Fleischer - Chemical Moonshine

If but a single Christian friend had only revealed to me the meanest spark of the true being, and from thence what is absorbed by animal, vegetable, mineral and lead, flux of the solar-rays, yea! If he had led me and directed me to catch hold of the astral, viscous, fat water, I would be forever obliged to that one []

[] those and other sincerely truthful adepts advise so well what can and may issue forth from mineral, vegetables and animals, because these things were each predestined to a certain nature, thus all things are unable and incapable of bearing something of unlike kind, or of forming out of something of contrary nature; alone our Water, Sun, Moon, and Celestial Dew serves all three kingdoms as a Universal Spirit, and therefore cannot be separated from them, I must and should catch it in the manner to be described, and bring it to effect; also I should be unconcerned in regard to the natural fire, because this Astral Essence would show itself clearly to me []

[] I know not why I had to delay the work until the fourth year; by and by I lacked this or that, by and by my mirror was broken in pieces, by and by I was not able to have the proper vessels.

[] I had a good deal of difficulty with the appearance of the water at the beginning

[] the true subject I doubted even less, for I perceived in Sendivogius’ Tract de Sulphur: Est in aere occultus vitae cibus, quem nos rorem de nocte, di die vero aquam rarefactuam voamus Cujus Spiritus invisibilis coagulatus, melior est quam universa terra [ The food of life is found in the ocult air, our dew of the night, of this true water, rarefied, whose invisible spirit coagulated is better than anything on earth ]

[] Our Matter is a heavenly salt by means of which we (namely the Astral Salt is first extracted out of its slimy fat water and is kept) open (this happens in a free fire, in a crucible) the earthly body (namely Sol or Luna) and during that time the elixir is born, and the Salt out of which the solution is achieved, and also the mineral (namely aqua viscose) out of which this salt is made, are neither costly.

[] This Universal mercury is nothing else than the Astral Salt, which a few call Heavenly; by the ancients, however, it is called the Salt of Metals; not only do all Metals have their beginning and growth from this spirit, but also all animals, vegetables and insects must suffocate and decay if they should be robbed of this solar-lunar moisture, heat, cold, life and motion.

[] It is a corporeal spirit of a spiritual body (that one sees glittering if one looks into the Sun), which certainly is the saltpeter of the wise. It is really a fat, heavy, and juicy earth, which is very useful and very precious, hidden to the ignorant, but quite common to the knowledgeable.

[] One can catch hold of this splendid Matter everywhere, in valleys and level fields, in mountains and caves or galleries, even in one’s own house. It is the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, and the esteemed natural saltpeter of the Sages. It is in everything the Quintessence of the viscous earth, out of which Adam was made; briefly, our Matter is a virginal earth, on which the Sun (which is her father) has never shed its rays, (and the Moon is her mother) our virginal earth is really a nurse-mother of the gods, because from her comes forth not only Gold and Silver, but also all other metals, minerals, vegetables, and animals, and take life, breath and air and growth from her []

[] Innumerably many charlatans have written of the primary thing that issues forth from minerals, vegetables, and animals, [] recommending chimney soot, dust, lampblack, spittle, sweat, and many more such fool’s tricks as the Prima Materia of the Philosopher’s Stone. Although each one derives from the prime mover and possesses something therefrom, as much as is needful, their users are not artists'. He is also no artist, who is able to separate such therefrom, and employ it on his behalf; nothing is gained if he drives out this spirit from one of the bodies, through some kind of art or fire-power, in order to catch hold of it and to bind it; Rather, all labour is in vain, the time and expense are lost [].

[] everything that is undertaken in the above three kingdoms causes loss and all manner of useless and impossible things.

[] it is an easy thing to catch and dry up naturally the being of being, the essence and life of everything, the spirit of the world, Microcosmal Mercury, revered by philosophy, Living Spirit, unripe electrum of minerals, and to make therefrom the central salt of philosophers and of metals.

[] It is the same thing that in the beginning was produced by three together, but is only one thing, likewise be engendered and made out of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Also it is found everywhere in ones and twos, they name is Magnesia Catholicam, Sperm of the World, the Seed of the whole world, out of which all things have their origin; likewise it be of a singularly wondrous birth and form, has an unknowable and unfathomable character and nature, thus neither hot nor dry, like the fire, nor cold and moist like the water, nor cold and dry, like the earth, but a perfect proportion of all elements; it be also of an indestructible body, that may be touched by no elements, which reconciles all of its attributes as an indestructible Quintessence in everything, even as the heavens over the 4 elements and 4 qualities;

likewise it be in outward bodily appearance, figure, shape and form, a stone and yet no stone, rather it compares more to a kind of gum or water; they call it also a water of the great sea, a water of life, yea the purest and most blessed water, it is however no water of the clouds or of a common spring-fount, but rather a thick, sticky and salty one, also after sundry examinations, a dry one, that does not wet the hands, or a dirty water that springs from the salty fatness of the earth.

Likewise a twofold Mercurium and Azoth, which is fed and nourished by the lowest and highest, vapours of the celestial and terrestrial spheres, mist and sweat, which also burns in no fire, because it itself has in it a spark of universal fire of the Light of Nature; in addition a celestial spirit that dissolves all things, with which it was blessed and animated by God from the beginning, which Avicenna calls the Soul of the World, and of which he says:

 Even as the soul exists and moves and exists in all elemental creatures, it is an inseparable union of body and soul, the purest and noblest essence, in which all secrets are concealed, full of wondrous power and virtue; it possesses also a divine strength, power and  virtue, it is that Spirit of the Lord, that fills up the fissures of the earth, and moved upon the face of the waters in the Beginning; it is also called the spirit of truth, hidden to the world, and without the call of the Holy Ghost, or instruction from those that know it, may be neither grasped nor obtained (attained); that is in everything, in every realm according to its degree, but which is only in certain bodies found in perfection.

[] In sum, such a spiritual substance, that is neither celestial nor infernal, but rather a pleasant clear pure substance, the fixed middle between the lowest and the highest, also the most elect, and most precious under the heavens: It will not be known by those who have no understanding of it, or first begin with consideration of value, for is the meanest of all, and most unesteemed, yea, as a rejected thing; which however is sought by many, but found by few, may be found everywhere, collected and taken, seen by everyone, but its separation known by few.

[] No perfect tincture comes forth except from a true and perfect root, for the beginning of the work is our solution, noting is brought about in the work unless the semen of man conjoins with the femininity of woman. Who is desirous to attain to the treasure of the red lion, that one must be able to draw the Sun out of the mountains, quench the same with its heat with the lion’s blood, thus will the hidden spirit increase in strength; who will now attract to himself the little fish, Echeneis or Remora Echeneis, remora ‘sucking fish’ of Pliny, as Philosophisch Vaterherz says, that one will find, that it turns in a natural manner into a water, and this into earth, which, if properly prepared through the artful secret of the sages, has the strength to dissolve all fixed bodies; to make the fixed volatile, and to purify all diseased bodies

[] I say to you once more, that our Matter is nothing else than the Earth, but not that on which we walk, but that which hovers over our heads; the sages call it their Virgin Earth: It is the element which gives the Earth its origin; briefly to tell: It is the noble earth of the earth of the sages; whose Father is the Sun, and Mother the Moon: It is the fatness of the mineral earth, or noble spiritual and corporeal essence, out of which is made the Mercury of the Sages, the precious salt of nature: it is the true and common Mercury of the Sages, not however of the common folk, namely quicksilver.

[] One can seek and take this precious Matter in the caves, on the plains and in the Mountains, one finds it in all the paces of the inhabited Earth, but one should grasp and take it, before the Sun has had sight of it; Theophrastus says: Who takes not the Moon down from heaven, to make water, and subsequently is able to bring the water into an earth, will never find the correct Matter of the Philosopher’s Stone.

[] In the following passage Hermes testifies plainly and clearly:

In superiori sphaera
Est in medio frontis vena
Quae est regula
Philosophorum prima.

[ In the spheres above, there is in the medial front a vein which is the first rule (matter ?) of the philosophers ]

To advise first how, one finds metals and minerals in no other place but only in the mountains, and in the ground, where the mineral water is found admixed, the root which is found in fire and water together with the Philosophical matter, and it continues to grow or lie quietly, seeking is own proper level. This is the True Materia, that is not wet, that is however an element and a water, and is only one thing, which may not be separated from the earth, for it is from the Earth, the Earth is the nourishment of such material; it is full of spiritual life; celestial, terrestrial, magnetic, it is refreshed by the pure celestial dew, the Earth harbors it and is its mother; it existed from the beginning of the world, this Spirit which attracts air, fire, and water and encloses all in one: The heavens are adorned with many stars, the Sun and Moon: This Materia cannot become fruitful without the heavens’ cooperative help. Also no single thing could live and endure, if it did not unceasingly receive this celestial, Astral, material, cooperative power, this spirit or salt: All life comes down from above, each life as its separate defect in the root of its Spheres, its own salt-spirit, all metals, vegetables and animals meet in the center in agreement.

[] We know, that the water dwells within the earth, the water must also become the earth, and it ascends out of our Materia and becomes a spiritual subtle creature. Its extract and tincture, is a salty essence, an incombustible, abiding fiery oil, the key that unlocks all, and transmutes into its own likeness.

Thus water and earth must dwell continuously mixed together, terrestrial and celestial intermingled, keeping company together with that which must become water and spirit; this is now plain, that our Materia is a pure water, a spirit, a celestial fire, a pure spiritual extracted salt: It is born of the sun, created beautifully pure and clear, containing the indwelling fire, that comes forth out of the Divine essence, that externally is the greatest poison, though internally the highest good and medicine: Firstly, you must well purify our Materia, through water, these two, as the earth and spirit mix well with the seeds, make one  (thing) to bring forth the noble salt-spirit, because without such Magisterium salis we accomplish nothing,

[] everything that has been joined together once in the beginning, should remain together, and henceforth no longer be separable: Because that which is below must become like that which is above, both come into One, and remain, in order to attain perfection; as it became the earth, so must it again become what it was in the beginning, namely water and spirit, which must become locked into one; otherwise it does not take effect

[] It is a fiery living water, the Philosophie viscose, that climbs the mountains and falls down into deep valleys, seek its fountainhead, thus you have the power of to tinge, to work great wonders, in medicines and in the metals: Therein is made clear, that it is the internal great power of the Sun alone, whose fire is the single celestial fire, that has the power to tinge, to work wonders, in medicines and in the metals: Therein is made clear, that it is the internal great power of the Sun alone, whose fire is the single celestial fire, that has the power and might to work great miracles.

[] Now this is taught by the sincere philosophers, that a divine fire is enclosed in the Solar Archaeus, which is only enticed forth by means of the true philosophical key, it is a water and a fiery beam, this works at and resolves all that is hidden, without force and labour; it conveys everything within itself, it is the beginning and the end, a celestial dew, the united Matrix, the quickening growing power, that consumes soul, spirit and body and is regenerated again: Without this sap and rays of the sun, gold’s inhabitant can neither be seen nor captured. It is only a singular essence, a single root, a single universal, that can mingle with all things, and attract to itself that which is of value: If all things did not partake of this, they would be in a state of nothingness (nihilium); Italaii says figuratively: The roots of its Minera be in the air, and the earth in the height, and when it is pulled up by its root, so is heard a frightful sound, and a great fear follows afterward.

Here learn to understand, that when the rays of the Sun reach the volatile damp earth, salt or saltpeter, thence arise lightning and thunder. Therefore one must catch the atoms soon, ere they vanish.

[] Who would follow after the truth should take the sun’s heat, and the froth of the moon. [] If you would take the Sulphur and Argent Vive, each in its natural way, so you must alloy these two, for the right measure and proportion is totally unknown to human understanding, and next cook these substances to a thick jelly. [] The Tincture has been universal from the beginning, as it still moved upon the waters, but afterwards became specified, and from thence to be found in all things of the four Nature-kingdoms, as Astral, Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral, but in particular it is to be found in the Astral kingdom, the best in the sun. [] such a water is to be drawn out of the rays of the Sun and the Moon, in a wonderful manner, by a skillful Master of Art: This rarified Water is a Material compared to the Light, a Forma compared to the Created or Elemental, but it is itself an Astral Substance, and a Tincture of all natural things. How now to make manifest this Water as a celestial Materia and terrestrial Forma, which it was formerly, that stands once again in great secret: One perceives something therefrom, when one handles that Body such that it neither becomes so heavy, nor remains as it was previously; this must be considered well.

[] You need for your vivification to reverberate, fire, and that so hot, that everything flows; but in the end you spoil it if you don’t enter into my smithy in which I forge metals without ceasing within the earth: For in there will you seek the Matter with which I work, and the method of my work.

Think not that I will reveal you my secrets, if you do not seek the growing seed of metals, animals and vegetables: These which are entirely within my Power, one concerning so much the generation, the other so much the nutrition.

[] The Metals have no life, yet still some nourishment to grow, to become green, or to increase; they have no breeding seeds, therefore they also do not procreate their kind they are fashioned in the beginning out of the substance of the 4 Elements, from these I produce them.

[] My Lord, the Creator has commanded me, that I (as his hand-servant) transmute the four Elements from the Universal Materia, through my operation and administration, and bring all mineral forms under a common or Universal form: Likewise I carry through my natural Art the Sun in 24 hours around the circumference of the earth, which never ceases to stir a warmth, through its motion in every element; similarly also the 8 spheres, and the 7 Planets; and their Father the Primum Mobile, with whom all the other spheres travel about.


Now further, the common gold and silver is such a perfect Metal, and all imperfect Metals come forth from the mercury, therefore all Philosophers call it a Mother of the Metals, and it follows therefrom, a twofold metallic substance be in it: Firstly, the substance which enters Luna, and also the Sun, is such a Metal to which others are not similar from this Double Substance (Rebis) is formed the Philosophical mercury, which spiritual essence is in its Body; so soon as the nature of this Mercury is formed from the double Spirit, so he desired to form it perfectly, and make it corporeal, which cannot occur without it. When now this double Spirit rouses, says Flamel, and the double spermatic Seed awakens, so they long to receive their particular Body; then their Mother the Mercury must die; vainglorious alchemists say indeed, that one must and should make perfect and imperfect bodies into a flowing Mercury; that this then be the true Subject of Philosophy: But this is an empty fraud; who however joins together the Sun and Moon through the true Mercury, so this one makes all imperfect Metals perfect.

[] Hermes, in ‘Turba’ indicates its subject: The Subtle airy Dampness, with a watery, and the Watery with an earthy dryness, are thus joined and put together, that they may scarcely or never be parted from one another, and then only with the most subtle understanding of the Artist: He is Blessed! Who possesses such understanding, such to perform.

For without this separation all Alchemists have endeavored fruitlessly, because in this separation or cooking is found such a great and heavy difficulty, and the ignorant one supposes he must bring forth Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, separate, purify, and put together again, but that isn’t it, and still fewer should be: Therefore no one or hardly anyone, of all the Philosophers in the world, can bring it to fruit; therefore no one should boast that he Knows the Stone, that he knows how to separate the abovementioned Humidity and dampness in the Stone, and to separate, that is, to put asunder the remainder, and to make it out of Water, Earth, and Salt.

[]
    1. The Matter should be gathered at the right Time, and scarcely when the ran goes out to pasture: For although such can be gathered at all times, this however is not so powerful or well to have at all times.

    2. This must be well preserved, until Putrefaction.

    3. After this it must be prepared to a natural, and not a Sophistical essence, as the Alchemist knows to perform without hands, or artificial ovens, horsedung, charcoal, or lamp-fire.

    4. The vessel should be thick, firm, well-joined, and have no cracks.

    5. The Seal of Hermes, with which Nature could and may perform its function from the beginning until the End, is to be made loosely, if not, then so the Radicale Humidum should not have enough space and air to be able to throw of the Superfluous and Heterogeneous things; everything should stand still, and putrefy sooner, and is condensed and dried in itself. Each one has their own just and firm Idea, how such could, should, and maybe occur.

[] Although our Stone holds its Tincture naturally within itself, since it is perfectly created in the body of the magnesia (lode-stone), that is, of the earth; but however it has not the Motive or motion within itself, that a perfect Elixir comes out of it, unless it would be prepared and moved through Art and Effect.

[] You have enough, if you have nourished the material correctly externally. For it can produce sufficient changes in itself toward perfection [] the Cooking of the Stone must occur by the warmth of the Sun.

[] the Year must be divided into 4 Times, and command the Stone to rule after the changings, says Zenon, in Turba: The Year is divided into 4 divisions. First is the winter, cold and moist. 2nd. The Spring, warm and moist. 3rd. The Summer, warm and dry. 4th. The Autumn, cold and dry. In this way one should govern the two natures. From thence says Morienus: Our whole Magisterium is nothing else than a drawing of the water out of the Earth, and that one pours the same over the Earth, or a such operation.

Mundus says: These two, namely man and Wife, father and mother, the rays of the sun and moon made finely whitish in the vessel, and beseech Almighty God Basely, that you see this Stone mixed; then cook it, draw the Soul out of it by degrees, see it the Stone has become black; if it is thus, so has it been done correctly, if not, so govern it with the Judicious Juice, so long until it is covered with the greatest blackness; this is the whole secret.

Naturea: After the Putrefaction occurs the Generation, through the internal incombustible warmth, therewith to heat up the cold of the Argent vive, which suffers so much, that it becomes one with its Sulphur. This is held within a vessel, Fire, Air, and Water: I take these in the earthly vessel and let them remain, in a single oven, then I cook, dissolve and sublimate them, without hammer, tongs or Coal, fumes, fire, and waterbath, and without Sophistical Ovens: For I have my heavenly Fire, which awakens the elemental, according as the Matter desires a suitable Form.

[] The fire bears and nourished it in the air, first of all however it putrefies in the Virgin Earth: Afterward the water comes forth, so we must seek that which is the first Matter, from which I begin Minerals.

[] Mark the three things, into which God in the beginning divided the first matter; from the first and purest part, he fashioned Cherubim and Seraphim, and every angel, from the second not so pure parts, he fashioned the heavens and their issues, from the thirds and impure part the Elements with their properties; Firstly, the Fire, which precedes the others in virtue, this he put into the heights under the moon; it has no Corruption in itself, but rather it has the pure part of the Quintessence: After this he made the subtle Air, and put into it part of the Quintessence also, but not so much as into the Fire: After this followed the visible Element of Water, which has as much of the Fifth Essence, as it has occasion for, after the water finally the Earth: However, such all and the whole of Nature, of which I am the first creature: He created in an instant: The Earth he made thick and opaque, but fruitful; this holds in itself the Least of the Fifth essence.

[] My Son, I would tell you yet a true word, namely that the whole Work is made by a single, ordinary, common, united with itself Matter, in a single well-sealed vessel, and a single oven; it has everything in it, which is necessary for perfection, and is finished by a single Regimen of the Fire.

Firstly, you must take the same oft-mentioned Matter, or Primum Ens, which the Philosophers also call the highest Good of nature; dissolve before all things, and dissolve and purify it from all its Aquosity, and Earthiness, because in the beginning it appears to be an earthly feculent body, a sharp, viscous, slimy, and cloudy-watered thing, also take away from it its dark and thick-clouded treasure, with which it is obscured, thereafter such through further Sublimations, its heat and internal Soul which is hidden in it; divide it and separate it out, that it may be brought into a lovely essence: his happens however, through the great catholic sea-water, which through its swift, even flying ebb and flood, waters the whole circumference of the earth, and makes fruitful, and therefore is so beautiful, sweet, clear, bright, and shining, that it is to be looked upon with admiration. Far higher and more beautiful than gold or silver, or a carbuncle, or diamonds luster; which blessed water also holds together in its aforesaid Matter, namely, The Philosophical Salt of the Wise.

If you now preserve this, it is a good tasting, good smelling salt, subtle, airy sort, that if it should stand in the air, would disappear, unless it is fixed of itself. So you should take the Waters and divide into 2 parts, out of the 2nd part, divide into 3 parts, and carefully preserve them. Coagulate till dry, the first part (or half); when this occurs, imbibe the reserved 1st third part, and coagulate it, till it is again dry; the 2nd 3rd part is also imbibed and coagulated till dry as afore; divide the last remaining 3 rd portion into 7 equal parts, and soak your earth or salt as often as it becomes dry, until the last 7th imbibition and soaking, if it flows on a red-hot piece of metal without smoke, and penetrates, it is good; if not, you must imbibe it with fresh milk so long, until it is fixed and penetrates as oil into leather into the metal; as often as you imbibe your slat, put the glass into the oven, and give it a graduated Fire, that is gentle, continual, airy, moist, whose warmth penetrates like a hen over her eggs. The Philosophical Fire (Fire of the Wise) is not metallic or elemental, but only an essential Fire; it can also be well named Divine. The Philosophical Fire is also called Aqua Mercurii, and in truth, it is the same Fire, which the Israelites used for their burnt offering, as it stands to be read in the 1st Chapter of the other Book of the Maccabees; of colours and other things, it is better to keep silent than to speak, since this only causes difficulty and error, but in the Practice it is not so.

When the Salt of the Wise, or Philosophers’ Stone has gone through its 7 reddenings, and has been fixed, this can be fermented with 3 parts Sol purified by Luna, in a strong crucible in a free fire, for 3 or 4 days in flux, so will the metal not only appear broken, through the acceptance of the Tincture in either Sol or Luna, and whose virtues are multiplied in the body of either Sol or Luna, to transmute other imperfect metals into Sol or Luna, as according whether Sol or Luna was multiplied. It is first tinged, and through  and through itself to tinge others. Thus here the saying applies: ‘Nothing tinges unless it first be tinged’.

The time in which the Stone can be finished, no one can determine, the cautious and mindful know how to perform this work.

[] To speak with brief words, our beginning Subject is neither Bodily nor animal, vegetable, nor mineral, or anything else that can or may come forth from these, but, rather in truth, a pure Astral Essence. For all three Nature-Kingdoms are yea n each, and although each does have as much as it needs of the Universal Spirit; though it is still not capable of imparting it to other bodies.

[] I will tell you this much however, that the rays of the Sun and Moon and Dew must be collected in a clean Jar or Vessel, separated from Rain and dirt, stench, smoke, and also from flying and wandering animals. The ways of attraction are many, but it is as well at home, as in an open place in the wind. As also a most fit and convenient Receptacle.

 In a great Thunderstorm, with storm wind and downpour this Spirit which the Sun has earlier drawn from the Earth (plentiful and in great abundance) is driven up into the air, and then is thrown down into the lowest Region, and gathered in great quantity by both men and plants; thus also with the previously prepared receptacles. In a thunderstorm, if the wind blows from the South, Southeast, or Southwest, it is good; great cold and great heat, give nothing. The dew collected from grass or trees, is already spoiled. The place of capture must not be marshy, have no great mountains, houses or towers or high trees before it, but rather stand open and free; the place should be open, smooth, and even fro South to North; the vessel should stand at least 6 feet over the earth, neither higher nor lower, smoke and fire must not be a hindrance. The Current of air is not to be despised, if such were driven through a narrow space, into a spacious room: Who knows how to arrange this same Modus correctly, will fear no calamity; Receptacle and place must have a harmonious Adaptation and the Spiritus Mercurii should be collected Copiously. Enough of the capture of the Spiritus Mercurii.

When you have 8, 10, 12, 16 ounces, let it putrefy for 40 days in a well closed Alembic or Vial, or however it suits you. After putrefaction, divide your Materia into several parts; take 1 or 2 ounces, and let it dry, draw your material into several parts; take 1 or 2 ounces, and let it dry, draw you’re your Salt out of the Caput Mortuum and add thereto as much Spiritus Mercurii, as there was in the beginning, or a little less. Let it again dry gently; when it has dried, give the Child fresh Milk, out of which originated, half as much as before, then have in store the third Portion, of your whole Spiritus Mercurii; divide it into 7 equal Portions, and soak your Materia seven times, but each time well dried, until the 7th soaking and drying: So then give the tincture its Ferment, either Sol or Luna in a crucible in a strong fire for 3 or 4 days, that the metals stands in flux or continual fusion, and so our heavenly Salt of all metals ennobled and together with either Sol or Luna transmuted to a tincture. When this occurs, take a little of this tincture, wrapped in Wax, projected on imperfect metals, when in fusion, so you will accomplish Miracles.

[] God gives you the gift to find the Single One, seek the single vessel, oven and Fire, and let all other things alone: As various Matters, vessels, Phials, Solvents, bowls, mirrors, dishes, wood, coal, and other fire works. It costs nothing from the beginning to end, except your necessary maintenance, as nourishment and clothing. If you will understand the matter correctly, so also it will cost you little. Therefore I believe, that certainly God is everything in everything, and over everything; that if someone would make known to you, that there are great expenses here and there, that same one is a capital liar and fraud. For the Matter costs absolutely nothing, as that you accordingly work and take pains, mirror, polished dishes, vials and Solvent vessels, one can also have at a low price. A common vessel will perform as well as an expensive one, if only it is not porous or broken. Otherwise you need no expensive costs for the work, not even a Penny. If I should reveal to a Simpleton the Secret Materia and mode of proceeding, I certainly believe he would call me a boaster, clown, and moreover would believe that I build Castles in the Air; and might quite well believe that I have been robbed of my senses. And yet so simple and common are our Materia and method of Operation; so great, so noble, so glorious, so valuable, and so indescribably great are its virtues: For consider, our Universal Subject, is even the Thing, which no thing in the World can do without; it is a vile thing, and yet it is in the particular, viz. our fixed Mature Salt.

[] The General Rules borrowed from Sendivogius, Together with the Verse.

Four Elements: Fire, Air, Water, Earth ---  from God.
Three Beginnings: Sulphur, Salt, Mercury --- from Nature.
Two Seeds: Masculine, Feminine --- from the Metals.
One Fruit: Tincture --- through Art.

Who understands this table correctly
Sees how one goes from out of the other.
First everything dwells in a 4-fold state
The elements everywhere.

Out of this the 3 Beginnings spring.
Which bring forth two Sexes.
Masculine, feminine from Sun and Moon.

Out of which grows the Wise Son:
Who is like nothing else in the world
He surpasses all Kingdoms.