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Title: The Golden Calf, Which the World Adores, and Desires

Author: John Frederick Helvetius

Release Date: January 9, 2005  [eBook #14641]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1


***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLDEN CALF, WHICH THE WORLD
ADORES, AND DESIRES***


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THE GOLDEN CALF,

Which the

WORLD

ADORES, and DESIRES:

In which is handled
The most rare and Incomparable
Wonder of Nature, In Transmuting
METALS;

VIZ.

How the intire Substance of Lead, was in one
Moment Transmuted in Gold-Obrizon,
with an exceeding small particle of the true
Philosophick Stone.

At the Hague. In the Year 1666.

Written in Latin by John Frederick Helvetius,
Doctor and Practitioner of Medicine at
the Hague,  and faithfully Englished.

London, Printed for John Starkey at the Mitre
in Fleetstreet near Temple-Barr, 1670.







To the most Excellent
D. THEODORUS KETJES,
by his many Peregrinations, a
most famous Phisician, and an
happy Practitioner of Medicine
at Amsterdam,
One of my Intimate Friends.

ALSO,
To the most Noble, most Excellent,
and most Experienc'd, and
Accurate Searchers into the
Vulcanian Anatomy,
D. JOHN CASPARUS FAUSIUS,
Counsellor, and Chief Physician
of the most Serene Elector Palatine
of HEIDELBERG.

AND
D. CHRISTIAN MENTZELIUS,
Principal Physician in the Court
of the most Serene Elector of
BRANDENBURG:
My Reverend Patrons, and intire
Friends.




The Epistle

DEDICATORY:


Most Noble, most Excellent, most
Expert, and most Accurate Inspectors
of the  Vulcanian Anatomy,
and my most real
FRIENDS.


      Although I neither was willing,
      nor able to be wanting to my
      honoured Friends, yet would not
      divulge and bring to light the Verity
      of the Spagirick Art, but by this most
      precious, and Miraculous Arcanum,
      which I not only saw with these Eyes,
      but taking a little of the transmutatory
      powder, I myself also transmuted
      an Impure Mass of Lead volatile
      in the Fire, into fixed Gold, constantly
      sustaining every Examen of Fire:
      in such wise, as henceforth it can no
      more be suspected by any Man, no not
      by those, who unto this day have
      perswaded themselves and others, that
      this Arcanum is given to no man:
      but contrarily we were fully and indubitately
      perswaded, that, in things
      of Nature, The Mercury of Philosophers
      is Primo-material, and is like
      a Fountain overflowing with wonderfull
      Effects, and those escaping every
      acuteness, and Light of Human reprehensible
      Reason, as shall be evidenced
      in this my little work: which I was
      willing to dedicate and consecrate to
      you, my Primary Patrons, as to most
      prudent Masters, and Defenders.
      Yet in the mean while, I pray consider,
      that I have not writ to the end
      I would teach any one, that Art,
      which I my self know not, but only
      that I might recite the true Process
      of this Arcanum. For, what can more
      confirm, and Patronize Verity, than
      the true Light of Truth it self? It
      is the property of Brute Animals to
      pass their life in Silence, and especially
      not to heed those things in them,
      which do most of all look to, and are
      required for the propagation of the
      Glory of the most Wise, and most powerful
      GOD our creator. Wherefore,
      since it is a thing unworthy,
      and to the Divine Majesty ungrateful,
      for Man, who should be a Consort
      of the Divine Nature, to wax brutish
      with Brutes, I present to you, my
      most faithful Friends, and Patrons
      of this Science, this most rare History:
      having as time, and my Ability would
      permit, recollected all things, and
      have faithfully commemorated them.
      Therefore, omitting all paints, and
      flourishes of Rhetorical Expressions,
      I will forthwith betake my self to the
      discovery of all, whatsoever I both
      saw, and heard from Elias the Artist
      touching this. For truly, I was not so
      intimately familiar with him, as that
      he should instruct me in the way of preparing
      the Universal Medicine,
      after the Method of Physico-artificial
      Chimistry: yet he supplyed me
      with such Reasons in the Method of
      Healing, as I shall never be able to
      commend his worth with condigne
      Praises. Therefore, most curious Favourers,
      and true Lovers of the Chimical Art,
      accept of this little work,
      as a mean Gift, or if you had rather,
      peruse if only for recreation of the
      mind; for in it I shall relate all things
      whatsoever, that were discoursed of
      between him and me, at several times:
      humbly requesting, that with the same
      benevolence you have received other
      of my small Treatises, you would also
      accept of this Novel, which I freely
      dedicate, and officiously give to you,
      for a motion, and increase of Admiration.
      Farewel, avete, favete.

Your most humble

John Fredrick Helvetius.




CHAP.I.


Most Excellent, and Prudent Sirs.
Before I enter upon the Description
of the Philosophick PIGMY, (in
this little Theatre of Secrets) overcoming
and subduing GIANTS, I pray permit me here to use
the words of Vanhelmont, taken out of
his Book De Arbore Vitæ, fol. 630.
and here Transcribed.

I compelled to believe, that
there is an Aurifick, and Argentick Stone.
But (Friend of the
Spagyrick Art) I am not ignorant,
that many have been found among
the most wise, yea among the exquisite
Chimists, who have not only
consumed their own Goods, but
the Goods of others also, in this
Great Vulanick Secret, as Experience
even at this very day sufficiently
proves. For we have seen,
the more is the pity! how unwary
Chimists, yea such as are more
worthy, than those who are called
Alchimists; how, I say, they,
labouring simply, are daily deluded
with Guile of this kind, by Diabolick,
Aurifick, and Argentick Suckgoods.
Also I know, that many
Stupid Men will rise up, and contradict
the truth of my true Experience,
touching the Philosophick
Stone. One will have it to be a
work of the Devil; another affirms
there is no such thing; a
third faith it is the Soul of Gold
only, and that with an Ounce of that
Gold, an Ounce of Lead, and no more
may be again tinged: but this is
repugnant to the Attestation of
Kifflerus, as I shall briefly commemorate;
a fourth believes the
Verity and Possibility thereof, but
faith it is so chargeable, as it will
never quit Cost; with many other
like Allegations. Yet I wonder
not at this, for according to this
Saying,


      Quorum rationem non intelligimus,
      miramur,
      Que vero pernoscere volupe est,
      rimamur.

      What we cannot attain to, we admire,
      But what to know is pleasing, do
      desire.


How can a Man, fallen from the
Fountain of Light, into the Abyss
of Darkness, effect any thing to
purpose, in Natural things, especially
when his Wisdome in this
natural Philosophick Study is barren
and sophisticate? It is, for the
most part, proper to these Fools and
unapt men, presently to contemn
a thing, not knowing, that more
are yet to be sought by them, than
they have the possession of. Therefore,
rightly saith Seneca, in lib. de
Moribus: Thou art not yet happy,
if the Rout deride thee not. But I
matter not, whether they believe,
or contradict what I write, touching
the Transmutation of Metals.
I rest satisfied in this one thing,
which with my eyes I have seen,
and what with my hands I have
done. For what Philosophers say
of themselves, I also have with my
hands handled this Spark of the
Eternal Wisdome, or this Saturnine
Catholick Magnesia of Philosophers,
a Fire of potency sufficient
to penetrate Stones, yea, a
Treasure of so great value, as 20
Tun of Gold cannot exceed the
price thereof. What seek you?
I believe what I have seen with the
eyes of Thomas, and handled as he,
(but in the nature of things only)
as well as the Adept Philosophers;
although in this our decrepit age
of the world, That be accounted a
most Secret Hyperphysico-magical
Saturn, and not known, unless
to some Cabalistick Christian only.
We judge him the most happy of
all Physicians, who hath the
knowledge of this pleasant Medicinal
potion of our Mercury, or of
the Medicine of the Son of our Esculapius
resisting the force of death,
against which there is no Panacea
otherwise produced in Gardens.
Moreover, the most wise GOD doth
not reveal his Gifts of Solomon
promiscuously to all Mortals. They
indeed seem strange to them, when
they behold a Creature, from the
occult Magnetick potency incited
in it self, deduced into art by its own
like; as for Example: In Iron is
a Magnetick, ingenited, potential
virtue from the Magnet: a Magnetick
virtue in Gold from Mercury:
a Magnetick virtue in Silver
from Venus, or Copper: and
so consequently in all Metals, Minerals,
and Stones, Herbs, and
Plants, &c.

Moreover, I may properly quæry,
which of the wisest Philosophers
is so Sage, as to be able to
comprehend with the acuteness of
his own most dextrous ingeny,
with what Obumbracle the Imaginative
Tinging, Venemons,
or Monstrous Faculty of any pregnant
Woman, compleats its work in
one Moment, if it be deduced
into art by some External Object?

I do assuredly believe, that very
many will foolishly say, that this is
a Mortomagical Work of the Devil;
but the Doltish and Ignorant
are affraid to be out-shined by the
true resplendent Light of Verity,
with which their Owl-like Sight
is troubled, and afflicted.

Also the Stars are a cause of
what we treat of, and this cause is
not to be contemned, although I,
nor you, know not how to comprehend
the Celestial Influences of
them in our mind. Nor are the
Plants, which the Earth supplies
us with, to be rejected, although
I; or you, from the External Signature
of them, know not how to
judge aright of the Effect of Virtues
ingenited in them, which they
notoriously exercise, according
to their power, in healing and
conserving Humane bodies. Therefore,
since all others are also offended
at the Internal Light, being
ignorant of all abstruse things, of
which you, or I, want the Science,
how can the same Virtues be deduced
into art, according to the
end for which they were created?
A thousand other like things
might be instanced. Although
you know not the Splendour in
Angels, the Candour in the Heavens,
the Perspicuity in the Air,
Limpitude in Waters, the variety
of Colours in Flowers, hardness
of Metals and Stones, Proportion
in Animals, the Image of GOD
in regenerate Men, Faith in Believers,
and Reason in the Soul;
yet in them there is such a beauty,
as hath been throughly beheld,
and fully known by very few Mortals.

Although in the Stone of Philosophers
there be so potent a virtue,
and the same hath been seen
by me, yet I would not therefore
have any man to think, that my
primary Scope, and intention, is
to perswade the worthy, or unworthy
Sons of this Age, to labour
in this work, no, not at all:
but I shall rather dehort all, and
every of the curious Indagators of
this Art, that they seriously abstain
from this most perilous Arcanum,
as from a certain Sanctum
Sanctorum; yea, and I would admonish
the Studious of this Arcanum,
accurately to take heed to
himself, and beware of the Lectures,
and Association of false
Philosophers. But I hope I shall
satisfie the curious Naturalists,
or investigators of Physical Arcanums,
by communicating and publishing
in this present Discourse, all
which passed between Elias the Artist,
and Me, touching the Nature
of the Stone of Philosophers.
For that is an Ens more Effulgent
than the Morning, or a Carbuncle:
more splendid, than the Sun, or
Gold: more fair, than the Moon,
or Silver: so very Recreable,
and Amiable, was the sight of this
Light, and most pleasing Object
to me, as out of my inward Mind,
it cannot be obliterated, or extinguished
by any Oblivion; although
the same be credited by none of the
fatuate Learned, or illiterate ignorant
Asses, and such as glory only
in the praise of ambitious Eloquence.
For in this malignant
ulcerated age of the world,
nothing is so safe and secure from Calumnies,
but it is taken in a wrong
Sense, and perverted unworthily
by the Idiotick Ignorance of
mad-brain'd CacoZelots.
So very farr do
all these dark-sighted men deviate
from the true rule of Verity,
as in success of time, they, intangled
with their own Errors, will
miserably wast away and expire;
but our Assertion, built on the
Eternal Foundation of Triumphing
Verity, shall continue and remain,
unto the Consummation of
all ages, without diminution, although
this art be not yet known
to all Mortals. For the Adept Philosophers,
according to the antient
Faith of their experience, have
affirmed, that this Natural Mystery
(which many anxious men
have sinistrously sought, and required)
is only to be found with
Jehovah, Saturninely placed in the
Centre of the World. In the
mean while, we proclaim those
happy, who take care, by the help
of art, how they may wash this
Philosophick Queen, or how they
ought to circulate the Virgin-Catholick-Earth,
in Physico-Magical
Crystalline Artifice, as Khunradus.
did; they only, and none others
besides them, shall see the Crowned,
and internally fiery King of
Philosophers, coming forth from
his Glassy Sepulchre, in an external
fiery Body glorified, more then
perfect with all the Colours in the
world, as a shining Carbuncle, or
perspicuous, compact and ponderous
Crystal, a Salamander Spewing out
Waters, and by the benefit
thereof in the Fire washing Leprous
Metals, as I my self have seen.
What? How shall they see the
Abyss of the Spagyrick Art? when
as this Royal Art hath so long lain
hid, and been absconded in the
Mineral Kingdom, as in the Safest
of all Secret places, for so very many
years? Assuredly the Genuine
Sons of this Laudable Art, shall
not only behold a like Flood of
Numicius, in which Æneas heretofore,
by the command of Venus,
washed and absolved from his Immortality,
was immediately transformed
into an immortal God; but
also the Lydian River of Pactolus
all transmuted into Gold, and how
Midas Mygdonius washed himself
in the same. Likewise those candid
Rivals of this Art, shall in a serious
order behold the Bathing-place of
naked Diana, the Fountain of Narcissus
and Scylla walking in the Sea,
without garments, by reason of the
most fervent Rayes of Sol: partly
also the Blood of Pyramus and
Thisbe, of it self collected, by the
help of which, white Mulberries
are tinged into Red; partly also
the Blood of Adonis, by the descending
Goddess Venus transformed
into a Rose of Anemona; partly
likewise the Blood of Ajax, from
which arose that most beautiful
flower the Violet; partly also the
Blood of the Giants slain by Jupiters
thunder-bolt; partly also the
Shed Tears of Althea, when she put
off her Golden Vestments; and
partly the Drops, which fell from
the decocted Water of Medea, by
which green things immediatly
sprang out of the Earth; partly
also the cocted Potion of Medea,
made of various Herbs, gathered
always three dayes before full
Moon, for the cure of Jasons aged
Father; partly also those Leaves,
by the tast of which, the nature of
Gaucus was changed into Neptune;
partly also the Exprest Juice of
Jason, by the benefit of which, he,
in the Land of Cholcons, received
the Golden Fleece, afterward by
reason of that, compleatly armed, he
fought in the Feild of Mars, not
without the hazard of Life; partly
also the Garden of the Hesperides,
where Golden Apples may be gathered
from the Trees; partly also
Hippomenes running for the Mastery
with Atalanta, and staying her
Course, and so overcoming her
with three Golden Apples, the Gifts
of Venus; partly also the Aurora of
Cephalus, partly also Romulus transformed
by Jupiter into a God;
partly also the Soul of Julius Cæsar, by
the Goddess Venus, transfigured into
a Comet, and placed among the
Stars; partly also Python, Juno's
Serpent, arising out of the putrid
Earth (after Deucalions Flood)
made hot by the Rayes of the Sun;
partly also the Fire, with which
Medea kindled seven Lights;
partly also the Moon, inflamed by the
burning of Phæton; partly also the
Withered Olive Branch, a new;
flourishing and bearing Fruit;
yea, becoming a new and tender
Olive Tree; partly also Arcadia,
where Jupiter was wont to walk;
partly also the Habitation of Pluto,
at the Gate whereof lay the Three-headed
Cerberus; & also partly that
Mountain, where Hercules burned
all his Members, received from the
Mother, upon Wood, but the Parts
of the Father remained Fixed, and
incombustible in Fire, and nothing
of his Life was destroyed, but he,
at length, was transmuted into a God.
Likewise we will not forget
those Germans, the Sons of true
Philosophers, who entred into a
Country-house, at length transformed
into a Temple, whose Covering
was made of pure Gold. Certainly,
I cannot choose, but must yet once
more with acclamation, say with
the Adept: O happy, and thrice
happy is that Artificer, who by the
most merciful benediction of the
highest, Jehovah pursues the Art of
Confecting, and preparing that
(as it were, Divine) Salt, by the
Efficacious Operation of which, a
Metallick, or Mineral body, is
corrupted, destroyed, and dyes;
yet the Soul thereof is in the mean
while revived, to a glorious Resurrection
of a Philosophick Body. Yea,
I say, most happy is the Son
of that man, who, by his Prayers,
obtains this Art of Arts, unto the
glory of GOD. For it is most
certain, that this Mystery can be
known no other way, unless it
be drawn and imbibed from GOD,
the Fountain of Fountains. Therefore,
let every serious Lover of
this inestimable Art judge, that the
whole work of him required, is,
that he constantly, with the prayer
of true faith, in all his labour,
implore and solicite the Divine
Grace of the Holy Spirit. For the
solemn manner of GOD alone is,
candidly and liberally, either mediately
or immediately, to communicate
his gifts and benefits, to
none, unless to candid and liberal
Ingenies only. In this holy way
of practical Piety, all Inquisitors
of profound Arts, find what they
seek, when they, in their work,
exercise themselves Theosophically
by solitary Colloquies with
Jehovah, with a pure Heart and
Mouth, religiously. For the Heavenly
Sophia, indeed, willingly embraces
our friendship, presenting,
and offering to us, her inexhaustible
Rivolets, most full of gracious
goodness and benevolence. But,
happy is he, to whom the Royal
way, in which he is to walk, shall
be shown by some One expert in
this Arcanum.

I seem to presage to my self, that
I have not equally satisfied all Readers
in this Preface; but it is, as
if I did presume to teach them an
Art, unknown to my self; yet I
hope better of the greatest part of
them. For my intention was, only
to relate to you a certain History.
Therefore, Drink, my Friends, of
the following Dialogue, or Springing
Colloquy, presented by me,
wishing you well, that thence
you may satisfie, and allay all the
Thirst of your Thirsting Minds:
for I doubt not in the least, but
that this Study of Divine Wisdome,
will be more sweet to you,
than Nectar and Ambrosia. No
other will I communicate, no other
have I common, then that of Jul.
Cæs. Scaliger: The End, of Wisemen,
is the Communication of Wisdome:
according to that of Gregory
Nyßen: He who is Good, in Nature,
the same very willingly communicates
his Goods to others. For it is the
part of good Men, to be profitable
to others.





CHAP. II.


Divers Ilustrious men have
written touching the Verity
of this Arcanum, among these,
take the Sayings of some of them,
as follows.

PARACELSUS
In his Book Of the Signature of Natural
 things.


      The Tincture of Naturalists, is
      a, true sign, that by the transmutative
      virtue thereof, all imperfect
      Metals are changed, viz. the
      White into Silver, and the Red
      into the best Gold, if an exceeding small
      part of this Medicine well
      prepared, be injected upon the
      Metal, while in flux in a Crucible,
      &c.


The same.


      For the invincible Astrum of
      Metals overcomes all things, and
      changeth into a Nature like it self,
      &c. This Gold and Silver is more noble,
      and better, than those,
      which are dug out of Metallick
      Mines; for Medicinal Arcanums
      to be prepared therefrom.


The same.

      Therefore, I say every Alchimist,
      which hath the Astrum of
      Gold, is able to tinge all Red Metals
      into Gold, &c.

The same.


      Our Tincture of Gold hath
      Astrums in it self, is a Substance
      most fixed, and in multiplication
      immutable. It is a Powder, haveing
      a colour most red, almost like
      Saffron, yet its whole Corporal
      Substance, is liquid as Rosin, perspicuous
      as Crystal, brittle as
      Glass, of the colour of a Rubie,
      and exceeding poaderous, &c.


Also read Paracelsus his Heaven
of Philosophers.

Likewise, Paracelsus his Seventh
Book, Of the Transmutation of Natural
things.


      Transmutation is a great natural
      Mystery, Metallick, and not
      contrary to the Course of Nature,
      nor repugnant to the Order of
      GOD, as many men of it do falsly
      judge. For imperfect Metals, are
      changed neither into Gold, nor into
      Silver, without this Stone of Philosophers.



Paracelsus, in his Manual of the
Medicinal Stone of philosophers.


      Our Stone is a Celestial, and
      more than perfect Medicine, because
      it cleanseth all the impurities
      of Metals, &c.


HENRY KHUNRADUS

In his Amphitheatre of Eternal Sapience.

      I travelled long, invited others,
      who knew somewhat by experience,
      and could with very firm
      judgement conjecture; and this not
      alwayes in vain. Among which,
      I call God to witness, by his wonderful
      ordination, I, from one,
      received the Green Catholick
      Lyon, and the Blood of the Lyon,
      viz. Gold, not the Vulgar, but of
      Philosophers, with my Eyes I saw
      the same, with my hands, I handled
      it, and with my Nostrils, smelt
      the odour thereof. O how wonderful
      is God in his Works! They,
      I say, gave those Gifts prepared,
      which I in most desperate Cases,
      used with admirable success to the
      benefit of my needy Neighbour.
      And (by Instinct of Jehovah's
      mercy) they sincerely revealed to
      me, the wayes of preparing, &c.


The same.

      This wonderful Method, the
      wonderful God gave me. In this
      way, in which I walked, God
      alone, I say, immediately, and mediately;
      yet subdelegately,  Nature,
      Fire, and Art, of my Master,
      as well living as mute, corporally,
      and spiritually good, sleeping
      and waking, gave the same to
      me, &c,



The same.

      I write not Fables; with your
      hands you shall handle, and with,
      your eyes you shall see Azoth,
      viz. the Catholick [or Universal]
      Mercury of Philosophers; which
      alone, with the Internal and External
      Fire, yet with Sympathetick
      Harmony, with Olympick
      Fire (by reason of inevitable necessity)
      Physico-magically united,
      will suffice thee for obtaining our
      Stone, &c.


The same.


      You shall see, the Stone of Philosophers;
      our King, and Lord of those
      that bare rule, coming from his
      Bridal Throne of the Glassy Sepulchre,
      into this Mundane Scene,
      in his glorified body, viz, regenerate,
      and more then perfect:
      namely, a shining Carbuncle, a
      most temperate Splendour; and
      of which, tire most Subtile, and
      Depurated parts, are by the concordant
      peace of Mixtion, inseparably
      united into One, and perfectly
      equallized, clear as Crystal,
      compact, and most ponderous, as
      fluid in fire, as Rosin, and before
      the flight of Mercury, as Wax
      flowing, yet without fume, entring
      and penetrating, solid and
      close bodies, as Oyl, Paper; resolvable
      in every Liquor, melting,
      and commiscible therewith; brittle
      as Glass, in Powder, of the
      colour of Saffron, but in the intire
      Mass, like a blushing Rubie;
      (which Redness is a sign of perfect
      Fixation, and fixed Perfection)
      permanently Colouring, or Tinging;
      in all Examens whatsoever,
      even of Sulphur adurtive, and
      in Tryals of corroding Waters,
      and in the most vehement persecution
      of Fire, fixed, alwayes during,
      and unburnable; permanent as the
      Salamander, &c.


The same.


      The Stone of Philosophers in
      the greater World, is in the parts
      thereof, fermented; by reason of
      the Ferment, it transforms it self
      into whatsoever it will &c.
      Hence you may learn the reason,
      why Philosophers on their Azoth imposed
      the name of Mercury which
      adheres to bodies, &c.


The same.


      It is fermented with Metals, viz,
      the White existant in the highest
      Whiteness, with pure Silver for
      the White; but the Sanguineous
      Stone, with Gold Obrizon for
      the Red. And this is the Work
      of three dayes, &c.


HELMONT, Of Eternal Life


      For I have oftentimes seen it,
      and with, my hands handled the
      same, &c. See in the same place
      further. Then I projected this
      quarter of one Grane, wrapt up in
      Paper, upon eight Ounces of Argentvive,
      hot in a Crucible, and immediately
      the whole Hydrargyry,
      with some little noise ceased to
      flow, and remained congealed like
      yellow Wax: after fusion thereof,
      by blowing the bellows, there
      were found eight Ounces of Gold,
      wanting eleven Grane. Therefore,
      one Grane of this Powder,
      transmutes 19186 equal parts of
      Argentvive, into the best Gold.

      Within the Earth, the aforesaid
      Powder is found, or what is in a
      sort like thereunto, which transmutes
      almost an infinite Mass of
      impure Metal into perfect Gold, by
      uniting the same to it self, it defends
      from Rust, and Ærugo, from
      Cankring, and Death, and maketh
      the same, as it were, immortal,
      against all torture of Fire, and Art,
      and transfers it into the Virgin-purity
      of Gold; it requires only
      heat.

The same Helmont, Of the Tree
of Life.

      I am compelled to believe the
      Aurifick, and Argentifick Stone;
      because at several distinct: times,
      with my own hand, made projection
      of one Grane of this Powder,
      upon some thousands of Granes of
      Argentvive hot in a Crucible; and
      in the presence of our principal
      friends, the business, with a pleasing
      admiration, succeeded well in the Fire:
      as our books promise Thee,
      &c.


The same.


      He, who first gave me the Powder,
      had at least, so much thereof,
      as would be sufficient for transmuting
      two hundred thousand
      pound weight of Metal, into
      Gold, &c..


The same.


      For he gave to me not so much
      as half a grane of that Powder,
      and with that were transmuted nine
      ounces, and three quarters of an ounce
      of Argetitvive. That was
      given me one Evening by a strange
      Friend, &c


The same

      So also it is written, that sixty
      years since, Alexander Scotus, made
      projection of that kinde, in the
      trust: famous City of Colonia and
      Hanovia, &c..


I cannot in this place over-pass,
some Examples worthy of note,
touching the possibility of
Transmutation.

Read the following true Extract
out of an Epistle written by Doctor
Kufflerus.


      Kufflerus: Artist, I found-in my
      own Laboratory, an Aqua-fortis.
      Secondly, I again found another
      in the Laboratory, Caroli de Roy;
      this Aqua-Fortis I poured upon the
      Calx of Sol, prepared of Gold, in
      the Vulgar manner, and after the
      third Cohobation, it sublimed the
      Tincture of Gold with it self in the
      Neck of the Retort; this Tincture
      I mixed with Silver, precipited in
      the vulgar manner, and I saw that
      one ounce of the sublimed Tincture
      of Gold, with ordinary Flux in a
      Crucible, had transmuted one
      ounce, and halfe of the two ounces
      of precipitate Silver, into the best
      Gold: but a third part of the Silver
      yet remaining, was a white and
      fixed Gold: the other two parts
      thereof were perfect Silver, fixed
      in every examen of Fire. This is
      my experience, after this time, we
      could never find the like Aqua-fortis.
      I Helvetius saw this Gold
      white, and without Tincture.


The same.

      There is yet one other Example
      very rare; of what was done at
      the Hague by a Silver-Smith, whose
      name was Grill: how he in the year
      1664. by Spirit of Salt, not
      prepared in the Vulgar manner,
      transmuted Lead so, as from one
      pound, he received three parts of
      the best Silver, and two ounces of
      most fixed Gold.

      At the Hague, a certain Silver-Smith,
      and a much exercised Disciple
      of Alchimy, but according to
      the nature of Alchimy, a very poor
      man; did sometime since require
      Spirit of Salt, not vulgarly prepared,
      of a loving Friend of Mine, a
      Cloath-Dyer, by name, John Casparus
      Knottnerus. My Friend giving
      the same to him; demanded,
      whether he would use that Spirit
      of Salt, he now had, for Metals,
      or not? Grill made answer; for
      Metalls. And accordingly he afterward
      powred this Spirit of Salt
      upon Lead, which he had put into
      a Glass Dish, usual for Conditures
      and Confections. The space of two
      Weeks being elapsed, supernatant
      on the Spirit of Salt, appeared a
      most splendid Silver-Starre, so exceeding
      curious, as if it had been
      made With an Instrument by a most
      ingenious Artist. At the sight of
      which, the said Grill, filled with
      Exceeding Joy, signified to us, that
      he had seen the Signate Star of
      Philosophers, touching which he
      had read in Basilius, as he thought.
      I, and many other honest Men,
      did behold this Star supernatant
      on the Spirit of Salt, the lead in
      the mean while remaining in the
      bottom of an ash colour, and swollen like
      a Sponge. But in the space
      of seven or nine dayes, that humidity
      of the Spirit of Salt, being absumed
      by the exceeding heat of the
      Aire, in July, did vanish; but the
      Star settled down, and still stood
      above that Earthly Spongeous Lead.
      That was a thing worthy of admiration,
      and beheld by not a few
      Spectators. At length Grill himself
      having taken part of Cinereous,
      or Ash-like Lead, with the Star
      adhering, cupellated in a Test,
      and found from one ounce of this
      Lead, twelve ounces of Cupellate
      Silver, and from these twelve ounces,
      he also had two ounces of the
      best Gold. And I Helvetius am able
      to shew some of this Spongeous
      Lead with part of the Star yet adhering,
      & besides the pieces of the Star
      the Silver and Gold made thereof.
      Which when this Subtile (and
      Likewise Foolish) Grill understood,
      he would not be known to Knottterus,
      whether he had used the
      Spirit of Salt, or not; but thenceforth
      attempted to learn of him
      the Art how to make it; yet some
      time being Elapsed, the worthy
      Knottnerus had for got what Spirit
      of salt (for he was expert in
      various kinds thereof) he had given
      him; not being able to call
      the same to mind so suddenly: in
      the mean while, he and his Family
      were visited with the Pestilence
      and dyed: the other falling into
      the Water was drowned. After
      the death of these two, none
      could find out the way of either of
      their Operations.

      Certainly here is cause of Admiration,
      that the Internal Nature
      of Lead, by the simple maturation
      of Spirit of Salt, should appear
      in an external form so noble.
      No less admirable and wonderful
      to the mind is this, viz. that the
      mirifick Stone of Philosophers can
      so exceeding swiftly transmute
      Metals; having virtue potentially
      insited in it self, so as it is deduced
      into Art, as in Iron by contact
      of the Magnet. But touching
      These enough for the Sons of Art.




CHAP. III.


Since promises are so much the better
esteemed, by how much the sooner
they are fulfilled, I, without any
dilation, immediately come to my
promised Declaration of the following
History, which thus take.


At the Hague, on the sixth Calend
of January or the 27th.
of December, in the year 1666, a
certain man came to my House in
the Afternoon, to me indeed planely
unknown, but endued with an
honest gravity, and serious authority
of Countenance, cloathed in
a Plebick Habit, like to some
Memnonite of a middle Stature,
his Visage somewhat long, with
some Pock-holes here and there dispersed:
his Hairs were indeed very
black, yet not curled, little or no
no hair on his Chin, and about
three or four and fourty years of
Age: his Countrey (as far as I
am able to conjecture) is the Septentrional
Batavia, vulgarly called Nord Hollund.

After salutations ended, his new
Guest, with great Reverence, asked,
whether he might have freedom to
come to me; because for the Pyrotechnick
Art sake, he could not, nor
was he willing to pass by the Door
of my house; adding, that he had
not only thought to have made use
of some Friend to come to me,
but had also read some of my little
Treaties, especially that, which I
published against D. Digbies Sympathetick
Powder, in which I discovered
my doubt of the true Philosophick
Mystery. Therefore, this
occasion being taken, he asked me,
whether I could believe, that place
was given to such a Mystery in the
things of Nature, by the benefit of
which a Physician might be able to
cure all Diseases universally, unless
the Sick already had a defect either
of the Lungs, or Liver, or of any
like noble Member? To which I
answered. Such a Remedy is exceeding
necessary for a Physician,
but no man knows, what and how
great are the Secrets yet hidden in
Nature, nor did I ever, in all my
Life see such an Adept Man, although
I have read and perused
many things, touching the verity
of this thing, or Art, in the Writings
of Philosophers. I also enquired
of him, whether he (speaking
of the Universal Medicine) were
not a Physician? But he answering
by denyal, professed, that he
was no other than a Melter of Orichalcum,
and that in the Flower of
his years, he had known many
things, from his Friend, rare to
the Sight, and especially the way
of Extracting Medicinal Arcanums
by the force of Fire, and that for
this very cause, he was a Lover of
this so noble Science of Medicine.
Moreover, long after other discourses,
touching Experiments in Metals,
made by the violence of Fire,
Elias the Artist spake to me thus;
Do not you know the Highest Secret,
when it is offered to your sight,
viz. the Stone of Phylosophers,
you having read in the Writings
of many Chymists most excellent,
touching the Substance, Colour,
and strange effect of the same?
I answered, not at all; except what
I have read in Paracelsus, Helmont,
Basilius, Sandivogius, and like Books
of Adept Phylosophers extant. Nevertheless,
I think, I am not able
to know the Phylosophick Matter,
whether it be true, or not, although
I should see it present before me.

Whilst I was speaking thus, he
pulled out of his Pocket an Ivory
Box, in which he had three ponderous
Fragments, in magnitude
scarcely equalizing a small Walnut;
these were Glass-like, of the colour
of pale Sulphur, to which the Interior
Scales of that Crucible did adhere,
in which this most noble
Substance was liquified, for I
suppose the Value of it might
equalize twenty Tun of Gold. But
after I had plighted my Faith, I
held that [Greek: cheimhêlion], [or pretious
Treasure] of this Stone, within these
my hands for almost a quarter of an
hour, and from the Philosophick
Mouth of the Owner, I heard many
things worthy of note, touching
the Wonderful Effect of the same,
for humane and Metallick bodies.
Indeed, I, with a sad and afflictedly
afflicted Mind, restored this Treasure
of Treasures to him, the Lord
and Possessor, who gave the same
into my hand for a very short
space of time; and yet I did that (after
the manner of Men overcoming
themselves) not without the
greatest action of thanks, as was
fit in such a Case. Afterward I asked
him, how it came to pass, (since
I had otherwise read, that the
Stones of Philosophers, were endowed
with a Rubinate, or Purple Colour)
that this his Philosophick
Stone was tinged with a Sulphureous
Colour? He answered me
thus: O Sir; this is nothing to the
purpose: for the Matter is Sufficiently
mature. Moreover, when
I entreated him, that he would
give to me, for a perpetual remembrance,
one small part of the Medicine
included in his Box, although
no more in bulk than a
Coriander-Seed; he denied, answering:
O no! For this is not
lawful for me to do, although you
would give me this whole Roome
full of Gold in Duckets; and that not
by reason of the price of the Matter,
but by reason of another certain
Consequence; Yea, surely,
if it were possible, that Fire could
be burned with Fire, I would sooner
cast this whole Substance into
the devouring Flames of Vulcan,
before your Eyes. A little after
this, he also asked me, whether
I had not another Room, the
Windows of which were not to
the Street-side; I presently brought
this Phænix, or Bird most rare to
be seen in this Land, into my best
furnished Chamber; yet he, at his
Entrance (as the manner of Hollanders
is, in their Countryes)
did not shake off his Shooes, which
were dropping wet with Snow.
I indeed, at that very time, thus
thought: perhaps he will provide,
or hath in readiness some Treasure
for me; but he dash'd my
hope all to pieces. For he immediatey
asked of me a piece of the
best Gold-mony; and in the mean
while layed off his Cloak, and
Country Coat; also he opened
his Bosom, and under his Shirt
he wore in green Silk, five great
Golden Pendants, round, filling up
the magnitude of the Interior Space
of an Orb of Tin. Where, in
comparing these, in respect of
Colour and Flexibility, the difference
between his Gold, and
mine, was exceeding great. On
these Pendants he had inscribed
with an Iron Instrument, the following
Words, which, at my
request, he gave leave I should coppy out.

The form of the Pendants, and
words engraven thereon, are as
follows.




      I.
      AMEN
      Holy, Holy, Holy
      is the Lord our
      GOD, for all
      things are full of
      his Power.
      Leo: Libra.

      II.
      The wonderfull
      wonder-working
      wisdome of JEHOVAH
      in the Catholick
      Book of
      Nature. Made the
      26. day Aug. 1666.

      [Alchemical symbols: Gold, Mercury, Silver]
      The wonderfull
      GOD, Nature
      and he Spagyrick
      Art, make
      nothing in vain.

      Sacred, Holy Spirit
      Hallelujha
      Hallelujha
      Away Devil,
      Speak not of
      GOD without
      Light, Amen.

      The Eternal Invisible,
      only wise,
      Best of all and omnipotent
      GOD of
      Gods; Holy, Holy,
      Holy, Governour &
      Conserver deservedly
      ought to be praysed.


Moreover, when I, affected with
admiration said to him; My
Master, I pray tell me, where had
you this greatest Science of the
whole World? He answered, I
received such Magnalia from the
Communication of a certain Extraneous
Friend, who for certain
dayes lodged in my House, professing,
that, he was a Lover of
Art, and came to teach me various
Arts; viz. how, besides the
aforesaid, of Stones and Crystal,
most beautiful precious Stones are
made much more fair than Rubies,
Chrysolites, Saphires, and
others of that kind. Also how to
prepare a Crocus Martis in a quarter
of an hour of which one only
Dose infallibly heals a Pestilential Dysentery
Likewise a Metallic
Liquor, by the help of which, every
species of the Dropsy may be
cured certainly in four dayes space
Also a certain Limpid Water, more
sweet, than Hony, by the help of
which, I can extract the Tincture
of Granates, Corals, and of all
Glasses blown by Artificers, in the
space of two hours in hot sand only.
Many other things like to these
he told me, which I neither well
observed, nor committed to
memory; because my intention was:
carryed further, viz. to learn the
Art of pressing that so noble
juice out of Metals for Metals;
but the Shadow in Waters deceived
the Dog of his piece of Flesh,
which was substantial. Moreover,
this Artist told me that his Master,
who taught him this Art, bad him
bring Glass full of Rain water,
with which he mixed a very small:
quantity of a most white pouder;
commanding me, (here the Disciple
of that Master proceeds in
his Discourse) to go to the Silver-Smith,
for one ounce of Cupellate
Silver, laminate, [or beat
very thin,] which Silver was dissolved
in a quarter of an hour, as
Ice in hot water. Then he presently
gave to me one half of this
potion, by himself so speedily
made, to drink; which in my
mouth tasted as sweet Milk, and I
thence became very cheerful.

He having related these things,
I ceased not to enquire of him, to
what end he had instanced this?
Whether the Potion was Philosophick?
To this, he answered, You
must not be so curious.


Afterward, he told me, how he,
by the command of that Laudable
Artist his Master, took a piece of
the Leaden gutter of his house,
and when the Lead was melted in
a now Crucible, the said Artist
drew out off his pocket a Gasket
full of Sulphureous Powder, of
which, he took a very small part
upon the point of a knife, once,
and again, and injected the same;
upon the Lead in Flux; presently.
giving order, that the fire should
be blown with two pair of Bellows
strongly, for exciting the heat
more vehemently; a little after
he powred out of the crucible,
most pure Gold, upon the Red
stones, which were in the Kitchen.
I (said this most pleasing discourser
to me) did commodiously
behold this verity of the Transmutation
of Metals, but was so astonished
with fear and admiration,
that I was Scarcely able to speak
one word; But my Master heartning
me, said; Cheer, up and be
contented: take for your self a
sixteenth part of this Mass, which
keep For a Memorandum; but the
other fifteen parts distribute to the
poor: and I did as he said.
For, (if my memory deceive
me not) he bestowed this exceeding
great Alms, on the Sparrendamen
Church; but whether, he
gave it at distinct times Or not, or
whether he told it down in the
Substance of Gold, or of Silver, I
asked him not.

And at length (saith he speaking
of his Master) he directly
taught me this great divine Art.

Therefore, the; Narration of all
these things being ended, I most
humbly entreated him, that he
would shew me the effect of Transmutation
upon impure Metals, that
I thence might have the better assurance
of those things by him related
to me, and my Faith being
confirmed, securely give credit to
the real Truth of the matter. But
he very discreetly gave me the repulse;
yet taking his leave of me,
he promised to return again
after three Weeks, and then shew
to me certain curious Arts, by Fire,
as also the way of projecting; making
this Provisoe, if it should
then be lawful for him. The three
Weeks being elapsed, according
to his word, he Came to my House,
and invited me to walk abroad
with him for one hour, or two,
as we both did, having in that
Time Certain, Discourses of the
Secrets of Nature in the fire, but
in the mean while, this well spoken
Companion in the way, was
not lavish, but rather too sparing
of his words, touching the great
Secret; affirming, that this singular
Mystery tended not, but to
the alone magnifying of the most
illustrious Fame of the most glorious
God; and that very few men
considered, how they might; condignly
Sacrifice; themselves by
their Works to so great a God
uttering these Expressions no otherwise,
then as if he had been
a Pastor of the Church. But I, in
the mean time, fayled not to solicit
him, to demonstrate to me the
Transmutation of Metals. Moreover,
I beseeched and intreated
him, to vouchsafe to eat with me,
and to lodge in my house, urging
him with such Earnestness, as no
Rival, or Lover, could ever use
more perswasive Words, for winning
his beloved to a willingness
of gratifying him above all others:
but he, agitated by a Spirit of so
great constancy, made void of all I
endeavoured. Nevertheless, I could
not choose but speak to him thus:
Sir, You see I have a very convenient
Laboratory, in which you
may shew me the Metallick
Transmutation. For whosoever
assents to him, that asketh,
obligeth himself to him. It is true (answered
he) bit I made a promise
to you of imparting some things
with this Exception, if at my, Return,
I be not interdicted, but have
leave to do the same.

All, and every of these, my requests
being in vain, I instantly, and earnestly
besought him, that (if he
would not, or by reason of the
Heavenly Interdiction could not
demonstrate what I asked) he
would only give me so much of his
Treasure, as would be sufficient
for transmuting four grains of Lead
into Gold. At this my request, he,
after a little while, pouring forth
a Flood of Philosophick Mercy,
gave a small particle, as big as a
Rape-Seed, saying: Take of the
greatest Treasure of the World, which
very few great Kings, or
Princes could ever see. But I, saying
my Master, this is so small particle
perhaps will not be sufficient
for tinging four granes of Lead.
He answered; Give it me. I,
accordingly gave it him, conceiving,
good hope of receiving somewhat
a greater particle instead thereof;
but he breaking off the one half almost
of it with his thumb-nayl,
threw it into the fire, and wrapping
the other up in blew paper,
he gave to me, faying, It is yet
sufficient for thee. To which, I with,
a sad Countenance and perplexed
Mind, answered: Ah Sir! What
mean you by this? Before I doubted,
and now I cannot believe,
that so small a quantity of this Medicine
will suffice for transmuting
four grains of Lead; O, said he,
if you cannot rightly handle your
Lead in the Crucible, by reason
of the so very small quantity thereof
then take two drams, or
half an ounce, or a little more of the
lead, for more must not be
tinged, then well may. To him
I again said: I cannot, easily believe
this, viz. that so little of the
Tincture will transmute so great a
quantity of Lead into Gold. But he,
answered; what I say is true. In,
mean, while, I, giving him
great; thanks, inclosed my diminished
and in the Superlative degree
concentrated Treasure, in my
own Casket, saying: To morrow
I will make this Tryal; and give no
notice to any Man thereof, as long as
I live. Not so, not so, answered;
he, but all things, which tend to
the Glory of God Omnipotent,
ought by us, singularly to be declared
to the Sons of Art that we
may live Theosophically, and not
at all dye Sophistically.

Then, I confessed to him; that
when held the Mass of his Medicine, in that
short space of time, I attempted
to raze something there-from with
my Finger Nayl, But I got no
more, than a certain invisible
Atome; and, when I had cleansed
my nayl, and had injected the
collected matter, wrapt in paper,
upon Lead in Flux, I could see no
Transmutation of it into Gold; but
almost the whole Mass of Lead
vanished into Aire, and the
remaining Substance was transmuted into
a Glassy Earth. At the
hearing of this, he smiling, say'd
You could more dexterously play
the Thief, than apply the Tincture.
I wonder, that you, so expert
in the Fire, do no better understand
the fuming Nature of Lead.
For if you had wrapped
your Theft in yellow Wax, that it
might have been conserved from
the Fume of Lead, then it would so
have penetrated into the Lead,
as to have transmuted the same
into Gold. But now a Sympathetick
Operation was performed in
Fume, and so the Medicine permixed
with the Fume, flew away:
For all Gold, Silver, Tin, Mercury,
and like Metals, are corrupted
by Lead Vapours, and
likewise converted to a brittle
Glass. While he was thus speaking,
I shewed him my Crucible,
who, viewing the remaining Substance,
perceived a most beautiful
Saffron-coloured Tincture,
adhering to the sides of the Crucible,
and say'd, To-morrow at nine of
the Clock, I will return, and
shew you; how your Medicine
must be used to transmute Lead
into Gold. In which promise of
him, I rested secure. Yet, in the
mean while, I again and again
requested information of him,
whether this Philosophick Work,
required great Charges in the preparing,
and a very long Time.
O my Friend, answered he, you very
accurately affect to know all
things, yet I will open this to
you; The Charge is not great, nor
is the Time long. But, as touching
the matter of which our Arcanum
is made, I would have you to
know; there are only two Metals
and Minerals, of which it is prepared.
And because the Sulphur
of Philosophers is more abundant
in these Minerals, therefore it is
made of them.

Then I again asked him: What
the Menstruum was, and whether
the Operations were made in Glasses,
or in Crucibles. He answered;
The Menstruum is a Celestial Salt,
or a Salt of Celestial Virtue, by
the benefit of which, Philosophers
only dissolve the Terrene Metallick
Body, and in dissolving, the
noble Elixir of Philosophers is
produced. But the Operation is,
performed in a Crucible, from
the beginning to the end, in an
open Fire. And the Whole Work
may be begun, and plainly ended
in no longer time, then four dayes:
Also in this whole Work, no greater
Cost is required, then the value
of three Florens. Lastly he added;
Neither the Mineral, from Which,
nor the Salt by Which, is of any
great Price. I again said to him:
My Master; This is strange, for
it is repugnant to the sayings of
various Philosophers, Who have
writ, that at least seven, or nine
Moneths are imployed in this
Work. He answered: The true
writings of Philosophers are only;
understood by the truly Adept.
Therefore, touching the Time,
they would write nothing certain;
yea; I say, no Lover of this Art,
can find the Art of preparing this
Mystery in his whole Life without
the Communication of some
true Adept Man. In this respect
and for this Cause, I advise you,
my Friend, because you have seen
the true Matter of the true Work,
not to forget your self, and thirsting
after the perfection of this Art,
to cast away your own Goods;
for you can never find it out. Then
I say'd: My Master, although I
am so unknown to you, as you are
unknown to me; nevertheless, since
he was unknown to you who shewed
you the way of finding out
the Operation of this Arcanum,
perhaps you may also, if you be
willing, notifie to me somewhat,
touching this Secret, that the
most difficult Rudiments being overcome,
I may (as the saying is)
happily add somewhat to things already
found out; for by the occasion
of one thing found, another
is not difficultly invented. But
the Artist answered: In this Work
the matter is not so, For unless
you know the thing, from the beginning
of the Work to the end,
you know nothing thereof. Indeed
I have told you enough, yet you
are ignorant how the Stone of Philosophers
is made, and again, how
the Glassy Seal of Hermes is broaken,
in which Sol gives forth Splendor
from his Metallick Rayes, wonderfully
coloured, and in which
Speculum, the Eyes of Narcißus
behold Metals transmutable, and
from which Rayes the Adept gather
their fire, by the help of
which, Volatile Metals are fixed
into most fixed Gold, or Silver.
But enough for this time, because
(God willing) on the Morrow,
we shall have occasion of meeting
yet once more, that we may talk together
touching this Philosophick
matter; and according as I said, at
nine a Clock, I will come to your
House, and shew you the way of
Projecting. But with that happy
Valediction for one night, that
Elias the Artist hath left me most
sad in expectation unto this very
day. Yea, the Mercury of Philosophers
did with him vanish into
Aire; because from him I did no
more again hear so much as one
word. Yet he, (because he promised
that he would come again
to me betimes the next morning)
half an hour before ten,
sent to me another unknown man,
signifying, that, that friend, who
yesternight promised to revisit me
this morning, by reason of other
urgent business, could not come,
nevertheless, at three of the Clock
in the afternoon, he would again
see me. But after I had, with a
most vehement desire expected
him, till almost eight a Clock, I
began to doubt in the truth of the
matter. Besides, my Wife also,
a very curious Searcher in the Art
of that Laudable man, came to
me, troubling me, by reason of
the Philosophick Art, cited in that
aforesaid Severe, and Honest man;
saying, Go to, let us try, I pray
thee, the Verity of the work, ac
cording to what that man said.
For otherwise, I certainly shall
not sleep all this night. But I answered;
I pray let us deferr it till
to morrow; perhaps the man will
come then. Nevertheless, when
I had ordered my Son to kindle the
fire; these thoughts arose in me;
That man indeed, otherwise in his
discourses so Divine, is now found
the first time guilty of a Lye. A
second time, when I would make
Experiment of my Stollen Matter
hid under my Nayl, but to no purpose,
because the Lead was not
transmuted into Gold. Lastly
a third time, he gave me so very
little of the Matter, for tinging
so great a Mass of Lead; that he
almost drove me to Desperation.
Notwithstanding these thoughts,
I commanded yellow Wax to be
brought, wherein to wrap the
Matter, and finding Lead, I cut
off half an Ounce, or six Drachmes.
My Wife wrapped the Matter of
the Stone in the Wax, and when
the Lead was in Flux, she cast
in that little Mass, which, with
Hissing and Flatuosity, so performed
its Operation in the Crucible
well closed; as in one quarter of
an hour, the whole Mass of Lead
was transmuted into the best
Gold. Certainly, had I lived in
the Age of Ovid, I could not have
believed, any Metamorphosis more
rare, than this of the Chimical
Art; but if I could behold things
with the hundred Eyes of Argus,
I should scarcely see any work of
Nature more admirable, for this
Lead, mixt with the Stone of the
Wise, and in the Fire melted,
demonstrated to us a most beautiful
colour, yea, I say, it was most green;
but when I poured it out into a
[Cone, or] fusory Cup, it received
a colour like Blood, and
when it waxed cold, shined with
the colour of the best Gold: I, and
all who were present with me, being
amazed, made what haste we,
could with the Aurificate Lead
(even before it was through cold)
to a Gold-Smith, who after a precious
Examen, judged it to be
Gold most excellent, and that in
the whole world, better could not
be found; withall, adding, that for
every Ounce of such Gold, he
would give 50 Florens.

The next day, the rumour of
this wonderful Metallick Transmutation
was spread all over our
Hague; whence many illustrious
men, and lovers of Art, made hast
to me, among which, by name,
the General Examiner of the Moneys
of this Province of Holland,
D^n Porelius, came to me, with certain
other most illustrious men,
earnestly desiring, that I would
communicate to them some small
particle of my Artificial Gold, to
prove it by legitimate Examens:
these, for their curiosity sake, I willingly
gratified; and we went together
to the house of a certain
very curious Silver-Smith, by
name Brechtelius, in whose Workhouse,
the Excellency of my Gold
was evidenced, by that form of
Probation, which Skilful Artists
call. Quarta, viz. when they in a
Crucible melt three or four parts
or Silver, with one part of Gold,
and then by hammering, reduce
that mixture into thin Plates, on
which they pour a sufficient quantity
of Aquafortis, by which the
Silver is dissolved, but the Gold
settles to the bottome, like a black
powder. Afterward, the Aquafortis
is poured off, and the golden
powder, is again put into a Crucible,
and by strong fire reduced to
Gold.

But when this work was ended,
we supposed, that one half of the
Gold was vanished, yet in very
deed it was not so: for we found
that the Gold, besides its own
weight, had transmuted some part
of the Silver into Gold, viz. two
drams of the Gold, transmuted
two scruples of the Silver (through
the abundance of its Tincture)
into like Gold Homogeneal to it self.

After this, we, suspecting that
the Silver was not well separated
from the Gold did presently make
a mixture: with seven times as much
Antimony. And after this Examen,
we lost eight grains of Gold;
but when I had again evaporated
the Antimony, I found nine grains
of Gold, yet in colour somewhat
pale. Thus, in the best Tryal of
fire, we lost nothing of this Gold,
And this infallible kind of Probation,
I thrice performed in presence
of those most noble and illustricsus
Men, and found, that
every Dram of Gold acquired from
the Silver for an augmentation to
it self, one Scruple, of Gold: and
the Silver, is pure good, and very
flexible. So according to this, the
five drams of Gold, attracted to it
self from the Silver, five Scruples;
and (that I may together, and at
once, comprise all that remains to
be said) the whole weight that
that Laudable Powder, in quantity
so exceeding small, did transmute,
was six drams, and two
Scruples, of a more vile Metal,
into Gold, in such wise fixed, as it
was able perseveringly to sustain
the most intense Torture of Fire.

Behold! thus have I exactly,
from first to last, commemorated
this History. The Gold I indeed
have, but where, or in what Land
or Countrey. Elias the Artist is at
this day hospited, I am wholly
ignorant for he told me, his purpose
was to abide in his own Country
no longer then this Summer;
that after he would travil into Asia,
and visit the Holy Land. Let the
most wise King of Heaven (under
the Shadow of whose divine
Wings he hath hitherto layn hid)
by his Administratory Angels accompany
him in his intended
Journey, and prosper it so as he
living to a great Age, may with
his inestimable Talent greatly
succour the whole Republick of
Christians, and after this Life gloriously
behold, and take of the
prepared Inheritance of Life Eternal.
Amen.




CHAP. IV.


Therefore, now to compleat my
promise, I will forthwith betake
my self to the Dialogue or,
Colloque between Elias the Artist,
and me the Physician.

Elias the Artist.


God save you, Master Helvetius!
If I may not be too troublesome, I
desire to have the freedom of Discoursing
with you for a little time,
because I have heard, that you are
a curious Indagator of natural
things. For I have perused
your Books, and among them,
especially that whole Treatise,
which you write against the effect
of Sir Kenelm Digbies Sympathetick
 Powder, where it is gloried,
that the same, can at distance cure
all Wounds. Assuredly I am incredibly
delighted in those things,
which are beheld in this Speculum,
whether Sympathetick, or
Antipathetick, naturally implanted
in Creatures. For the inexhausted
Treasures of the Divine
Light and Deity, no less abundantly,
than liberally granted to us,
may best of all be known from all
the Creatures, which are produced
either under the Ætherial Heaven,
or in the belly of the Earth,
or in the Womb of the Sea, to the
end, that by their potentially insited
virtues, they should restore
health to the Mortal Body of
Men.

Helvetius the Physician

O Sir! The presence of such a
new Guest shall never be troublesome
to me, but rather I receive
you as one of my best Friends. For
Philosophick Discourse, touching
the Secrets cf Nature, is the only
recreation of my Mind, also it is
such convenient Salutiferous Nutriment,
as no man can be worthy
to taste of, before he shall be
rightly disposed for that Banquet.
Enter, I pray, Friend, into the House.

Artist

Indeed Sir! Here, as it seems to
to me, you have a compleat Vulcanian
Shop, and perhaps all
these things Spagyrically and exactly
drawn from, the Mineral
Kingdom; but I pray, to what end so
many Medicaments? I believe,
that God in the things of Nature,
naturally gives such Medicines,
with a very few of which, we
may much sooner, and more safely
re-integrate the decayed, and languishing
Health of Man, unless
the Disease be Mortal, from a
deficiency of Nature, or from the
putrefaction of some noble internal
part hurt, or by reason of a total
absumption of the radical humidity
in which desperate Cases,
no Galenick Cure, or Paracelsick
Tincture can yeild releif. But in
ordinary Diseases it is not so; and
yet here, very many Men, before
the fatal term of Life be expired
(abfit Nemesis dicto) are enforced
to pass out of this fair Kingdom of
pleasing Light, into the Shadowed
Land of the Dead, whilst, either
they neglect the health of their
own Body, or commit the same to
the Faith of Physicians, unskilful
of the Remedy they have in their
hand.

Physician.

As far as I can gather from your
discourse, if my Judgement deceive
me not, you are either a Physician,
or a man expert in Chimistry.
Certainly, according as you say,
so I believe, that in the things of
Nature are given other more excellent
Medicaments, as also very
many other Philosophers affirm,
that there is a certain (although
to few known) Universal Medicament,
by the benefit which,
we may prolong Life unto the appointed
End, cure all Diseases
otherwise uncurable, and many
other such things. But, where is
any among all the Wisest men of
this world, that can shew us the
way, how to find out so noble a
Fountain, whence such a wonderful
Medicamentous juice, nobilitating
the Physician, is drawn?
Perhaps no one man.

Artist.

Indeed, I am not a Physician,
but only a Melter of Orichalcum,
and almost from my Child-hood,
have exercised my Ingeny in Pyrotechny,
and so have sought out
the internal Nature of Metals
And although I now cease from
my usual diligence in elaborating
some accurate work, by the Art of
Vulcan, yet my mind still takes delight
in labours of that kind, and
in the lovers of this most curious
Spagyrick Art; and I do verily.
believe and judge, that the most
Wise God, will in this our age
communicate gratis, or for nothing,
the Metallick Mysteries of
Nature to his Spagyrick Sons,
Praying, and Physico-chimically
Labouring.


Physician.


My Friend, I must needs grant
this, that God, for nothing, communicates
to his Sons, this laudable
Good, as well as all other gifts;
yet you shall very rarely hear, that
he for nothing gives or vends this
Medicamentous Wine or Nectar to
his Sons. For we certainly know,
how great a number of Chymists
lived in former ages who,  (according
to the Proverb ) strove to draw
water in a Sieve, whilest
they presumed to prepare this
Universal Stone of Philosophers.
Besides, out of the books of them,
who triumph in the glory of
Adept, no one man can learn the
way of preparing, nor know their
First Matter, so as any one, searching
to the lowest roots of Mountains,
can never ascend to those
their Heights, where Ambrosia, and
Nectar of Macrosophists, is
drank.

In the mean time, it is the part
of a good Physician, since he
wants such an Universal Elixir,
(not without the daily study of
conserving his Conscience pure
and sound) to adhibit to the Diseases
of the Sick, commended to
his Cure, such Curations; or Remedies
as for restoring Sanity as in
which he (from the effect) certainly
knows, that a virtue of healing
is incited.

Wherefore, in all desperate Diseases,
I, with many other Practitioners,
do alwayes use such most simple
Medicaments, that thence
the Diseased may soon be restored
to their Pristine state of Health,
or to a better than the Pristine.

For indeed, various and diverse
kinds of Salts, are generated in
the Glandules and Lymphatick
Vessels, after the putrefaction of
this, or that nutriment taken,
which afterward wax florid in various
Humours, for diverse Diseases,
either Internal, or External. Experience
teacheth, that as many
as are the Constitutions, or Complexions
of humane bodies, to so
many diversities of Diseases the
same are obnoxious; although in
one manner, and the same Disease,
as our daily conversation evidenceth
to us in those who drink
Wine, whence divers Operations
manifestly discover themselves.

Because Peter drinks Wine, he
labours with an angry, I will not
say, furious mind.

On the contrary, Paul drinking
Wine, seems to imbibe his mind
with an Agnine Timorousness.

But Matthias sings, and Luke
weeps.

Also,

Touching the Scorbutick Contagious
Venome, viz. of Peter,
his radical juice in the Lymphatick
Vessels, and Glandules, is
converted into an Acidity, stopping
the passages, and all Organs of the
whole body, whence, under the
Skin, arise Spots on the Arms and
Legs of a blewish colour, but in
times of Pestilence, they swell like
Pepper Corns.


Also

The juice of Pauls parts is changed
into an Aperitive Bitterness;
whence, under the Skin of the
Arms and Legs, arise red Spots,
pricking like the bitings of Fleas;
but in a Pestilential time, they
are Blanes.

Also

The juice of Matthias his
parts, is converted into a sweetness
easily putrifying; whence,
under the Skin of Arms and leg,
arise watery Tumours, almost
such as are conspicuous in Dropsical
Persons; but in time of the
Pest, they are Pestilential Tumours.

Also,

The juice of the parts of Luke,
is changed into a Saline, and drying
sharpness; whence, under the
Skin of the Arms and Legs, arise
Precipitations of the ordinary Ferment
of the Flesh, and Exficcations,
as usually happens in this
Atrophia, yea most frequently in
the true Atrophia. But in the Pest,
they become most ardent Buboes,
with madness, even until death.

Behold, my Friend, no Physician,
by one only Universal Medicament,
can heal the Evil of
this Scorbutick, or Pestilential, or
Febrile Venome, but indeed, by
the Mediation of some particular
Vegetable, or Mineral Remedy,
given to us from God in Nature, he
may exterminate the same. For,
as I cannot heal, or help all Scorbutick
Persons, with one only Scorbutick
Herb, as Scurvy-grass, or
Sorrel, or Fumitory, or Brooklime;
so, much less of a certain
remedy made of these diverse Species
congested into one; because,
between the Herbs Scurvy-grass and
Sorrel, there is an Antipathy, as
between Fire and Water; and so
there is the same Antipathy
between the Herbs Fumitory and
Brook-lime.

Therefore, the Correctory of
Peters Scorbutick Saline acid
tinging Venome, is made with the
Volatile bitter Salt of Scurvy-grass.

But the Correctory of Pauls
Scorbutick Saline bitter tinging
Venome, is made with the acid
fixed Salt of the Herb Sorrel.

The Correctory of Matthias his
Scorbutick sweetish, and moistning
tinging Venome is made by the help
of the fixed bitter drying Sulphur
of the Herb Fumitory.

And the Correctory of Lukes
Scorbutick tinging Saline and
drying Venome, is made with the
help of the sweet moistning Mercury
of the Herb Brook-lime, or
red Colewort, as from the External
Signature of these Herbs, it is
easie to judge of the Internal Specifick
Remedy against there diverse
Scorbutick Disease. Certainly,
my Friend, if this be observed
by a prudent Physician, he
must needs doubt of the Universal
Medicine,

Artist.

All you have discoursed of, I
can easily grant; yet very few
Physicians use this Method of
healing. Yet, in the meanwhile,
it is not impossible, that an Universal
Medicine should be given in
the highest Mineral Kingdome,
by the benefit of which we may
perform and administer all things,
which are by you related to me,
touching the lowest Kingdom of
Vegitables; but the most wise God,
for several weighty reasons, hath
not on all Philosophers promiscuously
conferred this most magnificent
Charisma of Supereminent
Science, but hath revealed it only;
to a very few. According as all
the Adept, with one mouth, confess,
and say: The Science is true,
And, the verity thereof not to be
doubted.

Physician

Sir, besides the above commemorated,
there are also other Observations;
strenuously refuting the
Operation on an Universal Medicine,
partly in respect of the Age
and strength of Man, partly by
reason of the Sex, and other Circumstances,
whilst a difference is
to be made between the tender,
and the Robust, whether from
Nature, or from Education; or
between the Male and Female, or
between a Young Man and a Virgin,
or between the Beginning,
Middle, or End of Diseases; or
it is to be understood whether a
Disease, be inveterate, or the Sick
be lately invaded; or lastly, whether
the Ferment be promoted in
this Disease, or be precipited in
in another. Effervescency is made
either in the Stomach or in the Intestines.
Assuredly there are many
contradictions of the Wonderful
effect, of the Universal Medicine.
For the greatest part of rational
Physicians want the Perspicil
of Thomas Didymus in their
Fingers.


Artist

Indeed, Sir; you have philosophised
rightly, and well, yea, Arthodoxly,
against the universal Medicament,
according to that notorious,
and far spred proverb. As
many Heads, so many Senses. For
as Sweet sounding Musick delights
not the Ears of every Midas; nor
doth the Same History related
please all Historians; nor of Bread
and Wine, of the same Taste, is
there a like relish in all Palats. So
also the judgements of Skilful Men
do strangely differ, touching the
wonderful Effect of this Universal
Medicine, on Humane and
Metallick Bodies. For this Universal
Medicine, in its way of
Operating, vastly differs, from a
particular Medicine, which may
in some sense be called Universal,
as the Herb Scurvy-grass, curing
every Scorbutick marked with blew
Spots; or Sorrel, healing every Scurvy,
noted with red Spots; or Brook-lime,
healing an Atrophia of that
Kind, or Fumitory remedying
Tumors of that Kind: and that
especially with such Physicians,
with whom the Observation
you before recited, is of any esteem.
Moreover, there is an exceeding
great difference between the Universal
Medicine of Philosophers,
refreshing the vital Spirits, and
between a Particular Medicament
of Proletary-Curation, with which is
corrected the venom of Humors;
viz. such as boyles up against Nature,
in this Man, Acid; in that
Man, the Bitter is predominant;
in one, what is Saline, in another,
what is sharp, grow potent. But,
if these Corrupt humors be not
without all delay presently expelled
out of the Body, by the ordinary
Emunctories of Nature either
by the Belly, or by Urine of the
Bladder, or by the Sweat through
the Pores, or by the Spittle of the
Mouth, or by the Nostrils,
assuredly the corruption of one,
becomes the Generation of another,
viz. of a Disease. For, from
every spark, if we do not timely
extinguish it, an exceding great
burning will arise. Also, if there be
a defect, of the Vital Spirits, it is
impossible to effect this. Therefore
the only care of a Conscientious
Physician should be, how to
deduce the motion of the Vital
Spirits to a digestible natural Heat,
and that is best of all, and most securely
performed by the Operation
of our Universal Medicament, by
which they are found to be notably
recreated. For as soon as this
more than perfect Medicine hath driven
the Morbifick Evil from
the Seat it occupies, then immediately
it infuseth the lost Sanity,
and that only from the Harmony,
or Sympathy it self, which the
Vital Spirits, and this Medicine,
have mutually in themselves.
Wherefore, it, by the Adept, is called
the Mystery of Nature, and the
Defensive of old Age, against all
Diseases. Which, I fay, even in
a most pestilent Season, most full
of contagious Diseases every where
raging, makes of man a Salamander,
bearing such Epidemical
Plagues of Heaven displeased,
until the utmost term of his Life
be expired.

Physician


As far as I, beloved Friend, can
understand, this Medicine makes
not for the Emendation of depraved
Humours, but is chiefly conducent
for the recreation of the Vital Spirits.
Besides, among practical Chimists,
this Secret is taught, viz.
that by the Spayrick Art, it may be
commonstrated, how the pure
should be separated from the impure,
and by the same, how the Immature
are rendred mature, and
how the Bitter are corrected into
sourish, and the sourish into Sweet,
and the Sharp into Gentle, and
the Gentle into Sharp; and the
Acid into Sweet, and the Sweet
into Acid. Also this Laudable
Medicine of Philosophers, according
to my understanding, cannot
prolong Life, beyond the term
prefixed from above, but only
preserve from the Effect of all
Venimous, or otherwise mortiferous
Diseases: and so it is certainly
true, as is commonly believed,
that the prolongation of Humane
Life depends, on the Will of the
Omnipotent God only. But, omitting
these, I would here ask this
one Question. Whether by the
use of this Universal Medicine,
the pristine Nature of Man may be
converted into New, so as a Slothful
Man may degenerate into a
Diligent, or stirring Man, and a
Man, who before was by Nature
Melancholy and Sad, afterward
became Jovial, Chearful, and full
of Joy, or like alterations, reformations,
permutations, or vicissitudes
happen in the Nature of
Man?

Artist.

Not at all Sir. For so great power
was never conferred on any Medicament,
that it could change the
Nature of Man. Wine inebriating,
taken by diverse individual Men,
in him, who is drunk, changeth
not his Nature but only provokes,
and deduceth into act, what is naturally,
and potentially in him,
but before was as it were, dead.
Even so is the Operation of the
Universal Medicine, which by
recreation of the Vital Spirits, excites
Sanity, for a time only suppressed,
because it was naturally
in him before; even as the heat of
the Sun changeth not Herbs, or
Flowers, but only provokes the same,
and from the proper potential nature
of them, deduceth them into
act only. For a Man of a Melancholy
temper, is again raised up
to exercise his own Melancholy
matters; and the jovial Man, who
was pleasant, is recreated in all
his chearful actions, and so consequently,
in all desperate Diseases
it is a present, or most excellent
Preservative. Hence a Man, presaging
that some evil will befal
him, will rather prevent than be
prevented. But if any prolongation
of Life, by some Philosophick
Medicament, could have
been induced, against the predestination
of the Omnipotent God, undoubtedly
neither Hermes Trismegistus,
nor Paracelsus, nor Raymundlully,
nor the Count Bernhard, and
many more like illustrious Possessors
of this great Mystery, would
not have yeilded to the common
death of all Mortals, but perhaps
have protracted their Life
until this very Day, Therefore, it
would be the part of a fanatick, and
foolish Man to affirm this, yea of
a most foolish Man, to believe,
and assent to the same, touching
any one Medicament in the things
of Nature.

Physician.

My Friend, whatsoever you have
spoken no less regularly, than fundamentally,
touching the Operation
of the Universal Medicine, I
indeed cherefully, and willingly
grant, but as long as I am ignorant
of preparing the same rightly, I
do no other than attempt to carry
my Boat from a very small Lake,
into the Vast Ocean, because it
will certainly be driven back to the
Shore, without any Fruit. For although
many of those illustrious
Men have written somewhat
touching that laudable preparation,
yet they involved that in such a
Wrapper of shadowed Caution, as
the Footsteps of them latently demonstrated,
can be known by few
or none of the most diligent Readers,
who should follow them so
far, as until they come where they
would be. Also, who is so wealthy,
and well informed, as to be able,
and to know where to buy all
those Books, in which, here, and
there an Hypothesis of this kind is
handled: betides, you may consume
the greatest part of your life, before
you can gather thence any sufficient
knowledge, or the direct
manual Operation. Therefore it
is best for us to abide patiently in
our Laboratory, praying to the
blessed God, according to that Saying:


      Ora, ac Labora; & Deus dat omni hora.

      Labour, and Pray; God gives alway.


Artist

You argue rightly enough Sir.
For, from the writings of Philosophers,
this Art of Arts is most rarely
learned; but the Sense them
is very well, and clearely understood
by the Manuduction of some
Adept Philosopher. But let us hence
pass to the Transmutative Effect of
this most noble Tincture, touching
which, the possessors, or many of
the Adept, have written many
Books, and the most of their Genuine
Disciples, labouring much
in the Fire, did at length compleatly
attain to the wished End of their
Arcanum,

Physician

I perceive your Mastership takes
pleasure in passing from the use of
the Medicine, to the infinite Transmutation
of Metals. Although I
could easily believe the possibility
of Art, viz. that a Chymical Experiment
of that kind was in the
Adept, as I have also made mention
above, touching that Experiment
of Dr. Kifflerus who, with
the Tincture of one ounce of Gold
transmuted 1 ounce & half of Silver
into the best Gold, not to mention
the Experiment of Helmont; nor of
Scotus, which he made in the most
famous Cities of Colonia, and Hanovia;
nor much to insist on that
illustrious, and well known Example,
manifested at Prague, before
Cæsar Ferdinando the third, himself;
where with one only grain of
the Tincture, three pounds Mercury
were transmuted into most noble
Gold; insomuch that I am
brought no less into a neccessity, than
into a Will of believing, that the
Art may be true; yet I cannot to
this hour sufficiently receive it
without some doubt, because with
these my Eyes, I never in all my
Life saw the Man, who was the
true possessor thereof.


Artist.

Sir, you say true? yet Art will be
Art, whether you can believe it or
no. Even as is seen in the Magnet.
How it by its own insited Sulphureous
Virtue, of Iron, by Contact
presently makes a Magnet. Although
you will not believe, that
such wonderful Operations are latent
in it, yet they are, and will remain
true. So also you should
Judge of the Stone of Philosophers,
in which is all that the Wise seek.
And because the clouded Writings
of them, can be understood, and
explained but by very few, it is to
be desired earnestly by all, and
with the hands it must be endavoured,
that some one General Epitomen
of the whole Art, may so be
made, as in a very short space of
time, and without much labour, all
things necessary may be gathered,
by the help of which, a most easy
Transition to real Authors, might
be effected. Now since you have
presented some few Examples, by
which you endeavour to assert the
confirmed possibility of the Matter;
I my self will here shew to you
the True Matter of Secret Philosophers.
Behold it! Look well,
upon it.

Physician.

So my Master, Is this Sulphureous,
and Yellow Glassy Substance
the very Philosophick Matter?
And are you your self the
Possessor of this Science? I am
ready to believe you do but jest
with me. I pray Sir, tell me the
Truth, whether it be really so,
or not?


Artist.

Yes, Matter Doctor, You now
have within your hand, the most
pretious Treasure in the World.
For this is the true Stone of Philosophers,
than which, no Man
ever had a better, nor shall have
any other. And I my self did elaborate
the Composition, from beginning
to end. If you have another
convenient Chamber, I will
Shew you Metal transmuted into
Gold, by such a Stone as this
(When I had brought him into
another Chamber.) Behold (said
he) these five Pendants, were,
by the benefit of this Philosophick
Tincture, prepared of Saturn, or
Lead; which I wear for a perpetual
Remembrance of my Master.
But I suppose, you, having perused
many Writings of the Adept,
seeing the Substance, and Nature
of this Stone, will very sufficiently
know the true Matter, or rightly
understand the same.

Physician.

I understand by your self, that
you had a Master, from whom you
rather learned your Art, than acquired
the same, by your proper
Labour and Invention. And although
I now have seen that Substance,
which you affirm to be the
true Tincture of Philosophers, as
also those five Pendants, nevertheless
I am still left ignorant, and in
doubt, whether it be true or no.
Therefore, I earnestly again and
again request of you, to confer on
me only so small a part of that
matter, as will suffice to transmute
only four grains of Lead into Gold,
that you may this way remove
from me all Scruple or Doubt,
and render me so much the more
certain of the verity of the Matter.
Give me but the magnitude of one
grain only, or of a Coriander-seed,
that thence a Specimen, or
Probation, may be exhibited, either
in some desperate Disease, or in
a Metallick Transmutation.

Artist.

I do confess, that a certain Man
of good Condition, to me wholly
unknown, by demonstrating taught
me; First, the possibility of transmutation;
secondly the way of
preparing also. And this is that
Infallible Art, touching which
you have no reason to doubt. But
whereas, you request that I should
give you one small part of my Treasure;
that is no wise lawful for me
to do, although, you would give
as a Recompense, so many Ducats,
as this whole Room, from
the bottom to the top, would contein;
and that not by reason of
the estimation of the Matter, because
it is of small Price, but for
another weighty Reason, in respect
of which, if it were possible,
that Fire could be consumed by
Fire, I would at this time, rather
cast this whole Mass into the devouring
Flames, before your Eyes.
Wherefore, in the meanwhile, I admonish
you, not to be so eager in
coveting this so great Science. For
you have this day seen more in my
possession, than many Kings, and
Princes could ever behold,
although they eagerly desired to see
the same. Besides, I think of comming
to you again, after 3 Weeks,
then I will shew to you certain excellent
Arts, and Manuductions in
the Chymical Science. Also, if
it shall then be lawful for me, to
shew you the way of Transmutation,
I will truely satisfie your Curiosity
therein. In the mean while,
I bid you farewel, withal, admonishing,
that you take heed to your
self, and meddle not with such a
great, and profound Labour, least:
you miserably loose both your
Fame, and substance in the Ashes
like some other covetous inquisitors,
of the same most noble Art.

Physician.

Now, what shall I do, my Master?
If it happen, that, by reason
of your Philosophick Oath, confirmed
by that small draught of
Silver, dissolved in Rain-water,
it shall not be lawful for you to
give me that requested exceeding
small part of the Tincture so wonderful.
You cannot be ignorant,
that I (according to your suspicion)
am in mind anxious, and
earnestlie desirous of tasting of this
so noble Science. Yea, I do verilie
think, if Adam himself, the first
Patriark of the World (who was
once driven out of Paradice, for
eating the Apple of either Wisedom)
were yet living in this our
Age, he would not forbear again
the Taste of this Golden Apple, from
the Garden of Atlantis.

Your Mastership said: Manie
Princes could not see this which I
have seen. I, indeed have seen the
Matter, of which you give so rare a
Testimony; but in the mean while I
have not beheld the transmutative
Effect; only I give credit to your
Words. And, since you have told
me, that you will go hence, and
after three Weeks return to me again,
to teach me some excellent
Chymical Arts, as also the way
of projection, if it shall then be
lawful for you. In the fruition of
this good hope, I at this time rest
satisfied; in the mean time, giving
you hearty thanks, for your exceeding
great Friendship shewed to me
alreadie, and, for your singular
Care, and faithful admonition,
that I should not in Chymical Labours,
consume both my Goods
and Reputation. I assuredly have
never yet made tryal of so great,
and high things, nor ever will I
attempt the me, unless your self
will first gratis, and from the
pure benevolence of Friendship,
demonstrate to me, the way and
manner of preparing. Yet I shall
admire the Verity of Art, and
please my self with the Remembrance
of the Friendship you have
shewed me; because you, who
have revealed this to me, are an
Adept Philosopher.

But if any King, or Prince, or
any Great Man, or Men, should
know, that you are the Possessor
of this Art, and therefore (which
God forbid) should lay hold of
you, and attempt by Tortures to
bring you to a discovery, would
you reveal this Art to them?


Artist.

I have not shewed the Stone of
Philosophers to any man, except
to one aged man, and to your
self; to both of you, I have revealed
that I am the Possessor;
but, henceforth, no man must
ever see or hear such a thing.
And although any King, or Prince,
should (which God I hope will
not permit) cast, me into Prison,
I would not, after the manner of
Circumforanean Physicians [or
Mountebanks] or Vagabond Impostors
or of poor Alchimists,
directly, or indirectly, discover
the Art to them, but would rather
suffer my self to be most cruelly
wracked, tortured, or tormented
with burning Fire, untill
my life expire.


Physician

Good Friend, are there not
Authors, which, touching the
verity of this Art, write more
plainly, then all the number of
them, which, concerning it, utter
words so obscure, as perhaps
they themselves did not understand,
unless they adhibited the.
Commentaries, and Annotations
of evident Paraphrasists. I suppose you
have in times past read
them, and therefore are best
able to inform me, who were
Adept.

Artist.

Master Doctor, I indeed read
not, nor have I read many Books,
yet among those I have read, I
find no Authors more curious,
than Sandivogius, especially in
that Book, which is Entituled
Cosmopolita, in Dutch, Borger Der
Werelt.  Also Brother Basilius in
in his twelve Keys. As to Sandivogius,
this Author you may peruse,
untill I return, as I said: for
in his obscure words the truth is
latent, even as our Tincture of
Philosophers is both included, and
retruded, in External Minerals,
and Metallick Bodies.

Physician

Sir, I give you thanks, for this
so great friendship. I shall do according
to your advice, and as to
what you say, touching the Objects
of the Tincture, I easily assent
to, and grant; for I believe
that the wonderful, and efficacious
Essences of Metals, are hid
under the external Rinds and
Shells of Bodies, although I find
very few so well exercised, and
experienced in the Fire, who
know how to uncase the Kernel,
according to the Rule of Art.
Every External, and Robust Substance,
of any Animal, Vegetable,
or Mineral, is the Body,
like unto that Terrestrial Province,
into which (as Isaac Holland
hath prescribed) excellent
Essences spiritually enter. Wherefore,
it is needful, that the Sons
of Art should know, how by
some Saline suitable Ferment,
grateful to the Metallick Nature,
they may subdue, dissolve, separate
and concentrate, not only
the Magnetick Metallick virtue
of Tinging, but also, how they
may multiply the same in its own
Philosophick Homogeneal Golden,
or Silvery-manner. For we
see, that the bodies of all Creatures,
are not only easily destroyed,
but thenceforth also the Internals
cease to live, and hasten to
the dark Shadowings, in which
they were, before they, by the
Creation of God the Creator, were
brought to Light. But what Man
will discover to us this Art in the
Metallick Kingdom?

Artist

You say well, and have rightly
judged of the Natural Destruction
of things, and if it shall be pleasing
to the most merciful God, to
deal graciously with you as He
hath done with me; He, according
to your good hope, will direct
some one of the Adept to demonstrate,
to you the way of destroying
Metals, and of collecting the
Internal Souls of them. But, in
the mean while, do you invoke
the most Wise God, to whose
Vigilant Eyes I commend you,
which are always open upon
his Sons, regenerated to him
by Christ. Again Farewel, and
rest assured, I will be your Friend.
I must at this time go hence,
but I hope to see you again in
good health, ere it be long.

Thus my new Friend took
his Leave, and went away; it leaving
me, his Friend, most sad
for the space of three Weeks,
which being expired, according
to his Word, he returned, and
gave me the Tincture, as you may
learn by the above-recited History.
After this, that Philosophick
Man of God went from me, and
I never more saw him, from
that time, unto to this very day,
nor could I hear of him by any
of the Carriers, or Posts, or by
any of my Intimate Acquaintance.

Nevertheless, he left with me
(as a Spurre) the acute Memory
of, him, reposted in my
minde, as also the Opinion of
Paracelsus affirming, that by Metals,
of Metals, and with Metals,
cleansed, Spiritual, and first depurated
from their feculency, are
made Metals, and the Living
Gold and Silver of Philosophers,
as well for Humane, as for Metallick
Bodies. Wherefore if
that Guest, my Friend of but
little acquaintance, had exactly
shewed to me, the way of preparing
preparing this Celestial Spiritual Salt,
by which, and with which,
from Corporeal, and Earthly Substances,
I might, as it were, in the
Matrix of them, collect the Spiritual
Rayes of Sol or Luna:
assuredly, He from his own Light,
would have enkindled in me so
great a Light, as I should have
seen, and understood how I ought
in other Corporeal Metals, by
Sympathy to transmute the Eternal
Soul of them so, as by the
help thereof they had clarified,
or transformed their own like body,
either into Gold, or into
Silver, according to the disposition
of the Red seed, into a Red
Body, or according to the Nature
of the White Seed, into a White
Body. For Elias the Artist affirmed
to me, that the Chalybs
Of Sandivogius is that true Mercurial
Metallick Humidity, by
the help of which, without any
Corrosive, the Artist might, in an
open Fire, and Crucible, separate
the fixed Rayes of Sol
or Luna from their own Body, and
thenceforth make them Volatile
and Mercurial, for the Dry Philosophick
Tincture, as he demonstrated
to me; and communicated
somewhat relating to the
transmutation of Metals. Indeed all
men well skilled in the Chymical
Science, have a necessity of assenting
to me in this, viz. that Pyrotechny
is the Mother, and Nurse
of various noble Sciences and Arts.
For they can easily judge from
the Colours of the Chaos of Metals
in the Fire, what Metallic
body is therein. Even so dayly
in the bowels of the Earth are
procreated Metals, and Perspicuous
Stones, from a proper noble
vaporous Seed, from a Spiritual
tinging Sulphureous Seed,
in their diverse Saline Matrixes.
For the common Sulphur, whether
of an impure, or pure Metal
whilst conjoyned with its own
body, mixt with Salt Peter only in
the burning heat of Fire is easily
changed into a most hard
and most fixed Earth, but this
Earth is thenceforth by the Aire
easily changed into a most limpid
Water: and this Water afterward,
by a more strong Fire,
according to the Nature of the
Metallick pure or impure Sulphur
mixt is converted into Glass,
admirably Well tinged with various
Colours. Almost in the very
same manner, from the White of
an Egge is generated a Chick by
natural heat. So also from the
Seminal bond of Life of any one
Metal, is made a new, and more
noble Metal, by an heat of Fire
convenient to the Saline Nature;
although very few Chimists rightly
and perfectly know, how the
Internal, and alwayes moving
Magnetick virtues, are distinguished
according to the Harmony,
or Disconsonancy of them.
Whence we see, this Metal hath
a Sympathy or Antipathy with
another, so very singular, as is
found in the Magnet with Iron, in
Mercury with Gold, in Silver with
Copper, a very remarkable Sympathy,
but on the contrary, there
is a notable Antipathy in Lead
against Tin, in Iron against Gold,
in Antimony against Silver, in
Lead against Mercury. Infinite
other like Sympathetic, and Antipathetick
Annotations occurr in
the Animal & Vegetable Kingdom;
as you may read and find in various
Authors, who have written of
such Curiosities, from the accurate,
and absolute Knowledge of
which, the true Philosophers,
and Masters of Nature had their
beginning, and Esteem.

Thus have I described, what I
my self have seen and done; and
have caused the same to be printed
for you, Candid Readers, out of
mere Liberality, gratis communicating
it, according to that of Seneca:
I desire in this to know
somewhat, that I may teach others.
Si cum hac Exceptione detur Sapientia,
ut illlam inclusam tencam, abjiciam,
&c. But if any man doubt
of the real truth of this matter, let
him only with a lively faith believe
in his Crucified Jesus, that
in Him, he (by the strict way of
Regeneration) may become a
New Creature; in the same let
him fix the whole Anchor, of his
Faith, and likewise shew his [Greek: philanthropia],
or Love of Mankind, unto
all his Neighbours, and especially
exercise the works of Mercy, and
Brotherly Love towards the needy
Members of the Christian Religion,
that at length, when the whole
Course of his Life is justly, and
holily finished, in that Fatal and
Mortal hour, he may hence,
through the Watery Ocean of this
Tempestuous and Rocky World,
arrive in safety at the most blessed
Port of Eternal Rest, and sing the
New Song with the Triumphing
Philosophers of the Heavenly
Jerusalem, of which he hopes to
take, who is,

Your most faithful and
assured Friend

John Frederick Helvetius,

Doctor and Practitioner of Medicine at the Hague.


       *       *       *       *       *


Transcriber's note: Repeated word "perused" deleted.



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