On Mineral Putrefaction. Mineral Elixir
Aphorism I
There are two kinds of putrefaction: one accidentally chemical and the other non-chemical, which is a substantial corruption and complete destruction of the mixture.
II
The internal heat of the mixed causes the first, the other derives from the external humidity and its spirits.
III
Among the mixed, some are subject to absolute construction, some are not.
IV
The metallic secret began with nature and is brought to completion with art.
V
In this work the raw natural gold is brought through a long digestion, up to the purity and to a perfection incomparably superior to that of vulgar gold.
VI
Gold differs from the pure substance of imperfect metals only in being more cooked and more mature.
VII
The mineral matter differs from that of vegetables only in the magnetic spirits of the mineral kingdom.
VIII
The very general matter is particularized in the three realms with the specific magnetic spirits of each realm. Thus this matter passes from one realm to another when it is taken and determined by spirits of another realm.
IX
The immediate nourishment of every mixed is none other than this very general matter occupied by the spirits of the realm into which it converts.
X
The immediate nourishment is not yet the very substance of the nourished mixed, but a material of the same nature and which does not differ except in the degree of cooking.
XI
The immediate nourishment of the animals is found in a viscous form between the fibers of the meat and turns yellow through artistically made elixation (boiling).
XII
All the mixed are of the same matter that composes us, but the composition of the material principles is different in all kingdoms and genres and perhaps in every species of mixed, because the magnetisms are different in each kingdom and vary even in single individuals, although there be much proportion and a kind of uniformity between the specific spirits of all individuals of the same genus.
XIII
Spirits of all realms can intrude into matter of any realm; thus in man the mixture of every kingdom is generated, and this from the very matter of man.
XIV
The volatile spirits of each realm spread through the air and hover everywhere.
XV
These free and volatile spirits suddenly occupy viscous matter when they encounter it empty or occupied by spirits weaker than themselves.
XVI
Therefore in every place generations of all kingdoms take place.
XVII
These volatile spirits have their own subtle body which dwells with them in the gross and glutinous body where they are enclosed, and since this gross body has more open pores than theirs, and consequently the spirits of this body are weaker, little by little they overcome them and determine them to their movement, increase their own magnet and arrive at the point of corrupting all the viscosity and extracting from it all the substance that is convenient for them to nourish and make their bodies vegetate.
XVIII
The volatile spirits of the three realms that hover everywhere and are thus free, come from the corruption of the mixed of all the realms; they have not had this freedom from their first birth, but only with this resolution.
XIX
Having thus escaped, they dwell in the air until attracted by mixed similar to those from which they issued.
XX
The fixed spirits are contained and preserved in the earth with their fixed body, in the same way as the volatile with their volatile body in the other elements.
XXI
The fixed spirit with its sticky fixed body is often carried into the air, where it meets a flying spirit who joins it. Thus the two form a new generation conforming to the nature of the predominant volatile.
XXII
God, since the beginning of the world, has separated and distinguished volatile spirits from very general fixed matter, in order to preserve and perpetuate all species of mixed.
XXIII
True generation is done with the specific magnetism of viscous matter. The untrue generation takes place with the mixture of bodies of different nature.
XXIV
The actual and inner virtue of generation is none other than the volatile spirit which occupies the viscous matter and disposes it according to the magnetism of its volatile body, from which results the generation of the new individual species.
XXV
Fixed matter is a compound of elements that have gathered in the bosom of the earth.
XXVI
The elements join one another and condense successively and by degrees. Air holds and condenses fire; the water then unites and thickens with the air, and finally, the earth unites and becomes intimate with the water.
XXVII
The fixed sticky matter is driven up by its internal heat and that of the center, and at once it is occupied by the volatile spirits of some realm.
XXVIII
Volatile spirits are also composed of the four elements, and differ from each other only by the different combination of these elements, in which one or more elements prevail and dominate over the others.
XXIX
In the mineral spirit earth and water dominate. In the vegetable, water and air. In the animal, air and fire.
XXX
Life cannot manifest itself in the composition where earth and water predominate.
XXXI
Thus metals do not live sensitively, though in truth they are begotten.
XXXII
Life lasts the longer the more air and fire are fixed in matter.
XXXIII
Minerals don’t need as much nourishment as other mixtures, because water and earth fix the air and fire, and prevent them from suddenly escaping.
XXXIV
Minerals are able to live on a scale with the air and fire they contain, though to a lesser degree than the other kingdoms; so as soon as these two elements have been able to be exalted in them, they can nourish animals with great efficacy, albeit in infinitely small quantities.
XXXV
Sticky matter impregnated with mineral spirits can be extracted from these minerals by means of the seven operations.
XXXVI
The volatile spirit is extracted by the first operation in the form of smoke and is enclosed in distilled water.
XXVII
The fixed sticky matter is driven up by its internal heat and that of the center, and at once the volatile spirits of some realm occupy it.
XXVIII
Volatile spirits are also composed of the four elements, and differ from each other only by the different combination of these elements, in which one or more elements prevail and dominate over the others.
XXIX
In the mineral spirit earth and water dominate. In the vegetable, water and air. In the animal, air and fire.
XXX
Life cannot manifest itself in the composition where earth and water predominate.
XXXI
Thus metals do not live sensibly, though in truth they are begotten.
XXXII
Life lasts the longer the more air and fire are fixed in matter.
XXXIII
Minerals don’t need as much nourishment as other mixed, because water and earth fix the air and fire, and prevent them from suddenly escaping.
XXXIV
Minerals can live fairly on the air and fire they contain, though to a lesser degree than the other kingdoms; so as soon as these two elements have been able to be exalted in them, they can nourish animals with great efficacy, albeit in infinitely small quantities.
XXXV
Sticky matter impregnated with mineral spirits can be extracted from these minerals through the seven operations.
XXXVI
The volatile spirit is extracted by the first operation in the form of smoke and is enclosed in distilled water.
XXXVII
In the second operation this aqueous spirit is lightly cooked with its earth, and a heavy and permanent water results from both, which the artist uses usefully.
XXXVIII
The volatile spirit, or wind, or dragon, dies and putrefies no differently than with its brother and sister, that is, with the fixed earth and the distilled water in which it is enclosed.
XXXIX
The viscous earth contains its fixed spirits and is nourished by means of the imbibitions of the spirit substance.
XL
The spirit substance often comes out with violence from the viscous matter, if it is too rarefied by the air and by the fire in the bosom of the earth.
XLI
From this come the winds, which then calm down with the rains.
XLII
The fixed spirit and the volatile are of the same essence and substance and differ only in degree of exaltation and rarefaction.
XLIII
The elixir becomes penetrating only when volatile spirits have become fixed in it in large quantities.
XLIV
And this is because the fixed root is very tightly bound to a certain excremental earth which prevents its penetration and fusibility.
XLV
This earthly excrement cannot rise into the sublimation of the elixir and prevents the fixed root from sublimating, unless a large quantity of volatile root or highly acidic vinegar is employed, which is the same thing.
XLVI
Putrefaction does not occur without the perfect union of the two spirits. This union does not occur if they do not touch each other intimately and immediately, if such intimate contact occurs without separation from this excremental earth.
XLVII
Thus, by sublimation, our pure land becomes very pure and very penetrating; it is called the fixed root.
XLVIII
When the viscous earth is purified in its exterior, as well as its volatile water, it must be gradually dissolved with its own water, until it itself also becomes water.
XLIX
The volatile spirit which is contained in the water easily penetrates the fixed spirit which is in the earth, because the spirits are of the same nature, and so the two together assume a watery body and heavy water is formed.
L
Thus from a subtle and a gross substance, an average is produced which the art can employ, but which still has to be purified by seven distillation.
LI
This medium substance must then be cooked to the quality of volatile sulfur, from which the elixir is formed immediately afterwards.
LII
There are four putrefactions in the philosophical work. The first in the first preparation, the second in the first conjunction, the third in the second conjunction which is made from heavy water with its salt. Finally the fourth in the fixation of sulfur.
LIII
In each of these putrefactions, blackness is manifested.