CHAPTER XX.

Concerning the Ferment of the Philosophers, and the Weight.
Philosophers have laboured greatly in the art of ferments and of ferment- ations, which seems important above all others. With reference thereto some have made a vow to God and to the philosophers that they would never divulge its arcanum by similitudes or by parables.
Nevertheless, Hermes, the father of all philosophers, in the ** Book of the Seven Treatises," most clearly discloses the secret of ferments, saying that they consist only of their own paste ; and more at length he says that the ferment whitens the confection, hinders combustion, altogether retards the flux of the tincture, consoles bodies, and amplifies unions. He says, also, that this is the key and the end of t^e work, concluding that the ferment is nothing but paste, as that of the sun is nothing but sun, and that of the moon nothing but moon. Others affirm that the ferment is the soul, and if this be not rightly prepared from the magistery, it effects nothing. Some zealots of this Art seek the Art in common sulphur, arsenic, tutia, auripigment, vitriol, etc., but in vain ; since the substance which is sought is the same as that from which it has to be drawn forth. It should be remarked, therefore, that fer- mentations of this kind do not succeed according to the wishes of the zealots in the way they desire, but, as is clear from what has been said above, simply in the way of natural successes.
But, to come at length to the weight ; this must be noted in two ways.
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The first is natural, the second artificial. The natural attains its result in the earth by Nature and concordance. Of this, Arnold says : If more or less earth than Nature requires be added» the soul is suffocated, and no result is perceived, nor any fixation. It is the same with the water. If more or less of this be taken it will bring a corresponding loss. A superfluity renders the matter unduly moist, and a deficiency makes it too dry and too hard. If there be over much air present, it is too strongly impressed on the tincture ; it there be too little, the body will turn out pallid. In the same way, if the fire be too strong, the matter is burnt up ; if it be too slack, it has not the power of drjing, nor of dissolving or heating the other elements. In these things elemental heat consists.
Artificial weight is quite occult. It is comprised in the magical art of ponderations. Between the spirit, soul, and body, say the philosophers, weight consists of Sulphur as the director of the work ; for the soul strongly desires Sulphur, and necessarily observes it by reason of its weight.
You can understand it thus : Our matter is united to a red fixed Sulphur, to which a third part of the regimen has been entrusted, even to the ultimate degree, so that it may perfect to infinity the operation of the Stone, may remain therewith together with its fire, and may consist of a weight equal to the matter itself, in and through all, without variation of any degree. Therefore, after the matter has been adapted and mixed in its proportionate weight, it should be closely shut up with its seal in the vessel of the philoso- phers, and committed to the secret fire. In this the Philosophic Sun will rise and surge up^ and wi!l illuminate all things that have been looking for his light I expecting it with highest hope.
In these few words we will conclude the arcanum of the Stone, an arcanum which is in no way maimed or defective, for which we give God undying thanks. Now have we opened to you our treasure, which is not to be paid for by the riches of the whole world.
Here ends the Aurora of the Philosophers,
CONCERNING THE SPIRITS OF THE PLANETS.*
PROLOGUE.
HAVING first of all invoked the name of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, we will enter upon this work ; in which we shall not only teach how to change any inferior metal into better, as iron into copper, copper into silver, and silver into gold, but also to heal all infirmities which to the pretentious and presumptuous physicians seems impossible ; and — what is more still — to preserve men to a long, healthy, and perfect age. This Art was bestowed by the Lord our God, the supreme Creator, graven, as if in a book, in the body of the metals from the beginning of Creation to this end, that we might diligently learn from them. When, therefore, any man desires thoroughly and perfectly to become acquainted with this Art from its veritable foundation, it will be necessary that he should learn the same from the Master thereof, that is, from God, who created all things ; who also alone knows what nature and properties He has placed in every creature. He, therefore, is able to teach every one certainly and perfectly ; and from Him we can be taught absolutely what he means when he says, **Of Me ye shall learn all things." For nothing in Heaven or on earth is found so occult that He who created all things does not see through its properties, and know and perceive all. We will therefore take Him to be our Master, Operator, and Leader into this most veritable Art. Him alone will we imitate, and through Him learn and attain to the knowledge of that Nature which He Himself has, with His own finger, engendered and written on the bodies of these metals. Hence it will come to pass that the Most High Lord God will bless all His creatures in us, and will sanctify all our ways, so that in this work we may be able to bring our beginning to its desired end, and to attain the deepest joy and charity in our hearts.
But if any one shall follow his own mere private opinion, he will not only greatly deceive himself, but also all others who shall cast in their lot with him, and will bring them to great trouble. For man is assuredly born in ignorance, so that he cannot know or understand anything of himself, but only that which he receives from God, and understands from Nature. He who learns
* This treatise is not included in the Geneva folio, and, both in style and in the method of treatment, it corresponds closely to the Aurora. The edition made use of for this translation is the Basle 8vo. of 1570. A considerable portion of the work enters into the Paracelsican congeries, entitled De TroHsmutatioMibus Mttaltorumy Frankfort, 1C81.
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nothing^ from these is like the heathen teachers and philosophers, who follow the subtleties and crafts of their own inventions and opinions. Such teachers are Aristotle, Hippocrates, Avicenna, Galen, and the rest, who based all their arts simply upon their own opinions. Even if, at any time, they learnt anything" from Nature, they destroyed it again with their own fantasies, dreams, and inventions, before they came to the final issue. By means of these, then, and their followers, nothing" perfect can be discovered.
This it is which has moved and incited us to write a special book concern- ing Alchemy, basing it not on men, but on Nature herself, and upon those virtues and powers which God, with His own finger, has impressed upon metals. The initiator of this impression was Mercurius Trismegistus. He is not without due cause called the father of all wise men, and of all who followed this Art with love and earnest desire. He teaches and proves that God is the only author, cause, and origin of all creatures in this Art.* But he does not attribute the power and virtue of God to creatures or to visible things, as did the heathen mentioned above, and others like them.
Seeing, then, that ali art must be learned from the Trinity, that is, from God the Father, God the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Ghost, three distinct persons, but one God, we will aJso divide this our alchemical work into three short treatises. In the first of these we will lay down what it is which the Art itself embraces, and what is the property and nature of every metal. Secondly, by what method a man may work and bring similar powers and forces of metals to a successful issue ; and, thirdly, what tinctures are to be produced from the Sun and from the Moon.
* AJl arts which flourUh on this earth are divine, all are from God ; from no other principle do they originate. The Holy Spirit is the entjirger of the light of Nature, . . « Man of himself can discover nothing, , . , \Vh^\ things soever are found by the enlargement of this light of Nature within us, the &anke does the devil »cck to corrupt, adulterate, and convert into Ealscliood. Thu^ are all artA and operations corrupted at thii day. Even ko is Alchemy debased and given over to tying tongues and depraved ^ruf ts%on,— Pamgnuivm^ Tract IV.