THE HERMETIC AND ALCHEMICAL WRITINGS

OF PARACELSUS.

THE

HERMETIC AND ALCHEMICAL

WRITINGSOF

AUREOLUS PHILIPPUS THEOPHRASTUS BOMBAST,OF HOHENHEIM, CALLED

PARACELSUS THE GREAT.NOW FOR THE FIRST TI:\IE FAITHFULLY TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH.

EDITED WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE, ELUCIDATORY NOTES, A COPIOUS HERMETIC

VOCABULARY, AND INDEX,

By ARTHUR ED\VARD WAITE.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

HERMETIC MEDICINE AND HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY.

197 6SHAMBHALA

BERKELEY

SHAMBHALA PUBLICATIONS, INC.

2045 Francisco StreetBerkeley, California 94709

ISBN 0-87773-083-0LCC 75-40261

Distributed in the United States by Random Houseand in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd.

Printed in the United States of America

This is a reprint of the 1894 edition published byJames Elliot & Co., London.

,...

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

VOLUME II.

PART II.

HERMETIC MEDICINE.

PAGE.THE ARCHIDOXIES OF THEOPHRASTUS PARACELSUS.

BOOK THE FIRST: concerning the Mystery of the Microcosm... 3

BOOK THE SECOND: concerning the Separation of the Elements 10

BOOK THE THIRD: on the Separation of the Elements from Metals 15Concerning the Separation of the Elements out of Marchasites. Concerning the Separa.

tion of the Elements from Stones. ConCf~rning the Separation of the Elements fromOleaginous Substances. Concerning the Separation of the Elements in Corporeal Resins.Concerning the Separation of the Elements from Herbs. Con-::erning the Separation of theElements from Fleshly Substances. The Separation of the Elements from Fishes. Con-cerning the Separation of the Elements from Watery Substances. Concerning the Separationof the Elements out of Water. Concerning the Separation of the Elements from Glasses andthose Substances which are of the Nature of Glass. Concerning the Separation of theElements in Fixed Substances. Concerning the Separation of Fire. Concerning theSeparation of Air. Concerning the Separation of Water. Concerning the Separation of theEarth.

BOOK THE FOURTH: concerning- the QuintessenceConcerning the Extraction of the Quintessence from Metals. Concerning the Extraction

of the Quintessence from Marchasites. Concerning the Extraction of the Quintessence fromSalts. Concerning the Extraction of the Quintessence from Stones, from Gems, and fromPearls. Concerning the Extraction of the Quintessence from Burning Things. Concerningthe Extraction of the Quintessence out of Growing Things. Concerning the Extraction ofthe Quintessence from Spices. Concerning the Extraction of the Quintessence from Eatablesand Drinkables.

22

BOOK THE FIFTH concerning Arcana 37Concerning the Arcanum of the Primal Matter. Concerning the Arcanum of the Philo.

sophers' Stone. Concerning the Mercurius Vita:. Concerning the Arcanum of the Tincture.

BOOK THE SIXTH: concerning Magisteries

Concerning the Extraction of the Magistery from Metals. The Extraction of the Magis.tery out of Pearls, Corals, and Gems. Concerning the Extraction of the Magistery out ofMarchasites. 'Concerning the Extraction of the Magistery from Fatty Substances. TheExtraction of the Magistery from Growing Things. Concerning the Extraction of theMagistery out of Blood.

VI. The Hermetze and A Ichemcal Writngs 0/ Paracelsus.PAGE.

BOOK THE SEVENTH: concerning Specifics ..

Concerning the Odoriferou~ Specific. Concerning the Anodyne Specific. Concerningthe Diaphoretic Specific. Concerning the Purgative Specific. Concerning the AttractiveSpecific. Concerning the Styptic Specific. Concerning the Corrosive Specifics. Concerningthe Specific of the Matrix.

BOOK THE EIGHTH: concerning Elixirs

On Preservation and Conservation by Elixirs. Concerning t"e First Elixir, that i~, ofBalsam. Concerning the Elixir of Salt, by the force of which the body is conserved. Con-cerning the Third Elixir, namely, of Sweetness. Concerning the Fourth Elixir, which isthat of Quintessences. The Fifth Elixir is that of Subtlety. The Sixth Elixir, which is thatof Propriety.

BOOK THE NI~TH: concerning External Diseases ...A Remedy for Wounds. A Remedy for Ulcer. A Remedy against Spots.

59

69

77

BOOK THE TENTH: the Key of Theophrastus Paracelsus Bornbast

von Hohenheim, from a German Manuscript Codex of Great

Antiquity. Comprised in a Preface and Ten Separate

Chapters 81

The Preface. Chapter I.: concerning the Separatioll of the Elements. Chapter II. :concerning the Quintessence. Chapter III.: concerning Magisteries. The Preparation ofCirculated Salt. Chapter IV. : concerning First Entities; and primarily concerning theExtraction of the Quintessence or First Entity of Common Mercury. Chapter V.: con-cerning Arcana. Chapter VI. : concerning the Arcanum of the Stone, or of the Heaven ofthe Metals. Chapter VII. : concerning the Arcanum of the Mercurius Vita:. Chapter VIII. :concerning the Great Composition, being the chief of our secrets in medicine. Chapter IX. :concerning the Corporal Balsam, or Mercury of the Sun. Chapter X.: concerning theComposition of the Spiritual Balsam, and of the Balsam of the Coagulated Body.

THE MANUAL OR TREATISE CONCERNING THE MEDICINAL PHILOSOPHIC

STONE 94Preface to the Reader. The Preparation of the Matter of the Stone. The Remainder of

the Preparation. The Use of the Stone.

A BOOK CONCERNING LONG LIFE 108

THE BOOK CONCERNING RENOV ATlON AND RI!:STORATlON 124

The First Entity of Minerals. The First Entity of Gems. The First Entity of Herbs.The First Entity of Liquids.

A LITTLE BOOK CONCERNING THE QUINTESSENCEConcerning the Quintessence out of Oil, also of the Salt of the same. Concerning the Oil

or Quintessence of Silver and its Salt. Oil of !vI ars. Oil of Saturn. Oil and Salt of Jupiter.Of the Quintessence of Antimony. Concerning Oil and S;tlt out of Marchasite. Oil out ofCommon Salt. Oil and Salt of Coral, also of Crystal. Oil and Salt of Pearls. Of theEssence and Salt of Things growing on the Earth. The Method of separating Oil and Saltfrom Oil of Olh'es. Red Water out of Oil of Olives. Manufacture of Salt from the RedWater. Method of Extracting the Oil and Salt from Pepper. Oil out of Gums. Preparationof Colocynth.

ALCHEMY THE THIRD COLUMN OF MEDICINE

137

THE LABYRINTHUS MEDICORUM concerning the Book of Alchemy,

without which no one can become a Physician 165

Table of Contents.

CONCERNI~G THE DEGREES AND COMPOSITIONS OF RECIPES AND OFNATURAL THINGS IN ALCHEMY.

VII.

PAGE.

THE PREFACE of Theophrastus Eremite of Hohenheim to thosedesirous of the Medical Art 169

BOOK THE FIRST... 172

BOOK THE SECOND 178

BOOK THE THIRD.. 185

BOOK THE FOURTH 191

BOOK THE FIFTH... 196

CONCERNING PREPARATIONS IN ALCHEMICAL MEDICINE.

TREATISE I.: concerning Antimony and Marcasite of Silver,White and Red Cachimia, Fluidic and Solid Talc, Thutia,Calamine, and Litharge 199

TREATISE II.: concerning Bloodstone, Arsenic, Sulphur, Saxi-frage, and Orpiment 208

TREATISE III.: concerning Gems, transparent and otherwise;Corals, the Magnet, Crystal, Rubies, Garnets, Sapphires,Emeralds, Hyacinths, etc. 214

TREATISE IV.: concerning Salts, including Sal Gemmre, SalEntali, Sal Peregrinorum, Aluminous Salt, Sal Alkali, SalNitri, Sal Anatron, Sal Terrre, and Salt from Vitriol 219

TREATISE V.: concerning Metals, namely, Gold, Silver, Tin,Copper, Iron, Lead, Mercury 225

THE ALCHEMICAL PROCESS AND PREPARATION OF THE SPIRIT OF VITRIOL,by which the Four Diseases are cured, namely, Epilepsy, Dropsy,Small Pox, and Gout. To abolish those errors which are usuallycommitted by Philosophers, Artists, and Physicians 231

The Process. An Addendum on Vitriol. Of the Oil of Red Vitriol. The White andGreen Oil of Vitriol.

THE ALCHEMIST OF NATURE, being the Spagyric Doctrine concerningthe Entity of Poison 237

PART II.

HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY.

THE PHILOSOPHY ADDRESSED TO THE ATHENIANS.

BOOK THE FIRST ... 249

_.../

rVlli. The Ifermetic and Alchemical Writings oj' Pa1'acelsus.PAGE.

BOOK THE SECOND

BOOK THE THIRD ...

HERMETIC ASTRONOMY.

PREFACE TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE STARS 282

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE STARS 284

THE END OF THE BIRTH AND THE CONSIDERATION OF THE STARS 289Concerning Man and the Matter out of which man was made. Astrology. Magic.

Divination. Nigromancy. Signature. Uncertain Arts. Manual Art. Proof in AstrologicalScience. Proof in the Science of Magic. Proof in the Science of Divination. Proofs inNigromancy. Proof in the Science of Signature. Proof in Uncertain Arts. The End of theProof in Uncertain Arts. Proof in Manual Mathematical Science. Concerning the Know.ledge of Stars. Another Schedule. Schedule concerning the Proof of Magic.

APPENDICES.

ApPENDIX I.: concerning the Three Prime Essences 317

ApPENDIX II.: a Book concerning Long Life.

BOOK THE FIRST ... 323

BOOK THE SECOND 332

BOOK THE THIRD 339

BOOK THE FOURTH 344

ApPENDIX III.: a Short Lexicon of Alchemy, explaining the chiefTerms used by Paracelsus and other Hermetic Philosophers 348

INDEX 387

PART II.

HERMETIC MEDICINE.

THE ARCHIDOXIES OF THEOPHRASTUS PARACELSUS."

BOOK I.

CONCERNING THE MYSTERY OF THE MICROCOSM. t

I F, my dearest sons, we consider the misery by which we are detained in agross and gloomy dwelling, exposed to hunger and to many and variousaccidents, from all sources, by which we are overwhelmed and surrounded,

we see that we could scarcely flourish, or even live, so long as we followedthe medicine prescribed by the ancients. For we were continually hedged inby calamities and bitter conditions, and were boun,f with terrible chains.Every day things became worse with us, as with others who were weighed inthe same balance, whom also the ancients have not so far been able to help orto heal by means of their books. We do not in this place advance the differentcauses of this misfortune. This only we say, that many teachers by followingthe ancient methods have acquired for themselves much wealth, credit, andrenown, though they did not deserve it, but got together such great resourcesby simple lies. From which consideration we have wished to elaborate andwrite this memorial work of ours, that we might arrive at a more complete andhappier method of practice, since there are presented to us those mysteriesof Nature which are too wonderful to be ever thoroughly investigated.

The ten books of the Arcltidoxies stand in the same relation to Hermetic Medicine as the nine books COllcerni,tg--tke Nature of Thillg-s stand to Hermetic Chemistry and the science of metallic transmutation. They appear to havebeen reckoned among the most important works of Paracelsus, and the editions are exceedingly numerous. Thatwhich has been selected for translation is derived from the Geneva folio.

t The :Microcosmos itself is to be understood thus, namely, as consisting of the four elements,.and it is these invisibly.It is for~ed after the image of Him who created alJ things, and yet it has remained a creature. Therefore, it is par-tialJy one with the earth, because like the earth it has need of the other elements, heaven, air, and fire. -Dt! Hydropisi.This, therefore, is the condition of the Microcosmos, or smalJer world. It contains in its body all the minerals of theworld. Consequently the body acquires its own medicine from the world. Hence it is clear that all minerals areuseful to man, if anyone of these be joined to its corresponding mineral in the body of the Microcosm. He who lacksthis knowledge is by no means a philosopher or physician, for if a physician affirms that a certain marcasite is useful forthis or that, it is first of all needful that he should know what is the marcasite of the world and what is the marcasiteof the human body.-Paramirllm, Lib. IV. De Matrice. There is a vast variety of things contained in the body ofthe Microcosm which elude the observation of the senses, though God, the Creator, has willed them to exist in thatstructure. There are, for example, more than a thousand species of trees, stones, minerals, manna, and metals. Evenas the incredible magnitude of the Sun appears smalJ to us by reason of its distance, so other things may be made tolook small which are placed nearer at hand, and thus we come to understand that He who filled the sheIJ of the heavenwith so many and such great bodies, was able to include as many and as great wonders in the body of the Microcosm.Accordingly, know that the mysteries of the Microcosm are to be mystically understood-that is, we are no to measurelocal things according to proportion or substance, but must all the more arduously enquire in what matter we are toexpect the effect of any agent.-De Callsis et Orig-ine Luis GallietE, Lib. V., c. 10.

B2

4 The Hermetic and A !chemical Writngs if Parace/sus.Wherefore we have come to consider how that art can be reconciled with themysteries of Nature, in opposition to those who, so far, have not been ableto arrive at the art at all.

The strength of this mystery of Nature is hindered by the bodily structure,just as if one were bound in a prison with chains and fetters. From this themind is free. For in its operation this mystery is like fire in green wood,which seeks to burn, but cannot on account of the moisture.

Since, then, hindrance arises from this source, one had to see how to getfree from it. For such freedom being secured, this art of separation can onlybe compared to the art of the apothecaries, as light is compared to darkness.And this we say not in mere arrogance, but on account of the great fraudspractised by apothecaries and physicians. Wherefore, not undeservedly, wecall them darkness, or caves of robbers and impostors, since in them manypersons are treated for gain by ignorant men; persons who, if they were notrich, would at once be pronounced healthy, since the practitioners know thatthere is no remedy or help for these people in their consultations.

This, then, is worthy to be called an art, which teaches the mysteries ofNature j which, by means of the quintessence, can cure a contraction andbring about health in the space of four days, whereas otherwise death wouldbe the result. A wound, too, can be healed in twenty-four hours, whichwould scarcely yield to bodily treatment in as many days. Let us, therefore,readily approach by experiment this separation of the mysteries of Naturefrom the hindrances of the body.

First, then, we have to consider what is of all things most useful to manand most excellent. It is to learn the mysteries of Nature, by which \ve candiscover what God is and what man is, and what avails a kno\vledge of heavenlyeternity and earthly weakness. Hence arises a knowledge of theology, ofjustice, of truth, since the mysteries of Nature are the only true life of man,and those things are to be imitated which can be known and obtained fromGod as the Eternal Good. For although many things are gained in medicine,and many more in the mysteries of Nature, nevertheless after this life theEternal Mystery remains, and what it is we have no foundation for asserting,save that which has been revealed to us by Christ. And hence arises theignorant stupidity of theologians, who try to interpret the mysteries of God,whereof they know not the least jot j and what it is not possible for man toformulate, namely, the will of Him who gave the mystery. But that word ofHis they twist to their own pride and avarice; from whence arise misleadingstatements, which every day increase more and more. Hence it comes thatwe lightly value, nay, think nothing at all of that reason which is notevidently founded on the mysteries. In like manner the jurists have sanc-tioned laws according to their own opinions, which shall secure themselvesagainst loss, though the safety of the State be imperilled.

Seeing, then, that in these faculties so many practices have come intovogue which are contrary to equity, let us dismiss the same to their proper time.

The A rchidoxies oj' Theophrastus Paracelsus. 5I

Nor do we care much for the vain talk of those who say more about God thanHe has revealed to them, and pretend to understand Him so thoroughly as ifthey had been in his counsels; in the meantime abusing us and depreciatingthe mysteries of Nature and of philosophy, about all of which they are utterlyignorant. The dishonest cry of these men is their principal knowledge,whereby they give themselves out to be those on whom our faith depends, andwithout whom heaven and earth would perish.

o consummate madness and imposture on the part of human creatures,in place whereof It would be more just that they should esteem themselves tobe nought but unprofitable servants! Yet we, by custom imitating them,easily learn, together with them, to bend the word of our Teacher and Creatorto our own pride. But since this word is not exactly known to us, can onlybe apprehended by faith, and is founded on no human reason, howeverspecious, let us rather cast off this yoke, and investigate the mysteries ofNature, the end whereof approves the foundation of truth; and not only let usinvestigate these, but also the mysteries which teach us to -fulfil the highestcharity. And that is the treasure of the chief good which in this writing ofour Archidoxies we understand in a material way.

From the aforesaid foundation we have drawn OUt medicine by experi-ment, wherein it is made clear to the eye that things are so. Then, corningto its practice, we divide this our book of Archidoxies into ten, as a sort of aidto the memory, so that we may not forget these matters, and at the same timemay speak of them so far openly that we may be understood by our disciples,but not by the common people, for whom we do not wish these mattersto be made too clear. We do not care to open our mind and thoughts andheart to those deaf ears, just as we do not wish to disclose them toimpious men; but we shall endeavour to shut off our secrets from them bya strong wall gnd a key. And if by chance this our labour shall not besufficiently safeguarded from those idiots who are enemies of all true arts, weshall forbear writing the tenth book, concerning the uses of those whichprecede it, so that we may not give the children's meat to the dogs.Nevertheless, the other nine will be sufficiently understood by our owndisciples.

And, to speak more plainly of these matters, it must be known that inthis treatise on the microcosm are proved and demonstrated all those pointswhich it contains, \vhich also embrace medicine, as well as those matterswhich are interconnected therewith. The subject of the microcosm is boundup with medicine and ruled by it, following it none otherwise than a bridledhorse follows him whQ leads it, or a mad dog bound with chains. Inthis way I understand that medicine attracts Nature and everything that haslife. Herein three things meet us, which shew by what forces they arefilled and produced. Firstly, in what way the five senses are assisted bythe mysteries of Nature, though those senses do not proceed from Nature,nor spring naturally as a herb from its seed, since there is no material which

6 The Hermetic and Alchemical Writng,- -j Paracelsus.produces them. Secondly, the mobility of the body is to be considered:whence it proceeds, by what power it is moved and exercised, and in whatmanner it is ministered to. Thirdly, there must be a knowledge of all theforces in the body, and what forces apply to each member, and are trans-muted according to the same nature as the particular limb, when originallythey are identical in Nature.

First, then, we will speak of these senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste,and smell. The following example teaches us. The eyes have a materialsubstance, of which they are composed, as it is handed down in the com-position of the body. So of the other senses. But vision itself does notproceed from the same source as the eye; nor the hearing from sound, or fromthe same source as the ears; nor touch from flesh, nor taste from the tongue,nor smell from the nostrils, any more than reason proceeds from thebrain; but these are the bodily instruments, or rather the envelopes in whichthe senses are born. For it must not be understood that these senses dependsolely on the favour of God, in the sense that they do not belong to the natureof man, but are infused solely by the grace of God above and beyond allNature, to the end that, if one were born blind, the mighty \vorks of Godmight be made known to us. We must not think so in this case. For theabovementioned senses have each their own body, imperceptible, impalpable,just as the root of the body, on the other hand, exists in a tangible form. Forman is made up of two portions, that is to say, of a material and aspiritual body. Matter gives the body, the blood, the flesh; but spirit giveshearing, sight, feeling, touch, and taste. When, therefore, a man is borndeaf, this happens from a defect of the domicile in which hearing should bequartered. For the spiritual body does not complete its work in a situationwhich is badly disposed.

Herein, then, are recognised the mighty things of God, that there are twobodies, an eternal and a corporeal, enclosed in one, as is made clear in theGeneration of Men. 'Itt Medicine acts upon the house by purging it, so that thesplntual body may be able to perfect its actions therein, like civet 111 a pureand uncontaminated casket.

Coming next to the power of motion in the body, let us inquire whence itis produced and has its origin, that is, how the body unites itself to the medi.cine so that the faculty of motion is increased. The matter is thus to beunderstood. Everything that lives has its own motion from Nature. This is

Q The treatise Dc Gcncrationc Hominis, to which reference is here made, appears to be fragmentary in character.It regards the generation of all growing things as twofold-one where the nature and the semen are contained ill asingle essence, the other where the essence of the nature exists without the semen. In man it recognises the existenceof four complexions, and it distinguishes between the outward and the interior man. Men, as regards their mortal part,are nothing but mere cattle. There is, however, an internal man wherein there is no nature of the animal, and toconsider him in this his true nature must be counted among the higlrest branches of philosophy. There is an immortalas well ai a corruptible body of man, and it is in this, by the infusion of God's power, that reason, discernment, wisdom,doctrine, art, and generally whatsoever is above mortality, do alone inhere. Man, therefore, endowed with wisdomand subtlety, can emerge from his external body. All wisdom and intelligence which man enjoys is eternal with thishody, and man the interior can live after another manner than can man the outer. This internal man is illustrated andclothed upon with truth for ever,

The A rchido::cies 0.1 TheojJhrastus Parace/sus. 7sufficiently proved of itself so far as natural motion is concerned. But themotion of which we think may be described as that which springs from thewill, as, for example, in lifting the arm one may ask how this is done, when Ido not see any instrument by which I influence it; but that takes place whichI desire to take place. So one must judge with leaping, walking, running, andother matters which occur in opposition to, or outside of, natural motion.They have their origin in this, that intention, a powerful mistress, exists abovemy notions in the following manner. The intention or imagination kindlesthe vegetative faculty as the fire kindles wood-as we describe more particu-larly in our treatise on the Imagination. lit No'where is it more powerful tofulfil its operations than in its own body where it exists and lives. So, in everybody, nothing is more easily kindled than the vegetative soul, because it runsand walks by itself and is disposed for this very purpose. For, even as ahidden or buried fire blazes forth so soon as it is exposed and catches the air,so my mind is intent upon seeing something. I cannot with my hands directmy eyes whither I will; but my imagination turns them whithersoever it ismy pleasure to look. So, too, as to my motion must it be judged. If Idesire to advance and arbitrarily propose this to myself, at once my body isdirected to one or the other place fixed on by myself. And the more this isimpressed on me by my imagination and thought, the more quickly I run. Inthis way, Imagination is the motive-power of my running. None otherwisedoes medicine purify those bodies in which there is a spiritual element, whenceit happens that their motion is more easily perfected.

Thirdly, it must be understood that in the body a distribution is madeover all the members of everything which is presented to it, either without orwithin. In this distribution a change takes place by which things are modified,so that one part subserves the constitution of the heart, another accommodatesitself to the nature of the brain; and of the rest in like manner. For thebody attracts to itself in two ways, from within and from without. Within, itattracts whatever is taken through the mouth. Externally, it attracts air,

v D~ Virtute Imagillativa is another treatise which has survivell only in a mutilated state. It further insists onthe didsion of man into two bodies, the one visible and the other indsible, hut is devoted to the consideration of thesecond only. The imagination is the mouth of the body which is not visible. It is also the sun of man which actswithin its own sphere after the manner of the celestial luminary. It irradiates the earth, which is man, just as thematerial sun shines upon the material world. As the one operates corporeally, so works the other, after a parallelmanner, spiritually. And as the sun sends its force on a spot which it shines upon, so also the imagination, like a star,bursts upon the tlJing which it affects. 1\or are all things posited in heat and cold only, but in every operation. Asthe sun works corporeally and effects this or that, so also the imagination, by giving fire and fuel, effects all thingswhich the sun effects, not that it has need of instruments, but that it makes those things with which it burns. Considerthe matter as follows: He who wishes to burn anything needs flint, fire, fuel, brimstone, a candle, etc., and so heobtains fire; hut if the sun seeks to burn, it requires none of these things, doing all things together and at once, no onebeholding it~ steel. Such also is the imagination. It tinges and paints its own surface, but no one sees its pencil,ceruse, or pigments; all things take place with it at once, just as fire. from the sun bursts forth without any corporealinstrument. Let no one, therefore, be surprised that from the imagination corporeal works should proceed, since similarresults are manifest with other things. The whole heaven, indeed, is nothing el~e but an imagination. Heaven worksin man, stirs up pests, fevers, and other things, but it does not produce these by corporeal instruments, but after thesame manner that the sun burns. The sun, indeed, is of one power only, the moon of one power only, and everyseparate star is of one power only. Man, however, is altogether a star. Even as he imagines himself to be, such he is,and he i~ that also which he imagines. If he imagines fire, there results fire; if war, there ensues war; and so on inlike manner. This is the whole reason why the imagination is in itself a complete sun.

8 The Hennetc and A lchemzcal Writz'ngs 0/ Paracelsus.earth, water, and fire. Thus, then, the subject is to be arranged and defined.Those matters which are received from within need not be described. Theyare known by the foundation of our nature, what they are which are distri-buted, and we shall speak subsequently as to their division. But, externally,one must understand whatever is necessary to itself the body attracts from thefour elements. Unless this were done the internal nutriment would not sufficeto sustain the life of man. For instance, moisture, not existing constitu-tionally in the body, is extracted by the body itself from water, whence ithappens that if one stands or sits in water, it is not necessary that he satisfieshis thirst from without. It does not, indeed, take place in the same way thatheat is extinguished by water, like fire; but the internal heat attracts to itselfthe moisture from without, and imbibes it just as though it were from within.Hence it happens that in the Alps cattle are able to remain the whole summerwithout drinking; the air is drink for them, or supplies its place: and thesame should be judged with regard to man.

The nature of man, too, may be sustained in the absence of food, if thefeet are planted in the earth. Thus we have seen a man who lived sixmonths without food and was sustained only by this method: he wore a clodof earth on his stomach, and, when it got dry, took a new and fresh one.He declared that during the whole of that time he never felt hungry. Thecause of this we shew in the treatise on the Appetite of Nature. *

So, in the matter of medicine, we have seen a man sustain himself formany years by the quintessence of gold, taking each day scarcely half ascruple of it. In the same way, there have been many others who for so longas twenty years ate nothing, as I remember to have seen in our times. Thiswas by some attributed to the piety and goodness of the persons themselves,or even to God, which idea we would be the last to impugn or to criticise.But this, nevertheless, is an operation of Nature; insomuch that sorrow andmental despondency take away hunger and thirst to such an extent that thebody can sustain itself for many years by its own power of attraction. So,then, food and drink are not thus arranged that it is absolutely necessary weshould eat bread or meats, or drink wine or water, but we are able to sustainour life on air and on clods of earth; and whatever is appointed for food, weshould believe is so appointed that we should taste and try it, as we shallshew more at length in the {( Monarchy of God."t Let us, however, concedethis point-that on account of our labours and such things, it cannot be thatwe do without temporal and bodily food, and that for many causes. Where-fore food was ordained for this purpose, just as medicine was against diseases.

We will make a distinction of things entering into the body after thefollowing fashion, that they are distributed through every parf of it noneotherwise than as if ardent wine be poured into water. The water acquires

.. There i~ no treatise extant on the Appdite 0./ Nature.t There is abo no treatise extant under the title of Tlte ,Jloltarchy 0./ God. Tlu Aurora 0./ tke Philosophers ill

tht: .1ItJllan'!t;(t 0./ Pay,/ce!ms, but, as will be seen, it is wh011y chemical.

The Archidoxies oj' Theophrastus Pa1'acelsus. 9the odour of the wine because the wine is distributed through its wholevolume; and, in the same way, when ink is poured into wine the whole of thewine is thereby blackened.

So, too, in the human body, the vital moisture immediately diffuseswhatever is received, and more quickly than in the examples we have cited.

But under what form the substance received becomes transmuted dependsentirely on the nature of the members that receive it, just as if bread beconveyed into a man it becomes the flesh of a man, if into a fish the flesh of afish, and so on. In the same way, it must be understood that the substancesreceived are transmuted by the natural power of the members, and areappropriated according to the nature of the parts which take them up. Alike judgment must be passed upon medicines, namely, that they are trans-muted into members according to the properties of those members. For thelimbs gain their own force and virtue from the substance of medicines peculiarto themselves, according to the good or bad dispersion of them, and accordingas the medicine itself was subtle or gross. This is the case with thequintessence; its transmutation will be stronger and more effectual. But if itbe thick it remains the same, just as a picture acquires its tint, its beauty, orits deformity from its colours, and if these be more vivid it will be the same.Wherefore, in order that we may have experience of lij{e matters to fall backupon in those things which happen to us, and that we may lay them up in ourmemory, so as to have them ready in case of need, we will write these ninebooks, keeping the tenth shut up in our own brain on account of the thanklessidiots. Nevertheless, to our own disciples, these things shall be madesufficiently clear.

And let no one wonder at the school of our learning. Though it becontrary to the courses and methods of the ancients, still it is firmly based onexperience, which is mistress of all things, and by which all arts should beproved.

THE END OF THE PROLOGUE AND OF THE FIRST BOOK OF THE ARCHIDOXIES

ON THE MICROCOSM, OUT OF THE THEOPHRASTIA.

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE ARCHIDOXIES,

FROM THE THEOPHRASTIA OF PARACELSUS THEOPHRASTUS.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATIONS OF THE ELEMENTS.

BEFORE we approach a description of the separatIons of the elements,we shall explain this separation, for the greater and clearer under-standing thereof, seeing that certain matters written about the generation

of things are not altogether consonant with the separations of the elements.For every matter is more readily brought to its appropriate end, where matureand intellectual consideration is given beforehand as to what its end may be.Thence the practice becomes clearer. We say, then, that the four elementsexist together in all things, and out of them arises to everyone of these thingsits predestined c~ndition. In this way you may understand how it comesabout that these four elements, differing so widely from one another, areable to agree and coexist without mutual destruction. Whereas the mixtureof the elements is united and strengthened by predestination, it results thatno weight is taken account of in them, but the power of one is greater thanof another j by which, indeed, it is understood that in the digest and fermentof the predestination, that ,vhich is strongest will preponderate and conquerand subdue the other elements. In this way, the remaining three elementscannot attain their perfection, but stand related to that perfect element as

II> The light of Nature teaches that God has separated and divided everything, so that it can exist by itself. Thu5are separated light and darkness without any mutual damage, as day and night prove. Moreover, He has alsoseparated the metals, each into its property. Thus, gold has its vein, iron has its minera, silver has its brilliancy.Lastly, every metal has its proper domicile. Moreover, He has separated from one another the marcasites and thegenera of salts ; in 'the same manner also summer and winter, elements, herbs, fruits, and every growing thing, so tk,twe hence see how God has created various species from a single Iliaster, while the species of his workshop surpass allthe number of the sands. He has so adorned heaven and earth that what they contain can never be sufficientlyrecognised and considered.-Dr Bllbzeis Piperillis, c. I. The philosophy of separation in preparing specifics is thusdeveloped in treating of the cure of ulcers. You must also understand concerning separation that there is nothing sonoxious but that it has its peculiar use, like the spider, which in addition to its venom possesses a marvellous power forcuring all chronic fevers. Good and bad are equally necessary in the constitution of our arcanum, for both the venomand the antidote, the sweet and the bitter, are in the body. Further, it has been proved that all colours and allsavours exist in the body. Inasmuch as there exist three colours in Saturn--yellow, white, and red; in Mars alsothree-purple, red, and black; notwithstanding neither Saturn nor Mars are a colour. Thus we must judge it to be thecase with the colours of Salts by means of separation; and just as the n~dness of Saturn tinges with a red, and theyellow with a yellow colour, by virtue of separation, similarly, alumen works as alumen and salt as salt in ulcers.Concerning the wonders of separation it should be remembered what happens concerning vinegar. 'Vho would judge byhis senses that vinegar was present ill uncorrupted wine? Nevertheless, no one can doubt that it is there. Similarly,in Venus there is vitriol. Indeed, Venus herself is vitriol, and by separation can be reduced into vitriol. Yet no onewould rightly say that Venus was vitriol. Wherefcre we must judge concerning separation that it is of the form butnot of the species, as in the conversion of Venus into a salt.-Chiruria I1hlglla, Part III., Lib. IV.

The Archidoxies of Theophrastus Paracelsus. I Ithe light matter in wood. Wherefore they are not to be called elements, sincethey are not all perfect, but only one. When, therefore, we speak of the fourelements, which finally exist in all things, we are not to understand definitelyso that there are four perfect elements therein, but that there is only onesuch finished element, the rest remaining imperfect through the potency ofthat excelling element. Hence it happens that they are able to meet andcoexist, because in three of them there is no perfection. On which account,too, no corruption can prevail by reason of their contrarieties. Moreover,that an element is predominant in one kind arises from the fact that it ishereto predestinated. Hence no corruption or confusion can accrue, as welay it down in our treatise on Generations.*

Since, then, there is only one element specially present in everything, itavails not to seek the four elements in things, seeing that three of theseelements are not in a state of perfection. In a word, we must understandthat the four elements are in all things, but not actually four complications.The matter stands thus: A substance contains water, and then it i~ nenu-far. Besides this element thHe exists in it no earth, air, or fire. Thereis no appearance of heat or dryness in it. It has no peculiar operati6n ;but the predestination thereof is water; and the element of water is theonly one under which is no dryness nor heat, accqrding to its congenitalnature. Though matters be thus, however, yet notwithstanding the threeelements are involved in it, still the things have not their origin in those threeelements which are not produced in a perfect state, nor have they beginningor aid from them, but from that predestinated element which is united toand impressed upon that particular kind.

Now, although this is at variance with the vulgar philosophy, namely,that one predestinated element has of its own nature the other three elementscohering with it, still it is credible that the element and the substance differthe one from the other. It may be understood thus: the substance is notfrom that element which gives thereto its special tinge and elementary form;nor, again, are these elements from the substance, but they agree at thesame time uniformly, as the body and soul agree. But now every body, asfor example of some growing thing, has its own conformation; so has theelement. Although the element itself is not visible in the body of the growingthing, or tangible, or demonstrable, because the element is stronger, byreason of its subtlety, and subdues the other elements of the growing thing.They are all, however, in the body, but imperceptibly, just as when water'ismixed with vinegar the water becomes like the vinegar; and although thevinegar shall have changed the whole essence of the water, still the complex-ion of the water remains unchanged, nor does it on that account become

>Ii Both from the text and the notes of this translation the reader will see that there are several treatises byParacelsus on Generations of various kinds, not excepting some fragments upon the generation of fools, who appear, inthe days of Paracelsus, to have abounded in the high places of science and religion. The reference above may beeither to the Generation if the Elements or to the first book Concerning- the lIrature of Thing-s.

12 The Hermelic and A /chemical J-Vy"ilings of Paracelsus.vinegar, but remains water as it was before. And although it does not displaythe properties of water, yet it does not follow that it does not still possessthose properties.

In these propositions we wish to make it clear in what way the separationsof the elements are to be brought about, concerning which two methods ofpractice need to be understood. One is that with which agrees the separationof the predestined element, and this we shall elucidate in our treatise on theQuintessence. The other is that to which belong the four substantialelements in growing things. By this it is understood that the Quintessenceexists as a predestined element, and that it cannot be separated from itself,hut only from the three elements, as follows in the treatise on the Quintessence.But when we speak of the separations of the four elements, we understandthose four which are essentially in the body. Hence have arisen variouserrors, because the four elements have been sought in the predestined element,and also in addition the Quintessence, which cannot in any way come to pass.

Moreover, it must be known \vhen the elements of bodies are to beseparated, that one exists as fire, another as water, a third is like air, and afourth like earth, according to their complications, because elements sometimesappear with their own forms, and at other times with complications, forexample, water as water, air as air, earth as earth, and fire as fire. Thesematters must be subtly understood, and this can be done by means of asimilitude, if they are taken for the union of the elements not visibly or in act,or according to the element of fire, but as the environment is warm and drylike fire. In this way its own nature, essence, and condition is assigned toeach element, without any breach of propriety. For it is not supposed,because any particular herb is especially warm, as the nettle, that on thisaccount it contains within itself more fire, but rather it is supposed that itsown Quintessence is warmer than the Quintessence of the chamomile, which,indeed, has less heat. But the elements of a body receive less or more fromtheir own substance, as, for instance, wood contains within itself more firethan herbs do; and, in like manner, stones have in them more dryness andearth than resins have. Note, also, in like manner, that the bulk and quantityof degree in a Quintessence arises from the predestined element. And theintensity of degree in bodily elements springs out of the appearance of thesubstance which is unlike.

But we must come to the practice of separating bodily elements from allother things, and this is twofold. One, indeed, teaches us to draw out thethree elements from the pure elements as from burning fire, from invisibleair, from true earth, and in like manner from natural water, which have notan origin similar to the preGeding ones. Another method of practice is withthose things out of which these four elements exist, as we have said above,with such difference, however, that this exhibits more of the element of fire,of water, of earth, or of air, with a likeness to the form of the essentialelements. When they have been separated in this way they can never bt;

The A rchidoxies of Theophrastus Paracelsus. 13further dissolved, for instance, it is impossible that they should be corruptedbeyond their complexions.

It must also be considered that the elements are found by separation tobe formally like the essential elements. For air appears like air; and thesame cannot in any way be enclosed, as some falsely think, for this reason,because at once, in the moment of separation, it levitates itself, and sometimesbursts forth as \vind, and ascends sometimes with the water, sometimes withthe earth, and at other times with the fire. And, indeed, this levitation orelevation in the air is very wonderful. ] ust as if the air were to be separatedfrom the essential element of water, it would be done by boiling. Whenthis begins to take place the air is soon separated from the water, carries offwith itself the very light substance of the water, and in proportion as thewater is diminished, so the air itself decreases according to its proportion andquantity.

And it must be remarked here that no one of the elements can beconceived or had without air, though of the rest one can be had withoutanother. We do not, therefore, undertake the task of separating the air,since it is in the other three elements, just as life is in the body. For when itis separated from the body all things perish, as we clearly shew in thefollowing practical treatise on separations. Four methods must be consideredat this point; one, indeed, in watery bodies, that is, in herbs, which havemore water than any of the other elements. A second is in fiery bodies, suchas woods, resins, oils, roots, and the like, which contain within themselvesmore of the fiery substance than of others. A third is to be understood ofearthy bodies, which are stones, clays, and earths. The fourth is airy, andthis is in all the other three, as we have mentioned. In like manner, also,concerning the pure elements, there are just so many ways to be considered,in the same manner as has been said above concerning the four preceding.

Hence it is easy to learn what the elements are, and how they are tobe separated. And among these the separations of the metals first meet us,wherein there are peculiar predestined virtues which are wanting in the otherelements. For, although all the elements are alike in form, in heat, in cold,in moisture, and in dryness, still, the dryness or damp, or heat or cold, is notthe same in one as in another. In some it is apprqpriative, but in othersspecific; and this in various ways, as in each kind they are producedpeculiarly and essentially, since no kind of the elements is precisely 'likeanother in its properties.

So, also, it must be laid down with regard to the separation of mar-chasltes, which differ from other substances both in the practice and in theirelementary nature. For every kind is disposed in a particular separation, andmust be dealt with in a special way. Stones and gems must demonstratetheir elements afterwards, since they appear in no way similar to the others.

Then, too, salts exist in a peculiar and most excellent nature, with moreabundant properties than appear in other substances. There is also a different

14 The Hermett'c and A !chemical Writings if Paracelsus.essence in herbs, which in no way agree with minerals, nor can they be alikeso far as relates to their nature. Moreover, the property of woods, of fruits,of barks, and the like, is peculiar; so, too, of flesh, of drinks, and allcomestibles, and of things not good or pure, but bad and impure, which haveto be separated into their elements.

Of that separation concerning which we think, two methods are found.One consists of the separation of any element confined by itself in a peculiarvessel, without the corruption of its own forces, the air excepted.

There is another method of the separation of the pure from the impurefrom among the four el~ments, namely, in the following way. After theelements have been separated, that is to say, one from the other, they havestill a dense substance; and, on this account, there follows another similarseparation of the already separated elements. Now, we purpose to makeclear the practical method in all these cases. For in the first place it must beknown that the quintessence of things is to be separated and extracted in thisway, because, indeed, the elements of bodies in the nature of a quintessenceare not subdued but are left with them. So it is able to tinge these elementsmore strongly or more lightly. Hence it comes to be understood that theforces in the elements do not perish when the predestined element, that is, thequintessence, is extracted; for this itself is elemental and separable so far asrelates to its elementary form, but not as to diverse natures, as is clear fromthe treatise on the quintessence.

By separations of this kind all elemental infirmities can be cured by onesImple method, namely, if the one set of predestinations oppose the other, aswe have laid it down in the treatise on predestinations. In these words wehave sufficiently unfolded the initial stage of separations. Wherefore wecan now speed on to the practice of them; and here there is a tenfold variety:one of metals; a second of marchasites; a third of stones; a fourth ofoleaginous matters; a fifth of resins; a sixth of herbs; a seventh of flesh;an eighth of juices; a ninth of vitreous substances; and a tenth of fixedthings. For these separations of the elements three methods are adopted:one by distillations; a second by calcinations; and the third by sublimations.In these are comprised all the exercises, as the application of the hands tothe fire, the labour, and other necessary things which will be specified in thefollowing pages.

THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK OF THE ARCHIDOXIES AND OF THE

FIRST PART CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS.

THE THIRD BOOK OF THE ARCHIDOXIES,

FROM THE THEOPHRASTIA OF PARACELSUS THE GREAT.

ON THE SEPARATIONS OF THE ELEMENTS FROM METALS.

F OR the separation of the elements from metals there is need of the bestinstruments, of labour, of diligence, together with experience of theart and adaptation of the hands to this work.

Take salt nitre, vitriol, and alum, in equal parts, which you will distil intoaqua fortis. Pour this water again on its fceces, and distil it again in glass.In this aqua fortis clarify silver, and afterwards dissolvf in it sal ammoniac.Having done this, take a metal reduced into thin plates in the same .way,that is, in the same water. Afterwards separate it by the balneum Marice,pour it on again, and repeat this until there be found at the bottom an oil,namely, from the Sun, or gold, of a light red colour; of the Moon, a lightblue; of Mars, red and very dark; of Mercury, white; of Saturn, livid andleaden; of Venus, bright green j and of Jupiter, yellow.

All metals are not thus reduced to an oil, except those which have beenpreviously prepared. For instance, Mercury must be sublimated j Saturncalcined j Venus florified j Iron must be reduced to a crocus; Jupiter must bereverberated; but the Sun and Moon easily yield themselves.

After that the metals have been in this way reduced to a liquid substance,and have disposed themselves to a disunion of their elements-which cannotbe done in a metallic nature, seeing that everything must be previously pre-pared for the use to which it is adapted-afterwards add to one part of thisoil two parts of fresh aqua fortis, and when it is enclosed in glass of the bestquality, set it in horse-dung for a month. After that, distil it entirely with aslow fire, that the matter may be condensed at the bottom. And if the aquafortis which ascends be distilled by a bath in this manner, you will find twoelements together. But the same elements will not be left by all metals alike.For from gold there remain in the bath earth and water j but air is in all theother three, and the element of fire remains at the bottom, because the sub-stance and the tangibility of gold have been coagulated by the fire; therefore,the substance will agree in its substantiality. From the :\ioon there willremain at the bottom the element of water, and in the bath the elements of

16 The HermeNc and Alchemical Writings 0/ Paracelsus.earth and fire. For from the cold and the moisture is produced the substanceand corporality of the Moon, which is, indeed, of a fixed nature, and cannotbe elevated. From Mercury there remains fire at the bottom, and earth andwater are elevated upwards. From Venus there also remains fire, and both,that is to say, earth and water, remain in the bath. From Saturn thereremains the element of earth at the bottom, while fire and water are held inthe bath. From Jupiter air remains at the bottom, while fire, water, andearth are elevated therefrom.

So it must be noticed that in the case of Jupiter the air supplies a body,and in the case of no other metal. And of this, although some part ascendstogether with it and remains mixed inseparably with the other three elements,still it is not corporeal air, but adheres to, and concurs with, the others, andis inseparable from them.

And now, it must be remarked that the residuum, that is, the corporealelement which remained at the bottom, must be reduced into an oil by meansof the bath with fresh aqua fortis. So, this element will be perfected, and youwill keep it for one part. The rest you will separate by means of a bath inthis way. Place them in sand, and press them gently. Then, first of all, thewater will be elevated, and will escape; afterwards the fire, for it is known bythe colour \vhen these two remain. But, if the elements of earth and watershould have remained, the water will ascend first, and afterwards the earth.But if it should be earth and fire, the earth is elevated first and the fire after-wards. If water, fire, and earth be together, the water will first ascend, thenafterwards the fire, and last of all the earth. These elements can be so keptin their respective glasses, each according to its own nature; as, for example,from the Sun, the warm and the dry, without any other property; in likemanner the cold and the moist, and the cold and the dry. So, also, must it beunderstood of the others. It must not be forgotten that the corrosive natureof the aquafortis must be extracted as we have handed down in our book onthe Quintessence.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATIONS OF THE ELEMENTS OUT OF MARCHASITES.

Having previously set down the separations of the elements out of metals,it remains that we come to those which can be produced out of marchasites,and that we shew what they are.

Take of marchasite, in whatever form you please, whether bismuth ortalc, or cobalt, granite, or any other, one pound; of salt nitre the same.Beat them very small, and, burning them together, distil by means of analembic without a cucurbite, and keep whatever liquid ascends. But thatwhich remains at the bottom, let this, when ground down, be resolved into awater with aqua fortis. Hereupon pour the water previously collected, anddistil it into an oil, as before directed in the case of metals. By the sameprocess, too, you shall separate the elements. So, the golden marchasite is tobe understood as gold, the silver as the Moon, bismuth as lead, zinc as copper,

The Archidoxzfs oj Theophrasttts Paracelsus.talc as Jupiter, cobalt as iron. Let these directions suffice for the separationof marchasites in every kind.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS FROM STONES.

The separation of the elements of stones or gems comes to be understoodin the following way. Take a stone well ground, to which add twice thequantity of live sulphur, and, when all is well mixed, put it in a luted potinto an Athanor for four hours, so that the sulphur shall be entirelyconsumed. Afterwards, let what remains be washed from the dregs andthe sulphur, and dried. Let the stony calx be also put into aqua fortis andproceeded with as we have already laid down concerning the metals. Stones,too, are compared with metals; as, for instance, clear gems which are notwhite or tawny are compared with gold. White, ccerulean, or grey, withsilver or the Moon; and afterwards the commoner stones with the othermetals, as alabaster with Saturn, marble with iron, flint with Jupiter; butdulech with Mercury.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS FROM OLEAGINOUS

SUBSTANCES.

All oils, woods, roots, seeds, fruits, and similar things, which have acombustible nature, and one fit for burning, are considered oleaginous; andthe separation of them is twofold, namely, that of the oleaginous substancesand that of the pure oils.

THE SEPARATION OF THE OLEAGINOUS SUBSTANCES IS AS FOLLOWS:

Take such a body, pounded, ground, or reduced to fragments -in whateverway you can, wrap it up in linen, fasten it, and place it in horse-dung u.ntil itshall be entirely putrefied, which happens sooner in one case than in another.'When it is putrefied let it be placed in a cucurbite, and on it let there be pouredso much common hot water as may exceed four fingers broad; then let therebe distilled in sand aU that can ascend. For all the elements ascend exceptthe earth itself, which you will know by the colours; nevertheless, let the hotwater first ascend, afterwards the air, next the water, lastly the fire, and theearth will remain at the bottom. Of the pure oils, however, it must be under-stood that these do not require putrefactions, but they must be distilled aloneand without additions. Afterwards their elements, as it has been said aboveof others, must be separated, and these are discerned by their own colours.None otherwise with resins of liquid substance must it be done, such as pitch,resin, turpentine, gum, and the like. But the corporeal resins which exist,such as sulphur, must be prepared in the following manner.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS IN CORPOREAL RESINS.

Take sulphur very minutely ground; let this be cooked to hepatic sulphurin a double quantity of linseed oil; let it be shut up in a vessel and place it to

VOL II. C

18 The Hernzetic and Alchemical Writz'ngs 0.1 Paracelsus.putrefy in horse-dung for a space of four weeks. Afterwards let it be distilledin an alembic slowly over a naked fire. The air and the water first ascend,with different and pale colours. Then, the heat being increased, the fire ascendsand the earth remains at the bottom. The colours appear pure; the air yellow;the water like thick milk, so much so that it can scarcely be distinguished frommilk; the fire like a burning ruby, with transparency and with all the fierysigns; but the earth is altogether black and burnt. The four elements havingbeen thus separated, everyone is perfect in its own elemental complexion, andwithout any admixture, as has been said above.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS FROM HERBS.

So, too, in herbs, the element of \vater is principally contained when theyare cold; but if t,hey are airy, then that element predominates. In like mannermust it be understood of fire. The separation of those elements is as follows:

Take sage, and bruise its leaves. After this place it for putrefaction, asaforesaid. Then you will distil it by means of a venter equinus, and theelement of fire will ascend first so long as the colours are unchanged and thethickness of the water. Afterwards the earth will succeed, and some part ofit will remain at the bottom, which part, indeed, is fixed. Distil this water inthe sun six days, and afterwards place it in a bath. Then the element of thewater will ascend first. It is very minute, and is distinguished by the taste.After the colour changes the element of fire ascends, until the taste, too, isaltered. Then at last a part of the earth is elevated, yet it is a very smallportion, which, being mixed with air, is found at the bottom. In the sameway it must be understood of airy am} watery herbs, of which the air ascendsfirst, afterwards the water, and lastly follows the fire, according to the processlaid down concerning sage.

CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE ELEMENTS FROM FLESHLY

SUBSTANCES.

The separation of the elements from fleshly bodies, and from those whichlive with blood, comes to be understood thus, because the predominatingelement in them is more copious and is generally found last of all; as, forinstance, water in fishes, fire in worms, and air in edible flesh are the principalelements, as we describe in our treatise on the generation of animals. ~'rectiun of the Quintessence. The books which have been written by so many previous authorsconcerning the Quintessence, such as those of Arnoldus de Villa Nova and of Johannes de Rupescissa, whenceafterwards, under a pretentious title, was composed the ClXlum Philosophorum (not to be identified with the work ofParacelsus which occupies the first place in this translation], contain nothing of any value. The mere fact thatthese writings embody a singular and new praxis abundantly demonstrates that their authors have misunderstood theessential nature of diseases, seeing that they have, as it were, devised one form of all diseases, regarding which theyhave, moreover, im'ented many marvellous things, adorning their conceptions with monstrous titles, all mere boasting,wherein there is no mention of philosophy, medicine, or astronomy. They are all a mere deluge of absurdities and lies.There can be no doubt that originally most admirable discoveries have been transferred from the chemical art to that ofmedicine, but the same have been since adulterated by sophistry. For certain people, when they have investigated achemical preparation, wish to vary it immediately in hundreds of different ways, and thus the truth is foolishlyconfounded with lies. Now, it should be observed that the severest rebuke which can be given to such impostures isthat of paying no attention to promises and to proud titles, and of believing only to that extent which is warranted bygood sense and experience. Remedies which require more knowledge of a practical kind than has ever been possessedby monastic pseudo-chemists may, in careless hands, give rise to the most malignant diseases. It maY,be observed, forexample, that the preparations of Mercury which are used against Luis Gallica, and, indeed, all remedies adopted in thecure of this disease, cannot be properly prepared without great skill in chemistry. Pretenders in pharmacy will vainlyvaunt such decoctions unless they can compose vitriolated salts, alums, and things similar, by purely chemical artifice,seeing that there are recondite secrets in the remedies which conduce to the cure of Luis Gallica. Yet there is no needto write a new correction; it is enough to adhere to the legitimate mode of preparation, giving no faith to the hollowpretences of alchemists. These men certainly promise more than they are ever able to perform; but this is common toalchemy and not a few other callings., namely, that their professors boast of the harvest before they have finished the50wing.-Chirurgia Magna, De Im/osturis inllIorbo Gallico, Lib. II., c. 13.

The Archidoxz'es 0/ Theophrastus Paracelsus. 23For the same reason, animals, too, because they lose their life-spirit, and

on that account are altogether mortal, also exhibit no quintessence. Forthe quintessence is the spirit of a thing, which, indeed, cannot be extractedfrom things endowed with sensation as it can from those not so endowed.Balm has in itself the spirit of life, which exists as its virtue, as a force, andas a medicine; and although it be separated from its root, nevertheless, thelife and virtues are still in it, and for this cause, that its predestination wasfixed. Wherefore the quintessence can be extracted from this, and can bepreserved, with its life, without corruption, as being something eternalaccording to its predestination. If we could in this manner extract the life ofour heart without corruption, we should be able to live without doubt, andwithout the perception of death and diseases. But this cannot be the case;so from this circumstance death must be looked for by us.

When, therefore, the quintessence of things exists as a virtue, thefirst thing we have to say is in what form this virtue and medicine are inthings, after the following manner. Wine contains in itself a great quint-essence, by which it has wonderful effects, as is clear. Gall infused into waterrenders the whole bitter, though the gall is exceeded a hundredfold in quantityby the water. So the very smallest quantity of saffron tinges a vast body ofwater, and yet the whole of it is not saffron. Thus, in like manner, mustit be laid down with regard to the quintessence, that its quantity is small inwood, in herbs, in stones, and other similar things, lurking there like a guest.The rest is pure natural body, of which we have written in our book onthe Separations of the Elements. Nor must it be supposed that the quint-essence exists as a fifth element beyond the other four, itself being an element.It is possible that someone may think this essence would be temperate,not cold, not warm, not moist or dry, but this is not the nature of itsexistence. For there is nothing which exists in this temperature by which itis alienated altogether from the other elements j but all quintessences have anature corresponding with the elements. The quintessence of gold corre-sponds with fire; that of the Moon with water; that of Saturn with earth;and that of Mercury with air.

Now the fact that the quintessence cures all diseases does not arise fromtemperature, but from an innate property, namely, its great cleanliness andpurity, by which, after a wonderful manner, it alters the body into its ownpurity, and entirely changes it. For as a spot or film, by which it was formerlyblinded, is removed from the eye, so also the quintessence purifies the life forman. All natures are not necessarily of one and the same essence one withthe other. Nor do those which are fiery on that account manifest the sameoperations by reason of their complexion; as, for instance, if anyone shouldthink that the quintessence of Anacardus should have a like and identicaloperation with the quintessence of gold, because both are fiery, he would begreatly misled, since the predestination and the disposition make a differenceof properties. For as every animal contains within itself the life-spirit, yet

24 The Hermetic and A lchemz"cal WI'tngs 0.1 Paracelsus.the same virtue does not exist in each, simply because they all consist of fleshand blood, but one differs from another, as in taste or in virtue, so is it withthe quintessence, which does not acquire its virtue from the elements by asimple intellectual process, but from a property existing in the elements, aswe lay down in our book on the Generation of Things. Thence it happensthat some quintessences are styptic, others narcotic, others attractive, othersagain somniferous, bitter, sweet, sharp, stupefactive, and some able to renewthe body to youth, others to preserve it in health, some purgative, otherscausing constipation, and so on. Their virtues are innumerable, and althoughthey are not exhausted here, yet they ought to be thoroughly known byphysicians.

When, therefore, the quintessence is separated from that which is notthe quintessence, as the soul from its body, and itself is taken into the body,what infirmity is able to withstand this so noble, pure, and powerful nature,or to take away our life, save death, \vhich being predestined separates oursoul and body, as we teach in our treatise on Life and Death? In thisplace it should be equally remarked that each disease requires its own specialquintessence, though we tell of some which are adapted to all diseases.How this comes about shall be explained in its proper place.

Furthermore, we bear witness that the quintessence of gold exists invery small quantity, and what remains is a leprous body wherein is no sweetnessor sourness, and no virtue or power remains save a mixture of the four elements.And this secret ought by no means to escape us, namely, that the elements ofthemselves, without the quintessence, cannot resist any disease, but are ableto effect only this and nothing more, that is, to produce heat or cold withoutany force: so that if a disease be hot, it is expelled by cold, but not by thatkind of cold which is destitute of force, or things made frigid with snow; since,though, these are sufficiently cold, yet there is no quintessence contained inthem by the power whereof the disease might be expelled. Wherefore thebody of gold is powerless of itself; but its quintessence alone, existing in thatbody, and also in its elements, supplies the forces hidden therein. So, like-wise, in all other things, it is their quintessence alone that cures, heals, and tingesthe whole body, just as salt is the best seasoner of any food. The quintessence,therefore, is that which gives colour, whatever it be, and virtue; and goldwhen it has lost its colour, at the same time lacks its quintessence. Noneotherwise must it be understood of metals from which when the colour is taken,they are deprived of their special nature.

In like manner is it with stones and gems; as, for instance, the quint-essence of corals is a certain fatness with a red tint, while the body of'them iswhite. The quintessence of the emerald, too, is a green juice, and the bodythereof is also white. None otherwise must we judge of all other stones,namely, that they lose their nature, essence, and qualities when they losetheir colours, as we particularly shew in our book on the extractions ofthem.

The Archidoxies of Theophrastus Parace/sus.The same, also, should be understood of herbs, plants, and other growing

products. So, too, of flesh and blood, from which no quintessence can beextracted, for reasons already laid down. But, nevertheless, a certainresemblance to a quintessence can be extracted from them by us in thefollowing manner. A morsel of flesh still retains life in itself, because theflesh is yet supplied with all its nature and force. Wherefore there is life in it,which, however, is not true life, but still the life is preserved until putrefactionsets in. So this difference must be noted, whereby dried herbs and the likeare to be looked upon in the same way as flesh. That green spirit which istheir life has gone from them. Dead things, therefore, can be taken for a aeadquintessence, as flesh is able to put forth all its powers from itself, thoughspecially separated as to one part from the body. So, too, with blood and withdried herbs. These, indeed, though they are not living quintessences,none the less demonstrate how a dead quintessence displays some virtues.But metals and stones have in them a perpetual life and essence, and they donot die, but so long as they are metals or stones, so long does their life last.Therefore, they also exhibit perfect quintessences which, in like manner, canbe extracted from them.

And now we must see by what method the quintessence is to be extracted.There are many ways indeed: some by additions, as the spirit of wine;others by balsamites; some by separations of the eler\\ents, and many otherprocesses which we do not here particularise.

But by whatsoever method it takes place, the quintessence should notbe extracted by the mixture or the addition of incongruous matters; butthe element of the quintessence must be extracted from a separated body,and, in like manner, by that separated body which is extracted. Differentmethods are found by which the quintessence may be extracted, for instance,by sublimation, by calcination, by strong waters, by corrosives, by sweetthings, by sour, and so on, in whatever way it may be possible. And herethis is to be taken care of, that everything which shall have been mixed withthe quintessence by the necessity of extraction, must again be drawn off fromit, so that the quintessence may remain alone, unpolluted, and unmixed withany other things. For it cannot be that the quintessence shall be extractedfrom metals, more particularly from gold, which cannot be overcome by itself,without exhibiting some appropriate corrosive, which can afterwards again beseparated from it. In this way, salt, which was water, is again extractedfrom water, so that this water is free from salt. And here this considerationcomes in, that it is not every corrosive which is adapted for this purpose,because they cannot all of them be separated; for if vitriol or alum be mixedwith the water, neither of these can be separated from it afterwards withoutloss or corruption, so that they leave behind them a sharp residuum, for thisreason, because each of them is watery, and thus two similar things meet,which ought not to occur in this process. Care must therefore be taken thata watery body be not taken for a watery, or an oily body for an oily, or a

26 The Hermetzc and A /chemical Writings 0.1 Paracelsus.resinous body for a resinous one; but a contrary ought in every case toseparate the quintessence and to extract it, as waters extract the quintessenceof oily bodies (which is explained in the case of the metals), and oilysubstances the quintessence of watery bodies, as we may learn concerning thequintessences of herbs. The corrosives, therefore, after the separation andextraction of the quintessence, must be again separated, and this will be easilydone. For oil and water are readily separated, but not so oil from oil; nor,in like manner, can water be separated from water without admixture; and ifthis is left it may cause great damage to the quintessence. For the quint-essence ought to be clear and spotless, and collected without the admixture ofanything, that it may possess a uniform substance by means of which it canpenetrate the whole body. In truth its subtlety and force cannot be probed tothe foundation, no more than its origin whence it first proceeded can be fullyknown. It has many grades: one against fevers, as in the case of opiates janother against dropsy, as the essence of tartar j one against apoplexy, asthat of gold; one against epilepsy, as that of vitriol. The number of these isinfinite, and incapable of being proved by experiment. Wherefore the greatestcare and diligence should be shewn that to every disease its true enemy maybe assigned. In this way Nature will afford help beyond belief, as will bemade more clear in what follows. We cannot speak of the grades in the sameway as grades are applied to simples in medicine, for this reason that there isno possible comparison between the grades of a quintessence and the gradesof simples, nor ought the comparison to be attempted; but when such grada-tion is made it is found that the excellence and virtue of one is greater than ofanother, but not the complexion. For it must not be set down that thequintessence of Anthos is hotter than the quintessence of lavender, or theqUIntessence of Venus is drier than that of the Moon; but the grade ofanything- should be determined by its great and more excellent virtues, namely,after this manner. The quintessence of antimony cures leprosy, and thequintessence of corals cures spasms and contortions. In order to learn, then,which of these occupies the better and higher grade, there can be no otherjudgment than this, namely, that the quintessence of antimony is higher andmore potent, inasmuch as leprosy is a more severe disease than colic and itsbelongings. According to the property, therefore, which it has againstdifferent diseases its grades are considered. This is, moreover, the case inone and the same disease; for one essence is more powerful than another forcuring leprosy. The quintessence of juniper expels it, and the quintessenceof amber, the quintessence of antimony, and the quintessence of gold. Now,although there are these four essences in all which cure leprosy, they do itwith a difference, since with regard to the cure thereof they do not occupy thesame grade. For the essence of juniper drives away this disease by the extremepurgation and purification which it introduces into the blood, and so consumesthe poison that it is not so perceptible. Hence it is reckoned in the first gradeof that cure. The quintessence of amber also takes away the poison and

The A rchidoxies of Theophrastus Parace/sus.more. It purifies the lungs, the heart, and the members subject to leprosy;wherefore, the second grade is assigned to it. The quintessence of antimony,beyond both the virtues already spoken of, also clears the skin, and sharpensand renovates the whole body in a wonderful manner; so, then, it holdsthe third rank. But the quintessence of the Sun by itself fulfils each ofthese tasks, and then takes away from the roots aU the symptoms of leprosy,and renovates the body as honey and wax are purged and purified by theirhoneycomb. For this cause it occupies the fourth rank.

In this way the grades of the quintessence can be learnt, and the onedistinguished from the other, that is to say, which of them is higher or moreexcellent than another. Even simples should be known by their properties.For whatever be the property in a simple form, such is the property of theirquintessence, not more sluggish, but much stronger and more excellent.

But now, moreover, let us learn the differences of quintessences, forsome are of great service to the liver by resisting all its diseases, some to thehead, others to the reins, some to the lungs, and some to the spleen, and soon. So, too, some operate only on the blood, others on the phlegm, othersin melancholy only, others only in cholera, while some others have effect onlyon the humours, some on the life-spirit, some on the nutritive spirit; someoperate on the bones, some others on the flesh, some on the marrow, otherson the cartilages, some on the arteries; and there cw-e others which haveeffect only against certain diseases and against no others, as against paralysis,the falling sickness, contractions, fluxes, dropsy, and so on. Some, also, arefound to be narcotics, others anodynes, some soporific, some attractive,purgative, cleansing, flesh-making, strengthening, regenerative, and somestupefying, and the rest.

Some, too, are found which renovate and restore, that is, they transmutethe body, the blood, and the flesh. Some are for preserving the continuanceof life, some for retaining and preserving youth; some by means oftransmutation, others by quickening. Moreover, this must be understood,that some have a specific form, others an appropriated, others an influential,and others a natural form. In a word, more of their virtues exist than weare able to describe, and their effects in medicine are most wonderful andinscrutable. In different ways it happens that some quintessences render aman who is a hundred years old like one in his twentieth year, and this bytheir own strength and potency. But what man is able to trace the origin ofso great a mystery, or to ascertain from whence the first materials naturallytake their rise? It belongs to our Supreme Creator to make these things so,or to forbear. For who shall teach us, that we may know by what powersthe quintessence of antimony throws off the old hair and makes new hairgrow; why the quintessence of balm destroys the teeth, eradicates the nailsof the hands and the feet, and restores new ones; the quintessence of rebisstrips off and renews the skin; and the quintessence of celandine changesthe body and renovates it for the better, as colours renovate a picture?

28 The Hermetic and A /chemical Wrtngs of Paracelsus.There are far more matters than these, which here we omit, and reserve formaking clear in their proper chapters.

How, then, at length could it be that we should relinquish that noblephilosophy and medicine, when Nature affords us such wonderful experimentsin and from them? Of these all the other faculties are destitute, and so taketheir position nakedly in mere cavil. Why should not this fact delight us thatthe quintessence of the carline thistle takes force away from one and affordsit to another who llses it; also that the quintessence of gold turns inside outthe whole leper, washes him as an intestine is washed in the shambles,and likewise polishes the skin and the scabs and makes a new skin, loosensthe organs of the voice, takes away the whole leprous complexion, andmakes him as if he had recently been born of his mother.

Wherefore we will turn our mind to the making of such quintessences,pointing out the way for the extraction or composition of them- -one for themetals, another for marchasites, another for salts, another for stones andgems, another for burning things, another for growing things, another forspices, another for eatable and drinkable things, all of which, with theirbelongings, we will endeavour to make clear in a proper series. But it mustbe noted, in the practice with quintessences, a good knowledge of theoryand of natural science is required; theoretically, that is, of the properties ofthings with regard to natural diseases. One must not be ignorant thatthere is a difference between a quintessence, aurum potabile, arcana, magis-teries, and other things of that kind; such as this, for example, that a quint-essence cannot be again reduced to its own body, but aurum potabile is easilytransmuted again to its metallic body; so that far more noble virtues exist ina quintessence than in the other things."*

The distinction which subsists between the quintessence of gold and potable gold is illustrated by the followingcitation which, though it occurs in an independent treatise, offers only some small variations from a passage in theChirurgia Ilfagna which has been already given in the note on page 76 of the first volume :-We have already saidthat it is scarcely possible for contractions to be cured in any other way than by medicines existing in the supremegrades, such as is potable gold and the like, concerning which we have treated in the larger grades, whence great caremust be taken concerning them, as is stated in the Book about the Quintessence. It is called potable gold ~o oftenas it is reduced, together with other spirits and liquors, into a substance which can be drunk. The oil of gold is agolden oil made out of the substance only, saving addition. It is called quintessence of gold when a reddish tinctureis extracted therefrom and separated from its body. A virtue, or at lea'lt an active force, exists in the tincture. Thedose of potable gold is 3 i., when needed. The dose of golden oil should not exceed ten grains of barley in weight.That of the quintessence should not exceed three similar grains in good water of life, or some other water of equalsubtlety. It should be taken morning, noon, and evening, according to the requirements of the medicine, and withoutthe addition of corrosives or corruptives, which can neither alter its nature nor be mixed therewith.-D..s~rzption 0./Potable Gold. Take of potable gold, pulverized an~ dissolved in salt, 3i., with a sufficient quantity of distilledvinegar. Perform successive separations upon the whole by means of distillation till nothing of the acquired savourshall remain. Then take water of life 3v., pour them into a pelican, and digest together for a month, when you willhave perfect potable gold, the practice of which you must learn from our book on the quintessence. Though it hasnot been described in glowing colours there is no equal medicine found in this age. - Descrip/i(JII 0/ the Water of Lift.Take lolbs. of vinum ardetlS; of roses, balm, roseqlary, anthos, cheirus, both species of hellebore, marjoram,ana m. j. ; of cinnamon, mace, nutmegs, garyophylli, ~rains of paradise, all peppers, cubebre, ana 3ii.; of the sap ofchelidonia, tapsus, balm, ana lib. ss.; of bean ashes .; v. Let all these be mixed and digested together in a pelicanfor twelve days; then separate, and use for above process.-Descnpti01l tif tke Oil 0/ the SUfi. After the sap hasbeen separated from the gold in the way previously stated, let it boil for fifteen days in the digestive compound whichfollows. Let it afterwards be separated by the bath, when a thick oil will remain at the bottom, and this is unallovedgold, which use as above.-Formul,~ 0/ zlte Qui1ttessetlce. Take as much as you ple:lse of gold which has beenrepurged by royal cement or antimony. Remove its metallic quality, or malleation, by means of the water of salt.Wash away the residue with sweet water. Extract its tincture with spirit of wine. Lastly, elevate the spirit from it

The A rchidoxies 0/ Theophrastus Parace/sus.While we thus speak of the quintessence, the difference of one from

another should be learnt, and then also what it is in itself. And although wehave already sufficiently explained it, nevertheless, practice calls us anotherway by which also the condition and nature of the quintessence can be foundout. For although these do not appear in the form of the quintessence, norare they produced in the same way, nor do they consist of one element only asthe quintessence should, still, none the less, we should judge of the quint-essence of these things, which is of more importance than that they should becalled a quintessence. It should rather be spoken of as a certain secret andmystery, concerning which more should be written than we have written con-cerning the quintessence. But since we have made that clear in the books ofthe Paramirum, we pass it by in this place. lit The number of the arcana andof the arts of the mysteries is infinite and inscrutable, and many methods inthem are met with worthy the attention of the clearest human intellects.Among these arcana, nevertheless, we here put forward four. Of thesearcana the first is the mercury of life, the second is the primal matter, thethird is the Philosophers' Stone, and the fourth the tincture. But althoughthese arcana are rather angelical than human to speak of, nevertheless, weshall not shrink from them, but rather we will endeavour to trace out the waysof Nature, and we will arrange that everything which proceeds from Nature

and the quintessence will remain at the bottom.-Construction 0/ the Water 0/ Salt. Take by itself the purest andwhite~t pounded salt, which is produced by nature without decoction, boiling, or any of those processes by which saltis usuaIly made. Liquefy it several times, pound it very fine, mix it with the juice of raphanum roots, dis~olve anddistil it, and when a reddish green appears again distil it five times, combining it in equal weights. Dissolve laminatedSol in this liquor till it becomes powder. Let this powder be washed in most limpid water, and distil a sufficientnumber of times till the salt shall depart from it, which will take place soon, as it does not penetrate the interiornature. When the corrosive has been removed the gold will be found by itself. -Extraction 0/ the Spirit of Will,-.Take one measure of the best natural wine, red in preference to white, place in a capacious circulatory vessel for it~better rotation, seal it, plunge it into the sea-bath, and let it boil for forty days. Afterwards pour it into a cucurbite,distil by the cold way till the spirit shall have gone and all signs of it shall cease. So finish. (The process varies fromthat of the Chirurg":a .'!fagna.) After the sign has been given cease. What follows is the water 0./ Ii/I, ,tot spirit;either is I!/Jicacious. Then the sign is double, one of the spin't and one 0/ the water 0/ life. Pour out this spiritof wine to the dregs, and in such a way that it floats over the surface to the height of six broad fingers. Close allopenings completely with glass. Digest for thirty days, during which time the tincture enters the spirit. At thebottom there remains a white powder. Separate by art, and let the powder melt. Hence there is produced an aqueousmetal or metallic water. Let the spirit evaporate, as we are taught by alchemy, and a sap resembling liquor remainsat the bottom. Graduate this four times in a retort adapted to the quantity of the matter. Thi

30 The Hermetic and Alchemz'cal Wrt'tz'ngs oj Paracelsus.shall be capable of being naturally understood. Concerning the Mercuryof Life, therefore, we profess that it is not a quintessence, but an arcanum,because there exist in it may virtues and forces which preserve, restore, andregenerate, as we write in our book on the Arcana.

In like manner, also, the Primal Matter, not only in living things, but alsoin dead bodies, operates more in the same manner than is thought to benaturally possible. So also the Philosophers' Stone acts, which, tinging thebody, frees it from all diseases, so that even metals are purged from their im-purities. In like manner the Tincture acts, which, as though it should changethe Moon into the Sun, so also changes disease into health. The same thingsequally the other magisteries and elixirs do, and the aurum potabile, all ofwhich are treated of severally in their own respective books.

CONCERNING THE EXTRACTION OF THE QUINTESSENCE FROM METALS.

We will, then, briefly go through the extraction of the quintessences frommetals. For, in our times, many persons have made numerous experimentswith these, and copious results followed which obliged them to enter on otherdifferent ways. With regard to metals, then, it must be understood that theyare divided into two parts, namely, into their quintessence and into theirbody. Both are liquid and potable, and do not mix, but the im