CHAPTER XX.

Concerning CACHiMii© and Imperfect Bodies.
There is another kind of mineral bodies which is not saline, nor is it a metal, but metallic ; such are marcasites,'"' chiseta red and white, perfect and imperfect antimoniacs, arsenicals, auripigments, various talcics, cobleta, granata, gem-like bodies, etc, 1 say these are metallic bodies since they have chiefly the first metallic matter, and derive their origin from the first three metallic bodies, to which they fly, as it were, and arc incorporated with them as metals, for instance, gold, silver, copper, iron, etc. But since together with them there is incorporated a metallic enemy, they can only be separated
• Marcasites arc to be found in all genera, whether you have regard to colaijjr, brilluncy, form, or any other property. For they are DOlhing else than the superfluity of mctaU, that U^ tnalier abundant in tnetals^ being something which metab are unable to bear or conUiin vrithin them, or convert into their own form. First of alt^ when the salt^ xi^ separated from Are;> (tbc occult dispenser of Nature), a separation of uietals follows. Out of ihe^, firstly, tDarcaJiiie b produced which h* unfit to become % metaU and yet in thai marter it so rc!iide» that at first out of Arc« there grows that matter of the metals^ And it \% the first matter, cmisi^ting of three things, the $pirit of Milt, the spirit of mercury, and the «pirk of sulphur, but in such a maJiner that these three arc one. Of these all mctaU and minerak consiiit. These things being so ordered, Archeus (the occult nirtue of Kature) in^titut(» the iirM operation of inctal% so as to produce them and distini;i)lsh them into their forms and n.-itures. But before he deals with the metals themtelvc*. he ej«:ts the superfluity which abounds in tall, mercury* and rulphur, and purges the three, after whi(^ the superfluity emerg4^ along a simple line into its own ylLadum (chaos), and Xh at lirst divided into two genera, nurcftsite* aiKi cachlmias Here it is coagulated into a mineral, consL4iing of s^Jt^ sulphur* and mercur>'. Yellow inarcasite obtains its colour from the predominiuice of sulphur ; the white from the predominance of mercury. For Hulphur and cachimlee acquire their colour from salt, for this is derived from the spirit of salt* \\x*A a» gravity ih derived from mercury in all three. But if the separation be properly effected, each of the minerals^ that ijt to say mercury* sulphur. »aJt, settles in its o^m place. Of thejie three all minerals consists— Z' Tract Iff,, c, t.
I lo TJu Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus.
by means of Alchemy when set free from the tjTanny of this foe. There arc different enemies of this kind which practise robber)' against the metals, just as if anyone seeking refuge with a companion should be robbed in his house and killed b}' the very man whose help he asked. Some of those spoken of consist chiefly of Sulphur, as marcasites, chiseta, cobleta ; others in the body of Mer- cury, as arsenicals, auripigmentals, antimoniacs, etc. Others in Salt, as all belonging to talc. There are two colours of marcasites, the white and the yellow, according to the imperfect metallic Sulphur arranged in them, which also they need for many purposes. An imperfect metal is made from cobleta. This admits of liquefaction, and passes into a state of flux, is of a blacker colour than lead and iron, but of no brightness or metallic glitter ; it barely admits of malleation, so that scarcely anything can be made from it. Its ultimate matter has not yet been discovered, nor the process of its separation. There is no doubt it is a promiscuous race from the male and female, as is the case in iron and steel, but these cannot be perfectly welded until some method of separation is discovered. There is another similar body called zinchinum ; not that which is commonly so known, but a peculiar kind in which various metals are found to be adulterated, of a liquefiable nature and not malleable. It differs much in colour from the others, of which the last has not yet been found. In its preparation it is almost as wonderful as Mercury itself. It avoids mixture with anything else, and remains a special glass much to be admired among minerals. Metallic grains are found also in torrents, and are called granates, on account of their outer form. They are liquefied and bear the hammer ; but still are not capable of being made into any implement. The properties of these bodies cannot be known unless they are revealed by Alchemy. Many contain adulterated metals, such as silver and gold, which flow to them, as they are accustomed to do to copper and to lead. They con- sist of a certain dense kind of Sulphur. Some granates of another kind are clear as crystal, and there is gold and silver in them."*"