Section 1

CORNELL
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
GIVEN FOUI>roATION BOOK FUND
In Memory of
JOHN LA PORTE GIVEN
CLASS OF 1896
'"^^ ^66 021
DATE DUE
IMzRtmm
p?¥-t«4]?
s»;S^£#''-,
6!iiJ5S
-r-flifR^-Hogf^
SPLENDOR SOUS
A.D. 1582.
¥2
t^2
XI
Cornell University Library
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012366021
SPLENDOR SOLIS
Alchemical Treatises
OF
SOLOMON TRISMOSIN
ADEPT AND TEACHER OF PARACELSUS
Including 22 Allegorical Pictures Reproduced from the Original
Paintings in the Unique Manuscript on Vellum,
dated 1582, in the British Museum.
With Introduction, Elucidation of the Paintings, aiding the Interpretation of their Occult meaning, Trismosin's Auto- biographical Account of his Travels in Search of the Philoso- pher's Stone, A SUMMARY OF HIS ALCHEMICAL PROCESS CALLED " THE RED LION,"
and EXPLANATORY NOTES BY J.K.
LONDON : KEGAN PAUL. TRENCH. TRUBNER & CO.. LTD., Broadway House, 68-74 Carter Lane, E.C. 4.
To THE Eternal Memory of
JOSEPH WALLACE
Mystic, Healer, and Revealer of
Occult Truth. My Revered Teacher and Friend I Dedicate this Book in which he was Deeply Interested
J.K.
w
INTRODUCTORY.
HEN in the period of the Renaissance, men's minds were waking from the long sleep of mediaeval darkness, Solomon Trismosin, one of the less known Adepts of Alchemy, went forth in search of that secret knowledge, the possession of which leads to Alchemical Adeptship. His romantic Wanderings in Quest of the Philosopher's Stone, he has himself described, and if he declares to have reached that Eldorado of Hermetic Knowledge wherein is found the prized Philosopher's Stone, although we may feel inclined to doubt his word, we are, nevertheless not in a position to entirely dispute his statement.
For since the discovery of radioactive substances chemical theory has vastly changed. The very Elementality of the chemical Elements is questioned, and the alchemical idea, that Metals can be decomposed into three ultimate prin- ciples : Salt, Mercury, and Sulphur, may not be so absurd after all.
Let us therefore examine the actual documents remaining of the Alchemists, especially those of reputed Adepts, that they may be studied by the Light of the most recent re- search of Chemical and Physical Science, and the riddle of the Hermetic Sphinx may yet be solved.
In the book before us — provided with those wonderful
7
INTRODUCTORY allegorical pictures, executed by an unknown artist, Tris- mosin in veiled language and by means of artistic Symbols reveals his mind about that mysterious and disputed subject — the Red Tincture — the Philosopher's Stone.
Here then is a rare, and at one time, highly prized,, Alchemical Classic, written by an adept, rescued from the oblivion of over three centuries, — why not give the book a fair trial ?
It evidently has a two-fold meaning, and like the Book in Revelations, is written within and without.
As a Guide to Physical and Spiritual Adeptship, Splendor SoLis stands both for Gold Splendour and Soul Splen- dour, and intends to convey the Secret of Physical Alchemy by the text, and of Spiritual Alchemy by the Allegorical pictures.
For this reason, as Photography cannot reproduce the beautiful colourings of the Manuscript's original paintings, a minute description of the 22 pictures, fully aware of their Mystic meaning, has been inserted in the middle of the text of Splendor Solis, that the allegorical importance of the figures may not be overlooked. Their Mystic Meaning seems to be identical with that of the 22 keys of the Tarot, and they observe the same order.
For the Spiritual Interpretation of these Mystic Pictures,
8
INTRODUCTORY
the above-mentioned minute Descriptions will be found to be very suggestive. For as observed, Splendor Solis has both a Physical-Alchemical, and a Spiritual-Mystic meaning.
The Alchemical theory describes in veiled terms a Gold Process, possibly the very process of which Kiesewetter observes, in his History of The Occult Sciences, that it stretches through the History of Alchemy like a Sea-serpent.
It may, for all that be the true Process, that has been transmitted by tradition, and the Sea-serpent maybe a living aquatic monster, that has survived the Deluge and other Cataclysms in some deep sea cave.
It is with the Philosopher's Stone as with the Sea-serpent, some say they have seen it, while the whole mass of man- kind has not ; but the evidence of the few who have seen, outweighs the opinion of the many who have not.
A thing still is, though people know nothing about it.
Like Argon or Neon, it may be universal, and remain universally unknown, yet, nevertheless, it exists.
What is unknown, may be ignored, but, although we know nothing about it, it is there, for all that.
Whether we consider Alchemy as a Science of Occult Chemistry, or as a Kabbalistic Art of Spiritual Regeneration,
9
INTRODUCTORY the process Splendor Solis endeavours to communicate is equally remarkable and curious.
As a Spiritual-Mystic book, Splendor Solis stands not only for imparting knowledge of the Splendour, or Occult Chemical, possibly Radioactive and Creative Power of Disassociated and Spiritualised Gold, it intends also the Mystic Gold, — the Divine Soul, the God and Gold of True Hermetic Philosophy.
The Secret of Hermetic Science or Philosophy is as its name indicates : SOUL-KNOWLEDGE.
Hermetic Science does not relate to material things, but uses Alchemical symbols as a blind for Spiritual Realities. It is an Alchemy of the Mind and Soul, a Spiritual Alchemy.
Thus is JACOB BEHMEN an Adept of Hermetic Philosophy, but not an Adept in Physical Alchemy. In His Philosophy the Philosopher's Stone is a S3anbol for Divine Illumination, and the Mastery, or Great Work, relates to the Regeneration of the Soul.
A study of the Works of Jacob Behmen, especially of the "AURORA"— the Sun— or Soul— rise in the Mind, will give an idea of the Life of God in the Soul of Man.
One should, however attempt to understand the inner meaning of Behmen's phraseology, before reading any of his
10
INTRODUCTORY
Works, as otherwise they are merely curious, but studied esoterically they are Divine.
Behmen — ^the name has been naturaUsed in England three hundred years ago, and is preferable to the German BoEHME, — frequently uses the word Tincture. His definition of it is that it gives lustre to metals, and colour and fragrance to flowers. It is the Life. For when Tincture vanishes, pallor and decay result. It is the Spirit of the Creator, the Father of All, for Life is Soul, and the Creator is the Soul of all things and beings who upholds all with His Everpresence.
Therefore we say the Soul-Power is the Sole-Power in Nature. It is the supreme Mind that rules all, and of which Man's Mind is a part. The identity of the Man- God with the God-Man was known to the Divine Philosophers of all time. Thereon is based all Divine Philosophy. It is the proof of the Truth of the Occult, the Occult Truth.
Out of the Ether comes Man's Soul, a part of the Creator, living by His Everpresence, bearing within Man's Mind, which is capable of knowing all things.
As Man's Mind unfolds. Nature's secrets are revealed, and her Forces are invaded, showing that Mind rules the All, and Man's Mind is One with the All-Mind of the Creator.
The fact that man can meister Nature, shows, that he
II
INTRODUCTORY
has and is a part of the Power that maintams the Universe. The Creator thinks as man thinks, and when man thinks as the Creator thinks his Thought is Truth.
The object of our being here, is to gain Experience. It is our Duty to ascend to the heights of the Mind, and take stock of Existence, in as far as it affects us. Knowledge thus gained will be the starting point of our mental career beyond. Wisdom acquired here, is the beginning of Divine Wisdom. Many do not gain Wisdom, but all gain Experience. Those who rise to the height of their being, may, or may not, give out their view to the world, or to that portion that knows of them ; the main thing is to rise to a coign of vantage, and get the Mind- View, that the Soul may be re-born in the flesh, and while having experience of Matter, to master it.
EST IN MERCURIO SOLIS gUOD QUAERUNT SAPIENTES
J.K.
12
THIS BOOK
IS NAMED
SPLENDOR SOLIS
OR
Splendour of the Sun
AND IS DIVIDED INTO SEVEN PARTS. IN WHICH IS DESCRIBED THE HIDDEN MYSTERY OF THE OLD PHILOSOPHERS, AS WELL AS ALL THAT NATURE REQUIRES TO CLEARLY ACCOMPLISH THE WHOLE WORK, INCLUDING ALL THE ADDED THINGS; AFTER WHICH NO ONE SHALL BE ADVISED TO GRAPPLE WITH THE MYSTERY OF THE NOBLE ART WITH HIS OWN SENSES.
I AM THE WAY AND EVEN ROAD, WHO PASSES HERE WITHOUT A REST, WILL FIND A GOODLY LIFE ABODE, AND IN THE END BE EVER BLESSED.
14
Plate I.— SPLENDOR SOLIS.
\Jace f. 15.]
PREFACE
ALPHIDIUS, one of the old Philosophers, said: " Every one who does not care for the trouble of obtaining the Philosopher's Stone, will do better in making no enquiries at all than only useless ones." The same also says Rhases, in his book " Light of Lights " : " Let it be said then to all, I hereby admonish them most earnestly, that none be so foolhardy to presume to understand the unknown intermixture of the elements,'* for as RosiNUS says : " All who engage in this Art, and are wanting the knowledge and perception of things, which the Philosophers have described in their books, are erring immensely ; for the Philosophers have founded this art in a natural beginning, but of a very hidden operation.' Though it is evident that all corporeal things originate in and are maintained and exist of the Earth, according to Time and Influence of the Stars and Planets, as : Sun, Moon and the others, together with the four qualities of the elements, which are without intermission, moving and working therein, thereby creating every growing and procreating thing in its individual form, sex and substance, as first created at the Beginning by God, the Creator, consequently >all metals, originate in the earth of a special and peculiar
16
PREFACE
matter produced by the four properties of the four elements, which generate in their mixture the metallic force, under the influence of their respective planets.
All this is well described by the natural master Aristotle, in the fourth Book Meteorologicorum, when he says, that Quicksilver is a matter common to all metals. But it must be known that first in Nature is the compound matter of the four elements.
In acknowledging this property of Nature, the Philoso- phers called their Matter Mercurius, or Quicksilver.
How this Mercurius takes the perfect form of Gold, silver or other metals through the working of nature need not be mentioned here. The teachers of Nature's Philosophy describe it sufficiently in their books.
Upon such is based and founded the Art of the Philosopher's Stone; for it originates in Nature, thence follows a natural end in a just form, through just and natural means.
16
THE FIRST TREATISE
In the following Treatise we shall discourse on
THE origin of THE StONE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS AND THE
Art HOW to produce it.
THE Philosopher's Stone is produced by means of the Greening and Growing Nature. Hali the Philosopher, says thereof : " This Stone rises in growing, greening things." Where- fore when the Green is reduced to its former nature, whereby things sprout and come forth in ordained time, it must be decocted and putrefied in the way of our secret art. That by Art may be aided, what Nature decocts and putrefies, until she gives it, in due time, the proper form, and our Art but adapts and prepares the Matter as becomes Nature, for such work, and for such work provides also, with premeditated Wisdom, a suitable vessel.
For Art does not undertake to produce Gold and Silver, anew, as it cannot endow matter with its first origin, nor is it necessary to search our Art in the places and caverns of the earth, where minerals have their first beginning. Art goes quite another way to work and with different intention from Nature, therefore does Art also use different tools and
instruments.
17
B
THE FIRST TREATISE
For that reason can Art produce extraordinary things out of the aforesaid natural beginnings such as Nature of herself would never be able to create. For unaided Nature does not produce things whereby imperfect metals can in a moment be made perfect, but by the secrets of Our Art this can be done.
I Here Nature serves Art with Matter, and Art serves
I Nature with suitable Instruments and method convenient for Nature to produce such new forms ; and although the before mentioned Stone can only be brought to its proper form by Art, yet the form is from Nature. For the form of every thing be it living, growing, or metallic, comes into existence by virtue of the interior force in matter — except the human soul.
f~ But it must be borne in mind that the essential form cannot originate in matter unless it is by the effect of an accidental form, not by virtue of that form, but by virtue of another real substance, which is the Fire or some other
[accidental active heat.
By way of allegory, we take a hen's egg ; in this the form of the chicken can not take shape, without the presence and aid of accidental form, which is the inter- mixture of the red with the white, by virtue of the heat coming from the hatching hen, and although the egg is the
18
c
b
THE FIRST TREATISE
hen's material, nevertheless it cannot develop either its real or accidental form, otherwise than by putrefaction, which is caused by the influence of warmth, so can also neither the real nor the accidental form of the Philosopher's Stone originate in their natural matter without the agency of Putrefaction or Decoction, of which we shall speak here- after.
Putrefaction takes place when the natural heat of a /
i
moist body is expelled by an external heat, or else when the natural heat of the subject is destroyed by cold. For then the natural warmth leaves everything and gives room to putrefaction.
The Philosophers do not mean this kind of Putrefaction, Their Putrefaction is a moistening of dry bodies, that they may be restored to their former state of Greening and Growing.
In this process of Putrefaction, moist and dry are joined together and not destroyed, but the moisture is quite se- parated from the dryness, then it is necessary to separate the dry parts that turned to ashes.
This Incineration the Philosophers will also not have, but they will have their Putrefaction, which is a drying, trituration and calcination^ to be done in such wise, that the natural moisture and dryness be united together, but se-
19
THE FIRST TREATISE
/ parated and dried up from the superfluous moisture that
{ is destructive.
Even as the food is being absorbed on entering an animal's stomach, that it may be digested and changed and afterwards supply the feeding force and moisture necessary to the existence and augmentation of nature, and be separated of its superfluous parts. How then ever3rthing has to be fed in its way according to its nature will be shown in the afore- said Philosopher's Stone.
20
Plate II.— THE FIRST TREATISE.
[/ace pi. iii.]
Plate III.— THE SECOND TREATISE.
yace fl. ii.]
THE SECOND TREATISE
MATTER AND NATURE OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S
STONE
MORIENUS says : You shall know that the whole work of this Art ends in two Operations hanging very close together, so that when the one is com- plete, the other may begin and finish, this perfecting the whole Mastery.'^ But as they only act on their own matter, it is necessary to give more particulars about it. Geber says in his " Summa Perfections Magisteri in SUA Natura " " that Nature produces the Metals from Mercury and Suphur," and to the same effect we see Ferrarius speak in his " Treatise on Alchemy," in the 25th chapter, that from the beginning of the Origin of Metals, Nature also uses a slimy, heavy water, mixed with a very peculiar white sulphuric subtile earth, which resolves the former into a steam and vapour, raises it in the veins or crevices of the earth and decocts, steams and collects it together so long, till at last dryness and moisture completely unite, thereby forming the substance which we call Mercury, and which constitutes the peculiar and very first Matter of
21
THE SECOND TREATISE
all metals, and again he treats of it in the 26th chapter as follows : " Those who will imitate nature, are not to use Mercury only, but Mercury mixed with Sulphur, but not the common Mercury and Sulphur, but those only which Nature herself has mixed, well prepared and decocted into a sweet fluid. In such a Mercury Nature has begun with primary action and ended in a metallic nature, having thus done her part, leaving the rest for Art to complete her work, into a perfect Philosopher's Stone.
From the aforesaid it will be seen that he who will proceed properly in this Art, shall according to all Philosophers^, begin where nature has left off, and shall take that Sulphur and Mercury which nature has collected in its purest form, in which took place the immediate union, which otherwise cannot be accomplished by anybody without art.
In order to receive the force that penetrates such subtle Matter, some Alchemists calcinate Gold that they may dis- solve it, and separate the elements until they reduce it to a volatile spirit or to the subtle nature of the greasy fumes of Mercury and Sulphur, and this then is the nearest matter, that combines most closely with gold, and receives th)e form of the occult Philosopher's Stone, this matter is called the Mer- cury of the Philosophers, about which Aristotle, speaking to Alexander the King, says : " Chose for our Stone that