Of Natural and Supernatural Things by Basilius Valentinus (classic literature books .TXT) 📖

Mercury in it, but it is inconstant and volatile; it hath least of Sulphur, and therefore according to its small quantity its cold body cannot be made warm; it hath little Salt, but fluxible, otherwise Iron would be more fluxible and malleable than Lead, if the Salt alone could cause a malleableness and fluxibleness, because Iron contains more Salt than any other Metal: Seeing then there is a difference to be found in this point, you must therefore observe and remember the difference, and how to distinguish between Metals.

All Philosophers have wrote as well as I, that the Salt gives the Coagulation and Body to every Metal; and it is true; but to prove it by an example, how and after what manner this Relation is to be understood: Plume Allom is esteemed to be only a meer Salt, and is approved to be such, which in this particular may be compared to Iron, that the Salt of the Plume Allom is found to be a thing unfluxible as Iron is. On the other side, Vitriol likewise is a Salt, manifesting it self in a small quantity, but fluxible and open, therefore its Salt cannot yield such a hard congelation unto its appropriated Metal, as the other can; although all the Salts of Metals grew out of one certain Root, and out of one Seed, yet nevertheless you must observe a difference in their three Principles, as also you must observe & remember, that a difference is found in one Herb from the other, and likewise how man differs from other Creatures and Animals in Qualities, Original, and the three Principles; for one Herb is indued with more of this, another with more of that kind, which in like manner is to be understood concerning Man and other Animals. The Soul of Lead consists in a sweet quality, as also doth the Soul of Tin, and sweeter yet, that nothing almost may be compared to it, being first of all purified to the highest by separation, that the pure be well separated from the impure, that a perfect accomplishment may succeed in the Operation: Otherwise the Spirit of Lead is by nature cold and dry, wherefore I advise, that it be not much used by Men and Women, because it over cools Nature, so that the Seed of both cannot perform their Natural Function; nor doth it much good to the Spleen and Bladder, but in other cases it attracts flegmatick Humours unto it, which raise up much Melancholy in Men; for Saturn is a Ruler, and such a Melancholicus, whereby a Man is confirm'd in his Melancholy, wherefore its Spirit is used, for one Melancholy Spirit attracts another unto it, whereby Mans Body is freed and delivered from its infused Melancholy. Externally the Soul of Saturn is so healing, in all Sores old or new, Cuts, Thrusts, or Accidents by Means or Nature, so that no Metal can do the like; it is cooling in all hot, tumified Members; but Noble Venus hath the pre-eminence to mundifie and cauterize all putrid Sores, and to lay a ground for their Cure, which have their access from within; for in her essence she is hot to dry up, but Saturn on the contrary is found to be cold in his Essence.

The Celestial Light of the Sun is much hotter than the Light of the Moon; for the Moon is much lesser than the Sun, and according to its dimension and division it contains an eighth part of the greatness in its Circle; if then the Moon in this her Magnitude of the eighth part could excel the Sun, as the Sun excels the Moon, all Fruits and Productions of the Earth must perish, and there would be a perpetual Winter, no Summer to be found at any time: But the Eternal Creator hath in this case well ordained a certain Order and Law for his Creatures, that the Sun should give light by day, and the Moon by night, and so all Creatures should be served. Those Children which are subject to the influence of Saturn, are melancholy, churlish, continually murmuring, as old covetous people, who do no good to their own Bodies, and yet never have enough; they put their Bodies to much labour, torment themselves with thoughts and whimsies, seldom recreate themselves, or are merry with other people, nor do they greatly regard the natural love of fair Women.

In brief, I tell thee that Saturn is generated of little Sulphur, little Salt, and much unripe gross Mercury, which Mercury is to be esteemed as a Froth that floates upon the Water, in comparison of that Mercury which is found in Sol; and is much more hot in its degree, and therefore the Mercury of Saturn by reason of its great coldness, hath not so quick a running Life as that which is made of Gold, wherein more heat is to be found, whence that running Life hath its original: Therefore in the inferiour world we must take notice of little Vulcan in the augmentation and transmutation of Metals, as I have described those three Principles of Saturn, as concerning their descent, nature, and complection. And every one must know, that no transmutation of any Metal can follow out of Saturn, by reason of its great coldness, only and except to coagulate common Mercury; for the cold Sulphur of Lead can qualifie and take away the hot running Spirit of the Quicksilver, if the process be rightly ordered, wherefore it is not amiss to observe, that Mercury is so detained, that the Theory should agree with the Practick, and meet together in a certain measure and concordance. You must not therefore quite reject Saturn, nor in all points scornfully neglect him, because its Natures and Virtues are known yet but unto few; for the Stone of the wise hath the first beginning of its Celestial, high-shining Colour only out of this Metal, and from the influence of this Planet, the Key of Constancy is delivered unto him by putrefaction, because the red cannot be made out of the yellow, except before-hand a white be made out of the beginning of the black.

I could yet treat variously, and at large of many wonderful works of Natural and Supernatural things. But because other Labours prevent me therein, of making a longer Narration, I therefore put a Conclusion to this Treatise at present, referring the other concerning the concealed Secrets of Minerals until I have a purpose to write further, in a particular Treatise of Antimony, Vitriol, Brimstone, Magnet, and which in especial are endowed before others, and depend upon those, out of which Gold and Silver have their beginning, middle and end, together with the true transmutation particularly; which virtues and power they have received out of one thing, wherein all these lie to be generated invisibly concealed, together with all Metals; which matter is publick before the eyes of all men, but because the vertues and powers are very deeply buried and unknown to the most part, therefore this matter is likewise esteemed as nothing, or of no value, and unprofitable, out of ignorance; even as the Disciples of the Lord going to Emaus, their eyes were opened at the breaking of Bread, that they knew wonder above wonder, what the rich Creator hath placed in the vile creature, the name is Hermes, who carries a flying Serpent in his Shield, having a Wife whose Name is Aphrodita, who can know the Hearts of all men, and yet all is one, and one only thing, one only Essence, which is common in all Places, and known every where, every one grasps it with his hands, and uses it in vile matters, and of small value; he values the vile at a high rate, and that which is high he casts away; it is nothing else but Water and Fire, out of which the Earth is generated by the help of the Air, and is yet preserved. Praise be to the most High for his Gifts: At present enough is revealed what my intent was to shew in this Treatise, and so I depart hence; for in separation all is to be found.

Of the Medicine or Tincture of Antimony, as well to preserve Mans Body in Health, and to divert all desperate, and incurable Diseases, as also to cure the Leprosie of Metals, to purifie and to transmute them into the best Gold. Written by that Noble and Learned Philosopher, Roger Bacon.

Stibium or Antimony, as the Philosophers say, is composed of a Noble Mineral Sulphur, which they accounted to be the black secret Lead of the Wise.

The Arabians call it Asmat or Azmat; the Alchymists retain the Name Antimony.

Addition. The Moors call it Antimony, others call it Alabaster, or Tarbason. By the Arabians and Spaniards it is called Alcohol. Avicennæ c. 7. calls it Artemed. Alexius of Piedmont, in his seventh Book of Secrets, calls it Talck, even as John Jacob Wecker renders it in his Books of Secrets; but Talck is far different from Antimony. Pliny, Book 33. Chap. 6. of Antimony. Dioscorides gives a preparation of Antimony, Book 5. Chap. 39. They call it also Stibi, Stimmi, &c. The Germans call it Spies glass, or as George Fabricius would rather have it, Spies glantz. Gerlandius calls it Black Alcophil, Altofel, or Alirnu, others Cosmet, and it is twofold, Masculine and Feminine.

It will lead us to the consideration of higher Mysteries, if we behold and discern that Nature wherein Gold is exalted, even as the Magi have found that this Mineral is by God ordained under the Constellation of Aries, which is the first Celestial Sign, wherein the Sun takes its Exaltation, though this be not regarded by the Vulgar; yet discreet people will know, and the better observe, that even in this place also the Mysteries and Perpetuity may in part be considered with great benefit, and in part discovered.

But some ignorant and indiscreet people think, that when they had Antimony, they would deal well enough with it by Calcination, others by Sublimation, and some by Reverberation, thereby to obtain its great Mystery and perfect Medicine. But I tell you, that here in this place it availes not in the least, either Calcination, Sublimation, or Reverberation, whereby afterwards a perfect extraction can or might be done or effected with profit, to transmute the meaner into a better Metallick virtue; for it is impossible for you.

Be not deluded; some of the Philosophers which have wrote of such things, as Geber, Albertus Magnus, Rasis, Rupecissa, Aristotle, and many others: But observe this: Some say, that if Antimony be made to a Vitrum or Glass, the bad volatile Sulphur is gone, and the Oil which may be prepared out of that Glass, will be a very fixt Oil, and will really give an ingress and Medicine of perfection to the imperfect Metals.

These words and opinion are good and true, but it will not be nor appear such indeed; for I tell you truly, without concealed speeches, that if you lose any of the aforesaid Sulphur in the Preparation or Burning, for a small fire may easily prejudice it, you then have lost the true penetrating Spirit, which should make the whole Body of Antimony to a perfect red Oyl, which should also ascend over the helm with a delightful sent, and curious Colours; observe likewise, that the whole Body of this Mineral, with all its Members, should be but one Oyl, and ascend over the helm without any loss of weight, excepting the feces.

How should the Body be brought to an