CHAPTER X*

Concerning those who have sought the Stone and also Particulars
IN Minerals*
Some sophists have tried to squeeze out a fixed oil from Mercury seven times sublimed and as often dissolved by means of aquafortis. In this way they attempt to bring imperfect metals to perfection : but they have been obliged to relinquish their vain endeavour* Some have purged vitriol seven times by calcination, solution, and coagulation, with the addition of two parts of sal ammoniac, and by sublimation, so that it might be resolved into a white water, to which they have added a third part of quicksilver, that it might be coagulated by water. Then afterwards they have sublimated the Mercury several times from the vitriol and sal ammoniac, so that it became a stone. This stone they affirmed, being conceived of the vitriol, to be the Red Sulphur of the philosophers, with w^hich they have, by means of solutions and coagulations, made some progress in attaining the stone ; but in projec- tion it has of alum into a hard mass like alum itself ; and this they have fruitlessly fixed with fixatory^ waters. The sophists propose to thtjmselves very man}^ ways of fixing Mercury, but to no purpose, for therein nothing perfect or constant can be had. It is therefore in vain to add minerals thereto by sophistical pro- cesses, since by all of them he is stirred up to greater malice, is rendered
58 The Hermetic and Akhemkal Writings of Paracelsus,
more lively, and rather brought to greater impurity than to any kind of perfection. So, then, the philosophers' matter is not to be sought from thence. Mercuiy is somewhat imperfect ; and to bring it to perfection will be very difficult, nay, impossible for any sophist. There is nothing therein that can be stirred up or compelled to perfection. Some have taken arsenic several limes sublimated, and frequently dissolved with oil of tartar and coagidatcd. This they have pretended to fix, and by it to turn copper into silver. This, however, is merely a sophistical w^hitening, for arsenic cannot be fixed* unless the operator be an Artist, and knows well its tlngeing spirit. Truly in this respect all the philosophers have slept, vainly attempting to accomplish anything thereby. Whoever, therefore^ is ignorant as to this spirit, cannot have any hopes of fixing it, or of giving it that power which would make it capable of the virtue of transmutation. So, then, I give notice to all that the whitening of which I have just now spoken is grounded on a false basis, and that by it the copper is deceitfully whitened, but not changed.
Now the sophists have mixed this counterfeit Venus with twice its weight of Luna, and sold it to the goldsmiths and mint-masters, until at last they have transmuted themselves into false coiners — not only those who sold, but those who bought it* Some sophists instead of white arsenic take red, and this has turned out false art ; because, how^ever it is prepared, it proves to be nothing but whiteness.
Some, again, have gone further and dealt with common sulphur, which, being so yellow, they have boiled in vinegar, lixivium, or sharpest wines, for a day and a night, until it became white. Then afterw-ards they sublimated it from common salt and the calx of eggs, repeating the process several times ; yet, still, though white, it has been always combustible. Nevertheless, with this they have endeavoured to fix Mercury and to turn It into gold ; but in vain. From this^ however, comes the most excellent and beautiful cinnabar that I have ever seen. This they propose to fix with the oil of sulphur by cementation and fixation. It does, indeed, give something of an appearance, but still falls short of the desired object. Others have reduced common sulphur to the form of a hepar^ boiling it in vinegar with the addition of linseed oili or laterine oil, or olive oil. They then pour it into a marble mortar, and make it into the form of a hepar, which they have first distilled into a citrine oil with a gentle fire. But they have found to their loss that they could not do anything in the way of transmuting Luna to Sol as they supposed they would be able. As there is an infinite number of metals, so also there is much variety in the preparation of them. I shall not make further mention of these in this place, because each
* One recipe rcrr the ftxAtion arar&cnic h, as follows r-Take equal parts orar&cnic aiiid nitre. Place these in a tig- ilium, set upcm coals, »o that tbey may begin to boil and to evaporate* Continue till ebullition and e\'%poration cease, and the smbstAflcci shall have settled to the bottom of the vctsel like fat melting in a fr>^ing-pan ; then, for the space of an hour and a half (the longer the better), set it npart to settle. Subsequently pour the compound upon marble^ and it will aoquire a gold colour, tn a damp place it will ai^unic the con&Lsitency of a fatty iuid. — ZV Na/mfaliims Js'e&ut, C 9. A^ain : The lixation of onienk Ia performed by &a]t of urine, after which it is converted by itself into an oiL — Ckirmrgia A/i»^ Lib. IL
The Aurora of the Philosophers,
59
would require a special treatise. Beware also iy{ sophisticated oils of vitriol and antimony. Likewise be on your guard against the oils of tlie metals, perfect or imperfect, as Sol or Luna ; because although the operation of these is most potent in the nature of things, yet the true process is known, even at this day^ to very few persons. Abstain also from the sophistical preparations of common mercur\\ arsenic, sulphur, and the like, by sublimation, descension, fixation by vinegar, saltpetre, tartar, vitriol, sal ammoniac, according to the formuUis prescribed in the books of the sophists. Likewise avoid the sophisticated tinctures taken from marcasltes and crocus of Mars, and also of that sophistication called by the name oi ** a part with a part/' and of fixed Luna and similar trifles. Although they have some superficial appearance of truth, as the fixation of Luna by httle labour and industrj, still the progress of the preparation is worthless and weak. Being therefore moved with compassion towards the well meaning operators in this art, I have determined to lay open the wliole foundation of philosophy in three separate arcana, namely, in one explained by arsenic, in a second by vitriol, and in a third by antimony ; by means of which I will teach the true projection upon Mercury and upon the imperfect metals.