Chapter XIX. i concerning Quicksilver. Chapter XX. : concerning Cachimie axid Imperfect

Bodies. ConclusioHv
The Composition of Metals ... ... 114
Concerning the Naturb op Things.
Book the First : concerning" the Generation of Natural Things 120
Book the Second: concerning the Growth of Natural Things... 128
Book the Third: concerning the Preservation of Natural Things 130
Book the Fourth: concerning the Life of Natural Things ., 135
Book the Fifth: concerning the Death of Natural Things ,.. 138
Book the Sixth : concerning the Resuscitation of Natural Things 146
Book the Seventh ; concerning the Transmutation of Natural
Objects ... ... 151
Book the Eighth : concerning the Separation of Natural Things 160
Conceraini; the Separation of Metals from their Minerali. Concerning the Separitlion of Mioerals. Coocemins the Sepantion of Veg«tih1es. Concerning the Separatioa of AnimaU.
Book the Ninth : concerning the Signature of Natural Things ... 171
CoQCeming Monstrous Signs in Men« Concerning the A^ttral Sign» in Che Physiognomy of Man. Concerning the AslnU Signs of Chiromancy. Concerning Mineral Signs. Coo* ceming certain particular Signs of Natural and Supernatural Things
The Faracelsic Method of Extracting Mercury from all the
Metals ,., ,,. .., 195
Thb Sulphur of the Metals ... ,,. ... ... 197
The Crocus of the Metals, or the Tincture 199
The Philosophy of Theophrastus concerning thb Gekeratioks of the Elements.
Book the First; concerning the Element of Air,., , ... 201
Book the Second: concerning the Element of Fire ... 210
Treatise the Fir^t : concerning the Separation of Air and Fire. Treatise the Second ; concerning the Sun, Light, Ddrknesa, an4 Night. Coocenmig Wtndsv Concerning ibe Temperate Stars. Concerning Nebula. Conoerning Mcta^ Minerals, and Stones from the Upper Regions. Cooc«ming Metals CoooerninK Stones from Ahove Couceming Cryslala and Beryls.
Book the Third: concerning the Element of Earth
Book the Fourth : concerning the Element of Water, with its Fruits
226
231
J
viii. The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus.
PAGE.
APPENDICES. Appendix I. : a Book about Minerals 237
Concerning Silver. Concerning Jove. Concerning Sntum. Concerning Iron and Steel. Concerning Venus. Note. - Of Mixed Metals. Concerning Spurious Meuls. Concerning Zinc. Concerning Cobalt. Concerning Granates. Note concerning Gems. Concerning Quicksilver. Note concerning Cachimis, that is, the Three Imperfect Bodies. General Recapitulation concerning Generation. Of the Generation of Marcasites. Autograph Schedule by Paracelsus.
Appendix II. : concerning Salt and Substances comprehended under
Salt 257
Correction and Addition on the Subject of a second time correcting and reducing Dry Salt.
Appendix III. : concerning Sulphur 265
Concerning the Kinds of Sulphur. Concerning Embryonated Sulphur. Concerning Mineral Sulphur. Concerning Metallic Sulphur, that is, Sulphurs prepared from the entire Metals. Concerning the Alchemical Virtues of Sulphur, and first concerning Embryonated Sulphur. Concerning Mineral Sulphur. Concerning the Use of Sulphur of the Metals in Alchemy.
Appendix IV. : the Mercuries of the Metals ... 278
A Little Book concerning the Mercuries of the Metals, by the Great Theophrastus Paracelsus, most excellent Philosopher and Doctor of both Faculties. Mercury of the Sun. Mercury of the Moon. Mercury out of Venus. Mercury out of Mars. Mercury of Jupiter. Mercury of Saturn.
Appendix V. : De Transmutationibus Metallorum 283
Concembg the Visible and Local Instruments : and first of all concerning the Spagyric Uterus. The Phcenix of the Philosophers. A Very Brief Process for attaining the Stone.
Appendix VI. : the Vatican Manuscript of Paracelsus. A Short
Catechism of Alchemy 288
Appendix VII. : the Manual of Paracelsus 306
The Work on Mercury for Luna and Sol. The Work of Sulphur. The Fixation of Spirits. A Cement of Part with Part. The Solution of Gold by Marcasites. A Great Secret. Method of calcining Mercury. Digestion of the Moon. For the White and Red. For Multiplication. Red Oil which fixes Luna and Sol. The Gradation of Luna. The Oil of the Philosophers. Corporal Mercury. Mercury of all the Metals. The Foundation of the Philosophers. MerciuTr of Saturn. Fixed Augment. Merctuy of Jupiter. Mercury of the Moon. To convert Metals into Mercury. Augment in Luna. Mercury of Sol or Luna. Oil of Arcanum. Water of Mercury. Elixir at the White. Concerning Luna and Venus. Notable Elixir. Rubification. Sal Ammoniac. Sal Borax. Cinabrium. Facti- tious Corals. Pearls from Chalk. Ruby. Aqua Ardens. Calcination of Sol and Luna. Sublimation and Fixation of Sulphur. Oil of Vitriol. Sal Borax of the Philosophers. Fixation of Arsenic. Coagulation of Mercury. Glorious Oil of Sol. Lac Virginis. The Process of Sulphiu-. Operation for Sol. To make Precious Stones. Water which makes Luna into Sol. Fixation of Sulphur. How every Stone can be transmuted into a clear one. The Adepts' Fire. Sol produced with Pars cum Parte. Concerning Cements. Method of making Luna. Water of Luna. True Albatio. Rubification of Merctiry. Oil of Mercury and the Sun. Quintessence of Luna, etc. Fixation of Orpiment. Spirits of Water. Augmentation for Sol. Fixed Luna. Secret Philosophical Water. The Hermetic Bird. Attinkar of Venus. Cement Regal. Philosophic Water.
PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION.
THERE are many respects in which Paracelsus at the present day seems to be little more than a name. Even among professed mystics the knowledge concerning him, very meagre and very indefinite, is know- ledge that has been obtained at second hand, in most cases from Rliphas Levi, who in his Dogme el Riiuel de la Haute Magie^ and again in his Histoire de la Magie^ has delivered an intuitive judgment upon the German ** Monarch of Arcana,** expressed epigramaticafly* after the best manner of a Frenchman,* But, whencesoever derived, the knowledge is thin and phaxitasmal. Paracelsus is indeed cited as an authority in occult science, as a great alchemist, a great magician, a great doctor ; he is somehow supposed to be standing evidence of the *' wisdom of a spoliated past/* and to offer a peculiar instance of malignity on the part of the enemies of Hermetic philosophy, because such persons have presumed to pronounce him an impostor. Thus there is a very strong opinion concerning him, which occultists and mystics of all schools have derived from a species of mystical tradition, and this represents one side of modern thought concerning him. It is not altogether a satisfactory side, because it is not obtained at first hand. In this respect, however, it may compare, without suffering by comparison, with the alternative opinion which
* The cure of Paracelsus were iiLtr«cuJou Theophra&tus Bombast that ofAureoIus Paracebiui, wiih the addition of the epithet of divine.— -/'cr/mr df la Ifantt Mmgitt c. X. PoracektL^t that reformer in magic, who has surpaivid all other initiate!^ by his una&si^itcd practical iuccck&.-'/^iVm c. 5. Paracdsua, the most subLime of the Cbristuui msig\.—/Hd.^ c t6* Paraceltus was a man of inspiration and of miracles, but be exhausted ki« life mth bis devouring activtty, or» rather, he rapidly outwore arut destroyed its vestment : for men like ParaceUus can both use and abuse fearlessly \ they well know tliat they caJI tio more die than grow old here ht\ow*~Kituti tie As Hnntt Ma£ie^ c a. Paracelsus was naturally aggressive and combative ; his faniiliar, he said^ was concealed in the pommel of his great sword, which he never put ajside. His life was incessant warfare » be traveJled, be disputed^ he wroiei he taught. He was more attentive to physical results than to moral conquests ; so he was the ^r^t of practical magicians and the Last of wise adepts. His philosophy was wholly sagadiy I and be himself called it PhUosephm Sagmx. He has divined more than anyone without ever completely anderttanding anything. There is nothing to equal his intuitions unless it be the temerity of his commentaries. He was a man of bold experiences ; be was drunk of his opinions and bis talk ; he even got drunk otherwise, if we are to believe bis biographers. The writings which he has left behind him are precious for science, but they must be read with caution ; he may be called the divine Paracelsus, if the term be understood in the sense of a diviner ; he u aa Oracle, but not invariably a true master. He is great as a physician above all, for he had discovered the Unt venal Medicine ; v^t be could not preserve his own life, and be died while still young, worn out by bis toil and excesies* leaving a name of fantastic and doubtful gIor>', based out diicoi-eries by which his conteroporariei did not prolii. H« died without having uttered his last menage, and he is one of those mysterious per&onages of whom one may affirm, as of Enoch and S. John : be is iMt dead, and he will revisit the earth before the last dsiy\—//uUirt dt At Magitt Uv. V.« c S' His success was prodigious, and never hsts any physician apf^aiched Paracekus in the multitude of hL marvellous cures.— />c)p«r de ia Hmnte Mm^^ c. i
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