CHAPTER ML

Concerning the Process of the Ancients for the Tincture of THE Philosophers, and a more compendious Method by Paracelsus.
The old Spagyrists putrefied Lili for a philosophical month, and afterwards distilled therefrom the moist spirits, until at length the dry spirits were elevated. They again imbued the capui motiuum with moist spirits, and drew them off from it frequently by distillation until the dry spirits were all elevated. Then afterguards they united the moisture that had been drawn off and the dry spirits by means of a pelican, three or four times, until the whole Lili remained dry at the bottom. Although early experience gave this process before fixation, none the less our ancestors often attained a perfect realisation of their wish by this method. They would, however, have had a shorter way of arriving at the treasure of the Red Lion if they had learnt the agreement of Astronomy with Alchemy, as I have demonstrated it in the Apocalypse of Hermes,* But since every day (as Christ says for the consolation of the
* The Book of the Revelation of Hcniie&, intcrpretixt Ly Tlieuphrjuius PjuraceLu^, concerning the Supreme Secret of the World, Mems to have been first brought to light by Beticdktus Figulu*, and appeared as a ^i*t§ d* vitiiUHfg \i% liU *' Golden and Blessed Ci*kcE of Nature's Marvtls," of which an English transtation hoi been very recently publUhed. C** A Golden and Blisscd Casket of Nature's Manreb," By liened ictus FiguUi^ Now first dome into English from the German original published at Frankfort in tbe year i(o8> London : James Elliott and Cck 8vo. 1893.) Among the many writings which have been fabulously attributed to Henjio» there does not seem to be any reconl of an A^tdypsty and it U impossible to say what forged document may have been the subject of inter ^ prctation by Paracelsus. As the collection of Figulus is now so readily accessible, it isiomcwhat superfluous to re* produce the Lreattse here, but since this tran»lAiion clatacs to include c^-crj^thing written by the ph>'wcian of Hohenlicim on the subject of Alchemy aiid the Universal Medicine, it is appended at tbis point. It shouJd be premised that Benediclus* Ftgului complains bitterly of the mutilation and pervcruon (o which the works of Puracelsus were subjected, and the Rrvilatxan cf Htrmn seems in many parts to betray anoclier hatid| especially in its quotation of autboritic* who are not countenanced by its reputed auibor.
Hermes, Plato, Anstotlc, and other philo»opHer«, flourishing at different times, who have Lotroduoed the Arts^ and Bkore especially hav body might be prescrk'ed from decay and become endued with immortaJity. To them it was answered that there is nothing which might deliver the mortal body from death ; but that there is One Thing which may post|)onc decay, renew youth, and prolong short human life (as with the patriarcbsX For death was Udd as a punishment upon our first parents, Adam and Eve^ and wLU never deport fi-om all Iheir decseodants. Therefore, the above philosophers, and many otheiSi lia\-e
24 The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus.
faithful) has its own peculiar care, the labour for the Spagyrists before my times has been great and heavy ; but this, by the help of the Holy Spirit flowing into us, will, in this, last age, be lightened and made clear by my theory and practice, for all those who constantly persevere in their work with patience. For I have tested the properties of Nature, its essences and con- ditions, and I know its conjunction and resolution, which are the highest and greatest gift for a philosopher, and never understood by the sophists up to this time. When, therefore, the earliest age gave the first experience of the Tincture, the Spagyrists made two things out of one simple. But when after- wards, in the Middle Age, this invention had died out, their successors by diligent scrutiny afterwards came upon the two names of this simple, and they named it with one word, namely, Lili, as being the subject of the Tincture. At length the imitators of Nature putrefied this matter at its proper period just like the seed in the earth, since before this corruption nothing could be born from it, nor any arcanum break forth from it. Afterwards they drew off the moist spirits from the matter, until at length, by the violence of the fire, the dry were also equally sublimated, so that, in this way, just as the rustic
sought this One Thing with great labour, and have found that that which preserves the human body from corruption, and prolongs life, conducts itself, with respect to other elements, as it were like the Heavens ; from which they understood that the Heavens are a substance above the Four Elements. And just as the Heavens, with respect to the other elements, are held to be the iifth substance (for they are indestructible, stable, and suffer no foreign admixture), so also this One Thing (compared to the forces of our body) i§ jaj}_ijidestructible essence, drying up all the superfluities of our bodies, and has been philosophically called by the above-mentioned name. It is neither hot and dry like fire, nor cold and moist like water, nor warm and moist like air, nor dry and cold like earth. But it is a skilful, perfect equation of all the Elements, a right commingling of natural forc^, a most particular union of spiritual virtues, an indissoluble uniting of body and souL It is the purest and noblest substance of an indestructible body, which cannot be destro>'ed nor harmed by the Elements, and is produced by Art. With this, Aristotle prepared an apple, prolonging life by its ^scent, when he, fifteen days before his death, could neither eat nor drink on account of old age. This spiritual ence, or One Thing, was revealed from above to Adam, and w^as greatly desired by the Holy Fathers ; this also Hermes and Aristotle call the Truth without Lies, the most sure of all things certain, the Secret of all Secrets. It is the Last and the Highest Thing to be sought under the Heavens, a wondrous closing and finish of philosophical work, by which are discovered the dews of Heaven and the fastnesses of Earth. What the mouth of man cannot utter is all found in this spirit. As Morienus says : " He who has this has all things, and wants no other aid. For in it are all temporal happiness, bodily health, and earthly fortune. It is the spirit of the fifth substance, a Fount of all Joys (beneath the rays of the moon), the Supporter of Heaven and Earth, the Mover of Sea and Wind, the Outpourer of Rain, upholding the strength of all things, an excellent spirit above Heavenly and other spirits, giving Health, Joy, Peace, Love ; driving away Hatred and Sorrow, bringing in Joy, expelling all Evil, quickly healing all Diseases, des- troying Poverty and misery, leading to all good things, preventing all evil words and thoughts, giving man his heart's desire, bringing to the pious earthly honour and long life, but to the wicked who misuse it, Eternal Punishment." This is the Spirit of Truth, which the world cannot comprehend without the interposition of the Holy Ghost, or without the instruction of those who know it. The same is of a mysterious nature, wondrous strength, boundless power. The Saints, from the beginning of the world, have desired to behold its face. By Avicenna this Spirit Ls named the Soul of the World. For, as the Soul moves all the limbs of the body, so also does this Spirit move all bodies. And as the Soul is in all the limbs of the Body, so also is this Spirit in all elementary created things. It b sought by many and found by fewT It is beheld from afar and found near ; for it exists in every thing, in every place, and at all times. It has the powers of all creatures ; its action is found in all elements, and the qualities of all things are therein, even in the highest per- fection. By virtue of this essence did Adam and the Patriarchs preserve their health and live to an extreme age, some of them also flourishing in great riches. WTien the philosophers had discovered it, with great diligence and labour, they straightway concealed it under a strange tongue, and in parables, lest the same should become known to the unworthy, and the pearls be cast before swine. For if everyone knew it, all work and industry would cease ; man would desire nothing but this one thing, people would live wickedly, and the world be ruined, seeing that they would provoke God by reason of their avarice and superfluity. For eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath the heart of man understood what Heaven hath naturally incorporated with this Spirit. Therefore have I briefly enumerated some of the qualities of this Spirit, to the Honour of God, that the pious may reverently praise Him in His gifts (which gift of God shall afterwards come to them), and I will herewith shew what powers and virtues it possesses in each thing, also its outward appearance, that it may be more readily recognised. In its first state, it appears as an impure earthly body, full of im- perfections. It then has an earthly nature, healing all sickness and wounds in the bowels of man, producing good and consuming proud flesh, expelling all stench, and healing generally, inwardly and outwardly. In its second nature, it
The Tincture of the Phiiosopfiers,
25
does at the proper time of year, they might come to maturity as one after another is wont to ascend and to fall away. Lastly, as after the spring comes summer, they incorporated those fruits and dry spirits, and brought the Magistery of the Tincture to such a point that it came to the harvest, and laid itself out for ripening*