Cleidophorus MYSTAGOGUS Trifertes Trifertes Sagani Or
Immortal Dissolvent
[ Produced by RAMS (Restoration of Alcheical Manuscripts Society!" #$%& '
Being a Brief but Candid Discourse Discourse of the Matter and Manner of Preparing Preparing the Liquor Alkahest Alkahest of Helmont, the great Hilech of Paracelsus, the Sal Circulatum Circulatum Minus of Ludoicus de Comitibus! Comitibus! or "ur #ier$ Spirit of the #our %lements& 'ogether (ith its )se in Preparing Magisteries, Arcanas, Arcanas, *uintessences, and other Secret Medicines of the Adepts from the Animal, +egetable +egetable or Mineral ingdoms
Trifertes Trifertes Sagani Or
Immortal Dissolvent y
Cleidophorus Mysta)o)us
Table of Contents An *pistle to the Reader Chapter + Concernin) the Mista,e of those -ho sou)ht this .i/uor in -ron) Sub0ects and by -ron) 1ays2 Chapter ++ Of the True Sub0ect Matter of this 3issol4ent Chapter +++ The True 1ay and Manner of Preparin) the .i/uor Al,ahest Chapter +5 The 3ifference bet-een this .i/uor and the Mercury of the Philosophers
Chapter 5 The Use of the .i/uor Al,ahest" Circulatu Circulatu Minus or Great 6ilech of 6elont and Paracelsus
An *pistle to the Reader Various have been the Opinions (Courteous Reader) concerning the Basis and Foundation of this general Dissolvent, commonly no!n by the name of the "i#uor $lahest% some imagining it to be &ercury prepared% others, that 'tis in rine, Blood and the lie% !hich has been the the reason of so many and difficult labors made use of, and all in vain for that the "i#uor remains at this day as great a *ecret in the +orld as ever, and 'tis lie so to continue !hile Chemical authors Deliver the subect in such tropes and &etaphors, !hich horrible and -ne.tricable labyrinth the young /yros /yros are so entangled in, that it must be by more than an ordinary 0rovidence, 0rovidence, that he can be disentangled and set free1 On this account it may be properly said, that these Chemical +riters had as good to have been silent% nay, it !ould have been better2 For then so many !ould not have engaged in a search, !here so little lielihood of obtaining !as seen !hereby a great deal of 0recious /ime and &oney might have been saved, and that 0erple.ity of mind !hich follo!s vain Chemical 0rocesses might have been prevented% for this Reason it is but ust in $uthors in all their discourses, tending to the instruction of others, to direct to that *ubect !hich is the true obect of that discourse% and though - must acno!ledge that it is not fit to be delivered or disclosed so plainly, as that every 3og that may come to the 3oney 0ot, yet - say that it maybe clothed !ith such a decent habit, as to preserve it abstruse enough, yet by this a certain and harmonious Concord to be seen% as for e.ample, the Obect of this discourse is the $lahest1 &an and all creatures have it, for there is no being in 4ature, that is rightly and genuinely dissolved, but !hat may properly and truly be said to be done done by this "i#uor, "i#uor, but particularly in man after a more evident manner in all Chylifications !hatever, but in this $ct &an sucs the 5uintessence of all things so dissolved for his o!n 4utrition and being /ransmuted into 3uman *pecies, the Recrements are cast off by the common 6munctories, far more gross and imperfect, than the *pecies themselves !ere in their first Reception, conse#uently they are of no fit obect to ground the discourse of so pure and -mmortal a dissolvent on% not indeed &an himself, though !e grant that it is plentiful in him, but it is that *alt or "ife in him !hich Concentrates all other *alts in his o!n 6ssence as a Catholic Fountain for all the Rivulets to be supplied from1 *o that there is no taing of it from him but by a violent breaing of the 7lass and a /ransplanting of the Fountain bac again to that -ne.haustible Ocean from !hence it first received its being1 /herefore, man cannot be the Obect of any discourse appertaining to demonstrate the *ubect of this Dissolvent% for the pure in him, as already said, cannot be obtained !ithout Death, !hich is abominable even to thin on% but if it !ere obtained, it !ould not ans!er the end% for for !hat is sufficient to dissolve in the Vegetable Vegetable 8ingdom is too !ea for the $nimal% and that !hich is strong str ong enough in the $nimal is too !ea for the &inerals1 /herefore, see it in that and from that, !hich is the Fountain, that supplies all Creatures and beings !ith it% for had it not a *ource, 4ature !ould !ould soon cease, for as she e.hausts by the acts of &otion and $gitation of 0arts in 7eneration, so is she on the other hand -mmediately *upplied, not only in the 7reat +orld, +orld, but also in every -ndividual 0art !here "ife is Receiving the same through the $ir, as the true Vehicle, Vehicle, conse#uently this Catholic Fountain is the Right obect to ground this discourse on, as the true *ubect of the said dissolving "i#uor% this is a standing /ruth, it !as /ruth in the beginning, and !ill remain so to the end of /ime1 /he Reason and 0hilosophy of it - can by &echanical Demonstration mae clear to a person !orthy of such inspection therefore by all Clouds, Dar Veils Veils and metaphors, genuinely declare that the matter of this Dissolvent is one and the same in 6ssence !ith that &atter from !hence all the !ise $ncients obtained the niversal &edicine, one being the +or +or of $rt, the other 4ature1 One gentle, the other violent so that by the difference difference of Operation they are brought to different effects1 4o! therefore the *ubect of this discourse being the "i#uor "i#uor $lahest, the Obect must must be the niversal *pirit% for it is from this grand Fountain of 4ature that our Chaos doth proceed% therefore thrice happy is
he, that no!s those &agnets that attract and mae a species of this general 7enus for he is assured that there is something more than 6lements in all Created Beings, even an -ncorruptible and 5uintessential *pirit, !hich is the very "ife of 6lements themselves% !hich being taen appears in &ist, Vapor Vapor or +ater, +ater, even that out of !hich the $ncients say all things !ere 7enerated1 3o!ever, the right 8no!ledge of this &atter is sufficiently abstruse, and the Operations thereof yet more abstruse% for - !ith many others no! by e.perience, that the &atter may be no!n and many many do no! it, yet are !holly to see in the matter and &odus of Operating thereon% and !hatever some Foppish and Conceited ones may thin, vi91 that if they had the 8no!ledge of the true matter all difficulty is over% this may prove a grand &istae, for have been -ntimately ac#uainted !ith some, that have had a true no!ledge of the matter, and have !rought thereon% yet to the day of their Death, have been to see of the &agistery1 /hese difficulties have been those sharp *tones that have hindered by "egal 0rogression in :; years travel to!ards the &ount 3elicon of $rt% so that my labor of Body has been e.cessive, and that of the mind much more1 - have pas passed sed through the drought and scorching heat of the Day, and also through the cold and chilling Frost of the 4ight through a multitude of !ants and difficulties even often to the 3a9ard of "ife itself1 3o!soever easy such, as aforesaid, may thin it - have had no other door to come in at, but hard labor and great 6.pense, for Coals and 7lasses have been my -nterpreters, and shall be so to every true *on of the $rt to the end of time1 For Conscience
0arts of Common 0ractice% as if the 0ain and /error of Death !ere not enough, but there must be an additional Cruelty, vi91 of Blistering, !hich to some may e.ceed the former f ormer11 /hus having given you a short *cheme of the Rise, 0reparation and se of this "i#uor, - shall conclude this 0reface in Consideration of a 0erson rightly #ualified for the 0ossession hereof the first and most necessary 5ualifications is to be rightly -nformed in Religious things so as to no! 7od for themselves savingly, savingly, by passing through the 3oly River of Regeneration, for to !al in the ne!ness of the *pirit, !hich Divine gift of the 3oly 7host enables every true Christian to !al !ith that Circumspection, as to be acceptable in the sight of 7od, to such it is a sure 7uide and safe Conductor Conductor in this +orld +orld to!ards the desired 3aven of rest1 res t1 -t is also to them a mouth and +isdom, and that by !hich their /ongues /ongues are bridled and the !hole &an sealed to the Day of his Redemption, giving an earnest of the 6ternal -nheritance, and after!ards a full 0ossession, !hen our &ortal shall put on -mmortality% this being the Fountain, all others that are true, flo! as Rivulets from it, and so give a right 5ualification for the 8no!ledge of 4ature and 4atural things as also a Constancy of mind to !or upon upon the one thing alone, and an -ndustrious hand to effect the same1 3ere a Blessing and *uccess may be hope for, and those -ncredible Re!ards for all such as !ander in the Circumference, and have never been admitted to the Center of things% but to the Vigilant hidden things, even those hid from fr om the foundation of the +orld, shall be revealed and that this may be the 0ortion of every true laborer in $rt is the sincere Desire of him, !ho !ishes the 7eneral 0rosperity of &anind every !ay1
Chapter + Concernin) the Mista,e of those -ho sou)ht this .i/uor in -ron) Sub0ects and by -ron) 1ays2 -t is a *aying !orthy of Observation, that the -ndustrious 3and maes Rich% so is it in all manner of /rades and Convers in the +orld% +orld% so it is in $rt% but this -ndustry must be upon a tight Foundation, and, set in the Chymical $rt, from a Foreno!ledge of $de#uate Causes% unto !hich it is impossible to attain !ithout !e are enlightened by that +isdom, !hich comes from above, as a Ray from the 3oly 3eavens and /hrone of the Divine 7lory% for it is she, that must Conduct us in all out "abors to mae them $cceptable to the 7reat 7od% !ell therefore might the !ise &an esteem of her before Riches, and 0ri9es nderstanding above the &erchandise of *ilver, 7old, and 0recious *tones, because she is the true Conductor to the !ays o 0eace and 0leasantness% nay even to that /ree of "ife, !here *ubstance is to be -nherited For that she opens the Door of 6ntrance to all &ysteries Divine and 4atural% and conse#uently !ithout her &en grope, as it !ere, in the dar, even as a Blind &an does at 4oon=day% for 4atureob says, that 7od by his *pirit has garnished the 3eavens, 3is 3and has formed the crooed *erpent% and though there is a *pirit in &an, yet it is the -nspiration of the $lmighty that gives nderstanding, !hence !e may readily Conceive, that 3uman Reason is too short to Comprehend the Dignity of any true &ystery !ithout the $id of 7od
principal that have come $th!art me - shall here lay do!n and recon for Convincing Convincing of the 7iddy= headed and Rash *earcher, but more 0rincipally for the 6difying and Building up of a *on of $rt1 - shall begin first !ith an 6rror, !hich is almost niversally received, vi91, that &ercury Vulgar is the Foundation or Basis of this "i#uor% this is an 6rror that the $uthors of some 6.positors are guilty of, !hich the -gnorant *earcher has not been a!are of, but hath gone to !or as confidently on &ercury for the obtaining of the 0hilosophers, by several and various 0reparations, as endeavoring to brea its Body by *pittle, &ay De!, De!, Vinegar, Vinegar, and such lie soppish 0roceedings% also by *ublimation !ith *alts, *alts, and Distillation, and other such lie Operation, endeavoring to mae it run per deli#1 to obtain an $iry and niversal 4ature and radical dissolution, even that they call the &agnetic *alt, or Foliated 6arth, and &ercurial Chalybs% but all in vain% for that &ercury so prepared is still all one !ith common &ercury $nd so lie!ise is that, prepared by Regulus of $ntimony, $ntimony, *ilver, etc1, for Vulgar &ercury is unripe Fruit fallen too soon from the /ree, therefore it must return to its First Fountain or Catholic "i#uor% for the 0hilosophers introduce Fire, not +ater, +ater, into &ercury, to mae her &edicinal, both in the 0articular, and also in the 7eneral% by !hich it is brought to be forever irreducible to mercury1 $nother 6rror is in those, !ho see for this Dissolvent in De! and Rain +ater, +ater, not considering, that this !as designed only as 4ourishment for the V Vegetable, egetable, having but such a 0ortion of the niversal Fire in it, as might serve to dissolve the *alt 4itre of the 6arth, and then the Vegetable *eed in order to a ne! 0roduction% this Fire or dissolver being far remiss to that of $nimals, as that of $nimals is to &inerals, cannot be the 0hilosophers *ubect of this Dissolvent, for "ife !ould be too short to e.tract it1 $nother 6rror is that many allo! the &atter to be niversal, but is dra!n by certain &agical magnets at select times in the ?ear% but this is a grand 6rror, for the &atter is to be found 0lentifully at all *easons of the ?ear, ?ear, especially in such places, places , as are mostly enriched by &ineral Fumes, and the manner of its $ttraction is rather for the 4ecessity of 3uman "ife, than any 0oint in $rt% so that the $rtist must not be too curious in endeavoring to perform that !hich 4ature hath already done to his 3and1 $nother 6rror is in those that see for this Dissolvent by attracting the $ir !ith $lani9ated *alts, as /artar, and not considering, that all $lali9ed *alts do only attract a *aline $#uosity, $#uosity, !hich by often Cohobations may be turned !holly into an 6lementary +ater, +ater, !hereas the true 0hilosopher (as already said) does by his magnets attract a Fire, may a Fiery *pirit stronger than any Fire in the +orld -t is true $lali9ated *alts are noble *ubects, and deservedly claim 0reeminence, being Contradistinct to all $cids, and therefore mae a Dissolvent ne.t to the great "i#uor% but these can never be Volatili9ed Volatili9ed !ithout the niversal &edium, or 0hilosophers< Diploma, together !ith 6ssential Oils and Vinous Vinous *pirits, and being so Volatili9ed, Volatili9ed, they become noble *pirits, yet do not!ithstanding spend their Virtue in Dissolving Bodies, and Coagulate upon them into a *alt, retaining their Volatility% Volatility% so that conse#uently those are e.cluded e .cluded from being the *ubect of this -mmortal Dissolvent1 $nother 6rror is in seeing for the &atter of this "i#uor in he $nimal 8ingdom, vi91 in &an% and indeed a greater in those, !ho assume to teach others, by their $ssertion, that it is there% but having already detected such +riters (in the 0reface) and also clearly she!n, that from &an, the *ubect &atter of this "i#uor can never be attained, although - no! that this my $ssertion does much th!art the general received Opinion, that rine is the Basis, and that Van Van 3elmont, 0hilalethes, *tarey, etc1, have in their +ritings asserted the same, so that - do Contradict the /estimony /estimony of these +orthies -nstance 3elmont, !here he speas of the dissolution of the *tone "udus, seems to assert that it is performed by a *econd dra!n from rine $nd 0hilalethes, in his /reatise e.tant, has grounded the Basis of the -mmortal Dissolvent on rine and Blood% and 7eorge *tarey in his /reatise of this "i#uor seems to ground the subect thereof on rine% nay, nay, an -ntimate $c#uaintance of his did affirm the very 0rocess 0roces s to me, !hich he made use of, vi91, the rine of sound &en, unfermented, !hich, as soon as it !as made, !as by 6vaporation brought t a Consistence, in order to unite the t!o *alts, Volatile Volatile and Fi.ed, and so s o by Distillation and Cohobation till the !hole !as brought over, and then being digested a nd dephlegmed the $lahest is prepared1 Dr1 Bacon !as, as - have been told, much of this Opinion% but all these are short of nderstanding the /ruth of the *ubect, or of the $uthors before mentioned% for it is easy to be collected
from 3elmont, 0hilalethes, etc1, that they never depended upon 3uman rine as the *ubect of this -mmortal Dissolvent for then they !ould not have directed you to the Chaos of the $ncients% as the true *ubect, describing it Figuratively, and analogi9ing it !ith &an% because &an subsists by and from the niversal *pirit, !hich is the true *ubect of this Dissolvent !hich they for some secret Reasons !ould not be so Candid to deliver the lie has $lipili in his Boo entitled Centrum 4aturae Concentratum, !hich very /itle sho!s, that it is not &an there meant, but the niversal *pirit that being the very "ife and Center of all Centers /herefore !ho ever shall assert, that &an is the Basis from !hence this "i#uor is obtained, let him be respected of 6nvy or -gnorance% because there is no *ubect to be dra!n from &an, that !ill act on &inerals @;; or a thousand /imes, /imes, and retain the same Virtue, #uantity and #uality, #uality, as if it had not acted at all /herefore - regard not such Fops or such others, that dote upon highly rectified *pirit of rine, mi.ed !ith the true *pirit of +ine, until both Coagulate into a *alt, !hich is Distilled and *ublimed by the $ddition of fresh *pirit of +ine, until they come over in Form of a Fiery "i#uor /here are others also that dote on the strong *pirit of rine united !ith the *pirit of Vinegar, and Distilled into a 4eutral *pirit but 6.perience the &istress of all true $rt sho!s that that these are all greatly mistaen, and many others, too long here to 6numerate /herefore shall pass them by, and only insist on some fe! others that remain1 /hose are also mistaen, that depend on $cid *pirits, as the *ubect of the "i#uor, as 4itre, Vitriol, common *alt, *alt 7en, or the &other "i#uors of any of these, or any other *alts gro!ing in or e.tracted from the 6arth% for all of them, none e.cepted, !ill by Distillation yield an $cid *pirit, and our "i#uor being no $cid, but Contradistinct thereunto, these of Course Course are all to be reected, and ought so to be in the se of the "i#uor !hen prepared others, that thin themselves more prudent dote much on the *pirit of Verdigris, Verdigris, and more especially es pecially if it is First often dissolved in *pirit of Vinegar, Vinegar, and made transparently trans parently 0ure, and then shot in *pirit of +ine and so Distilled, they then put as great a 0rice or Value Value on it, as in Reason can be set upon the -mmortal Dissolvent itself% but this &enstruum being 0ublished by A!elfer, and long before by Basil Valentine, Valentine, !hom - tae to be the right and true $uthor of it, and being easy to be prepared, it follo!s that the "i#uor $lahest !ould be no uncommon uncommon or unno!n *ecret% but that remaining still as the greatest of *ecrets, plainly demonstrates, that these are not the *ubect, !hence that is obtained1 /hey are also misled, mis led, !ho depend on &ineral *ulphurs, or the Vitriols Vitriols of &etals or that of Venus, Venus, described by 0olemanus% because there
separation and destruction% so that they differ in Operation, as much as "ove and +rath% the one in "ove preserved, the other in +rath +rath destroys the "ife and &otion1 /here are also other -gnorant Boasters, !ho confound them together, yet no! neither the one nor the other, yet say, say, they are both the same in Composition and Digestion, but near the Birth of the Royal babe, the &atter divides itself into t!o distinct 0arts, the one a Body 0ermanent, the other a &enstruous "i#uor or Blood, !hich being Distilled is the $lahest, this sho!s their great -gnorance, for the same that is a Body is a *pirit, and the Blood is 3omogeneous !ith both the &ercury of the 0hilosophers and "i#uor $lahest% for the mercury can never be prepared !ithout its $id, as being one of the three *prings% neither can the *pirit of the Body subsist !ithout the Blood, as every true 0hilosopher does, !ith me, no!, and that at this *tate there is no division to be admitted, !ithout a Death to the !hole Compound% for the !hole &atter in the 0roduction of each being diversely !rought on produces the different 6ffect% the one is a &ercury 3omogeneous, the other a 0onderous *aline "i#uor and in the 0roduction of both there are superfluous Oils separated, !hich though &edicinal, are not in the least 3omogeneous to either% !hich clearly 6vinces their -gnorance in the 0rocess of 4ature, !hich is to mae Bodies *pirits, and *pirits Bodies again, and that this &enstruous "i#uor or Blood is the "ife !hich is so!n in his o!n +omb +omb of &ercury for the 6.altation of both% for there the 3eterogeneous Feces are cast off, and so it is #ualified and united !ith the *pirit in order to Redeem the Body% and so is a principal -ngredient of the *tone, !hen as the $lahest is not -t !ould be too long to enumerate the vain and false Conceptions of &en concerning this -mmortal "i#uor, and seeing these distinctions do better become that Chapter, !here the difference sho!s bet!een the "i#uor $lahest and &ercury of 0hilosophers, - shall omit speaing of it any farther in this, and come to sho! the *ubect of the Dissolvent in the ne.t Chapter, and so Conclude this1
Chapter ++ Of the True Sub0ect Matter of this 3issol4ent
-n the former Chapter, - have laid do!n the &istaes concerning the &atter of this -mmortal Dissolvent, !hich 3elmont describes in the +ord +ord "ate., !hich properly imports a hidden *ource or Fountain, so so hidden indeed, that he himself says, !hen this !as found Religion stood ama9ed, that he himself says, !hen this !as found Religion stood ama9ed, and !ell may the Religious &an be so indeed, !hen their Descriptions are so Occult% for from the +ord +ord "ate., !hich in Vulgar Reception signified "i#uors, !hich may be properly conceived to be $#ueous and *piritual, he presently comes to tell you, that the &asterpiece at !hich $rt is leveled, is to find out a Body% !hich may play !ith us in such a *ymphony or consenting 3armony, 3armony, by Reason of its e.#uisite 0urity, 0urity, that no Corruptive 0rinciple can find in it any 3eterogeneities by !hich to !or in it a Dissipation of 0arts% here he immediately calls it a Body% hence !e must for certain conclude that this *ource or Fountain, though li#uid, does contain a Body in it, or else it !ould have been vain in him to have directed us to such a Body in it, or else it !ould have been vain in him to have directed us to such a Body for the Obect, and that so circumspectly and diligently, as to find it by hard "abor and -ndustry, -ndustry, saying you must be careful, or sedulously -ndustrious about finding out such a Body, !hich by 6.amen and 0roof is very difficult to be found, because the +ords import, that there is no such Body in all 4atural Beings, that does $ns!er !hat this great 0hilosopher describes of his, therefore !e must conclude, that these +ords also import $id% for that -ndustry is also recommended, !hich is as much as if he had said you must see for the hidden source or Fountain of 4ature, and niversal *pirit, !hich $rt must form into a Body% but this *on of +isdom doubtless !as afr aid to spea after this plain blunt manner, as a /yro does, for fear of e.posing the *ecret too plain% but it is clear, that this !as the meaning, because nothing is so hidden in 4ature as the *ource of this niversal Fountain, and nothing in 4ature has 0o!er to reduce Bodies by *ymphony or consenting 3armony but !hat does arise here from% for in these latter !ords he also described the nature and 5uality of the &atter to have
t!o Faces% for that !ithout there had been a composition, the !ord 3armony needed not to have been used% so that in these +ords abundance of &atter is couched in little room, every !ord being a full *entence% ho! lightly or slightly soever the Reader may pass them over -t is true *tarey does very learnedly strie the &ar in his 6.position upon them, yet his Comment is so !isely Regulated as to be ept as obscure, as the /e.t itself% by this means and method - find, that the Basis of this "i#uor !as by this 0hilosopher designed to remain a *ecret to the end of time /herefore for the Benefit of the true desires of $rt, - shall deliver the *ubect &atter of this -mmortal "i#uor !ith much clearness and candidness, yet hope that my *tyle and +ords !ill be such, as to clothe it by such a &edium, as that it may give "ight to the chosen *ons of +isdom, yet at the same time cast a &ist before the 6yes of the n!orthy /his ðod being agreeable to divine +isdom itself% for !e find, that !hat !as a "ight to the 3osts to the Children of -srael, !as a Cloud of Darness of that of the 6gyptians1 /hese /hings being stated, - shall no! come to the Consideration and -llustration of that *ubect &atter they point forth, vi91, the hidden Fountain must be of a double 4ature, or !hat if - should say it must be a Body of *alt appearing under t!o Faces, !hich being united maes *ymphony or Consenting 3armony% the Reason of !hich is she!s% for then it is a "i#uor of that e.cellent 0urity, as to admit of no division of 0arts% therefore as a s - said before, "abor couched in 3elmontudge of *ophistical $uthors, and the better to enable thee to !ithdra! thy &ind from their 6ntanglement, that thou might build upon that sure Roc, !hich !ill remain in the *torm of /rials% this - have done in Bo!els of "ove as !ell no!ing the great 7rief 7rie f and /orture /orture of &ind undergone in my un!earied *earch after this *ecret, even !hen the true *ubect &atter !as no!n% !hich said &atter is also the &atter of the 7rand *ecret of the $ncients% but diversified into different 4atures by the different Operations, and so far distinct the one from the other, and therefore he that is a Complete &aster of both, is properly styled $deptus Duplicatus1 /o the /ruth of this my $ffirmation, $ffirmation, - have not only 6.perience, but also the Concurring /estimony /estimony of that reno!ned 0hilosopher "udovicus de Comitibus !ho sa ys that the &atter of the "i#uor $lahest and 0hilosophers< mercury do both proceed from the same Chaos, but by different Operations are brought to different 6ffects% therefore before thou proceed to the 0reparation of this "i#uor, thou must learn to
understand this general matter, &ass or rude Chaos, !hich is the *ource or Fountain of so many &ysteries% for this "i#uor does not only proceed from it, but also it is the +ellspring of the &ineral "ife, and !hile this +orld hath a being, !ill be an ine.haustible Fountain to all those &ysteries, so hiddenly delivered by the $ncients% for once again - say, that not only the *tone, the great grea t 6li.ir, but also this hidden Fire does proceed therefrom But here you must nderstand the first Chaos, before the 0hilosophical &ercury is produced therefrom1 /herefore a Body and not Bodies must be sought for, !hich being found is the Center of the niversal -nfluences Concentrated and the Blood of the said Body to be One in 6ssence !ith the Body, though it appears to *ight in a t!ofold diversity, yet distinct in 5uality or Completion, but agrees so Fundamentally, Fundamentally, !hich being nited by the hand of an $rtist !ill mae the *ymphony or Consenting 3armony before spoen of% for in this Case it may be said of it, as in another place is spoen o the &ercury of 0hilosophers, that !hich is above is as that !hich is beneath, and so Vice Versa% Versa% for that the 6ssence and "ife of the Blood can
great 6li.ir do arise, is one, so that more needs not to be said as to this 0oint, therefore shall conclude this Chapter1
Chapter +++ The True 1ay and Manner of Preparin) the .i/uor Al,ahest
/he &istaes and also the true &atter being sho!n, - shall no! come to sho! the true manner of the 0reparation of this great Dissolvent !hich is very difficult% for as 0hilalethes in his 6.position on Ripley
as obscure, as that of 0aracelsus, and - say that *tarey
desirous to no!, even the Body of the niversal *alt and *ulphur of the great +orld% for in the &echanical Demonstration from thence proceeds such a *pirit !hich in all 4ature has not its Compeer% but before 'tis brought to that 3armony, 3armony, as to admit of no Dissipation of parts, it must have time to maturate, and to form to itself some pure 7arments or a Complete Coagulation, !hich is done by *uccessive $nimations, so as to bring the *pirit of the 6arth to permanency before it is taen out of its 4est, and that is done by successive Retrogradations, or repeated Coagulations to being this /ransverse /ransverse +or of the 6arth the nearer to its purity, for then only it is, that it admits no dissipation of 0arts1 /he Body being found and thus purified, and its *pirit produced from the small -nvisible 0utrified $toms of the same doth cause a Religious $stonishment% that from so dry a Body as the 6arth should proceed the Central "ate. or the most hidden Rivulet of the great Ocean itself, nothing in the +orld being so pure it despises to Contract +edloc !ith every specificated Form !hatsoever, and so its /ransmutation is impossible, and indeed the oftener this niversal *pirit passes through the entrails of the 6lements, the greater is its 0urity and the fitter for $ction% for on the other hand matter could not *ubsist, but by the continual additional Rays of its niversality% therefore, Reader, retain thy $musement for a time, and thou shalt hear the 0hilosophical /rumpet /rumpet calling thee to behold a !onderful rarity, even the -ndian Brahman
tediousness or length of time% for he limits it to a fe! certain Days, !hich - no! is impossible to be 6ffected, unless he begins to Calculate from the time that the Body is ripe and fit to be broe by Violence, and to be distilled over into a *pirit, then to nite the Blood or other Face may be accomplished in his time But for my part - do comprehend from 3elmont !hat 6.perience sho!s, vi91, that the time is long and tedious, and attended !ith many difficulties, !hich 3elmont also ne!, ne!, or else he !ould not have Complained so much for the loss of his Bottle% Crying out, O that - had removed my Receiver% from !hence !e may readily Conceive, that he suffered "oss "udovicus de Comitibus puts the #uestion beyond doubt concerning concerning the tediousness of the time !here speas of the Reduction and Retrogradation saying, it canudgment, !hich is permanent over the elements in a 5uintessential 4ature, so that the Degrees of its purity are not to be !ondered at% the $rtist hath great Cause to Bless and 0raise the "ord his 7od, !ho hath made him an -nstrument to produce a clean thing out of an unclean, !hich that 7od man >ob so much 5uestioned saying, !ho can bring a Clean thing out of an nclean, surely none but 7od alone% so that !e see the best of &en spea but according to that no!ledge, !hich the $lmighty thins fit to reveal unto them% for he disposes of 8no!ledge as of Rivers, communicating it for the use of all /herefore 0auludge not -gnorantly - gnorantly of things thou understands not For indeed if !e loo upon the thing aright 'tis properly the +or +or of 7od% for as /revisan says concerning the 6.altation of the +or +or in the 7reat 6li.ir, 'tis done Christi Cratia, -mporting that &an can
his desired end, being as - have delivered, much easier to no! the &atter, than to find out the true manner of its 0reparation, !hich is chiefly and principally to be sought for at the hand of the $lmighty% these are *ecrets *ec rets !hich belong to the Divine /reasury, /reasury, and therefore the $id or free leave of the /riune 0o!er must be implored, to open the Door of 6ntrance, !hich may other!ise forever remain shut to thee1 ?et - have not been !anting in these *heets to Communicate my 6.perience, and Candidly to sho! the 0reparation of this -mmortal "i#uor, so far as !as la!ful for me !ithout e.posing it to the hands of debauched 0erson and -mpostors, and he that can
Chapter +5 The 3ifference et-een This .i/uor and the Mercury of the Philosophers
/he "abor of the Candid and honest hearted is the until those difficult 8nots, !hich the envious have al!ays been endeavoring to tie, and to bring the -ndustrious out of the "abyrinth, !here they have been entangled and be!ildered, so as to loose the right 0ath, and for this end - an !illing to lend my 3and to conduct the searcher through this +ood +ood !here many an honest hearted and laborious &an - am !ell satisfied have lost their +ay +ay,, as not being able to distinguish the different 0ath of the "i#uor $lahest and &ercury of the 0hilosophers, designing this Chapter as a 0lain and no!ing 0ilot in this Case1 - hope that nothing but -gnorance itself !ill #uestion the Verity Verity of !hat - have here delivered concerning the Foundation of the $lahest and &ercury of 0hilosophers to be one, seeing - have on my side not only 6.perience, but also the /estimony of !orthy *ons of the $rt, that they do both proceed from the first Chaos, before $rt hath undertaen to !or upon it But here the difference comes, one is prepared in a !ay agreeable to 4ature, the other $rtificial% and conse#uently really divested from the 7enerative 0o!er, being dra!n beyond the 0redestination of its 4atural *eed% the e.act 6.ample of !hich may be seen in a 7rain of +heat, !hen it is $rtificially 0repared and Fermented, and so dra!n into *pirit, in !hich +or +or the *eminal and 7enerative Virtue is !holly destroyed For here there is made an $rtificial *olution of the *eed not into 6lements but *econdary 0rinciples% and by this violent !ay of Dissolution 'tis divested of its &etallic *eed, and Conse#uently made unfit for the $ct of 7eneration, as !as sho!ed ust no! in the 6.ample of the 7rain of +heat *o by conse#uence must being a considerable Difference at their Respective 6nds1 ?et nevertheless both these as they arise from one niversal Fountain there may be some lieness in them and for this Reason the Description dos in some *ense resemble the one and the other, that fe! have been able to distinguish the true difference, and the more by the shifting *peeches of +riters, !ho confound the one !ith the other, that so the $rtist may be easily entangled, because they have not so much as differenced them in 4ame, nature or Operation% for Van Van 3elmont says, that the li#uor $lahest dissolves every Visible and /angible /angible &atter into the first 6ns, preserving its po!er, !hich +ords +ords preserving its 0o!er is also attributed to the &ercury of the 0hilosophers% other 0hilosophers say, say, Our +ater +ater is a Fire, and stronger than any Fire for it reduces the Body of 7old into a mere *pirit, !hich the Common Fire could never be able to do% the lie also says $rtephius% the very same thing is by others attributes to the $lahest 3elmont says that as there is but one Fire in the +orld, so there is but one "i#uor in the +orld, +orld, no other partaing in 5uality !ith it% and 7eber says, the most high hath given us the 8no!ledge of this +ater, !hich light the Candle, gives "ight to 3ouses and yields abundance of Riches -t !ould be too
tedious to enumerate the 0arallels of this ind concerning the $lahest and &ercury of the 0hilosophers so that 'tis very difficult for the unsillful and un!ary to distinguish their true differences, !hich is mostly to be Comprehended from those +ords, !here 'tis said, the one is a !or of 4ature, the other of $rt% so are they different in appearance, for as a late $uthor says, that - may prevent a Common 6rror, vi91 the confounding our 4atural Dissolvent !ith our Circulated *alt or $lahest some -gnorant Boasters !ho neither no! the one, nor the other, having taught that they are both the same, - shall go so far as to sho! the Difference, that no /yro /yro but may effectually distinguish them in his /heory1 8no! therefrom and 4ote !ell this short distinction, there is no $ffinity bet!een them either in &atter or Operation /hey differ in &atter, as much as one *pecies forth from another, the one being &etalline, the other *aline /hey differ in their Operation, as much as "ove and +rath% the one in "ove 0reserving, the other in +rath Destroying, "ife and &otion1 /his $uthor by his good leave speas right in the Operation, but strains the *tring too far concerning the matter, and so cause errors on the other 3and, e#ual to those they !ould Reform, thereby maing many to grope for the Door of 6ntrance, or middle !ay, !hich leads directly to the 0ath of /ruth For be sure as they proceed from one &atter, both niversal, there is something of $ssimilation in them% for as much as they are both performed by !ay of *olution and Coagulation, both tedious and difficult in searching out% and the *ubect &atter so far e.alted from its former state, as that it becomes a +or of +onder% and for certain they must have something of lieness, or else those $rtists !ere very ignorant, !ho gave them one Demonstration, calling them by the lie name, as Fiery +ater +ater and +atery +atery Fire, -mmortal and 3omogeneous 6ssences, $lahest, !hich is all 7host or *pirit, the first 6nd of *alts, and have attributed *upernatural Virtue Virtue to both% and from fr om these and such lie li e niversal /erms /erms and 4ames, 'tis very easy for the *earcher to be deceived1 +herefore - shall no! come to give you a clear and general $ccount, !herein they agree, and !herein they disagree, and then sho! you the Reason, !hy they are thus described, and then give you the true and proper signification of the !ord $lahest, and !hy 3elmont gave the "i#uor "i#uor this 4ame% for - have taen some pains after the -n#uiry thereof, so that - am able to render a *atisfactory Reason First of all - shall -nstance in some particulars, !herein they agree First, the &ercury of the 0hilosophers and this Circulated *alt agrees, in that they are both niversal, one for the 7raduation and 6.altation of &etals, the other for Dissolving all Bodies *econdly, /hey agree in this, that as one preserved the *eed in order to &ultiplication by 7eneration, so the other preserves the Crasis and &edicinal Virtue of *pecies in order for healing% for in the Dissolution it admits of 4othing to fly a!ay in Fume /hirdly, /hirdly, /hey agree in this, the one is the 6mblem of &an
&enstruum is profitable in the 0hilosophic +or, +or, but that !hich dissolves diss olves the Body in a 7enerative !ay, and then recongeals upon the Body dissolved, so the 0hilosophers< *olution of the Body is a Congelation of the *pirit% and upon this $ccount they have reected all those *olutions, as *ophistical, !here the Dissolvent and Dissolved remain not 0ermanent together +hereas the $lahest or *al Circulatum is a *aline "i#uor, and therefore by 0aracelsus sometimes called the "i#uor of *alts and doth Dissolve Bodies, but remains not !ith them, being as easy separable from them, as the *pirit of *ulphur is from Oil1 /hirdly, /hirdly, /here is a Disagreement bet!een the &ercury of the 0hilosophers and "i#uor $lahest in the manner of their Operation and $ction on Bodies, for the &ercury dissolves 7old and all 0recious *tones and 0earls by !ay of 7eneration, and 6.altation, for the "ife and Virtue is &ultiplied, and they may be reduced to their first Form in greater Virtue and Beauty, Beauty, and of more Value Value to the &etallurgist and >e!eler, but the "i#uor $lahest dissolves not only 7old, but also all the other &etals, by !ay of Destruction, so that the 7enerative Virtue is defaced and !holly obliterated, and in this Reduction into their First &atter it gives a certain /estimony /estimony of their Diversity, Diversity, as &etals into *ulphur and &ercury, *tones into a *aline "i#uor, "i#uor, and 0earls into a &ily >uice1 Fourthly, Fourthly, /hey disagree in this, the &ercury of 0hilosophers at the end of its 0reparation !ill become fi.ed and 0ermanent abiding all the fiery /rial, in the form of a Cal., yet as fusible f usible as +a. +a. 0enetrating &ercury, and other Volatile Volatile Bodies before their Flight and fi.es them% !hereas the "i#uor $lahest at its respective end of 0reparation is a 0onderous *aline "i#uor in the form of +ater, +ater, !hich !ill moisten the 3and and everything else, and as it is !holly *aline and Volatile it !ill not endure the Fire, but !ill remain in its form Distilling over in a *aline "i#uor being altogether -ncapable of Coagulation, and by that means dissolves all fi.ed Bodies !hatsoever, not into 6lements but into more simple 0arts1 Fifthly, their Difference consists in this, !hereas the &ercury of 0hilosophers is made by a remiss Fire of 7eneration, even the $erial "ife and "unar Fire being the medium in perfecting it by gentle Decoction from 0oint to 0oint, !hich Regimen of the Fire has been carefully hid by all $rtists, in that 'tis called calle d the Vessel Vessel of nature, or &ercurial Vessel, Vessel, 0ondus 4aturae% +hereas the "i#uor $lahest is made by the most violent Fire of separation, for the *pirit is by Violence not only Distilled from the 6arth in Fiery form% but that is nited to the Blood, !hich produces that 3ellish Fire that brings all -mperfect &etals to a greater -mperfectness, though not!ithstanding it maes them the more 0o!erful and 6fficacious for the e.pelling and rooting out of Diseases and -nfirmities, for being brought to their first 6ns they dissolve and circulate !ith our >uices, as being then thin and *pirituous, and so perform that in the curing Diseases, !hich in their hard and gross 4atures could never be e.pected from them1 *i.thly and "astly, "astly, /he 0hilosophers< &ercury and "i#uor $lahest differ in this, the one may be brought to an niversal medicine, the other has no &edicinal Virtues in it For as 0hilalethes says, this &ercury the renovated or ne!born, may by the 0hilosopher be diversely handled% for he may tae it from the Fire, ad Circulate and Cohobate this &ercury by a 0eculiar Operation, !hich is partly &echanical, till he have a most admirable, pure, subtle *pirit, in !hich he may dissolve pearls and all 7ems, and &ultiply them or his Red *tone, before it be united !ith a metal in 0roection, for the maing of $urum 0otabile and in this mercury, thus Circulated, is doubtless the &ystery of the never fading "ight, !hich - have actually seen, but yet not 0ractically made1 -n a !ord, every one !ho hath this e.uberate &ercury hath indeed at Command the subect of +onders, +onders, !hich he may employ himself in many !ays, both admirably and pleasantly pleas antly11 $nd certainly, certainly, he that hath this, needs so -nformation from another% himself no! standing in the Center, he may easily vie! the Circumference, and then Operation !ill be, ne.t the *pirit of 7od the best 7uide *o that the &ercury of 0hilosophers, being brought to fi.ity, may be made an niversal &edicine, but a &enstruum, !hich is a 0roper help or &edium to prepare &edicines by, by, and in itself still remains unchangeable, being as *tarey says, endued !ith these #ualities% vi91 '/is a 0onderous "i#uor, being indeed all *alt, !ithout and +atery 0hlegm% it is all Volatile Volatile being !holly a *pirit, !ithout and Corporeity left in it, of no eminent Odor, Odor, for all things !hich send out a considerable odor, are for the most part of a very Volatile Volatile 4ature, or consist of many 3eterogeneities1 3eterogeneities 1 -t is not therefore Volatile Volatile after the manner of *pirit of +ine, rine, or the lie, !hich fly f ly at the smallest smalles t degree of heat, but (lie unto a ponderous *pirit, !hich yields its 0helgm in the first place) this !hen it hath dissolved any Vegetable Vegetable Concrete, and made it Volatile, Volatile, !ill suffer the same by a gentle heat of Balneum &aria, to be all separated from itself, etc1 From !hat has been here said, concerning the $greement and Disagreement of these t!o, - hope, the diligent -n#uirer after $rt !ill receive god satisfaction, and for the future be freed from those doubts and
6rrors, !hich might before occasion much /rouble and 0erple.ity of mind /his !as the end - proposed to myself, throughout the !hole of my discourse% this therefore may suffice as to this 0oint% - shall no! proceed to spea of the 0roper 4ames of this Dissolvent1 But by the !ay (reader) (r eader) observe, that the -nvention of this "i#uor,, in these 0arts of the +orld +orld is o!ing to 0aracelsus% thus 0hilalethes, and also adds, that among the &oors and $rabians, it hath been, and is at this day, day, commonly no!n to the $cuter sort of Chymists, then conse#uently !e must depend, that 0aracelsus did give the most significant and 0roper 4ames to it, and 'tis plain from 3elmont
!hich have a superlative Virtue, especially from the &etalline and &ineral 8ingdom% because !hat is resolved by it retains their healing Faculty% so from these Considerations - can
seeing it may be so highly e.alted, as to be brought to an 6li.ir of *pirits, !hich in a &inute penetrates the Center of Bodies, being a 0erfect Concatenation of an -ncombustible fire and light, !hich !ill admit of an endless &ultiplication, being each time advanced in Virtue, 0o!er and *pirituality% so that it becomes a &edicine not only for &an, but also for metals, maing maing them both 0erfect and 0ermanent, the !hich this !rathful "i#uor cannot perform1 For this great &agistery hath in it the 6.alted Virtue and niversality of "ight, a 5uintessence or &edicine of the highest 0urity in the three 8ingdoms of 4ature, $nimal, Vegetable Vegetable or &ineral% therefore may be properly said to be a &edicine for the "iver, this being a &ember or 0art% !hich so much concerns the "ife of man 4o! this !ill manifest itself here a &edicine above all &edicines in order to restore firm *anity $nd that it may be yet more plainly conceived, that 0aracelsus spoe concerning the 0hilosophers /incture, /incture, - !ill #uote the +ords +ords of the famous $rabian 0rince 7eber in his th Boo , Chapter 1 /here is a &edicine (says he) of a t!ofold 4ature of the third order, yet but one in 6ssence and manner of !oring (after!ards cunningly added) there is not!ithstanding an $ddition of a Citrine Colored *ulphur, !hich is perfected by a most clean substance if fi.ed *ulphur Behold ho! its lie is overcome after the first 0reparation1 /his plainly sho!s that the lie, !hich is to be overcome, is the very same, that 0aracelsus spoe of, as - have e.perimental Reason to believe /his from the /estimony of Dornaeus and "udovicus de Comitibus, is also confirmed to be that of the 7reat 6li.ir1 Concerning its *pirituality, - shall add a 0assage or t!o more for the greater Confirmation of !hat is here said Basil Valentine Valentine (in his "as +ill and /estament and $llegorical 6.pressions bet!een the 3oly /rinity and the 0hilosophers< *tone), Compares his &ercury to 7od the Father, as being a *piritual Body% and the 0hilosophers< *ulphur or 7old to 7od the *on, !ho is 7od and man, !hich *ulphur must dye and rise again for its Brothers< and *isters< sae, being then a glorious Body, redeeming and /inging them to 6ternal "ife and !hen these t!o come together saith he, they are called &ercury Duplicate% from !hence proceeds our third *ubstance, !hich is our 7lorified and fi.ed *ol, the 0hilosophers *tone, or *piritual *piritual 6ssence of the 0hilosophers, called the /riune *tone, proceeding from /!o, +ater +ater and *pirit, $nimal and Vegetable in the mercury and the &ineral living *ulphur of *ol, !hich are /hree, /!o, and yet but One1 4o! observe, this $uthorourney, for if in the beginning of the same, 3e goes but a fe! steps in a !rong 0ath, and then follo!s the same, may in the Conclusion be led clear contrary to his designed end, and indeed it is of greater Conse#uence in search, because there are fe! or none to be met !ith in all our Course, that can direct to the right !ay 4o! there is in *cripture a Curse pronounced on all those, !ho put the Blind out of his !ay, !hich Curse !ill tae hold on all those
*ophistical +riters, in that there is no Blindness greater than the *piritual Blindness, !hether in things 4atural or Divine, and therefore 'tis a very great difficulty to distinguish them asunder, asunder, !hich being done the false are to be shunned as much as the Devil himself, !ho is the $uthor of all -mposture1 $ /hird /hird Difficulty is after you distinguish $uthors, to come to some no!ledge and nderstanding of the true, concerning the *cope and -ntention of their +riting, both as to /heory and 0ractice% !hich indeed is a Difficulty surmounting the former, for these Reasons /he first is their Circumlocutions and large Descriptions of things !hen as indeed it may be comprehended in little Compass% the second is their &ultiplicity of Repetitions of one and the same s ame thing, only !ith some variation of +ords, +ords, only to amuse the Reader /he third is by such voluminous +ritings they have the more room and "iberty to Confound their Operations, speaing of one thing !here they ought to spea of another% by !hich 0reposterous manner of +riting the *earcher canudge, >udge, and if he does not lie it, you then loose loose both your Friend and your $rt to boot% and indeed 'tis very difficult !hen a man goes about such a thing to no! !ho is 5ualified for it, or !hat use he !ill mae of it !hen obtained $nd as to the time, he is very nice in it, if he do e.cept of your 0roposals, and to have an Operation performed to every 0unctilio% and if it is not you must e.pect Reprimands, and sometimes the loss of your Friend, !ho, lying as it !ere, on a Bed of ease, little no!s the hardship, Fatigues, labors, "osses and Disappointment, !hich the $rtist sustained and is subect to% neither indeed dares he to open the same for fear lest they should become his 6nemies% these things being rightly Considered may be reason sufficient to deter many a +orthy "aborer from his *earch, to the great loss and Detriment of $rt /hat none of these, or such lie difficulties may be thy 0ortion, O Reader2 -s the desire of him, !ho shall Conclude this Chapter !ith his +ell=!ishes to every *incere *earcher after $rt1
Chapter 5 The Use of the .i/uor Al,ahest" Circulatu Circulatu Minus or Great 6ilech of 6elont and Parcelsus -n this Chapter, Chapter, - shall come to sho! you the se of the Circulatum &inus, &inus, "i#uor $lahest, or *al
Circulatum of 3elmont and 0aracelsus in dissolving niversally all sublunary Concretes into their first &atter, none e.cepted, for nothing opposes it, but its Compeer or +ater, +ater, and the Central heart, or &ercury% the one destroys it, and the other remains untouched by its $ctivity% for all other Beings are so 6ssentially dissolved, as that they may be brought over the 3elm Edistilled, in their true 6ssences% nay by Cohobation they may be reduced to an 6lementary +ater% +ater% therefore for the good and Benefit of &anind, - could be heartily glad that the e.cellency and tility of this &enstruum, !ere better no!n, since 3elmont, 0aracelsus and *tarey, put such 4oble 6ncomiums on it for as the first of these says, -n 4ature there is but one Fire, !hich is our consuming Vulcan, none other partaing in Virtue Virtue and 5uality !ith it, all the true $depti have an undeniable 0roof of, !hich indeed is far more po!erful% than any Common Fire, for !hat !ill remain there, as uncon#uerable, is by this "i#uor destroyed and $ltered radically and fundamentally% the &echanical 0ractice !ith it is thus1 "et this "i#uor or Fire be distilled from any &etal soft and -mperfect, and it doth at first or second time leave them in a fusible *ubstance lie +a., of !hich the *ulphur or Rincture is dissolvable in the best *pirit of +ine, and from the residue (being ept three days in a vaporating heat) &ercury #uic and running may be separated, the same may be done in harder &etals, yea, in 0erfect metals, in a longer time, by oftener reiterated Cohobations1 But this Fire being once distilled from &ercury Vulgar, it leaves it Coagulated and Fi.ed, so then it !ill endure the /est /est of *aturn% -tugs made si9able !ith very long 4ecs, !ell tried !hich is by putting them into a 0ail or /ub of +ater !ithin t!o inches up to the mouth and then blo! your Breath% if there be any $ir hole, the +ater !ill bubble, then not fit for use /hese serve for Digestion, Dissolution, and also Distillation, because you may !or them either standing upright, or lying do!n, as your occasion shall re#uire% being thus provided !ith Vessels Vessels you may begin your *olutions *olutions first on Vegetables% Vegetables% !hich it does Resolve into their first li#uid &atter, distinguishing in them all the 3eterogenities by several Colors, and distinct places, one above another,% in !hich Resolution there al!ays seats itself in a Distinct place a small "i#uor, 6minently distinguishable from the rest in Color, in !hich the Crasis of the !hole 3erb, /ree or *eed, doth reside in
!hich no less of Virtue, but an 6.alting of the same by many degrees, only !hatever virulency is in the Crude Concrete, by this Operation is !holly e.tinct, !ith a 0reservation noth!ithstanding of all the specific Virtue, appertaining to the Concrete in its simplicity1 $nd furthermore 'tis to be observed, you may dissolve all 3erbs into their 0rinciples, li#uid !ithout *ediment, of !hich part !ill be unctuous and fat, especially in /rees, 7ums, *eeds and many Roots% and part $#ueous $#ueous in !hich the Volatile Volatile *alt of the Concrete !ill appear to the taste, the "i#uor !ith its o!n Oil you may Circulate into an 6ssential *alt, !hich is indeed the firs 6ns of the Concrete% but if you !ould have things done in a lesser time, mae your Dissolutions in a stronger heat, and distill over your "i#uor !ith the dissolved Body in a stronger heat, and distill over your "i#uor !ith the dissolved Body in a due fire, so !ill the Oiliness be !holly turned into a *aline *pirit, !hich in a distillation by Bath !ill come over in various Colors the Crasis separating itself from the 0hlegm (both by Color, /aste /aste and *mell, as also by its /ime of Coming over the helm distinguishable) and your "i#uor left behind at bottom, as much in #uantity, #uantity, and as 6ffectual in virtue, as before% as, for e.ample, /his +or +or does happily succeed !ith Balm, or any other vegetable !hich is better dry than 7reen) !hich being only &acerated some hours in a gentle !armth, you !ill see it so dissolved in such a !onderful manner, that you cannot sufficiently admire the 6ffect% the $lahest being separated from it (or brought over according to the former direction) out of Balm you have a 4oble specific against the 7out, 3ypochondriac &elancholy, Claenture, and Deleria in Fevers out of Colcocynthida an e.cellent Febrifuge% and out of Cedar an 6ns for long life For !hich tae +ood +ood Cedar G iii of the Dissolvent and an e#ual 0roportion and digest : hours, and it !ill be !holly dissolved in the Conservation of even the very same odor, he "i#uor being separated, it !ill freely dissolve in *pirit of +ine, or if you first dissolve them in *pirit of +ine, the "i#uor !ill dissolve !ith it% digest and dra! off the *pirit of +ine, and then you may distill off the $lahest !ith the 6ssence of the Concrete, and separate the, as you have been directed Observe the Dissolution of this for long "ife, must be in a gentle heat lie that of the *un in he *pring and after that digested in a lie heat till the Oyl and +ater be united into an 6ssential *alt - should advise all Vegetables to be prepared in the lie nature, if you desire, to have their eminent Virtue, Virtue, !ithout losing those peculiar 6.cellencies, !hich depend on the Vita ltima of the Concrete, other!ise a speedier 0reparation maes the &edicine no less 6ffectual for Curing Diseases, though less po!erful as to long "ife, must be in a gentle heat lie that of the *un in the *pring and after that digested in a lie heat till the Oil and +ater +ater be united into an 6ssential *alt% - should advise all Vegetables Vegetables to be prepared in the lie 4ature, if you desire, to have their 6minent Virtue, Virtue, !ithout losing those peculiar 6.cellencies, !hich depend on the Vita ltima of the Concrete, other!ise a speedier 0reparation maes the medicine no less 6ffectual for Curing Diseases, though less po!erful as to long "ife out of &yrrh, $loes and *affron, an 6.cellent $ntihectical &edicine, as also als o against "ypothymies, "ypothymies, Deli#uias, Convulsions, and 0alsies1 0alsie s1 /hus much for Vegetable, Vegetable, - shall no! give you a short *urvey of *tones, 0earl and Coral, and lastly of &inerals /hough - must confess by the !ay, that if your "i#uor does radically dissolve a charcoal, it is a certain sign, that it is true, as if it did dissolve 7old itself% for according to 3elmont, the +or succeeds !ell upon Charcoal% but 'tis admirable to see ho! the Operations !ill be changed and varied according to the Degree of Fire, and diuturnity of digestion1 /ae of the *tone "udus, in *ubtle 0o!der, and of the Dissolvent Diss olvent 5V, 5V, digest : hours then distill, and 't!ill be converted !holly into a *alt, !hich being Calcined !ill in a cold &oist $ir easily run per deli#1 !hich !ill certainly Cure the *tone !ith all its $ttendants1 /ae of 0earl, !hat #uantity you please% and of the "i#uor, e#ual 0roportion, !hich being therein immersed, 't!ill dissolve into a &ucilage (a gentle &aceration of some hours preceding) Resolvable in *pirits of +ine1 /he same may be done on Crabs 6yes, but sooner '/is an e.cellent e .cellent &edicine, for comforting the heart, giving strength to the very &arro! and Bones Coral so dissolved is a &edicine that restores sense to those bereaved of it, Comforts the Brain, &emory and 3eart, e.pelling sadness and &elancholy, &elancholy, and maing a cheerful cheer ful and healthy Constitution1 Observe !ith this "i#uor you must use no acid *pirit, or *alt, or Corrosive of !hatever sort1 For !herever such things are used, as &ediums !hether for f or &ercury, or any other, they must be !ell !ashed off a nd
made s!eet before the $lahest is put on% therefore in *ulphur fine Flo!ers are the best Of these tae !hat #uatity you please, of "i#uor 6#ual 0roportion Digest for the space of t!o days, and after!ards Cohobate t!ice or thrice1 /hey !ill come over the 3elm in form of a very Red Oil, separable from the "i#uor by a separating 7lass 6.cellent in the Consumption, Coughs, and the lie% 'tis not only a 0reservative of &an
Venus mi.ed !ith the *al $rmoniac, by !hich (4ote that) it is fi.ed so that it !ill abide all Fire, this *ulphur e.tract !ith the most pure *pirit of +ine, !hich !ill dissolve it, leaving the *al $rmoniac% distil a!ay then from it (thus dissolved) your *pirit of +ine, and you have left a very fragrant green Oil of Venus, !hich is *ulphur 6ssensicated, 6ssensicate d, by these Operations, as s!eet to taste as the best 3oney, than !hich 4ature hath not a more *overeign Remedy for most (not to say all) Diseases this is the true 4epenthe of 0hilosophers, causing certain Rest, and assuaging all 0ains, but ever after sleep leaving the 0arty either sensibly amended (in more violent and diurnal Diseases) or #uite !ell in the less rigid &aladies /hus also from "apis 3ematitis and *pelter may be had 4oble &edicaments, also from the *ulphur of $ntimony $ntimony,, and more especially es pecially from Common &ercury% for if you Cohobate the "i#uor so long till its body is brought over and proceeding all things as in the *ulphur of Venus, Venus, you have a &edicine that !ill effect !hatever can be desired by either 0atient of Doctor1 /hus having given you a short "andscape (as it !ere) of this "i#uor, - shall here pass it by at present, and Conclude1 #inis&
