordering these 9.

may be O.

— Are

there any things

urinaceous nature

A. — There salt

yet it,

variously altered.

which are different from

and sea

whole universal nature.

— Which be

—A

Life.

more noble than the urine of any beast A.

an excre-

you

it,

most precious Balsam of

—

me,

for the greatest part,

volatile

you

Each of these give both a

blood.

Vulcan,

it.

blood out of the body, or

ment separated, the

its

are,

its

urine

inmost specific

viz.,

a watery phlegm,

which we take

with

our

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

meat the

remains entire and undigested in

;

and by

urine,

from

divided

it,

use of

sufficient

may be

separation

which

the meat

there

(if

be no after a

convenient time) ceaseth.

10.

—

It is chiefly

phlegm, or

that

watery humidity

insipid

— Whence

from our several drinks,

and yet everything hath

its

own phlegm.

Q. — Explain yourself more — You must know that the

clearly.

1 1.

by the separative

partly

with what

we drink to

virtue,

humour

conveyed

the bladder, and partly

consists of a watery Teffas (an titious

urine,

of the blood),

excremen-

whence being

separated by the odour of the urinaceous ferment,

penetrates

most deeply, the

saltness being unchanged, unless that the

of the blood and urine be both

saltness

the

same

the

;

so that whatsoever

urine

besides salt

contained

unprofitable

phlegm. 12. is

— How doth

a plentiful

phlegm

appear that there

in urine

THE LIQUOR ALKAHEST.

— Thus suppose

secondly, from

the virtue of 13.

from the taste

first,

the weight

;

from

thirdly,

it.

— Be your own

— The

A. is

;

interpreter.

salt of urine contains all

that

properly essential to the urine, the smell

whereof

very sharp

according as that

sometimes

it is

;

the taste

differs

differently ordered, so

also salt with an urin-

aceous saltness. 14.

— What

have you observed con-

cerning the weight thereof?

—

three

have observed thus much, that

ounces, or a

more, of urine,

little

taken from a healthy man,

will

moderately

outweigh about eighty grains of fountain water, from which also distilled

have seen a liquor

which was of equal weight

to the

whence it is evident that most was left behind. What have you observed of its

said water,

of the salt 15.

virtue

—

— The congelation of urine by cold

an argument that phlegm

;

for the

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

of urine

salt

moistened

not so congealed

though

with a liquid,

little

water. 1

— But

same phlegm though

this

most accurately separated by

may

nature of urine, as

the

retains

distillation,

perceived both by the smell and taste.

—

confess

though

it,

little

can be

discerned by taste, nor can you perceive

more, either by smell or

may

from

salt

taste,

than you

of urine dissolved in pure

water. 17.

— What

doth pyrotechny teach

you concerning urine A.

—

teacheth

this, to

make

the salt of

urine volatile. j8.

— What

— An Q. — A. — So

then

left ?

earthly, blackish, stinking dreg.

19.

Is the spirit

and

taste

;

wholly uniform

appeareth to the sight, smell,

and yet

containeth qualities

directly contrary to each other.

Q. — Which be they — By one, through

20.

its

innate virtue,

THE LIQUOR ALKAHEST. the Dulech is

coagulated

;

by the other,

dissolved.

Q. — What further — In the coagulation of

21.

of wine

22.

urine,

its spirit

discovered.

— Is there

— There

such a

spirit in

urine

indeed, truly residing in

every urine, even

of the most healthful

man, most of which may be prepared by Art.

23.

— Of

24.

O.— Why

— From

fierce 25.

—

efficacy is

this spirit?

be lamented, and

our pity to mankind.

hence the Dulech,

enemy, hath

—Will

this thing

such as

may move

indeed

— Of what

its

most

its

original.

you give an example of

will.

Take

urine,

and dissolve

a convenient quantity of saltpetre.

Let

stand a month

and

there will

;

afterwards

come over a

spirit

distil

it,

which burns

upon the tongue like a coal of fire. this spirit on again, and cohobate

Pour it

four

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

every time not

or five times, abstracting

above half; so the piercing, yet

becometh most

spirit

not in the least sharp

heat which goeth out in the

;

the

first distillation

of the liquor, afterwards grows sensibly

and at length almost

mild,

(if

not altogether)

vanisheth, and the second spirit

perceived

which

taste,

may be

both by the smell and

mild, in

former

the

was

most

sharp. 26.

—What

have you observed con

cerning the former

—

be a

spirit ?

little

shaked, oily streaks

appear sliding here and there, just as of wine

alembic 27.

down

distils

the

head of

the

streaks like veins.

— What

kind

putrefaction

should the urine undergo that such a

may be

spirit

got from

spirit

it ?

— In a heat scarce

be perceived by

sense, in a vessel lightly closed, or covered

rather

;

sometimes

may

also be

sometimes hotter,

cooler, so that neither the

nor cold exceed a due mean.

heat

THE LIQUOR ALKAHEST. Q.

28.

— How

may

winy

this

become most perspicuous

spirit

— By such a putrefaction as causeth a

ferment, and exciteth ebullition, which will not happen in a long time

kept

which cold,

where

let

ferment arise

urine

—

there

heat,

fortnight

coagulating well rectified $0. Q.

somewhat winy.

any other

;

spirit

for urine, putrefied with

during

sends

thereabouts, spirit,

Aqua

— How

space of

the

which

clear

coagulate

will

that spirit

watery stalagma

which dissolves the same

—

forth

Vita. to

pared which forms the Dulech of

stirs

may draw from

— There

a gentle

a place

of itself a

till

the urine and

burning water which O.

furnace

be kept

bubbles, for then you

29.

the urine be

not hot, but yet keeps out the suppose, behind

as,

winter,

a wooden vessel, and

;

be pre-

itself

with

and also that

Urine putrefied for a

month and

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

dung

like the heat of horse-

most

half in a heat

give you,

will

stillatitious

fit

vessel, each

stalagma according

your

desire.

31.

of wine

spirit

— Doth every

spirit

— By no means

this

;

observed to want that 32.

second

spirit is

virtue.

—What doth

coagulate the

urine, thus ordered,

contain besides the aforesaid spirits

—

Its

fixed urinaceous salt, and,

by accident, foreign marine 33.

— Can

this

salt.

fixed

salt

brought over the alembic, with a gentle

form of a liquor

heat, in

—

may, but

art

and ingenuity are

required. 34.

— Where

— In

the

salt

phlegm

the

;

for

in the

prepara-

tion of putrefaction, the salt, being putrefied

with

phlegm,

ascends

together

it.

35.

the

—

—-Can

be separated

may, but not by every

artist.

THE LIQUOR ALKAHEST. Q.

36.

will this spirit

this

— Try, and

you

— What

brought to

it is

do when

you

will

wonder

what

shall see in the solution of bodies.

Q. — — This

Is not this the

37.

Alkahest

liquor cannot consist without

partaking of the virtues of man's blood

and

urine

the

;

thereof are

footsteps

observable.

38.

— In

the Alkahest

urine, therefore,

lies

— Nature

hid

and blood

blood and

gives us both

and from the nature of these pyrotechny gives us a salt which art circuurine

;

lates into the circulated salt of Paracelsus.

39.

—

—You speak will

add

short.

this; the salt of blood

ought so to be transmuted by the urinaceous ferment that preserve

its

middle

may life,

lose

its last life,

and retain

its

saltness.

40.

A. is

— To what purpose

— To

manifest

this ?

the excellency which

man's blood above

all

other blood

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

whatever, which

be communicated to

the urine (after an excrementitious liquor is

from

separated

excels

know

that to transmute

things a corruptive ferment

which respect

—

required, in

salt.

— Cannot the phlegm be

apart from the salt

other salts give place to

all

the strong urinous 42.

this urine

— Why do you add urine?

— You must

whence

others in a wonderful virtue.

all

41.

it),

may,

collected

the urine be

not

first

putrefied.

43. Q. is to

— How

be reckoned phlegm

— Nine

distilled

parts of ten, or thereabouts,

from fresh urine are to be rejected,

the tenth part (as in

great a part of the water

much

form of liquor)

as can be extracted

be kept

;

from that

dried urine which remains in the bottom

by a gentle

fire

(which

will

not

cause

sublimation), let the salt be extracted with water, so that there be as half

that

urine

whence

much water this

feces

was

THE LIQUOR ALKAHEST. dried let it

;

whatsoever

filter

imbibed by the water,

be poured off by decanting

strained, or purged, it

per

through a glass.

become

;

let

deliquiiim

;

then

Let fresh water

be poured on, and reiterate the salt

this

work

till

pure, then join this vastly

stinking salt with your last spirit and co-

hobate

it.

Praised

— Amen.

ise

the Name of the Lord.

AURUM POTABILE: OR THE

RECEIPT OF

Dr.

ANTONIE

SHOWING His

Way

and Method.

How

made and prepared

Excellent Medicine for the

Body

Man.

that

mo^t

DR. FR. ANTONIE'S RECEIPT,

Showing

the

way

make

medicine called "

Take block

tin,

his most excellent

Aurum

Potabile."

and burn

an iron

pan (making the pan red hot before you put it in), keeping a continual fire under it,

and

stirring

ashes.

Some

always

till

look red

will

burning a day, or half-a-day at the

must be little

stirred with

will

;

unto

least

;

an iron coal rake, a

one, the handle two feet long.

G. H. M. made an iron pan a foot and long and a foot broad, the brims

a-half

two inches deep, and made an oven

chimney with bars of

iron in

the bottom,

whereon he placed the pan, and a place under to make

fire

;

and

will

manner sooner be burned (viz., The smoke will not hurt it.

after this

half-a-day).

These ashes keep in a glass close covered.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

of these ashes four ounces and of

Take

the strongest red wine vinegar three pints,

and put them

in a glass like

ashes being put in

and

let

and

days

;

urinal, the

lute the

vessel,

stand in a hot Balneum ten days,

which ended, take cool,

first

let

The

and

set

stand two or three whole

may

the feces

that

bottom.

forth,

glass

sink unto

must be shaken

the

six or

seven times every day.

That which is clear let it run forth unfiltered by two or three woollen threads into a glass basin, and distil it in a glassen still

the liquor be stilled

till

water put upon

distilled

fresh ashes, first

liquor

forth.

four

This

ounces of

upon the ashes from which the

was

filtered

put also a quart of

;

strong red wine vinegar before,

all

;

lute the glass as

and put him into the Balneum, and

there let filter this,

him stand to digest ten days and distil it as aforesaid. Thirdly,

pour on those ashes one pint of the vinegar, and put filter

it,

and

distil

in it,

Balneum ten days as aforesaid.

After

AURUM the

third

POTABILE.

2Q.

away

throw

infusion

the

ashes. Distil

the

all

infusions

apart,

till

the

liquor be clean distilled forth.

Take is

water, as often as

this distilled

and pour

distilled,

keeping

the

upon new ashes,

weight and order

and

fusions, filterings,

their in-

;

distillations reiter-

ate seven times.

And you

have of

shall

menstruum sought

You must

this

water the

for.

take heed that the vinegar

be of red wine, and very strong, otherwise

your menstruum

will

perform your

not

expectation.

The Bishop gave

Dr. Antonie 30s. for

a quart of menstruum.

Take an ounce (which

costs £t>

wedge and file.

Put

file it

this

of '3 s

pure refined gold 4°*-)

as will

among

cast

into a

into small dust with a fine

ounce of

filed

calcined pot, and put to salt

near

charcoals

fill

gold into a

much white

the pot, and set

where

may

stand

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

continually hot four hours

hot the

ended, take cool

grind

into the pot

again

times

let

stand to

a painter's stone,

and calcine

you have done

till

and

four hours

it,

forth,

and grind

four or five

look red and blue

and

Then

very small with a muller.

take

forth,

then put

;

put

Which

melt).

salt will

stand too

(if it

when you

perfect good.

After this calcining and grinding, put into a glass basin, ful

and put

and

of scalding hot water,

while,

till

the thick part

and put the

This

will

;

stir

it,

settled,

the basin-

stir

a good

fully settled to

and

and so do again,

;

when

Then pour away

the bottom.

before

let till

have no

that water, it

settle as

the water, of

taste

salt.

be doing two or three days.

ounce of gold

this

there

will

hardly above sixteen or seventeen grains

brought separate little

basin,

into

from

the

and

fine

last

stir

white the fresh

well

but

leave

calx,

gold

water together.

the

The

AURUM swim

calx will

POTABILE.

which

to the top,

from the gold into another water and

stir

;

and pour away almost evaporate away it

If all the

basin.

then all

little

and pour

again,

basin to the other calx

pour

softly

white calx go not forth, put a

into the

let

settle,

the water, and

the rest over a heat

all

And

be throughly dry.

so put

till

up into

a glass.

Then

salt

grind it

put the gold which

;

aforesaid,

not yet calx

and calcine

four times again

;

as be-

and the gold that remains calcine

and wash as

before,

Take an ounce into

and

and then wash

and then take the calx from

fore

it,

till it

all calx.

of this calx, and putit

urinal-like glass, containing about a

menSet this glass in a hot Balneum struum. six days (being close luted), and shake it pint,

and put

often every day.

ended,

let

pour away

half-a-pint of the

When

the six days are

stand two or three days

that

which

;

then

clear very gently,

for fear of troubling the feces.

these

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

feces put fresh

much

menstruum, but not

as at the first

and so the third time,

much

but not fully so

Then

;

as at the second.

which are the

take the dry feces,

and keep them

calx,

fully so

some

lest

tincture

remain therein.

These coloured liquors put into a glass still, and distil them in a Balneum, at the with a very gentle

first

which

fire,

till

all

that

clear be run forth, and that which

Then take Then put the

remain be as thick as honey. it

forth

and set

to cool.

and put ashes

glass into an earthen pot,

about the glass into the pot, and pot into a fire

little

furnace

under, so that the glass

warm till You may glass

and make a

may

stand very

look with a candle through the

and see when

still,

and

the

the feces be black and very dry.

bunches and dry. fire,

fast,

fix

Then

and grind

risen with

take

away your

the glass be very cold

let

take out the black earth.

being taken

forth, it

put

;

then

This black earth into a glass basin,

with the bottom of another

AURUM

VOTABILE.

round glass to powder. Then put it into an urinal-like glass, containin gabout a pint,

and

place days.

till it

Shake

away the

which

have more. that be

and order

much

till

as before

till

and

;

Vini

coloured, put Spiri/us

Put

first.

these coloured liquors together and

them

you

put more spirit of wine

the third time, as at the

and that clear

or other glass,

still

within

till

Then pour

forth.

a cold

be about ten

often every day,

Then

to those feces, if

will

clear liquor gently,

put into a glass

half-a-pint of

Set this glass

red,

three days you pour

above

to th?.t put a little

the spirit of wine.

all

distil

the feces (called the tincture) be

as thick as a syrup.

Take an ounce it

into a pint of

it is

clear

of this tincture, and put

Canary

you may drink of

be about a day and

and so when

sack,

it,

which

a-half.

The Preparation of the Vinegar the

will

make

Menstruum.

Glasses necessary

Get three

four

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

34 glassen

which

stills

or two apiece,

and a Balneum two

and a-half square

Get about

a gallon

hold

will

many

to hold

feet

glasses-

strongest red

six gallons of the

wine vinegar (vinegar of claret or white wine is

made

too weak),

of red wine,

many

Muscadine, and set as

a time as your Balneum

away, as weak and not still

dry.

Wash

out

(phlegm) the

first,

Take a and put

rest,

the

still

with a

till

the

still

of the

little

which was

and so do

;

you

shall

So of a

five times.

have three pints of the

first

gallon

spirit of

vinegar, and of your six gallons only

And

gallons and two pints.

be yet too weak

This keep

distil

your

spirit

oftener.

with

;

with cork, and leather over

You must

two

a glass close stopped to

make your menstruum it

distilled,

and do as before, putting away the pint

running, and then wipe

in that

use.

for this

fit

the

Then put

dry.

going

stills

all

first

will hold.

pint of that which runneth

Then

sack,

you may stop it.

provide three strong green

AURUM glasses

POTABILE.

make menstruum, with

little

mats round the bottoms, containing four pints apiece.

lute them,

dry wood,

an oven,

wax

fill

a wooden stoppel

fit

mouth

the

the chinks

paper next over that of clay,

over

and then dried

boiled,

first

;

of in

then melt hard

then paste a brown then prepare luting

horsedung, and ashes,

and stop

all that.

Glass Stills

Two

or three to distil the

infusions on the earth

first

;

cover three or

four pints apiece of green glass.

The rule of all stillings : You must paste brown paper to the closing of the head of the

and also paste the receiver and of the still together so that no

still,

nose

strength go forth.

Calcining Pots for

many when

fire will

break

;

Provide about a dozen,

they are put into a strong

then must you

slack. FINIS.

let

your

fire

THE ADMIRABLE EFFICACY

AND ALMOST INCREDIBLE VIRTUE OF TRUE

OIL

WHICH

MADE OF SULPHUR YIYE SET ON FIRE AND COMMONLY CALLED

OIL OF SULPHUR PER CAMPANAM. BY

GEORGE STARKE Y.

THE Of

this

OIL OF SULPHUR.

most noble

medicine, the noble

and not vulgar

Helmont

writeth thus,

excellent discourse concerning

in his

Tree ok Like. man belonging was

liquor,

victuals

The

In the year 1600 a certain to the

camp, whose

office

keep account of the provision of which was made

for

army,

the

being charged with a numerous family of small

children

unable to

shift

them-

for

selves, himself being then fifty-eight years of

was very sensible of the great care and burden which lay upon him to provide for age,

them while he

lived,

and concluded

should he

they

must be enforced

beg

die,

their bread from

door to door

that,

where-

upon he came (saith Helmont) and desired of me something for the preservation of then (being a young man) I his life. pitied his sad condition, and thus thought

OIL OF SULrHUR.

with myself:

The fume

is,

by experience, found powerfully

to preserve I,

of burning sulphur

Then

wines from corruption.

recollecting

the acid

effectual

thoughts, concluded that

liquor of

oil,

sulphur vive, set on

which

fire,

made

doth of necessity

contain in itself this fume

;

yea,

and the

whole odour of the sulphur, inasmuch as is

indeed nothing else but the very

phureous fume imbibed, or drunk up mercurial liquor.

salt,

Then

thought with myself: Our

the very wine of our

will

if it

keep

in its

and so becomes a condensed

blood being (to us) no other than, as

served,

sul-

life,

were,

that being pre-

prolong not the

life,

at least

sound from those many diseases

which proceed originally from corruption

by which means the free

from

life

diseases,

and defended

pains and griefs, might

;

being sound, and

some

from sort

spun out into a further length than otherwise.

Upon which

gave him a of this

oil,

meditated resolution

vial glass, with

distilled

a small quantity

from sulphur vive burn-

OIL OF SULPHUR.

and taught him (moreover) how to

ing,

make

as he should afterwards need

it.

advised him of this liquor he should take

two drops before each meal and

draught of beer,

not,

a small

ordinarily,

exceed that dose, nor to intermit the use of it,

taking

that

oil,

granted that two drops of

for

contained a large quantity of the

fume of sulphur. The man took and

at this day, in the

and

good

health,

Brussels without

longer to live remarkable,

year 1641, he

and

keep

his

great age) his

leg,

upon the

bed

;

whole space of

forty-

yea, although

ill,

so as

(when of

the depth of winter, he broke

near to his ankle bone, by a ice,

yet with the use of the

and although

had reduced him ship,

likely

most

recovered, without the least

fever

lusty

one years he was not so much as to

and that which this

advice,

walks the streets at

complaint,

;

feel

of a

age poverty

to great straits

and made him

oil

symptom

in his old

fall

and hard-

much want of things

necessary for the comfort and conveniency 4

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

42 of

yet he lives, healthy and

life,

name

sound,

The old man's Moss, who waited upon

though spare and

lean.

John Rithovius, Bishop of Ypres, is

where the Earls of

Home

in his

chamber,

and Egmondon

were beheaded by the Duke of Alva he was then twenty-five so

that

now he

years

;

age,

complete ninety-nine

years of age, healthy and lusty, and

continues

the

Thus

Helmont, which

far

and

use of that

most remarkable, so

liquor relation,

still

daily.

gives the philo-

sophical reason of his advice, on which

was grounded.

And

author

how by

cured

relates

many

elsewhere the same this

liquor

dangerous, deplorable fevers,

which by other doctors had been given over for desperate. he

commends

And

other places

as a peerless

remedy

assuage the intolerable thirst which accompanies most fevers.

which relation and testimony of

this

most learned doctor and acute philosopher I shall add my own experience.

OIL OF SULPHUR. I

find

a rare preservative against cor-

not only in living creatures, but

ruption,

even

dead

flesh, beer,

wine, ale, etc.;

recoverer of dying beer and wines that are

decayed, a cure for beer when sick and

may be

Flesh by this means

roping.

pre-

served so incorruptible as no embalming the world can go beyond

for the

of a dead carcase, nor salting efficacy

;

as to

fowls, or fish,

the

only kept from

its

meat, or

means are not

this

corruption,

mumial balsam, which

keeping

come near

conserving

which by

but

itself

made a

a preserva-

tive against corruption of such as shall eat

thereof

;

which being a curious

too costly to be I

shall

cases

pass

rarity,

and

made

a vulgar experiment,

over,

and come to those

which are most

beneficial

and de-

sirable. It

an excellent cleanser of the teeth:

being scoured with

it,

they

white as the purest ivory,

being washed with

oil

white wine, so as to

become as and the mouth will

dropped

make

only of the

water or

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

sharpness of vinegar, of that

ing

yellow

prevents the grow-

scale

adheres to the teeth, and of their putrefaction

;

which usually the forerunner

prevents their rot-

tenness for the future, and stops

begun) from going

away the

further, takes

(being

pain of the teeth, diverts rheums, and

pure help

the savour

for

of the breath,

making it very sweet. In a word, there is not a more desirable thing can be found for such

who would have

clear or

sound

teeth,

or sweet breath, or to be free from rheums for

which use

let

the water be

dropping

this oil into

gar, as

said before.

it,

made by

as sharp as vine-

Against a tickling cough, or hoarseness, it is

a rare remedy, not only taken two or

three drops twice a day inwardly, in the usual drink one useth before each meal,

but also by gargling the throat with

and (so used)

it is

or the

;

excellent against swelled

throats, anginas, strumas,

mouth

palates

of the

inflamed, or the uvula of the throat,

almonds of the

ears,

which are

OIL OF SULPHUR. (usually

then to be)

said

excellent also to divert

away

fallen.

therewith

tetters,

and

wash

eyes, to

likewise

;

morphew,

dropped into water

the headache,

against

rheums from the

the temples

to take

scabs,

this

a pleasant, safe, and

remedy.

effectual

Besides which outward applications,

it is

a Lord internally taken, preventing corruption,

rooting out the seeds thereof, though

never so deeply concealed and, upon that score, obstructions,

body,

the

opening inveterate

eradicating

pains,

and

relapses

into

old

preventing otherwise usual

stranguretical, colical, or arthritical pains: is

abstersive, cleansing

all

excrementitious,

settlings in the mesaraic or mesenterial vessels,

and so cutting

and taking

away

corruption, which

of very

many

this

frees the

which

off the original source,

the cause of putrefactive is

the productive beginner

diseases.

score

lengthens the

life,

body from many pains and otherwise would be subject.

and

ails to

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

46 It little

a pleasant remedy, having only a

sharpness, which to the palate

grateful;

and yet

of putrefaction, which

the forerunner

kills

the

acidity

most

this acidity is contradistinct

from that acidity which as the

and destroys,

spirit

of vitriol

destroyed by the fixed acrimony of

its

own

caput mortuum, or that of vinegar by the

touch of ceruse or minium. Preternatural heat and

in fevers

thirst

no way allayed so speedily, and

are in

nor

anything

there

easily,

which

for a constant continuance

safely

this,

and profitably taken.

of salt (such as the noble

may be

of) alone

and

safety

especially

may be

joined with

use

continual nephritical

Spirit

Helmont speaks this, for

with

its

profit,

distempers,

and

the heat or sharpness of urine.

Now, there

as this

none

adulterated

so noble a medicine, so

in the

and

world more basely

counterfeited,

commending

our

wise

for it (quid pro quo) an adulterated mineral acidity of vitriol,

doctors

OIL OF SULPHUR. distilled

a retort from vulgar sulphur,

which the apostate chemists prepare and for, and the knavish apothecaries use and give to their patients, instead of this

sell

true

spirit,

water,

which

of sulphur

clear as

and

exquisitely

vive

only,

ponderous,

made

sincere

set

acid,

fire

without any other mixture, and the fumes received in a broad glass, fitted for the

purpose, vulgarly called a campana or

from

its

Most doctors,

ence

shape or likeness. sottish

that

are of

vitriol

bell,

teacheth

that

spirit

one

maxim

and

sulphur

nature,

that

the

when

mere

experi-

acetosity

(which brings over nothing of

vitriol

of its

excellent virtue) will dissolve argent vive,

which the strongest

and not nor

spirit of sulphur, truly

sophistically made, will not touch,

will that

recover beer or wines, or pre-

serve them, as this will do fore, is

virtue virtue,

;

one,

there-

unripe esurine acetosity, of

little

the other a balsam of antidotary

a preservative against corruption,

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

upon that score, nothing can be used more effectually as a preservative against, or a remedy in, contagious fevers, small-pox, measles, or pestilence than this, nor more and,

ridiculously than

the

which being

other,

drawn from the vulgar sulphur, that hath an infection of malignity mixed with it (which

took from the arsenical nature

of the minerals from which

was melted),

adds nothing to the virtue of the crude vitriolate spirits,

but only that which was

before of little virtue, to

become a medicine

of more danger and hazard, but not a jot

more goodness than it was, when first wandr from the vitriol which being of ;

itself clear

and

the

ignorant

with

some

lous world

crude,

(by

to deceive

colour)

tinctured

root or bark.

Thus

the credu-

imposed upon and cheated,

most noble remedies

promised),

produced,

for

its

while, instead of

name

the

adulterated

(in

trifles

are

disparagement of

art,

and the scandal and reproach of the professor's medicine.

OIL OF SULPHUR.

To the

discover which abuses and vindicate

art,

cerning

this

virtues of

made)

have made

or spirit of sulphur, the

oil

which

are

eminently

faithfully

remarkable, that

efficacious,

unworthy

not

and

truly

(if

and almost incredibly thought

preludium, con-

pains in a

few lines to communicate to the studious reader both what real benefit

be ex-

pected from the true and what injury

done

to the

deluded

stroyed, patients

(at

least),

not de-

by the sophisticate

oil

sulphur. Postscript.

That those

who

desire this so pleasant,

so efficacious, and profitable a

remedy may

not be abused by the base counterfeit

vitriol,

because

corruptly called

common

unwholesome

tincted with

the town

and

all

abuse of

who make

of sulphur,

distilled

from

brimstone,

and

some bark or

is full,

to the great

of those

once

has been

oil

root of which

apothecaries' shops,

art,

use of

but it

much

greater

instead of the

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

50 true,

when indeed

thereto

Thomas Globe

the reader be informed

;

Apostle's, next door to Black

and

Richard Johnson's,

Montague

the true

vive (set on the sulphur its

hath not one quality

George Starkey's house,

that at

Court

let

;

St.

Lion

at the

Close, in Southwark,

be had, drawn from sulphur

fire),

itself,

without any addition but

which

easily

known by

clearness, sharpness, weight, not work-

ing on quicksilver, turning bitter like to

on the filings of silver, preserving wine and beer from corruption, restoring them

gall

when decayed,

and,

word,

quenching feverish heat and

thirst,

its

etc.

As before hath been rehearsed at large, it may by anyone be distinguished from that which

at those

false

real

and

true.

Richard Johnson's house

Close, in Southwark,

have any chemical Besides

However,

sophisticate.

two places he may be confident of

that which at

and

which

oil

And

likewise

Montague

oils,

you may and spirits.

spirit

of sulphur,

aforesaid,

salts,

OIL OF SULPHUR.

several other rare and admirably effectual

medicinal secrets for the certain, safe, and

speedy cure of most,

not

all

diseases,

been proved by many hundred

as hath

patients (adjudged rather incurable or des-

perately dangerous by other doctors), are

more than ordinary and preparations of George Star-

there to be had, being secrets

key,

who

entitles himself a

Philosopher by

the Fire.

And

particular that

injuriously

pill,

or antidote-

challenged as an invention of

Richard Matthews, who,

in truth,

had that

preparation (for which he hath since been

so famous) from the said George Starkey, the true author thereof,

who had

from

God, by studious search, without help of

book or master

;

and which preparation he

hath since amended and advanced

beyond

comparison

that

Matthews had from him, and

daily,

in virtue

Mr.

which hath

been,

confirmed by the experience

of able men.

Concerning which antidote, or

pill,

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

anodinous

rather

elixir,

and

virtues

its

advancement, to almost a true universality,

by four variations

which the

thereof,

first

author of the thing (by long experience)

found out, he hath wrote, particularly, and

way

at large,

with the

and how

to order the

all

of administering

by one and

patient,

of these preparations, for his recovery

out of any of the most desperately acute, or

chronical diseases

fixed

being now ready days, is

God

called

for

;

which book

the press, in a few

willing, shall see the light.

Brief Examination and Censure

of Several Medicines, etc."

For the undeceiving of such been injuriously and only

Mr.

Richard

Hobson have condemning

falsely

have

persuaded that

Matthews

and

Paul

that medicine truly prepared,

all

others as counterfeit, to the

disparagement and palpable injury of the first

inventor,

that he

who

counts

unreasonable

learned what he had from him

should censure himself as a counterfeit, unless

he bind himself up to

his preparation,

OIL OF SULI'HUR

which, though

most

knows,

and

be a true one, yet of

in virtue

inferior

Commune."

the

the author

all

by him

called

Diaphoretick

his

" Elixir

Of which

able,

judicious practitioners (having once bought

his

effectual

preparations in the

and higher graduated same kind) have so low

an esteem (comparatively to these others) that they desire

no more thereof. Farewell.

George Starkey.

When

this

were written,

treatise

Mr.

and the postscript

Starkey then lived

the place therein specified as

;

but he died,

have been informed, of the sickness,

Anno. Dom. 1665, by venturing to anatomise a corpse dead of the plague, as Mr.

Thomson,

the chemist,

him, and lived

Starkey 's

many

adventure

had done before

years after cost

However, the medicine,

him

truly

;

but Mr. his

life.

made and

prepared from the mineral sulphur, called sulphur vive,

many

chemists

may now be had in

of very

and about London

;

nay,

— COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

the difficulty in making thereof great but that you

you

and

please,

may make

not so

yourself

you do but wait the

time and opportunity to buy the mineral sulphur (not mineral

The

common

brimstone), for the

not to be had at

all

times.

process and shape for the glass

bell,

and the manner of making and rectifying this spirit from the mineral sulphur, or sulphur vive, as the earth,

comes

may be

seen in the chemical

works of Hartman "

Royal

stone-like out of

and

Chymistry,"

called

Crollius,

Chara's

Royal

Pharmacopaea/'Lefehure, Thibault, Lemery, Glaser,

many

Shroder's

others, unto

C. B.

Dispensatory,"

whom

refer

and

you.

THE STONE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS EMBRACING

THE FIRST MATTER And

the

Dual Proces;

for the

Vegetable and Metallic

Tinctures.

THE CONTENTS. Chapter Chapter

Introduction.

Of the Vegetable Tincture, or the Process called the Lesser Circulation. II.

Chapter

III. Of the Uses of the Vegetable Tincture, with some general remarks on their great efficacy in Medicine.

CHAPTER Chapter

IV.

V. Metals.

Of the Metallic Tincture. Of the Second Matter, or Seed

Chapter

VI. Of the Dissolution and Extraction of the Seed in Metals.

Chapter

VII. Of the Separation and Further Treatment of our Philosophical Seed.

Chapter

VIII. Of the Union, or Mystical Marriage, in the Philosophical Process.

Chapter

IX. Of the Further Treatment and Ripening of our Seed.

Chapter

X. Of the Further Process towards the Ripening of our Noble Seed.

Chapter

XI.

Further

Description

Process.

Chapter Chapter

XII.

XIII.

Of the Stone and its Uses. Of the Transmutation.

the

THE PREFACE. If there

upon easy

had been any English publication

this curious

be met with,

gard, the

with

public

scribed

are ;

all

they

operations within

are

subject,

that deserved

had not been

The

this.

Nature

and momentous

the

laid

re-

troubled

herein

de-

compass of

down

plain

language, and the reasoning upon them suited to a

there

common

apprehension, where

a chemical turn of mind.

inclining to these studies,

well to

mind

Anyone

poor, will

his proper business,

without

attempting the Philosophical Work, as the necessary apparatus

must

require

expense and time than he can spare such as are of ability it,

may

;

but

well undertake

both as a recreation and useful employ-

ment, in which an ingenious labourer

be retained as an assistant operations,

for the

may

manual

such a daily allowance as

;

THE PREFACE.

may be

sufficient for

No more

a subsistence.

be expected by a man who pious

one that

labour and

proportioned to his

never be

work of consequence where patience is a main requisite,

depended upon like this,

modest and

vicious can

can

in a

together with a punctilious veracity in re-

every variation of the matter during

citing

a tedious process from seven to nine months.

Whoever

must needs have an

process and,

we again

whose

fidelity,

safely relied ligious

undertake

will therefore

;

repeat

above

upon

being,

to investigate

true,

;

the

assistant

such

an one

things,

may be

it,

all

this

and

faithful,

his employer,

phenomena

re-

acute

of Nature,

especially in chemical processes.

Those who are accustomed science with contempt cule

may

to treat this

doubtless

anything written expressly

without examining what support, the

title

ridi-

upon

advanced

its

only of a book being of

a sufficient reason with

regarding the contents.

many

for their disshall leave

THE PREFACE. such superficial people of that

unhappy

quiet possession

self-sufficiency

they have

acquired, and rather apologise for the plain-

ness with which this process

those possessors of

who may be spirit in

it,

delivered to

any, and yet alive,

displeased with

our public

communicating what has so long

been considered as a sacred deposition with a few Philosophers.

Chapter

The Introduction.

Because many have written of the Philosopher's Stone without any knowledge of the art, and the few books extant, written by our learned predecessors and true masters hereupon, are either

lost

or concealed in

the collections of such (however despised) as are lovers

and seekers of natural

secrets,

we have taken

a resolution to communicate

our knowledge

in this matter, to

that those phical

who

Work

the intent

are convinced the Philoso-

fiction,

the possibility of Nature,

but grounded

may be

faithfully

directed in their studies, and have an un-

doubted criterion to distinguish between such authors as are genuine sons of science

and those who are spurious, as writing by hearsay only.

shall

not on this

occasion

summary of their names who

give a

are undoubted

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

masters in the to introduce in

the

sense

may be

chapters

;

necessary,

and as

their

often concealed under a studied

ambiguity gift

pensed to

of expression,

Stone,

out

shall,

which the Almighty hath us,

dis-

declare plainly, and without

any reserve, the pher's

but shall take occasion

them, as

following is

of the

art,

first

the

matter of the Philoso-

manner of proceeding

through the whole process, both

the

Vegetable and Metallic Tinctures, beginning with the Vegetable process

first,

the most easy and simple, yet well worthy

the

attention

particularly

the

all

ingenious

practical

persons,

chemists

and

preparers of medicines.

Chapter

the

II.

Vegetable Tincture, or the Process

called the Lesser Circzdation.

Very few

have seemed

of the true philosophers

touched upon this subject, for

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.

great work, as the

trifling in respect to the

generally termed

process

there

a modern publication

metals

but

;

English, a

small thin duodecimo, without any author's

name, having

for

title

its

"Aphorismi, seu

Circulus majus et Circulus minus," wherein the whole process

This book master

for

down.

plainly laid

written by an undoubted

the art

or modern,

;

and no

treatise, ancient

so explicit in the directions

The direcmuch to the

conducting the great work.

tions

are

very

but

short,

purpose, provided the reader has an idea

what part of the work

author, agreeable to his

doctrine

alluded title,

The

to.

delivers his

by way of aphorisms.

But

return from this digression.

We the

proposed

in this

chapter to lay open

vegetable process, as a clue

more important work

dom.

certain person,

the

the mineral king-

who

now

living,

and advertises balsam of honey, tincture of sage,

way

;

etc.,

has turned his studies this

and from

his great abilities

as a pro-

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

66 fessed

physician

vinced

all

has

botanist,

con-

unprejudiced persons that noble

may be

tinctures

and

hope

this

extracted from vegetables.

gentleman

will

not despise

our free communication, both to him and the public,

we show

his

method, though

establish the

never-failing

the insufficiency of is

ingenious, while

rationale of ours

ground of truth

on the

and

phil-

osophy.

He only

observes, with a precision which can result

herbs

different

such

;

ment or

alcohol

he has

but there are the essential, or fixed, left in

the

These require another manageextract, which he is either ignorant

so disingenuous as to conceal from

the public lie

that

allowed that the volatile

and sulphur of the herb yet

process.

of,

trials,

and balsamic sulphur are thus ex-

tracted salt

It is

numerous

impart their tinctures

proportions

found out. spirit

from

open

;

but that so noble a secret all

for a general

may

advantage,

here follows a plain account of the vegetable work.

THE

Take

I'lIILOSOPHER

any

STONE.

which

herb

potent

medicine, and either extract the tincture

with

of wine, or

spirit

way; reserve the

the

distil in

common

distilled water, or tincture,

when separated from the faeces, for use. Then take the feces, or Caput Mortuum, and

calcine

Grind

to a calx.

this

That done, take the water, or and mix them together distil

powder. tincture,

;

and

again,

over by a

forcing

calcine,

retort, in a

moisture

the

wary process,

calcin-

ing and cohobating the spirit on the salt till

attains a perfect whiteness

nature, called in

the

Flemish.

finest

alkali,

As your

salt

and

commonly requires

the process, have in readiness

you may not work

too dry

;

it,

viz.,

more of

the extracted tincture, or distilled that

oily

spirit,

the

salt,

and yet proceed cautiously, not

adding too much of the moisture, so that the dealbation,

whitening,

visibly heightening at every

the process.

may keep

repetition of

Frequent experiments may

enable you to push

on to a redness, but

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

a fine yellow

process

the best of

tends,

all

;

perfection

its

for at

the this

period, to a state of dryness,

and must be

managed with

a strong

fire.

these directions, you have here tinctures

tures

the white

the

two

and

red

tinc-

mineral.

Chapter

the

Kingdom,

Vegetable

the

answering

following

Uses oj the

III.

Vegetable

Tinctures,

with some general remarks on their great in

efficacy

medicine.

You

have, by carefully following our direc-

tions

above, procured the tinctures, white

yellow,

The is

yellow

the

Vegetable

efficacious

well performed

exposed

the

thick, essential

;

either of them,

air, will

oil,

Kingdom. the

work

by being

soon run into a

smelling very strong of

the plant, and the virtues of any quantity

may be

concentered by often repeating the

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.

But you have no need of

circulation.

this,

unless for curiosity, there being in your tinctures a real

permanent power

to extract

the essential virtues of any herb you

require

immersion

and

essential salt

with the sulphureous floating

where

only,

volatile oil,

on the top of your

all

the

together

spirit,

are

may

conjoined,

and the

tincture,

bottom

terrestrial feces precipitated to the

;

not as in distillation, or extraction of the tincture

with alcohol, while the stalk and

texture of the plant are entire

no,

;

this

Vegetable Tincture devours the whole substance of the plant, and precipitates only the earthy particles acquired in tion,

its

vegeta-

which no degree of calcination could

push to an salt.

Such

Tincture

;

alkali, is

and

without

its

essential

the virtue of our Vegetable if

the operation be never so

often repeated with different herbs,

nothing of

its

loses

virtue, or quantity or quality,

casting up the virtues of whatever herb

immersed, and before,

precipitating the earth as

when both

are easily separated and

the medicine preserved for use.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

•JO

Let a medicine, thus prepared, be examined, and the principles by which it is extracted, with the general

paration

;

methods of pre-

the distilled water, for instance, herb, be

any aromatical or balsamic

took,

common

experience

that nothing but

convince us

will

volatile parts

its

come over

the head; but take the Caput Mortuum,

and

will

which proves

afford an alkali,

an essential in

the

air,

salt

run

essential sulphur.

its

more resinous

which

oil,

itself to

pungency, and

will, its

you take the tincture

extracted with alcohol, the

and

calcine after this process,

the same, only

it is

parts of

some herbs may

enrich the extract, and the volatile sulphur

giving the colour and scent, be retained,

which escapes virtue

in distillation

or soul

be allowed dunghill.

the It

the

;

but the potent

herb,

pressed juice of the

powder,

same herb

if is

taken

sometimes prescribed, but

we may

goes to the

expression,

the

used

or substance, little

ex;

and as

its

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE. beyond

virtue,

nourishing quality, can

its

be communicated to the patient, except as a bitter or a vermifuge, perhaps,

way

best by

which cases,

of infusion.

Let none despise the operation above down, because

laid

it is

not to be found in

the ordinary books of chemistry sider the possibility of Nature,

but con-

;

who

brings

about wonderful effects by the most simple causes

neither

any imagine

let

cess so easy as to perform trials,

this pro-

without some

patiently attending to her operations

and endeavouring ficiency

the

this reason

any de-

to account for

course of his work.

For

be proper that the

artist

will

forms to himself an idea what the intention is

to procure,

his

has

how

far

Nature has prepared

matter to work upon, left

it,

and how

far

above the ordinary point of could attain in the crude

what

state she

may be virtue, air,

and

exalted

which this

the Philosophic Art assisting Nature, as a

handmaid, with an administration of due heat,

which

nutritive

and not corrosive

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

recapitulation of the foregoing process,

with some remarks on the different stages, will

be sufficient here to explain our mean-

ing above, and prepare the reader for what follows concerning the metallic tincture, or

Stone of the Philosophers.

The

and simples are

virtues of herbs

confessedly

and manifold

great

some are poisonous and

these,

yet of great use in medicine

;

among narcotic,

none of them

but want some preparation or correction.

Now

the

defective

common ways

nor

entire,

certainty.

menstruum

with expedition and

Alcohol, as was before observed, a

will extract

spirit.

any

furnishing

of doing

capable

preserving the virtue

neither

;

of doing this are

and

tincture

distillation

reject neither of these

methods

our work, as they are useful to decom-

pound the subject with a part of

To have

and

speak its soul, its

spirit,

its

;

but

are not content

virtues.

philosophically,

which which

its is

we would

Essential Salt,

the

inflammable

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

The body

sulphur.

which these resided

are not concerned for

and must return from whereas the soul and the

iacal,

their

earthy

this

spirit are

its

first

Now

this

principles, as the unit-

permanently

of virtue

called

Under-

Philosophically speaking,

them

increase

but

;

meant than decomposition of the

subject into

most

decompounding

destroy,

but divide the

integral

parts.

the

artist

regeneration. is

be done

corrode or

matter into

this

will

with

emphatically

and

resurrection

with judgment, so as not

work

loss

can only be done by death.

no more

paradis-

them from

free

without

prison

stand us aright.

ing

mere earth, whence it came it is

;

can

artist

period

consider

its

the

what

further intended, keeping Nature in view,

who,

she

operations,

properly assisted

her

produces from the dissolution

of any subject something more excellent, as in a grain of corn, or any vegetable seed,

which by cultivation may be pushed

to a 6

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

surprising produce

but then

;

must die

as our Blessed Saviour very emphati-

first,

cally observes

and

let

saying dwell

this

upon the artist's imagination, that he may know what he generally intends for the ;

whole philosophical work, both tables and minerals,

of the subject, and reviving

excellent

Now

vege-

only a mortifying it

again to a

life.

the intention in the foregoing

process was to increase simply any vegetable in

its

kind, the destruction

and

must follow the ordinary course

fication

of vegetation by the

medium

of seed

Nature can only be assisted by the

soil,

and

fertilising

Paracelsus,

Yet there are and particularly

and moisture.

wanting

cesses

;

together with a proper distribu-

tion of heat

not

revivi-

authors,

who

boldly

wherein the

vital

describe quality

seed has been destroyed

and yet brought

again

pleasure of an

artist.

life

pro-

the

calcination, at

the

Such reveries are a

scandal to philosophy, and a snare to the

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE. superficial

reader,

who

generally

struck with impossibilities, roundly asserted,

than the modesty of true confess

their

artists.

operations are

bounds of Nature, whose

These

within

the

limits they can-

not surpass.

The

reader, then, will consider that our

intention here nal

not to increase the semi-

but to concentre, in a

quality,

little

compass, the medicinal virtues of a herb.

Nature

desirous of this in

all

her pro-

ductions, but can only rise to such a point

perfection,

her

ordinary

through the crudity of the

power of the elements.

air

Now

course,

and fixing if

take

the vegetables at that point of perfection to

which she has pushed them, and farther

assist

her

and

uniting,

obtain,

decompounding, purifying, reviving

the

subject,

what she could not otherwise pro-

duce, a real permanent tincture, the quintessence,

called,

such a har-

monious mixture of the four elementary qualities as constitutes a

fifth,

from thence-

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

and not

forth indissoluble,

be debased

with any impurity.

But the virtue of is

this

Vegetable Tincture

capable of improvement ad infinitum, in

by adding more of its spirit or extracted tinture, and repeating the circulation, which is every time more speedily its

own

kind,

there

finished, as in

the fixed

and essential

salt,

assimilates to itself

what

oil,

which

the real virtues of

all

added, only rejecting the feculent,

earthy qualities tincture

not at

a magnetical quality

much

all

;

so that in a grain of the

may be

virtue

concentered,

corrosive or ardent, but friendly

to the animal

life,

and most powerful as a

medicine for disorders which the herb appropriated to cure. this nature tillers

was

of ardent

still

Nay, something of

sought for by the

spirits,

dis-

when phlegm has

been drawn away from the volatile sulphur, till

which it

became proof will

spirit,

it is

termed,

burn dry, a plain indication that

contained nothing essential in

the subject out of which

from

was extracted

;

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. for that

which

stroyed by the

cannot be de-

essential

but

fire,

alkaline salt, having in

its

reddened to an

centre an Incom-

bustible Sulphur, which, on exposing to the air,

manifests

touch.

Now,

itself if

both to the sight and

this Salt

purified sufficiently,

and Sulphur are

and the

distilled spirit,

or extracted tincture, added, Nature finds a subject wherein she can carry her operations to

the

highest

limit,

degree of heat suitable

to her intentions.

Chapter

When we

artist

proper vessels, and a

furnishes her with

IV.

the Metallic Tincture.

undertook a description of the

vegetable process,

was

chiefly with a

view to familiarise the reader to a general idea of the

Philosophic

Work

as both proceed upon the

only the

mercuries

difficult to extract,

same

of metals

metals,

principles,

are

and stronger degrees of

heat are required, as well as more of the

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

"Ji>

time and patience

artist's

succeed

neither can he

operation without frequent

in the

and a constant consideration within

trials,

his

;

mind

as to

what

For

of Nature.

this

within the possibility

purpose

it is

necessary

know the composition of metals, that he may know how to decompound and reduce to

them

their

principles,

first

which

treated of very mysteriously by the

phil-

osophers, and purposely concealed, as the

key

right

Nature.

unlock shall

this head, for the

all

the

be more

secrets explicit

time draws near when,

as Sendivogius has observed, the confec-

Stone

tion of the

plainly

rennet.

imitate

will

be discovered as

making of cheese from But we warn the reader not to Midas in the fable, by seeking the as

the

noble tincture in metals out of covetousness

;

for

the true wise

medicine for

human

men seek

infirmities,

only a

and esteem

it furnishes them with the means of independence and the exercise of universal beneficence. They communicate

gold but as

;

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

their talents, without vain glory or ostentation,

worthy searchers of

to such as are

Nature,

but

concealing

their

names as

much

as possible, while living, as well as

their

knowledge of the mystery from the

world.

herein follow their example,

shall

and yet write more plainly of the Metallic Process

any of them has hitherto

than

done, knowing that the providence of the

Most High will effectually guard this Arcanum from falling into the hands of covetous gold tenders

because the

seekers

and knavish pre-

Art of

the

sort

first

their impatience,

Transmutation

men

will,

from

soon leave the simplicity

of Nature for processes of more subtlety

invented by the

latter,

and adapted to such

avaricious views as the other have formed,

who, judging of things by their own griping dispositions, ality

know

not the noble liber-

but

imagine some gold

of Nature,

must be advanced before she their heaps.

This

will replenish

well foreseen

by those

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

smoke

who

sellers,

catch, as

receive what they can

they were her proper agents

;

and, having no conscience to put a stop to

the deception

their imposition, till all

kept up

vanishes in smoke.

Let

be observed, then, that

all

who

art,

from undoubted

principles, assert that the

genuine process

have written on the

not

expensive

manual

;

being

labour,

and

time

all

fuel,

with

allowed

for.

Besides, the matter to be wrought upon is

easy to procure by the consent of

small

indeed, necessary

as a

of gold

quantity

medium

when

and

the stone

for its tinging

white or red tinctures,

silver is

all. is,

made,

either in the

which such pre-

tenders have urged from books of philoso-

phers as a plausible pretence to rob the avaricious both of their time and

money

;

but their pretences are so gross that none

can be sufferers in

this

have not justly deserved

The this

reader

process

respect,

they

it.

may

then rest assured that

not

expensive, and reject

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. all

who advance

authors or practitioners

anything contrary to

remembering the

this established verity,

Nature

simplicity of

her operations, observing her frugal method in the production,

the

and consummate wisdom

dissolution of things

deavouring

always en-

something perfect

And

production.

;

because

proposing to help her

new here

are

a metallic process,

as before in the vegetable, let us consider

little

how she forms

state she

there

has

left

them, and what need

of the artist's

the metals, in what

skill

to assist her in

pushing them to that degree of perfection they are capable of attaining. All true philosophers agree that the First

Matter of metals

a moist vapour, raised

by the action of the central bowels

through air,

and

its is

the

earth,

pores,

which,

fire

the

circulating

meets with the crude

coagulated by

into an unctuous

water, adhering to the earth, which serves it

for a receptacle,

where

joined to a

sulphur more or less pure, and a

salt

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

or less fixing, which

attracts

from the

air,

and, receiving a certain degree of concoction

from the central and solar heat,

formed into stones and rocks, minerals and

These were

metals.

same moist vapour

formed of the

all

originally, but are thus

varied from the different impregnations of

the sperm, the quality of salt and sulphur

with which

it is

fixed,

which serves

earth

whatever portion of

and the purity of the it

for a matrix

;

for

moist vapour

this

hastily sublimed to the surface of the earth,

taking along of

its

impurities,

soon deprived

purer parts by the constant action

of heat,

both solar and central,

and the

grosser parts, forming a mucilaginous sub-

common

stance, furnish the matter of

and stones. is

sublimed,

earth, not tuosity,

But when

this

rocks

moist vapour

very slowly, through a fine

partaking of a sulphureous unc-

pebbles are formed

;

for the

sperm

of these beautiful, variegated stones, with marbles,

alabasters,

etc.,

separates

depurated vapour, both for their

first

this

form-

THE I'HILOSOrHERS STONE.

Gems

ation and continual growth.

are in

manner formed of this moist vapour when it meets with pure salt water, with like

which is

if it

fixed

cold

But

place.

sublimed leisurely through places

which

are

fatness

and

hot

sulphur

where

pure,

adheres

vapour, which the philosophers

Mercury,

the this

it,

call

their

joined to that fatness and be-

comes an unctuous matter, which coming afterwards to other places, cleansed by the

afore-named vapours, where the earth subtle, pure,

and so gold

and moist,

fills

made.

But

the pores of

is it,

the unctuous

matter comes into places cold and impure, lead, or Saturn,

produced

;

the earth

be cold and pure, mixed with sulphur, the result

copper.

this vapour,

Silver also

where

mixed with a

abounds

purity.

called,

impure,

adust sulphur.

in purity,

it is

and mixed

but

and

or Jupi-

tin,

abounds, but

In Mars, or iron,

proportion

formed of

lesser degree of sulphur

not sufficiently concocted. ter,

in less

in a lesser

with

;

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

Hence metals

appears that the First Matter of

one thing, and not many, homo-

geneous,

but

by the diversity of

altered

places and sulphurs with which

The

bined. scribe

philosophers

calls

but almost

vulgar,

When Hermes

calls

wings, figuring thereby it

sun

father

signifies that

its

vaporous nature,

wind carries it means that the air is

the

he affirms that which is

superior,

calls

the

mother, he

its

produced by the action

of heat upon moisture.

which

without

bird

and the moon it

water.

When

well described.

its

rain

hands

heavenly water, not wetting the not

com-

frequently de-

Sendivogius

matter.

this

in its is

When

he says

belly,

he only

its

When

receptacle. inferior

like that

he teaches that the same

vapour on the surface of the earth furnishes of rain and

the matter all

things

table

are

and animal kingdoms.

what the philosophers

and

dew,

nourished

affirm

wherewith the

This now

call their

to be found in

all

vegeis

Mercury

things, as

the philosopher's stone. This makes some suppose

is in fact.

human

in the

hill,

85 it

body, others in the dung-

which has often bewildered such as are

fond

philosophical subtleties,

from one thing

another, without

what they would

fixed theory about

expecting

find

of the Mineral.

fly

any seek,

Vegetable or

the

Kingdoms

Animal

and

the utmost perfection this

mistake of

theirs,

without doubt, the philosophers have contributed with an

intention

of hiding their

First Matter from the unworthy; in which

they were, perhaps, more cautious than necessary,

for

Sendivogius declares that

occasionally, in discourse, he had intimated

the art plainly word by

themselves

accounted sophers

notions, far

beyond

stand

his

fesses

little

some who

very acute

philo-

such

subtle

but they conceived

;

the simplicity of Nature,

that they could not, to

to those

word

meaning.

any purpose, under-

Wherefore he pro-

fear of

its

being discovered but

who have

according to the good

pleasure and providence of the

Most High.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

This benevolent disposition has induced him to declare more openly the First Matter, and it

fix

the artist in his search of

mineral kingdom

to the

who wrote

Albertus Magnus,

quoting

for,

;

in his

that,

of gold were found betwixt

time, grains

the teeth of a dead

man

in his grave,

observes that Albertus could not account

but judged

miracle,

for this

be by

reason of the mineral virtue in man, being

confirmed by that saying of Morien this

thee."

But

understood the

King,

this

distinct

indeed,

mercury,

and

sulphur were

its

from the animal. the

animal is

but the animal

vice versa.

from

philosophically,

residing

and sulphur, or marrow ;

"And

erroneous, for Morien

or humidity,

the virtue

extracted

things

those

mineral virtue

kingdom, true,

matter,

as the

own It is

kingdom matter,

the bones, as is

not mineral,

If the virtue of the animal

not in

man, the blood, or

mercury, could not be coagulated into flesh

and bones

;

there were not a vege-

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.

table sulphur in the vegetable kingdom,

could not coagulate water, or the vegetable

mercury, into herbs,

be understood

etc.

The same

These three kingdoms do differ in their virtue,

own mercury

;

not,

indeed,

nor the three sulphurs,

as every sulphur has a its

the mineral kingdom.

power

to coagulate

and every mercury has

power of being coagulated by its own proper sulphur, and by no other which is a

a stranger to

Now

it.

the reason

why

gold was found

man

betwixt the teeth of a dead

because

his lifetime

administered to him, turbith, or

nature

mouth, forming

metal itself

be evacuated with the

mercury had been either

some other way

of this

this

;

by unction, and

ascend to

the the

an outlet there, to spittle.

If,

then, in

the time of such treatment, the sick

man

died, the mercury, not finding an egress,

mouth between his teeth, and the carcase becoming a natural matrix to ripen the mercury, it was shut up for a remained

in his

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

long time,

till

was congealed

own proper

its

into gold

sulphur, being purified

by the natural heat of putrefaction, caused by the corrosive phlegm of man's body but

would never have happened

this

;

mineral mercury had not been administered to him.

Chapter V.

Of the All

Second Matter, or Seed in Metals.

philosophers affirm, with one consent,

that metals

increased,

the

same

have a seed by which they are

and that in all of

this

them

;

seminal quality but

it is

perfectly

ripened in gold only, where the bond of

union

so fixed that

decompound the for the

subject,

Philosophical

who were

adepts in the

processes taken gold the

mercury,

most

and procure

Work. art,

difficult to it

But some,

have by

painful

for their male,

which they knew how

rextact from the less

a female

it is

compacted metals,

and to for

not as an easier process, but to

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE. find out the possibility of this

making the stone

way and have succeeded, giving

this

;

method more openly to conceal the true confection, which is most easy and simple.

shall, therefore, set

a landmark, to keep

before the reader

him from

splitting

by considering what

this difficulty,

the

seed wherein the metals are increased, that the artist

may be no

to seek for

longer at a loss where

keeping

it,

view the writings

of our learned predecessors on this subject.

The seed of metals is what the Sons of Wisdom have called their mercury, to distinguish

from quicksilver, which

nearly

resembles, being the radical moisture of metals.

This,

when

judiciously extracted,

without corrosives, or fluxing, contains it

a seminal quality whose perfect ripeness only in gold

crude, like

;

fruits

the other metals

it is

which are yet green, not

being sufficiently digested by the heat of the sun and action of the elements.

We ob-

served that the radical moisture contains the seed,

which

true

yet

it is

not the seed, 7

COLLECTANEA CIIEMICA.

sperm

but the

only,

which

the

vital

principle floats, being invisible to the eye.

But the mind perceives

it,

a true

a central point of condensed

artist, as

wherein

air,

Nature, according to the will of God, has included the thing,

principles of

everyas

may be

the sperm

for in animals

;

life in

animal and vegetable

well

mineral

first

seen, but not the included principle of im-

pregnation

this is a

concentered point, to

which the sperm serves only as a till,

vehicle,

by the action and ferment of the matrix,

the point wherein Nature has included a vital principle is

expands

perceivable

animal.

instance, in

much more included

be seed

;

rudiments

the

any esculent

fruit (as, for is

the seed

proportion than

and even that which appears

only a finer concoction of sperm,

grain of wheat, the flour

the point of vegetation is

an apple), the pulp or sperm

including the vital stamina

which

and then

itself,

kept by

tremes of cold

its

and

is is

;

as also in a

only the sperm,

an included

air,

sperm from the exheat,

till

finds

THK PHILOSOPHERS STONE. proper

where

matrix,

softened

husk

the

being

warmed by

moisture, and

with

the heat, the surrounding sperm putrefies,

making the seed, or concentered air, to expand and to burst the husk, carrying along motion a milky substance, assimulated

in its

the putrefied sperm.

to itself from

This

the condensing quality of the air includes

a film

and

hardens into a germ,

all

according to the purpose of Nature. this

wonderful

whole process of Nature, most her operations, was not con-

stantly repeated before our eyes, the simple

process of vegetation would be equally problematical with yet

how can

that of the philosophers

the metals increase, nay,

how

can anything be multiplied without seed

The

true artists never pretended to mul-

tiply

metals without

that

Nature

ment

when not

it is

she

still

She

it,

and can

follows her

always

be denied

first

fructifies

appoint-

the

put into a proper matrix.

obey an ingenious

knows her operations, with her

artist,

seed

Does

who

possibilities.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

and attempts nothing beyond them

husbandman meliorates

ground with

his

compost, burns the weeds, and makes use

of other operations.

steeps his seed

various preparations, only taking care not to destroy its vital

principle

;

indeed,

never comes into his head to roast boil

it,

or to

which he shows more knowledge

of Nature than do.

it,

some would-be philosophers

Nature, like a liberal mother, rewards

him with a more

plentiful harvest,

in pro-

portion as he has meliorated her seed and

furnished a

matrix for

suitable

its

increase.

The

gardener goes farther

intelligent

he knows

how

to shorten the process of

vegetation, or retard cuts salads,

and

duce

fruits of

them

Nature

it.

in winter.

inclined to admire plants

other climates

follows

gathers roses,

green peas

pulls

Are the curious and

;

his

stoves

his

can pro-

perfection.

directions

uncon-

strained, always willing to obtain her end, viz.,

the perfection of her offspring.

THE PHILOSOPHER

Open

your

searchers in

eyes

93 studious

she so

liberal

how much

productions,

those which are permanent, and

can subsist

the

her operations seed, and

;

ripen

many ages she

here,

of Nature!

her perishing

STONE.

Attend, then, to

fire ?

you procure the metallic by

that

which she

art

in perfecting,

cannot

reward you with an

will

proportioned

fail

but

increase

of your

excellency

the

will

be apt to exclaim here

subject.

The

reader

"Very

All

fine!

shall the

but

well;

how

seed of metals be procured, and

whence comes gather

this

" it ?

philosophers

know how

that so few this

have

it is

answered that the

hitherto

industriously

kept that a profound secret

;

of a selfish disposition, though

some out otherwise

good men. Others, who wished only for worthy persons to whom they might impart

it,

because

could

not

write

covetousness

and

been governing principles

openly,

vanity in

have

the world

;

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

knew that Most High

being wise men, they

and,

was not the

of the

will

inflame and cherish such odious tempers,

and

the genuine offspring of pride love, but to banish

them out of the

self-

earth,

wherefore they have been withheld hither-

But we, finding no restraint on our

to.

mind

know

in that respect, shall declare :

the time

and the rather because we judge is

come

demolish the golden

so long had in veneration by

calf,

what we

of men, insomuch that worth

all

ranks

estimated

by the money a man possesses and such ;

the inequality of possessions that mankind are almost reducible to the rioting in extravagance,

rich,

who

are

and the poor, who

are in extreme want, smarting under the iron

hand of oppression.

of iniquity

among

Now

the measure

the rich hastens to

its

and the cry of the poor is come before the Lord " Who will give them to eat limit,

till

they shall be satisfied?"

Hereafter the

rich will see the vanity of their possessions

when compared with

the

treasures com-

THE PHILOSOPHER municated by

this secret

STONE.

for the riches

;

bestows are a blessing from God, and not the squeezing of oppression. Besides, its chief

excellence

consists

medicine capable of healing

which the human body longing

making

in all

diseases to

and pro-

liable,

to the utmost limits ordained

life

by the Creator of

all

things.

There want not other reasons manifestation of the process

has gone hand

for the

for scepticism

;

hand with luxury and oppression, insomuch that the fundamental truths of

all

revealed religion are disputed.

These were always held

veneration by

may be

the possessors of this

art,

from what they have

left

upon record

their

books

and,

indeed, the

ciples of revealed religion are

from the whole metals

sown

and raised

;

prin-

demonstrated

process, for the seed of

in corruption,

sown a a spiritual body

incorruption

first

seen

;

and raised

natural body, it is

known

partake of the curse which came upon the earth for man's sake, having in

its

com-

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

position a deadly poison,

which can only

be separated by a regeneration

and

fire

purified

;

and

when

can,

exalted,

throughly

water

immediately

tinge

imperfect metals and raise them to a state of perfection, being in this respect a lively

emblem

woman,

of that seed of the

Serpent Bruiser, who, through His

the

suffer-

ings and death, hath entered into glory,

having thenceforth power and authority redeem, purify, and glorify

come unto Him

all

those

as a mediator

who

between

God and mankind. Such

longer be silent

concerning the seed of

metals, but declare that

contained

in the grain

the ores of metals, as wheat

and the

we can no

being our motives,

;

sottish folly of alchemists has hin-

dered them from adverting to they have always sought metals,

which

are

factitious

this,

so that

the vulgar

and not a

natural production, herein acting as foolishly as

man

expect corn from

should sow bread and it,

or from an egg which

THE PHILOSOPHER

STONE.

boiled hope to produce a chicken. Nay, though the philosophers have said many is

times the vulgar metals are dead, not ex-

cepting gold,

which passes the

fire,

they

never imagine a thing so simple as

could

that the seed their ores,

pected

when

;

of metals was contained in

where alone

so bewildered

ought to be ex-

human

ingenuity,

leaves the beaten track of truth

and Nature,

to entangle itself in a multipli-

city of fine-spun inventions.

The

searcher of Nature

will

rejoice

greatly in this discovery, as grounded in

reason and sound philosophy it

would be

vain, should

;

but to fools

even Wisdom

herself cry out in the streets.

Wherefore,

leaving such persons to hug themselves their

go on

own imaginary to

art

shall

observe that the ores of metals

are our First the seed

importance,

Matter, or sperm, wherein

contained, and the key of this

consists in a

right

dissolution of the

ores into a water, which the philosophers call

their mercury, or water of

life,

and an

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

earthy substance, which they have denominated their sulphur. their

woman,

wife,

signifying that their seed

inated

man,

called

have denom-

husband,

masculine

its

first

the feminine quality

the other they

;

their

point out

it is

The

Luna, and other names,

Sol, etc., to

In the

quality.

separation and due conjunction

of these

with heat, and careful management, there

generated a noble

have

for

its

offspring,

which they

excellency called the quint-

essence, or a subject wherein the four ele-

ments are so completely harmonised as produce a

fifth

subsisting in the

fire,

with-

out waste of substance, or diminution of virtue, titles

wherefore they have given

of Salamander, Phoenix, and

its

the

Son

the Sun.

Chapter VI.

the Dissolution

and Extraction of

the

Seed in Metals.

The

true

Sons of Science have always

;

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.

accounted the dissolution of metals as the

master key to

and have been par-

this art,

giving directions concerning

ticular in

only keeping their readers to the subject,

whether

ores, or factitious

when they purpose, then they make

metals, were to be chosen

say most to the

;

nay,

mention of metals rather than the with an intention to perplex those

they thought unworthy of the the author

it,

the dark as

ores,

whom

art.

of the " Philosophical

Thus

Duel," or

between the stone, gold, and

a dialogue

mercury, says " By the omnipotent God, and on the :

salvation of

earnest

soul,

seekers,

here declare to you

pity

your earnest

searching, the whole Philosophical Work, which is only taken from one subject and

For we take this crude and gross body

perfected in one thing. copper, and destroy

we draw

out

its

pure

spirit,

have purified the earthy

and

parts,

after

join

them together, thus making a Medicine a Poison."

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

tOO

remarkable that he avoids mention-

It is

ing the ore, but calls his subject copper,

which

what they

and not

vulgar, being indeed factitious, for the confection of

our Stone, having

seminal quality in the

its

respects

and

it is

of the

a metal

call

fire

but

;

fit

lost

other

the plainest discovery extant,

accounted to be so by Sendivogius.

Yet the reader the ore of copper

not to suppose that

be chosen

con-

sequence of that assertion, as preferable to others

no,

;

mercury,

the

which

the

and

easier to be extracted from lead, which

metallic seed,

attainable from

all,

confirmed by the true adepts, advising us seek for the noble child where

lies in

a despised form, shut up under the

seal oi

Saturn for

and, indeed,

;

effect his

germ

be supposed,

illustration of this subject, that

one would propose barley

let

is is

purpose

in the

generally

made

process, which

make

all

any

he may

other corns, but

because

chosen,

to sprout is

malt,

by a

intents

its

less tedious

and purposes

THE 1'HILOSOPHERS STONE. what we want mercury

of our

extraction

neither are the proceedings un-

similar

the

IOl

both cases,

regard

had

the fixity of ores, and the ease with which barley gives forth

seminal virtue from

its

the slight cohesion of

Let the

manages

his grain

rest to Nature,

parts.

remark how a maltster

artist

the cohesion of

its

by wetting,

loosen

parts, and leaves the

its

knowing

that she will soon

furnish the necessary heat for his purpose, if

he does not suffer

management

escape by mis-

the laying of his heap too

thin, or raising the

fermentation too high

by a contrary proceeding, as

known

actual fire

may be

well

from

kindled

the fermentation of vegetable juices

when

and ripe corn, under such

treat-

crude ment,

;

would soon be

hogs, or the dunghill. is

fit

for

Now

nothing but the intention

to raise such a fermentation only as will

draw out the vegetable mercury without spoiling

it,

either for the earth,

cast there to fructify, or the kiln,

if it

was

if it is

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

102

be fixed at that precise point, by exhaling the adventitious moisture, and

serving the whole strength of quality

making malt

its

seminal

of brewing, or

the purposes

for

thus pre-

spirits.

Suppose, then, an

artist

would extract a

mineral mercury from the ores, and chooses lead ore assist

his

for

Nature

up a central

subject.

can only

process by stirring

in the

which she includes

heat,

everything not already putrefied, as a root of

its

life,

which

medium by which motion is known

The

increased.

this central heat is put

to be putrefaction

;

but

the ores of every kind are found to resist

known processes extant. They may, indeed, when they have been

putrefaction in

fluxed in the air,

which

substance,

all

fire,

contract a rust from the

a gradual decomposition of their

but

this

only the

natural

decay of a dead body, not the putrefaction of

its

gation

sperm ;

and

for the

purposes of propa-

are

heat of furnaces which

sensible is

from

the

required to flux

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

IO3

the ores, and the slowness of their decay-

when deprived of by

fluxation,

which

a heat

that

destroy the seed

necessary

their seminal qualities,

may be

vegetables

would

in the first stages of putrefaction

the ores, as they will bear a red

for

fire

without being fluxed or losing anything but their sulphureous in

short,

and arsenical impurities

a matter in

itself

much

;

ex-

traneous to the seed of metals, as the chaff

tion is

wheat

;

wherefore, a careful separa-

of these

by roasting, or otherwise,

to the

deservedly

reckoned among the

first

operations for the putrefaction of ores, and the rather because that which calcined,

by having

its

been

has

pores opened,

rendered attractive, both of the other menstruums proper

for

air

its

and

decom-

position.

Let the manual qualities ing,

and

artist,

therefore,

separate

operation,

fire

the

and

impure

from his subject, pounding, washcalcining,

communicated

till

to his

no more blackness

menstruum,

for

which

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

104

pure rain water

will

sufficient.

seen on every repetition of this process, that

what ore

fouls the water

yet

exists

nature, except heat, in

purpose

The

its

which case

extraneous, and the individual

fluxed by a too intenseit is

no longer

therefore fresh ore

;

metallic

fit

for

matter being thus prepared,

central fire will be

awakened,

our

be used.

if it is

its

treated

properly, according to the process for extracting quicksilver from it

out admission

of the

moisture

radical

a close heat, which

vapour,

and

metallic

water,

This

the

osophers, in the

by keeping

ores,

continued with-

crude

air,

till

the

elevated in the form of

again

condensed into a

analogous to quicksilver.

true

and

fit

mercury of for all

the

Phil-

their operations

Hermetic Art.

Chapter VII.

Of the

Separation

and Further Treatment

of our Philosophical Seed.

The

putrefaction of our subject being thus

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE. completed,

IO5

under two forms

exists

the

extracted, and the resi-

moisture which was

duum, being our Philosophical Earth and

The

Water.

water contains

and the earth

virtue,

wherein

may

a proper receptacle,

fructify.

Let the water, then

can only be taken away by of

there

the

fire,

strongest degree

which

and

that,

for

here

no danger of destroying the seminal

and our

quality,

purified before is

calcine the

;

an impurity adheres to

earth, for

seminal

be separated and kept for use

too,

its

must

earth

be highly

This

can ripen the seed.

what Sendivogius means when he says

Bum

the sulphur till

Many

combustible.

becomes sulphur

lose in the

in-

preparation

what is of most use in the art ; for our mercury is acuatcd by the sulphur, else it

would

of no use. Let, therefore, the earthy part be well calcined, and return be

the mercury on the calcined earth

wards

draw

off

calcine, cohobate,

process

till

and

distillation

distil,

the mercury

;

after-

then

repeating the

well acuated by 8

COLLECTANKA CHKMICA.

106

the sulphur, and the sulphur a whiteness, and goes on its

purified to

to red, a sign of

complete purification, where you have

Female ready This must now be man-

the Philosophical Male and for conjunction.

aged with judgment, as the noble

may be

yet strangled in the birth

things are easy to an ingenious

child

but

;

artist,

all

who

knows the proportion of mixture required and accommodates his operations to the intentions

of Nature, for

shall faithfully

which

purpose

conduct him according

to our ability.

Chapter

Of the Union

VIII.

or Mystical Marriage in the

Philosophical Process.

The seed and

its

earth being thus prepared,

nothing remains but a judicious conjunction

much moisture philosophical egg may be

of them together prevails,

the

burst before

necessary for

;

for if too

can go through the heat its

hatching.

speak

THE PHILOSOPHER

STONE.

without a figure.

Our

subject

be enclosed

small

glass

IO7

must now vial,

made

strong enough to bear a due heat, which is

be raised gradually to the highest

degree

the best form for this vessel being

that of an

these are this

oil

flask,

much

such

to be sealed

digested so long concretion

;

but,

;

but

too thin in substance for

operation.

mixture

with a long neck

till if,

vessel

the

and

hermetically, fixed

it is

into a dry

observed,

the

moisture should predominate, there

danger

with

the

vessel

bursting,

great a

vapour which cannot be concentered by the fixing quality in the matter. tention

is,

nevertheless, to

the heat, and so render

fix

The

in-

our subject

its

future destruc-

the dry, fixing

tion impossible.

the other hand,

quality of the sulphur exceeds so as not to suffer

an alternate resolution of

its

sub-

stance into vapours, and a re-manifestation

its

fixing quality,

to subside in the

by causing the whole

bottom of the vessel

till

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

IOS the

matter again

and sublimes

liquefies

(which Ripley has well described), there

danger of the whole vitrifying

you

and thus

;

have only glass instead of the

shall

noble

tincture.

tremes

avoid these two ex-

very proper

earth be reduced

that the purified

by manual operation

an impalpable fineness, and then

acuated

its

mercury must be added, incorporating both together

till

the earth will imbibe no more.

This operation

will require time,

degree of the

artist's

ever

humidity

the

portionate,

dryness will

that

may

letting

on the

show

patience

surface it

rest

its

how-

dispro-

awhile, a

of your matter

capable of imbibing is

fully saturated,

till it is

be known from

for

;

seem

more, so that the operation

peated

with some

to be re-

which may

bearing the air without

any remarkable change of surface from dry to

humid

or,

;

on the contrary,

so,

well made, which

farther

the

conjunction

confirmed

a small portion be spread upon

a thin plate of iron, heated

till

flows

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

IO9

gently like wax, casting forth the moisture

when

with heat

and again absorbing

cold, so as

to return to the former consis-

tence

;

but

a clamminess ensues

sign you have exceeded in the quantity of

humidity, which must be extracted by distilling it

again and repeating the process

till

right.

Your sulphur and mercury being thus them

united, put

into a glass vial, before

described, in such a quantity as to take up

one-third of

contents, leaving two-thirds,

its

including the neck, for the circulation of

your matter. vial

Secure the neck of your

with a temporary luting at the

first >

and give a gentle it

heat, observing

whether

sublimes and fixes alternately.

easily sublimes intervals,

vessel,

the

all

moisture

and shows a disposition,

to subside at is

the bottom of the

well conducted will

first

hitherto

;

for

be predominant,

which the sulphur can only perfectly absorb

the

heat

increased

for

the

perfect ripening of our Paradisaical Fruit.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

IIO

Therefore,

manifests a too early dis-

more of the acuated

position for fixing, add

mercury

till

Luna

season

she

will

;

give place to the Sun

an adept on

this occasion,

the female

seed

and that

passive,

while the male in

which

all

the

moisture,

when

and

is fully

in the seed.

IX.

Further Treatment and Ripening orir

Seed.

deservedly called the Great

of the Philosophers

done

germ

for every

;

rudiments of a herb

first

predominant

This

being the

active, such

male

afterwards passive

it is

Chapter

our prepared

then only becomes fixed

concocted

only suggesting

while the

vegetation

the

or tree,

quality

active,

first

case

This would be the language of

his turn.

that

rises resplendent in her

;

and the

his part hitherto,

must

artist

seal

Work having

his

glass hermetically, an operation which every

maker of barometers knows how

to perform.

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

The

glass

then to be put into a furnace

with a proper nest contrived for

its

recep-

so as to give a continual heat from the

tion, first

Ill

and

to the fourth degree,

artist

to afford the

an opportunity, from time to time, of

inspecting every change which his matter

assumes during the process, without danger of its

damping the heat and putting a stop

perfect circulation.

degree

by a young

knows how experience

first,

for

first

some

which method much time may-

months, lost

heat of the

the

sufficient at

practitioner,

to handle

but then he

;

his is

till

matter from

not so liable to

be disappointed with the bursting of his vessel or the matter vitrifying.

Thus you have seed-time

which,

though

artist's

power

our it

arrived at the desired Philosophical

may ripen,

appear

Work, in

depends no

the less

on the Divine blessing than the harvest, which a painful husbandman has not the presumption

to expect otherwise than

God's beneficence.

from

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

112

There are many

requisites to entitle any-

one to the possession of our philosophical

and the true labourers

harvest,

sought for such persons to

communicate

whom

have

they might

by evident testimony of

it,

the senses, after which

they account the

confection of our Stone an easy process,

manageable by women and children without such a communication, there cessity that

are

;

but

a ne-

who would undertake

those

endowed by Nature with an ingenious

mind, patient to observe and accurate to her

investigate

which,

ordinary

from their commonness, are

noticed than such

the

for

precious the

phenomena

though of

curious

these

appearances

importance

less

most

as are

part

virtuosi.

;

employ

time of those egregious

modern

less

more yet the

triflers,

These smatterers

philosophy are in raptures upon the

dis-

covery of a shell or butterfly differently streaked from those of the same kind all

the while water,

their continual

air,

earth,

fire,

and with

changes and resolutions into

THE 1'IIILOSOPHERS STONE.

one another, by the medium of our atmosphere, through the efficacy of the central

and solar

heat,

unstudied

are

would-be philosophers has more

rustic

real

;

by these

so that a sensible

knowledge,

this

respect, than a collector of natural rarities,

and makes a much wiser use of what experience he has acquired.

Chapter X. (

)/ the

Further Process

to the

Ripening of

our Noble Seed.

Supposing such dispositions

the artist

as have been previously laid down, and the

work

well performed hitherto, for

rection herein

shall describe the

his di-

changes

which our subject undergoes during the second part of the process, commonly called the Great

Our first

Work

of the Philosophers.

the contained matter the

heated at the

vessel being warily

for fear of its cracking,

moisture

an ebullition of

brought on, so that

alternately

circulated

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

114

white fumes above, and condensed below,

may

which

continue for a month or two,

nay longer, increasing the heat gradually to another degree, as

your matter discovers

a disposition for fixing, by the vapour continuing at longer intervals condensed, and rising in a lesser quantity, of

an ash colour,

or other dark shades, which

as a

medium

desirable

colours

the

may be

that

matter

corn

the is

exhibited in this part of

but

;

Other

our harvest.

without

transiently

assume

to perfect blackness, the first

stage

work

will

danger,

redness,

continues,

the

faint

poppy,

danger of

they pass

either

vitrifying,

from an impatient urging of the

fire,

or the

moisture not being sufficiently predomin-

ant.

ingenious artist can remedy this

by opening the

acuated

before

;

his vessel

sealing

up as

would

much

by governing

his fire

mercury,

but a novice

better to prevent

and adding more of

according to the appearances of his matter, with judgment and patience, increasing

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE. if

the moisture manifests

too long, and slacking till

I I

predominancy

its

the dry prevails,

such time as the vapours become dark

and

have continued

after they

time at

a pellicle

rest,

matter shows

retaining the vapour captive for it

its

for

fixing,

some

time,

through at different places

breaks

till

on the

film

disposition

its

;

some

for

surface

(much

substance of coal

like the

bituminous

a soldering

fire),

with

darker clouds, but quickly dissipated, and

growing

less

quantity,

till

the

whole

substance resembles molten pitch, or the

bituminous substance, bubbling

aforesaid less

and

less,

substance

This

resting in one entire black

bottom of your

the

glass.

called the blackness of black, the

head of the crow,

etc.,

and

esteemed a

desirable stage in our philosophical generation,

seed,

being the perfect putrefaction of our

which

principle

will

ere long

show

its

vital

by a glorious manifestation of

Seminal Virtue.

I I

COLLECTANEA CHEMiCA.

Chapter XI.

Further Description of the Process.

When

the putrefaction of our seed has

been thus completed, the creased

till

may be

fire

in-

glorious colours appear, which

Cauda Pavonis, These colours come

the Sons of Art have called or the Peacock 's Tail.

and

go, as heat

ing

the

third

beautiful green,

administered approachdegree,

and as

till

all

of a

ripens assumes

a perfect whiteness, which

the

White

Tincture, transmuting the inferior metals

and very powerful as a medicine.

into silver,

But as the

artist well

knows

it is

capable of

a higher concoction, he goes on increasing his fire

till

assumes a yellow, then an

orange or citron colour

;

and then boldly

gives a heat of the fourth degree, acquires a redness like blood taken

a sound person, which of

its

from

a manifest sign

thorough concoction and

the uses intended.

till

fitness for

THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

l\J

Chapter XII.

Of Having

and

the Stone

its

Uses.

thus completed the operation,

the vessel cool, and on opening

you

perceive your matter to be fixed

let

will

into a

ponderous mass, thoroughly of a scarlet colour,

which

heated

in the

powder

easily reducible to

by scraping, or otherwise, and fire

being

flows like wax, without

smoking, flaming, or loss of substance,

when

turning

cold

former

its

re-

fixity,

heavier than gold, bulk for bulk, yet easy to

be dissolved

any

few grains being taken

liquid, in its

wonderfully pervades the the extirpation of life

hence

its it

use to

has

" Panacea, "

all

operation most

human

body, to

disorders, prolonging

its

utmost period

;

and

obtained the apellation of or

Remedy. the Most High

Universal

Therefore, be thankful to for

which a

the possession of such an inestimable

jewel,

and account the possession of

as the result of your

own

not

ingenuity, but a

I I

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

gift

bestowed, of God's mere bounty, for the

relief of

human

which your

infirmities, in

neighbour ought to share jointly with you, without any

grudging or

sinister views,

according to the charge delivered to the "

Apostles,

Freely

have

you

received,

freely communicate," remembering

same time not swine

;

to cast

your pearls before

a word, to withhold

festations of

at the

the,

mani-

Nature you are enabled to ex-

by the possession of our Stone, from the vicious and unworthy. hibit,

Chapter XIII.

Of It

much

the to

Transmutation.

lamented

that

the

seekers of natural knowledge in this art propose, principally, the Science of Trans-

mutation as their ultimate view, and overlooking

the

chief

excellency

Stone as a medicine. this grovelling spirit,

issue to

our

Notwithstanding shall

commit the

His Providence, and declare the

THE 1'IIILOSOPHERS STONE. Transmutation (which, indeed,

the

osophers do) openly, after which describe

the

further

circulation

Stone for an increase of then

make an end

When metal

—

melted

phil-

shall

our

virtues,

its

for instance, lead

—

let

a quantity be

a clean crucible, to which

the whole

readiness a

little

easily scrape off

in filings

melted,

let

be cast

let ;

of the powder, which will

from his "stone," the quan-

on the metal

and cast

while

Immediately there

fusion.

arise a thick fume, it

and

him have

tity inconsiderable,

and any

the artist would transmute

of our treatise.

few grains of gold

when

which carries

will

off with

the impurities contained in the lead, with a

crackling noise, and leaves the substance of

the lead transmuted into most pure gold,

without any kind of sophistication; the small quantity of gold added, previous to projection,

serves only as a

medium

to facilitate

the transmutation, and the quantity of your tincture

its

best ascertained by experience,

virtue

proportioned to the number

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

120

given after the

of circulations you have first

has been completed.

For instance

when you have

the stone, dissolve

finished

our mercury again,

wherein you have previously dissolved a

This operation

few grains of pure gold. is

done without

Put

readily liquefying.

There

no danger

thus treated

in a ratio

ten

transmuting

artist

his

life.

its

;

and every time

virtues are increased,

often to one hundred, a thousand,

thousand,

quantity

your vessel,

the management,

but breaking your vessel it is

into

and go through the process.

before,

both substances

trouble,

may

etc.,

both

qualities suffice

;

medicinal and that

for the

small

purposes of

during the remaining END.

term

THE

BOSOM BOOK OF

SIR

GEORGE

RIPLEY,

Canon of Bridlington CONTAINING His Philosophical Accurtations

Mercury and

Making the Philosopher's

Elixirs.

THE BOSOM BOOK OF

GEORGE

SIR

RIPLEY. The whole work of the composition of the Philosophical Stone of the great elixir and of the first solution of the gross body. First take

thirty

pounds weight of

or antimony, which

will

sericon,

make twenty-one

pounds weight of gum, or near thereabouts, if it be well dissolved and the vinegar is very good

;

and dissolve each pound there-

of in a gallon of twice

When

cold again, and, as

dissolution in a

fit

vinegar.

distilled it

standeth

glass vessel, stir

about

with a clean stick very often every day, the oftener the

better

;

and when

molten to the bottom, then said

liquors

three

several

filter

for

that

superfluous

well

over the

times,

keep close covered, and cast faeces,

which

away the filth

which

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

124

must be removed and entereth not work, but

called

into the

Terra damnata.

The making of our Gum, or Green Lion.

Then filled,

put

into

these cold

fit

glass vessel

Balneo Maries

perate heat

liquors, thus

all

and

to evaporate

be coagulated into a green

gum

dry

;

which

burn not

his

a tem-

which done, our sericon

;

Green Lion beware thou

set

will

called our well,

yet

Mowers,

nor

destroy his greenness.

The extraction of our Menstruum or Blood of otir Green Lion.

Then

gum and

take out the said

put

into a strong retort of glass, very well luted,

and place

your furnace, and under

make sober

fire, and anon you see a white smoke or fume issue.

that, at the first,

Then

put, too, a receiver of glass,

must have a very large

mouth no wider than into

that

the neck

belly

may

of the

which

and

the

well receive retort,

which

BOOK OF SIR GEORGE RIPLEY. close

well

fire

and

little

issueth

greater

fire,

forth,

no fume

together, that

Then

forth of the receiver.

;

then

and no more fume

increase your

all

will issue

that the

fire

little

and close

spirits

and

little

fast

keep close stopped

Then it

away

which

a glass

till

look into the neck of the

and therein you

hard rime, as

and

;

suddenly,

called our blessed liquor

liquor

hereafter.

cool,

vanish not away, for this

liquor

retort,

let

forth;

things are cold then take

the receiver,

the

continue

and when that leaveth bleeding,

when

issue

drops like blood come

until

or assuage the

the fume which

little, till

reddish

will find a

white

were the congelation of

a frosty vapour, or

much

sublimate,

which gather with diligence and keep

apart, for therein are contained great secrets

which

shall

great work

be showed hereafter, after the is

ended,

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

126

The Creation of our Basis.

Then in

take out

the faeces which remain

the retort, and are blackish like unto soot,

which

faeces

which

faeces

all

are

called

calcine

your pleasure

Dragon, of

our

one pound or more

in a

fervent hot

fire,

a potter's or glass-maker's furnace, or

furnace of vent (or a wind furnace), until

become a white

as white as

calx,

snow

;

which white calx keep well and clean by itself,

for

called the basis

dation of the work, and

now

and foun-

called Mars,

and our White Fixed Earth, or Ferrum Philosophorum.

The Calcination of the Black Faces, our Black Dragon.

Then black

take

faeces,

all

fit

the rest of the aforesaid

or Black Dragon, and spread

them somewhat or other

thin

stone,

upon a clean marble,

and put into the one

side thereof a burning coal, will glide

called

through the

and the

fire

faeces within half-an-

BOOK OF

SIR

hour, and calcine

GEORGE RIPLEY.

them

\2"J

into a citrine colour

very glorious to behold.

The Solution of the said

Fczces.

Then

dissolve those citrine faeces in such

distilled

vinegar as you did before, and

then

filter

and

after

again,

likewise three times as before,

make

or evaporate

and then draw out of

into a

gum

more of our

menstruum, called now Dragon's Blood,

and

iterate this

until

work

in all points as afore

you have either brought

most part of the

faeces into

blessed liquor

all

first

all

or the

our natural and

which liquor put to the

liquor or menstrue called the

Green

Lion's blood, and set that liquor altogether

one vessel of glass fourteen days in and after proceed to the putrefication in

;

separation of elements, for all

the

fire

of the stone

now have you

in this

liquor, which before lay hidden

which secret

all

vellously hide.

our blessed

the faeces;

the philosophers do mar-

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

128

The Separation of the Elements whereof the first is the Air, and is also counted our Ardent Water and our Water Attractive.

Then put all into a

still

the said putrefied

quantity thereof close

to the

dipped

menstruum

of fine Venice glass,

in the

fit

for the

put on the limbeck, and

;

with a fine linen cloth

still

white of an egg, and then set

mBalneo Marice,p\it to the

receiver,

which

must be of great length, that the

spirit

not out again

respire

;

and with a very

temperate heat separate the elements one

from another, and then the element of

which

will issue forth first,

Our Ardent Water is

When

all

the

then in another that

times,

until

clean up that

air

oil.

or Water Attractive

thus made. first still,

to say, distil

and

element fit

for

it,

is distilled,

rectify

over seven several

will

burn a linen cloth

dipped into

put to the flame, which

it,

when

it is

then called our

HOOK OF Ardent Water

Water

GEORGE RIPLEY.

SIR

and

rectified

Attractive

also called our

which keep very close

;

stopped, for otherwise the spirit thereof,

which

very subtle,

will

away.

vanish

often rectifying the ardent water, there

come

will

white

air in a

oil

swimming above

the water, and there will remain behind a

yellow

which with a stronger

oil,

come

also

upon a plate of

small,

cold

draw

to itself

swimming

put into a

and

a water,

oil,

The Flood

Then draw stone by

the

07-

retort,

the

Water of

oil

which

;

and

distil

come

of mercury.

the Stone.

out the flood or water of the

another receptory, which

somewhat

with a very gentle there remain

aloft

afterward will

which

itself in

liquor will be

the mercury in the form

all

oil

separate and

green thick

and

iron,

dissolve into water, and will

will

of a green

first

will

fire

sublimate, beaten

Put

over.

fire

white,

and draw

of Balneum, until

the bottom of the

still

thick oily substance, like unto liquid pitch;

;

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

130

keep

this

water by

itself in

fit

very

glass,

close stopped.

Note.

— When

the liquor

you must put on another all

that element

all

receiver, for then

come over two

or three

given

in spirit

;

drops of this black liquid of wine cureth

cometh white

oil

poison taken inwardly.

Our Mans Blood is thus taken and rectified. Then

put our ardent water upon that

matter black and liquid together, and let for three

hours

;

them

stir

;

well

so stand well covered

then decant and

filter it

put on fresh ardent water, and repeat this operation three times, and

again with a moist lent

fire

then

distil

Balneum and ;

do three times, and then it is called Man's Blood rectified, which the workers in the secrets of Nature do seek, and so so

thou hast the elements exalted

in the virtue

of their quintessence, namely, the flood that is

water and the

air.

kept for a season.

Let

this

blood be

BOOK OF

GEORGE RIPLEY.

SIR

The Oil or Fire, as the Earth of the Stone.

Then

put up the flood, or water, upon

the black and soft matter or earth of the

them be well mingled together, and then distil the whole till there remain stone

;

let

the bottom an earth most dry and black,

which

the earth of the stone; save the

oil

with the water for a season, close stopped in

any

wise.

The Fiery Water.

Then

beat this black earth into powder,

and mingle it

with man's blood, and so

stand three hours

ashes with a good

work three times water of the

;

after that

fire,

and

let

reiterate this

and then

fire rectified,

distil

shall

and so hast thou

three of the elements exalted into the virtue of the quintessence, namely water,

air,

and

fire.

The Earth.

Then

calcine the earth black

and dry

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

132

a furnace of reverberation, until

become

a very fine white calx.

The Water of Life, which is our Mercury and our Lunary.

Then mingle with and

fiery water, all

off as before,

distil

as before, distil

with a strong

fire

and calcine the earth again

that remaineth in the

and then

white calx the

this

bottom of the

and again calcine

and calcine

still,

again with a strong

it,

fire

and thus

seven times, until

all

the substance of the calx be lifted up by the limbec of

life

and then thou hast the water

rectified

and made indeed

spiritual

;

and so hast thou the four elements exalted in the virtue of their quintessence.

water

will

them, and

dissolve

all

bodies,

purge them

Mercury and our Lunary thinketh there is

and ;

This

and putrefy this

our

and whosoever

any other water than

this

an ignorant and a fool, and shall never

be able to come to the

effect.

BOOK OF SIR GEORGE RIPLEY.

Ripley s Secret Accurtation for the help of those cury,

the

Take

who have the Philosopher s Merand are unable to proceed to either

Red or White

Elixir.

the cerus, or cream, of the finest and

purest Cornish tin molten, reduce

white calx, put

into a fitglass

into fine

still,

and there

upon pour a convenient quantity of our $ when it is our Lunary perfect then distil ,

;

that it

mercury from the calx again

again therewith, and

iterate

subtle it

work

this

and

will flow

as wax,

imbibe

distil

until the calx is

oily, yea,

upon a

again

;

re-

become

so subtle indeed that

plate of copper, fiery hot

and not evaporate, which then

convert copper into fine

will

silver, for the soft-

ness and neshness of the tin

taken away

by the benefit of our § confixed unto it, by the virtue of which it is made indurate and ,

clean, that in fusion silver.

may

and

agree with hard bodies

in malleation,

This work

very gainful and easy

to be dealt

withal

thou be

and then,

rich,

;

even as pure

use I

therefore until

pray thee, for Our

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

134

Lord's sake, go to the great work, which

here truly set forth unto thee, according as

by practice

have wrought and proved the

For the which thank God.

same.

The Oil which is the Element of Fire and our Red Mercury.

The shall

flood,

with the

Balneo, and the red

bottom

the

itself, for

shall is

oil

afore reserved,

with a most lent

distilled

the

oil

fire in

which remaineth

be diligently kept by

Element of Fire

;

the

water shall be rectified again, and the same

work iterated, until no more of our Lunary will remain in it.

The

When

li'ork

all

scarcely

the white calcined Fceces

reserved, called

all

much

of Putrefcation.

your Elements be thus sepa-

rated, then take first

thereof into fill

said red

Mars, and put

a chymia as

half the glass,

and thereupon

pour so much of our Ardent Water fied as

may

will

but well cover the calx

;

recti-

which

BOOK OF

SIR

GEORGE RIPLEY.

I35

done, incontinent stop close the glass with

a blind head, and set until the calx

which the

all

eight

the liquor,

Then

days.

again with the like quantity of

same

into a cold place,

have drunk up

will

imbibe

water, and let

stand eight days

more, and so reiterate the work, from eight

days to eight days,

until the

same

drink no more, but stand liquid

calx will

still

;

then

up the glass with Hermes' seal and set in Balneo Maria in a temperate heat to

seal it

putrefaction.

The Digestion of

Then

in that

the

White Stone.

temperate Balneum

let

your

unremoved by the space of fully 1 50 days, and until the stone within the glass

glass stand

become and

first

russet

after that

and

very white,

of fishes, which then flowing,

after whitish green,

unto the eyes

Sulphur of Nature

and not evaporating

in fire,

our white stone ready to be fermented.

and

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

136

Another Secret Accurtation of Sir George Ripley.

Take

the above said Sulphur of Nature,

and project a quantity upon a plate of glass fiery hot,

and the glass

be converted

and that colour

into a silver colour,

not be

shall

removed by any

shall

art.

The Digestion of the Red Stone.

Then divide

take it

into

out

and

two,

weight of each half

white stone and

the

know

the true

the one half reserve

to the white work, the other half put into

up again with Hermes' seal, and then remove the glass into a cinerition, which is somewhat a hotter fire, and let it stand there likewise unremoved the glass, and seal

in that digestion, until

become

of a purple colour, so have you

stone also ready to be fermented.

red,

and

the red

BOOK OF

GEORGE RIPLEY.

SIR

The Preparation of White

Then

take

Lunary, which

of your silver

(and

as near as

to the

purged from

all

may be joined as much of our

that

filth

and dissolve

it,

Stone.

silver, well

metals and other with

Ferment

the

our $

quantity

as the

no greater quantity,

you may), and

set

when

ashes close covered, and

upon warm

throughly

it is

dissolved, the whole liquor will be green

then

our £

rectify

clean from

;

again

twice or thrice, so that no drop of our £

be in

left

with

Chernia,

until

come

it,

then seal up the

and

show

all

set

oil

Lima

Balneo to putrefy

colours,

and

the last

be crystalline white, which then

the white Ferment of Ferments.

The Fermentation of the White

Then

put that half of the white stone,

before reserved, for the white fit

glass,

much

Stone.

and know the

his weight,

foresaid

work

into a

and put so

Lime ferment

into

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

138

the glass with the stone as

may

the fourth part of the said stone the said glass, well luted, in

them

fix

under the

a fixatory vessel

contain

and

;

together,

fire,

which

will be well done in two or three days.

The Inceration of the White Stone.

When

they are thus fixed together, and

become one very that

to say, imbibe

until

the stone be

and again imbibe iterate

this

in fire like

with the white

oil

our Lunary, by

were,

drop after drop,

our stone, which

pouring on, as

powder, incerate,

fine

oilish

and

it,

then congeal

;

this

work, until this stone

wax, when

it is

it,

manner will flow

put upon a plate

of copper fiery hot, and not evaporate, and

congeal

until

be hard, white, and

transparent clear as crystal

;

then

it is

the

Medicine of the Third Degree, and the Perfect

metalline iron, into

White bodies,

Stone,

and

transmuting

chiefly

pure and perfect

all

copper and

silver.

BOOK OF

GEORGE RIPLEY.

SIR

The Preparation of the Red Ferment.

Then

purged from

first

be joined with

very purely

take gold,

likewise

all

with ten parts of anti-

it,

mony, and then dissolve

our £

liquor solutive, as before you did the

and when from

putrefy,

black,

our

seal

a Chemia

up the for

fit

which

remove

oil

it,

set

likewise still

become

also

rectify

Balneo

become unremoved in will

white, which then

fire,

without open-

and then keep

change colours and become is

;

Ferment

of Gold

and

into a stronger

ing the glass,

then

°r

or liquor solutive,

and must stand

digestion, until

manner

then, in like

;

again

and then

Lune

perfectly dissolved the liquor

it is

be citrine

will

may

other metals that

citrine,

Ferment of Ferments

until

which for the

Red Work. The Fermentation of the Red

Then

Stone.

to the other half of the stone before

rubefied, digested,

and reserved

for the

Red

COLLECTANEA CIIEMICA.

140

Work, put so much of the foresaid Gold Ferment as may contain the fourth part of the said stone and then fix them as you ;

did the white stone, under vessel, in

which

a fixatory

fire in

be then very well done

will

two or three days.

The Work of Inceration for

When

the Red.

they are thus fixed together, and

thereby

become one very

incerate,

that

imbibe

Oil of our stone

powder,

fine

Red

with the

it,

then congeal

again,

and again imbibe and congeal, and

iterate

this

;

work so often

until

as wax, but not evaporate

upon a plate of copper then congeal up until

will flow in fire

when

put

fiery

hot

;

which

clear,

trans-

parent, hard, red in colour, like a ruby or jacinth,

which then

the Medicine of the

Third Degree, and the Perfect Red Stone, transmuting all bodies, and especially §

and

])

into

as pure

any of the

natural mine.

Thus have you

the

making of the

Phil-

IJOOK OF SIR

GEORGE RIPLEY.

I4I

osopher's Stones, both white and red, which is

the Great Secret of Philosophers.

must

stones

These

be kept by themselves,

warm

several glasses, or fair boxes, in a

or dry at the least, as you would

place,

keep sugar, because they are of so tender and oily substance, as they are apt to dissolve in every moist place, which therefore preserve as

The

here showed.

Multiplication

or Increase

of the

and Goodness of the said White and Red Stone. Virtue

you

stone,

list

afore-

your medicine, or

exalt

quantity or goodness, then put

your aforesaid white

red stone, or part

'or

of each, into a several vial of glass the quantity

;

close well the vial, then

your glass or glasses vaporoso, so that in

this

warm fume

now

warm

hang

touch not the water

;

or breath, the stone,

be dissolved,

again upon

for

Balneo Maries

which was congealed before will

fit

in the glass,

which then congeal

ashes,

and again thus

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

142

dissolve and congeal,

work of

dissolution

and so

this

iterate

and congelation

until

at last the stone within the glass dissolved will

be congealed, as soon as he cometh out

of the pot or Balneum, and feeleth the cold air,

without any other manner of congela-

be used

tion to in this

and note that how often

work you dissolve and congeal your

said medicine or stone, so

he increase jection

;

his

so that

times doth

virtue ten times in if

at the first

hundred

convert one

many

one ounce

ounces,

after

prowill

the

second solution the same one shall convert

one thousand,

after the third ten thousand,

after the fourth

one hundred thousand, and

the

one million parts of any im-

after

fifth

perfect metal into pure silver,

and true gold and

examinations, as any of the

in all

natural mine.

Way

The Because

of Projection.

very cumbersome to melt a

thousand thousand parts of any body, when

you

will

make

projection thus do:

BOOK OF

GEORGE RIPLEY.

SIR

rst

and vinegar, and put

Take one hundred ounces washed with

salt

into a crucible,

when

and

set

of v

over the

fire

and

;

begin to wax hot, put

that doth

one ounce of your

elixir,

or medicine, thus

prepared as afore taught you, upon those

one hundred parts

the

cleansed

;

become medicine project one ounce of that medicine upon another hundred ounces, of other washed

and

all

and

the said $ shall

medicine.

one

shall

all

also be converted into

Again the

ounce of

;

third

time project

congealed £

this

upon

another hundred ounces of washed $, and all shall be converted into medicine

;

then project, the fourth time, one ounce of this, last

congealed

dred ounces of other

upon another hun-

washed

and

all

that shall be converted into gold or silver,

according as your stone was prepared, to the white or red.

Praised be God.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

144

of the savetk half the

Work

the

Work which

Great

Accnrtation

Work and Labour

revealed

Sir George

Ripley

The of

white frosty rime, or powder, where-

you

told

the beginning, being found

neck of the

in the

of the menstruum, perfect

retort, after the

drawing

and

like sublimate,

Sulphur of Nature, and therefore

needeth neither putrefaction nor digestion

Of this

into white. half,

or the whole

much

sulphur take either the

you

list,

and also take

Lune Ferment, when

Ferment of Ferments, as may contain the Seal them up both together in a chemia, and fix them fourth part of the said Sulphur.

together under the

which

will

when they

fire in

be well done are

in three

become one very

powder, then incerate, that it,

a fixatory vessel,

days fine

to say,

;

and

white

imbibe

with the White Oil of our Stone, which

our g

iterate

this

congealed work, and

;

and in

all

imbibe points

and

do as

BOOK OF you did

GEORGE RIPLEY.

145

the white work, in the great

Elixir before

same

SIR

for this sulphur

;

nature, and

thus shall

of the

you have the

white work perfectly made, and the Stone, in half the time,

which

and with half the labour,

not only a precious jewel, but a

great secret also.

Accurtation of the Red Work done by the aforesaid Sulphur.

The

Take this

either the

above

solve

said

and

set

Sulphur of Nature, and

and then

seal

cinerition (or ashes)

throughly digested, and until

much

when

Sol,

may

hath put on

Then

Ferment of

Ferment of Ferments, as

contain the fourth part of the said

sulphur fire in

done

of the

Chernia

till

the Purple Colour or Fiery Chariot.

put thereunto so

dis-

Con-

once with our red Mercury.

again,

geal

one half or the whole of

;

then

fix

them together under a

a fixatory vessel, which will be well

in three days,

one very

fine

and when they become

Red Powder,

then incerate

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

146 that

imbibe

is,

which

stone,

with the red

Red

our

oil

of our

Red

and

Lunary, and Fire of the Stone, and continue in doing in

points as in the great

all

work aforesaid

until

transparent,

colour

jacinth flowing in

ing

;

the stone be hard, like

ruby

and not evaporat-

fire,

then have you, with less labour and

expense of time, the perfect Red Stone,

for

which thank God.

This of

the

the pleasant and dainty

Garden

which beareth the

Philosophers,

sweet smelling roses white and red, abbreviated out of

all

the

phers, containing in

diminished,

nitely gold

Work it

nothing superfluous

teaching

and

of the Philoso-

silver

make

infi-

according as the

medicine was prepared, having virtue to heal

all

griefs

and sicknesses, as well pro-

ceeding of cold as of hot causes, through the subtlety of

its

nature,

medicines of physicians

above

for

all

other

comforteth

the healthy, strengtheneth the weak, and

maketh the aged seem young, and driveth

I500K OF SIR

away

grief,

all

the heart joints it

;

GEORGE RIPLEY,

and putteth

dissolveth

all

cleanseth the blood

venom from

;

things in the lungs it

one day,

healeth

be very

old,

the sickness it

healeth

of one year's continuance,

twelve days, and it

healeth

;

purgeth the pipes,

be of one month's continuance, in

moisteneth the arteries and

and keepeth them clean; and

the grief

one month.

conclude, whosoever hath this medicine, he

hath an incomparable medicine above treasures of the world. FINIS.

Praise God.

all

PREPARATIONS OF THE

SOPHIC MERCURY. EXPERIMENTS the Preparation of thk Sophic Mercury, by Luna and the Antimonial Stellate Regulus of Mars, for the FOR

Philosopher's Stone.

Written by Eirenceus Philalcthes, an Englishman, and a Cosmopolite.

THE SOPHIC MERCURY. The Secret of the Philosophic Arsenic.

took one part of the Fiery Dragon,

and of the Magnetical Body two parts I prepared them together by a strong fire, ;

and

the

first

fusion

was made

there

about eight ounces of the true arsenic.

The Secret of Preparing the Mercury

with its

and the it

Faces.

did take one part of the best arsenic,

made a marriage with two Virgin Diana into one body ;

fine,

and with

this

ground

have prepared

Mercury, working them altogether

heat, until that

incorporated salt

parts of

very

his Arsenic for the Separating

;

they were most exquisitely

then

purged

with the

of urine, that the feces did separate,

which

put away.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

152

The Purification of the Sophie Mercury.

The Mercury,

thus prepared,

yet in-

fected with an external uncleanness, wherefore distil

three or four times in

alembic, with it

cucurbit

proper

then wash

;

with the salt of urine until that

clear

steel

its

and

tail

bright,

behind

and

its

motion leaves

it.

Another most

Take

of decrepit

excellent Purgation. salt,

and of the Scoriae

of Mars, of each ten ounces, of prepared

Mercury one ounce and a-half grind the ;

salt

and the Scoriae very

marble mortar

and grind

;

fine together, in a

then put in the Mercury,

with vinegar, so long until no

more of the Mercury appears. Put it into a glass body, and distil it by sand in a glass alembic, until all the Mercury be ascended pure, clear, this

three

and splendidly bright times,

and you

will

;

reiterate

have the

Mercury excellently well prepared Magistery.

for the

THE SOPHIC MERCURY. The Secret of

the just Preparation of

the Sophie Mercury.

Every with

Mercury

single preparation of the

arsenic

its

one Eagle

;

the Feathers

of the Eagle being purged from their crow-

blackness,

flight,

and

tenth

flight.

prepared even

seventh

to rly the

the

until

have taken the proper quantity of the

and

The Secret of the Sophie Mercury.

6. I

make

mixed

with

its

true arsenic,

and

to wit, about four ounces of Mercury, I

made

purged it, I

and

a thin commixed consistence after a

that

Afterwards I

had

added

increased

Mercury,

;

distilled

to its

much

it,

to the

prepared

rightly its

it.

weight of arsenic, weight

former that

might prevail to a thin purged

had a pure body of Lune, whence

knew

and

due manner, and

the

flux,

Mercury and so

washing of the blackness

almost to a lunary whiteness.

Then

took

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

154

which

half an ounce of the arsenic, of

made

a due marriage

;

added

to this

made a

betrothed Mercury, and there was

temperature like potter's loam, but a thinner

;

manner

;

purged

again,

little

a due

after

the purgation was laborious, and

a long time.

which

made

with the

of urine

salt

have found to be the best

in this

work.

Another Purgation, hit yet

7. I it,

better.

have found out a better way of purging

with vinegar and pure sea

in the space of half-a-day

one Eagle and Diana

made left,

the

first

with a

salt,

so that

can prepare

Eagle

little

fly,

tincture of

I began the second Eagle by removing the superfluities, and then I made it fly, and again the Doves of Diana are

brass.

left,

with

the

tincture of brass.

joined the third Eagle, and superfluities,

whiteness

was

left

;

purged the

by removing them, even

then

made

con-

fly,

a great part of brass,

to a

and there with the

THE SOPHIC MERCURY.

Doves of Diana. twice by

Then

the body.

all

Then

made

humour by degrees, and

there

very temperate consistence,

as there

was

own was made a

in the

The

which there

former Eagles.

best

way of Prepar-

ing the Sophie Mercury, follows

its

(or superfluous moisture)

/ have found the

fly

joined the fourth

Eagle, by adding more and more of

was no Hydrops

the whole extraction of

itself,

viz.,

such as

amalgamated

mass, espoused or

joined very intimately by a due marriage, I

put into a crucible, and into a furnace of it

may

out,

and

sand for half-an-hour, but so that not

sublime

then

;

strongly grind crucible,

and

;

then

take I

put

again in a

the furnace, and after a

quarter of an hour, or thereabouts, it

again, and

this

means the

grind

make the mortar hot. By amalgam begins to be clean,

and to cast forth a great deal of powder. Then I put it in the crucible again, and to

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

156 the

as before, for a convenient time, so

fire

that

be not sublimed

greater the

fire

the

grinding

tinually

the better

is,

putting

tinually

otherwise the

fire,

so con-

;

and con-

almost

till

it,

the

all

powder doth wholly disappear then I wash it, and the faeces are easily cast out, and the amalgam becomes entire without any heterogeneity. Then I wash it with salt, and again do heat it and grind it. ;

This

repeat to the

all

manner of

full,

cleansing

from

faeces.

Threefold Trial of the Goodness of the

Prepared Mercury.

Take thy Mercury prepared

with

its

arsenic of seven, eight, nine, or ten Eagles;

put

into a phial,

with the

Lutum

furnace of sand,

and thou

descend a

little

Place

Sapienticz.

and

let it

of sublimation, so that

in the glass, until

shalt lute

thicker than butter.

silver.

stand in a heat

may

ascend and

be coagulated Continue

unto a perfect coagulation, until white as

be as

THE SOPHIC MERCURY. Another

10.

by shaking

of urine,

Trial.

in a glass

with the salt

be turned into an impalpable

white powder of

its

own

accord, so that

doth not appear as Mercury, and of

own

accord,

a hot and dry

but yet better

fountain water, particles will

;

its

place,

coagulates again into a thin Mercury,

enough

being agitated

runs into small heads or

for if the grain

in the

body

not be thus converted and separated

into small

minute

Distil

cucurbit

in if

;

parts.

The Third

Trial.

a glass alembic, from a glass it

nothing behind

passes it,

and leaves good mineral

over is

water.

12.

The Extraction of the Sulphur from the living Mercury by Separation.

Take

thy mixed corporal and spiritual

compound, the body of which

coagulated

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

158

of the volatile by digestion, and separate the Mercury from

and thou shalt have a white Luna

still,

fixed

and

Aqua fortis, and more common silver.

resisting

ponderous than

Sulphur by a glass

its

The Magical Sol out of

Out of shalt

white Sulphur, by

this

Luna.

this

fire,

thou

have a yellow Sulphur, by a manual

operation, which Sol

the

Red Lead

the Philosophers.

Out of

14.

Aurum

Potabile.

this yellow

Sulphur

this Sulphur,

Thou mayst

turn

into an oil as red as blood, it

with

sophical

the

Volatile

Menstruum

;

by circulating

Mercurial

Philo-

so thou shalt have

an admirable panacea, or universal medicine.

THE SOPHIC MERCURY.

The Gross Conjunction of the Menstruum with its Sulphur, for the Formation of the Offspring of the

15.

Fire.

Take

of thy purged, best, prepared, and

choicest Mercury, of seven, eight, nine, or

most ten Eagles

pared Laton, or

its

;

mix

with the pre-

Red Sulphur

two parts of the water, or

say,

three, with

;

that

at the

most

one of the pure Sulphur, ground

and purged. N.B.

— But

two parts

better that thou takest

to one.

The Working of the Mixture by a

16.

Manual

Operation.

This thy mixture thou shalt grind very

upon a marble then thou shalt wash with vinegar and Sal Ammoniac, until it

well it

;

hath put off shalt

wash

all

off

its

black faeces

all its

saltness

with clear fountain water

dry of

it it

;

then thou

and acrimony

then shalt thou

upon clean white paper, by turning from place to place with the point of

a knife, even unto an exquisite dryness.

COLLECTANEA CHEMICA.

160 1

of the Fcettis into the Philosophical Egg.

The Putting

Now thy mixture an oval

being dried, put

glass, of the best

and most

into

trans-

parent glass, of the bigness of a hen's egg; in

such a glass

let

ounces

18.

seal

not thy matter exceed two hermetically.

The Government of the Fire.

Then you must have a furnace built, in which you may keep an immortal fire in it you shall make a heat of sand of the first degree, in which the dew of our compound may be elevated and circulated continually, ;

day and

night, without

And

any intermission,

body will die, and be renewed and at length the soul will be glorified and united with a new immortal and incorruptible body. etc.

such a

fire

the spirit will

Thus

the

;

made a new Heaven. FINIS.

ii.io. o

Accession no.

HC Author

Collectanea chemi* ca» Call no.

History