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mentioned, is, that a little of this sulphur burns a strong body. Accordingly they venerate it and name it in the
beginning of their book, and the son of Adam thus described it. For this vinegar burns the body, converts it into a
cinder, and also whitens the body, which, if ye cook well and deprive of blackness, is changed into a stone, so that it
becomes a coin of most intense whiteness. Cook, therefore, the stone until it be disintegrated, and then dissolve and
temper with water of the sea. Know also, that the beginning of the whole work is the whitening, to which succeeds
the redness, finally the perfection of the work; but after this, by means of vinegar, and by the will of Gcd, there
follows a complete perfection, Now, I have shewn to you, O disciples of this Turba, the disposition of the one thing,
which is more perfect, more precious, and more honourable, than all natures, and I swear to you by God that I have
searched for a long time in books so that I might arrive at the knowledge of this one thing, while I prayed also to
God that he would teach me what it is. My prayer was heard, He shewed me clean water, whereby I knew pure
vinegar, and the more I did read books, the more was I illuminated.
The Sixteenth Dictum.
Socrates saith:- Know, O crowd of those that still remain of the Sons of the Doctrine, that no tincture can be
produced without Lead, which possesses the required virtue. Have ye not seen how thrice-great Hermes infused the
red into the body, and it was changed into an invariable colour? Know, therefore, that the first virtue is vinegar, and
the second is the Lead of which the Wise have spoken, which if it be infused into all bodies, renders all
unchangeable, and tinges them with an invariable colour. Take, therefore, Lead which is made out of the stone
called Kuhul; let it be of the best quality, and let it be cooked till it becomes black. Then pound the same with Water
of Nitre until it is thick like grease, and cook again in a very bright fire until the spissitude of the body is destroyed,
the water being rejected. Kindle, therefore, above it until the stone becomes clean, abounding in precious metal, and
exceedingly white. Pound it afterwards with dew and the sun, and with sea and rain water for 31 days, for 10 days
with salt water, and 10 days with fresh water, when ye shall find the same like to a metallic stone. Cook the same
once more with water of nitre until it become tin by liquefaction. Again cook until it be deprived of moisture, and
become dry. But know that when it becomes dry it drinks up what remains of its humour swiftly, because it is burnt
lead. Take care, however, lest it be burnt. Thus we call it incombustible sulphur. Pound the same with the sharpest
vinegar, and cook till it becomes thick, taking care lest the vinegar be changed into smoke and perish; continue this
coction for 150 days. Now, therefore, I have demonstrated the disposition of the white lead, all which afterwards
follows being no more than women's work and child's play. Know, also, that the arcanum of the work of gold
proceeds out of the male and the female, but I have shewn you the male in the lead, while, in like manner, I have
discovered for you the female in orpiment. Mix, therefore, the orpiment with the lead, for the female rejoices in
receiving the strength of the male, because she is assisted by the male. But the male receives a tingeing spirit from
the female. Mix them, therefore, together, place in a glass vessel, and pound with Ethelia and very sharp vinegar;
cook for seven days, taking care lest the arcanum smoke away, and leave throughout the night. But if ye wish it to
put on mud (colour), seeing that it is already dry, again imbue with vinegar. Now, therefore, I have notified to you
the power of orpiment, which is the woman by whom is accomplished the most great arcanum. Do not shew these
unto the evil, for they will laugh. It is the Ethelia of vinegar which is placed in the preparation, by which things God
perfects the work, whereby also spirits take possession of bodies, and they become spiritual.
The Seventeenth Dictum.
Zimon saith:- O Turba of Philosophers and disciples, now hast thou spoken about making into white, but it yet
remains to treat concerning the reddening! Know, all ye seekers after this Art, that unless ye whiten, ye cannot make
red, because the two natures are nothing other than red and white. Whiten, therefore, the red, and redden the white!
Know, also, that the year is divided into four seasons; the first season is of a frigid complexion, and this is Winter;
the second is of the complexion of air, and this is Spring; then follows the third, which is summer, and is of the
complexion of fire; lastly, there is the fourth, wherein fruits are matured, which is Autumn. In this manner,
therefore, ye are to rule your natures, namely, to dissolve ill winter, to cook in spring, to coagulate in summer, and to
gather and tinge the fruit in autumn. Having, therefore, given this example, rule the tingeing natures, but if ye err,
blame no one save yourselves.
The Turba answereth:- Thou hast treated the matter extremely well; add, therefore, another teaching of this kind for
the sake of posterity.
And he:- I will speak of making lead red. Take the copper which the Master ordered you to take at the beginning of
his book, combine lead therewith, and cook it until it becomes thick; congeal also and desiccate until it becomes red.
Here certainly is the Red Lead of which the wise spake; copper and lead become a precious stone; mix them equally,
let gold be roasted with them, for this, if ye rule well, becomes a tingeing spirit in spirits. So when the male and the
female are conjoined there is not produced a volatile wife, but a spiritual composite. From the composite turned into
a red spirit is produced the beginning of the world. Behold this is the lead which we have called Red Lead, which is
of our work, and without which nothing is effected!
The Eighteenth Dictum.
Mundus saith to the Turba:- The seekers after this Art must know that the Philosophers in their books have described
gum in many ways, but it is none other than permanent water, out of which our precious stone is generated. O how
many are the seekers after this gum, and how few there are who find it! Know that this gum is not ameliorated
except by gold alone. For there be very many who investigate these applications, and they find certain things, yet
they cannot sustain the labours because they are diminished. But the applications which are made out of the gum and
out of the honourable stone, which has already held the tincture, they sustain the labours, and are never diminished.
Understand, therefore, my words, for I will explain unto you the applications of this gum, and the arcanum existing
therein. Know ye that our gum is stronger than gold, and all those who know it do hold it more honourable than
gold, yet gold we also honour, for without it the gum cannot be improved. Our gum, therefore, is for Philosophers
more precious and more sublime than pearls, because out of gum with a little gold we buy much. Consequently, the
Philosophers, when committing these things to writing that the same might not perish, have not set forth in their
books the manifest disposition, lest every one should become acquainted therewith, and having become familiar to
fools, the same would not sell it at a small price. Take, therefore, one part of the most intense white gum; one part of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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