like plush for it was very soft and purl'd all the way with Daysies and Primrose When we came out of our Arboret and Court of Bayes I could perceive a strange Clearnesse in the Ayr not like that of Day neither can I affirme it was night The stars indeed perched over us and stood glimmering as it were on the Tops of high Hills for we were in a most deep Bottome and the Earth overlook'd us so that I conceived we were neer the Center We had not walk'd very far when I discovered cerraine thick white Clouds for such they seemed to me which fill'd all that part of the Valley that was before us This indeed was an Error of mine but it continued not long for comming neerer I found them to be firm solid Rocks but shining and sparkling like Diamonds This rare and goodly sight did not a litttle incourage me and great desire I had to heare my Mistris speake for so I judged her now that if possible I might receive some Information How to bring this about I did not well know for she seem'd averse from Discourse but having resolv'd with my self to disturb her I â—sk'd her if she would favour me with her Name To this she replied very familiarly â—s if she had kown me long before Eugeâ—ius said she I have many Names but my best and dearest is Thalia for I am alwaies green and I shall never wither Thou doest â—here behold the mountains of the Moone and I will shew thee the Originall of Nilus for she springs from these Invisible Rocks Looke up and peruse the very Tops of these pillars and Clifts of Salt for they are the true Philosophicall Lunar Mountains Didst thou ever see such a Miraculous incredible thing This speech made me quickly look up to those glittering Turrets of Salt where I could see a stupendous Cataract or Waterfall The streame was more large than any River in her full Chanell but notwithstanding the Height and Violence of its Fall it descended without any Noyse The Waters were dash'd and their Current distracted by those Saltish Rocks but for all this they came down with a dead silence like the still soft Ayr Some of this Liquor for it ran by me I took up to see what strange wollen substance it was that did thus steale down like Snow When I had â—it in my hands it was no Common water but a certaine kind of Oile of a Waterie Complex on A viscous fat mineral nature it was bright like Pearls and transparent like Chrystall When I had viewd and search'd it well it appear'd somewhat spermatic and in very Truth it was obscene to the sight but much more to the Touch Hereupon Thalia told me it was the first Matter and the very Naturall true Sperm of the great World It is said she invisible and therefore few are they that find it but many believe it is not to be found They believe indeed that the world is a dead Figure like a Body which hath been sometimes made and fashion'd by that spirit which dwelt in it but retaines that very shape and fashion for some short time after that the Spirit hath forsaken it They should rather consider that every Frame when the Soule hath left it doth discompose and can no longer retaine its former figure for the Agent that held and kept the parts together is gone Most excellent then is that speech which I heard sometimes from one of my own Pupils Mundus hic ex tam diversis contrariisque partibus in unam formam minimè convenâ—sset nisi unus esset qui tam Diversa conjungeret Conjuncta vero Naturarum ipsa Diversitas invicem discors dissociaret atque divelleret nisi unus esset qui quod nexuit contineret Non tam vero certus naturae ordo procederet nec tam dispositosmotus Locis temporibus efficientiâ Qualitatibus explicaret nisi unus esset qui has Mutationum varietates manens ipse disponeret Hoc quicquid est quo Condita manent atque gubernantur usitato cunctis Vocabulo Deum nomino This world saith he of such divers and contrarie parts had never been made one thing Had not there been one who did joyn together such contrary things But being joyn'd together the very Diversitie of the Natures joyned fighting one with another had Discompos'd and separated them unlesse there had been one to hold and keep those parts together which he at first did joyn Verily the order of Nature could not proceed with such certaintie neither could she move so regularly in severall places times effects and qualities unlesse there were some one who dispos'd and order'd these Varieties of Motions This whatsoever it is by which the world is preserved and govern'd I call by that usuall name God Thou most therefore Eugenius said she understand that all Compositionsare made by an active intelligent life for what was done in the Composure of the great world in generall the same is perform'd in the Generation of every creature and its sperm in particular I suppose thou doest know that water cannot be contained but in some Vessell The naturall Vessell which God hath appointed for it is Earth In Earth water may be thickned and brought to a figure but of it self and without Earth it hath an indefinit flux and is subject to no certaine figure whatsoever Ayre also is a fleeting indeterminat substance but water is his Vessell for water being figured by means of Earth the Ayr also is thickned and figur'd in the Water To ascend higher the Ayr coagulats the liquid fire and fire incorporated involves and confines the thin Light These are the Means by which God unites and compounds the Elements into a Sperm for the Earth alters the Complexion of the water and makes it viscous and slimie Such a water must they look who would produce any Magicall extraordinary Effects for this Spermatic water coagulats with the least heat so that nature concocts and hardens it into metals Thou seest the whites of Egs will thicken assoon as they feel the fire for their moysture is temper'd with a pure subtill Earth and this subtill animated Earth is that which binds their water Take water then my Eugenius from the Mountains of the Moon which is water and no water Boyl it in the fire of Nature to a two fold Earth white and red then feed those Earths with Ayr of Fire and Fire of Ayr and thou hast the two Magicall Luminaries But because thou hast been a servant of mine for a long time and that thy patience hath manifested the Truth of thy Love I will bring thee to my Schoole and there will I shew thee what the world is not capable of This was no sooner spoken but she past by those Diamond-like rockie salts and brought me to a Rock of Adamant figur'd to a just intire Cube It was the Basis to a firie Pyramid a Trigon of pure Pyrope whose imprison'd flames did stretch and strive for Heaven
not of any man where the way lyes only follow your Guide who will offer himself to you and will meet you in the way but you shal not know him This Guide wilâ— bring you to the Mountain at Midnight when all things are silent and Dark It is necessary that you arme your selves with a resolute heroic courage least you feare those things that will happen and so fall back You need nâ— Sword nor any other Bodily weapons only calâ— upon God sincerely and heartily When you have discovered the Mountaine the first Miracle that will appeare is this A most veâ—â—hement and very great wind that will shakâ— the Mountaine and shatter the Rocks to peeces Ton shall be incounter'd also by Lions and Dragons and other Terrible Beasts but fearâ— not any of these things Be resolute and takâ— heed that you returne not for your Guide whâ— brought you thither will not suffer any Evilâ— to befall you As for the Treasure it is nâ—â— yet discovered but it is very neer After thiâ—wind will come an Earthquake that will overthrow those things which the wind hatâ— left and make all Flat But be sure that yoâ— fall not off The Earthquake being past therâ— shall follow a Fire that will consume the Earthâ—â—ly Rubbish and discover the Treasure bâ— as yet you cannot see it After all these thingâ— and neer the Day-break there shall be a greâ—â— Calm and you shall see the Day-star arise and â—â—he Dawning will appeare and you shall perâ—eive a great Treasure The Chiefest thing in â—t and the most perfect is a certain exalted Tincture with which the world if it served God and were worthy of such Gifts might be â—inged and turn'd into most pure Gold This Tincture being used as your Guideâ—hall teach you will make you young when your â—e old and you shall perceive no Disease in â—ny part of your Bodies By means of this Tincture also you shall find pearls of that Excelâ—ency which cannot be imagined But doe not â—ou arrogat any thing to your selves because of â—our present power but be contented with that â—hich your Guide shall communicat to you Praise God perpetually for this his Gift and â—â—ave a speciall care that you use it not for â—orldly pride but imploy it in such workes â—hich are contrary to the world Use it rightâ—â— and injoy it so as if you had it not Live a â—emperat life and beware of all sin otherwise â—ur Guide will for sake you and you shall be deâ—ived of this Happinesse For know this of a â—ruth whosoever abuseth this Tincture and â—ves not exemplarly purely and devoutly beâ—re men he shall lose this Benefit and scarce â—ry hope will there be left ever to recover it â—terwards This much we have from these famous and most Christian Philosophers Men queâ—stionlesse that have suffer'd much by their own discreet silence and Solitude Every Sophisteâ— contemns them because they appeare not tâ— the World and concludes there is no such Societie because hee is not a member of itâ— There is scarce a Reader so just as to consideâ— upon what Grounds they conceale themselves and come not to the Stage when every Foâ— cries Enter No man looks after them but foâ—worldly Ends and truly if the Art it self diâ— not promise Gold I am confident it would finâ— but few followers How many are there in the world that study Nature to know God Certainly they study a Receit for their purses noâ— for their souls nor in any good sense for theâ—Bodies It is fit then they should be left tâ— their Ignorance as to their Cure It may bâ— the Nullitie of their Expectations will reform them but as long as they continue in thâ—Humor neither God nor Good men will assist them The Inferior part of this Type presents â—Dark Circle charg'd with many strange Châ—maera's and Aristotle's {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that Mâ—â—taphysicall Beast of the Schoolemen It signifie the innumerous conceited Whimzies and aâ— rie roving Imaginations of Man For befoâ— wee attain to the Truth we are subject to a Thousand Fansies Fictions and Apprehensiâ—ns which wee falsly suppose and many Times â—ublickly propose for the Truth it self This Phantastic Region is the true Originall Semiâ—arie of all Sects and their Dissentions Hence â—ame the despayring Sceptic the loose Epicure the Hypocriticall Stoic and the Atheous Periâ—atetic Hence also their severall Digladiatiâ—ns about Nature Whether the first Matter â—e Fire Aire Earth or Water or a Frie of â—maginarie Atoms all which are false and â—abulous Suppositions If wee look on Religiâ—n and the Diversities thereof whence proâ—eeded the present Heresies and Schismes but â—rom the Different erroneous Apprehensions of Men Indeed whiles wee follow our own â—ansies and build on bottomless unsettl'd Imaginations wee must needs Wander and gropeâ—n the Dark like those that are Blindfolded On the Contrarie if wee lay the Line to our Thoughts and examine them by Experience wee are in the way to bee Infallible for wee â—ake hold of that Rule which God hath proâ—os'd for our Direction In vain hath he made Nature if wee dwell on our own Conceptions and make no use of her Principles It were a happy Necessity if our thoughts could not vaâ—â— from her wayes but Certainly for us to think that we can find the Truth by meer Contemplation without Experience is as great a madness as if a Man should shutt his Eyes from the Sun and then believe hee can travaile directly from London to Grand Cairo by fansying himself in the right way without the Assistance of the Light It is true that no man enters the Magicall Schoole but hee wanders first in this Region of Chimaera's for the Inquiries which we make before wee attain to Experimentall Truths are most of them Erroneous Howsoever wee should bee so rational and patient in our Disquisitions as not imperiously to obtrude and force them upon the world before wee are able to Verifie them I ever approved that regular and solid speech of Basil Valentine Disce igitur Disputator mi inquire primum Fundamentum ipsis oculis mann quod Natura secum fert absconditum Sic demum prudenter cum judicio de Rebus disserere supra inexpugnaâ—â—lem Petrum aedificare poteris Sine hoc aâ—tem vanus phantasticus Nugator manebis cujus Sermones absque ullâ Experientiâ supra Arenam solum fundati sunt Qui autem sermocinationibus suis Nugis me aliquid docere vult is me verbis tantum nudis non pascat sed Experientiae factum Documentum simul sit praestò oportet sine quo non teneor Verbis locum dare fidemquè its adhibere And in another place Nugatorem haud moror saith he qui non per Experientiam propriam loquitur Nam ejus Sermones perinde fundati sunt ac Caeci Judicum de Coloribus Questionlesse all this was the Breath of a true Philosopher one that studied not the Names but the Natures of Things
East his Beams and Heat falling on this Hemisphere stir up and fortifie the inward Heat of the Earth Thus we see in winter weather that the outward Heat of the Sun excites the inward naturall Warmth of our Bodies and cheerisheth the Bloud when it is almost cold and frozen Now then the Central heat of the Earth being stâ—rr'd and seconded by the Circumferentiall Heat of the Sun works upon the Mercury and sublimes it in a thin vapour to the Top of it's Cell or Cavern But towards Night when the Sun sets in the West the Heat of the Earth because of the Absence of that great Luminarie grows weak and the Cold prevailes so that the vapours of the Mercury which were formerly sublim'd are now condens'd and distill in Drops to the Bottome of their Cavern But the Night being spent the Sun againe comes about to the East and Sublimes the Moysture as formerly This Sublimation and Condensation continue so long till the Mercury takes up the Subtill Sulphureous parts of the Earth and is incorporated therewith so that this sulphur coagulats the Mercury and sixeth him at last that he will not sublime but lyes still in a ponderous Lump and is concocted to a perfect Metall Take notice then that our Mercury cannot be coagulated without our Sulphur for Draco non moritur sine suo Compare it is water that dissolves and putrifies Earth and Earth that thickens and putrifies Water You must therefore take two principles to produce a Third Agent according to that dark Receit of Hali the Arabian Accipe Canem Masculum Corascenum Catellam Armeniae Conjunge parient tibi Catulum coloris Coeli Take saith he the Coraseeâ— Dog and the Bitch of Armenia put them both together and they will bring thee a skie colour'd Whelp This skie colour'd whelp is that Soveraign admir'd and famous Mercury known by the Name of the Philosophers Mercury Now for my part I advise thee to take two living Mercuries plant them in a purified Mineral Saturn wash them and feed them with water of Salt Vegetable and thou shalt see that speech of the Adeptus verified Pariet Mater Florem germinalem quem ubere suo viscoso nutriet se totam ei in Cibum vertâ—t fovente Patre But the Processe or Receit is no part of my Design wherefore I will return to the first Matter and I say it is no kind of water whatsoever Reader if it be thy Desire to attaine to the Truth rely upon my words for I speak the truth and I am no Deceiver The Mother or first Matter of Metals is a certaine watery Substance neither very water nor very Earth but a Third thing compounded of Both and retaining the Complexion of neither To this agrees the learned Valentine in his appoâ—t and genuine Description of our Sperm Materia Prima saith he est Aquosa Substantia Sicca reperta nulli Materiae comparabilis The first Matter is a waterish Substance found Drie or of such a Complexion that wets not the Hand and nothing like to any other Matter whatsoever Another excellent and well experienc'd Philosopher defines it thus Est Terrena Aqua Aquosa Terra in Terrae ventre Terrae commixta cum Quâ se commiscet Spiritus Caelestis Influxus It is saith he an Earthy water and a watery Earth mingl'd with Earth in the Belly of the Earth and the spirit and Influences of Heaven commix themselves therewith Indeed it cannot bee denied but some Authors have nam'd this Substance by the names of all ordinary waters not to deceive the simple but to hide it from the Ranting ill-disposed Crew On the contrary some have expresly and faithfully Informed us it is no Common water and especially the reverend Turba Ignari saith Agadmon cum audiunt nomen Aquae putant Aquam Nubis esse quod si libros nostros intelligerent scirent esse Aquam permanentem quae absque suo Compari cum quo facta est unum permanens esse non possit The ignorant saith he when they heare us name water think it is water of the Clouds but if they understood our Books they should know it to be a permanent or fix'd water which without its Sulphur to which it hath been united cannot be permanent The noble and knowing Sendivogius tels us the very same Thing Aqua nostra est Aqua Coelestis non madefaciens minus non vulgi sed fere pluvialis Our water is a heavenly water which wets not the hand not that of the common Man but almost or as it were Pluvial We must therefore consider the severall Analogies and similitudes of Things or we shall never be able to understand the Philosophers This Water then wets not the Hand which is notion enough to perswade us it can be no common water It is a Mâ—talline bitter Saltish liquor It hath a true minerall Complexion Habet saith Raymund Lullie speciem solis Lunae in tali Aquâ— nobis apparuit non in Aquá Fontis aut pluviae But in an other place he describes it more fully Est Aqua sicca saith he non aqua Nubis aut phlegmatica sed aqua Cholerica igne Calidior It is a drie water not water of the Clouds or phlegmatic water but a Choleric water more hot than Fire It is moreover Greenish to the sight and the same Lullie tels you so habet colorem lacertae Viridis it looks saith he like a green lizard But the most prevalent Colour in it is a certain inexpressible Azure like the Body of Heaven in a clear Day It â—ooks in Truth like the Belly of a Snake especially neer the Neck where the Scales have a deep Blew Tincture and this is the reason why the Philosophers call'd it their serpent and their Dragon The predominant Element in it is a certaine Fierie subtill Earth and from this prevalent part the Best Philosophers have denominated the whole Compound Paracelsus names it openly but in one place and he cals it Viscum Terrae The Slime or Viscous part of the Earth Raymund Lullie describeth the Crisis or Constitution of it in these words Substantia lapidis nostri est tota pinguis Igne impregnata The Substance of our stone saith he is altogether fat or viscous and impregnated with fire In which respect he cals it elsewhere not water but Earth Capias Terram nostram saith he impregnatam à Sole quia lapis est honoratus repertus in Hospitus desertis est intus inclusum velut magnum Secretum Thesaurus incantatus Take our Earth which is impregnated or with Child by the Sun for it is our precious stone which is found in desolat Houses and there is shut up in it a great secret and a Treasure inchanted And againe in a certaine place he delivers himself thus Prima materiae Fili est Terra subtilis sulphurea haec nobilis Terra dictum est Subjectum Mercuriale My son saith he the
power by secret Revelation from the Almighty God This Key of power or third secret was never put to paper by any Philosopher whatsoever Paracelsus indeed hath touch'd upon it but so obscurely it is no more to the purpose then if he had said nothing And now I suppose I have done enough for the Discovery and Regiment of the fire if you think it too little I must tell you it is much more then any one Author hath performed Search it than for he that finds this fire will attaine to the true temper ament he will make a noble deserving Philosopher and to speake in the phrase of our Spaniard Dignus erit poni ad Mensam Duodecim parium The River of Pearl IT is a Decompounded Substance extreme heavy and moyst but wets not the Hand It shines after Night like a star and will inlighten any Darke roome It is full of small eyes sparkling like Pearls or Aglets It is the whole Demogorgon but now actually animated by manifestation of his own Inward Light The Father of it is a certaine inviolable Masse for the parts of it are so firmly united you can neither pound them into Dust nor separat them by violence of Fire This is the stone of the Philosophers Qui ab omni parte saith one circumdatus est Tenebris Nebulis Caligine Habitat in mediis Terrae visceribus Qui ubi natus fuerit vestitur quodam viride Pallio humiditate quadam aspersus non prognatus ab aliquo sed aeternus parens omnium Rerum It is compassed about saith he with Darknesse Clouds and Blacknesse It dwels in the inmost Bowels of the Earth but when he is borne hee is cloathed with a certaine Green Mantle and sprinckl'd over with a certaine Moysture He is not properly generated by any Naturall thing but he is eternall and the Father of all things This Description is very true and apposit but AEnigmaticall howsoever forget not the Green Mantle This is that substance which Gieberim Eben-Haen or as the Rable writes him Geber cals Lapis in Capitulis notus a very subtil Expression but if well examin'd it is the Key to his whole Booke and to the writings of the old Philosophers in Generall But let us returne to our River of Pearl and for our further information let us heare it describ'd by a most excellent Adeptus and that in the very {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} before the full moon appears Hoo opus est saith he quod mihi aliquando ob oculos posuit unicus Exechedistes magnas quippe fornaces atque vitro easdem Varico redimitas ostendens Vasa erant singula in suis sedilibus habentia sedimenta atque interiùs dispari dicatum sacrumque Munus Quid vero Rem tam Divinam celeni diutius Erat intus circumacta Moles quaedam Mundi prae seferens imaginem ipsissimi Quippe ibi Terra videbatur in medio omnium consistens aquisque circumfusa Limpidissimis in varios colles salebrosasuque rupes assnrgebat fructum ferens multiplicem tanquam humentis Aeris imbribus irrigua Vini etiam videbatur olei lactis atque pretiosorum omne genus lapidum Metallorum esse apprime ferax Tum Aquae ipsae instar AEquoris sale quodam pellucido albo interdum interdum quoque rubeo fulvo rubro multisque praeterea variegato coloribus inlitae inque superficiem ipsam aestuabant Igne autem haec omnia suo sed impercepto quidem atque aethereo movebantur Id vero unum prae caeteris incredibibilem me rapiebat in admirationem Rem haec tam multa unicam tam diversa tamque in suo genere integra singula parvo etiam imbecillique adminiculo pro ducere quo facto paulatim robustiore redirent tandem atque coalescerent in unum omnia confidenter aesseverabat Hic equidem observavi fusilis illam salis fpeciem nihil ab Aphrolitho degenerantem atque argentum illud vivum cui Mercurii nomen ab hujusce Disciplinae priscis authoribus inditum est illam ipsam referens Lullianam Lunariam adversa scandens aqua noctuque relucens atque interdiu glutinandi praeditum facultate Here wee have pourtray'd unto us the whole Philosophicall Laboratorie Furnace fire and Matter with the Mysterious Germinations thereof But because the Termes are difficult and not to bee understood by any but such as have seen the thing it self I will for the Readers Benefit I cannot say satisfaction put them into English This is the worke saith hee which I have sometimes seen with a singular and a most deare friend who shewed to me certaine large Furnaces and those crown'd with Cornues of Glasse The Vessels were severall having besides their Triptods their sediments or Caskets and within them was a Holy Oblation or present dedicated to the Ternarie But why should I any longer conceale so divine a thing within this Fabric was a certaine Masse moving Circularly or driven round about and representing the very Figure of the great world For here the Earth was to be seen standing of it self in the middest of all compassed about with most clear waters rising up to severall Hillocks and craggie Rocks and bearing many sorts of Fruit as if it had been watr'd with showers from the moyst Aire It seem'd also to bee very fruitfull for wine oile and milk with all kind of precious stones and Metals The waters themselves like those of the Sea were full of a certaine transparent Salt now white now Red then Yellow and purpl'd and as it were chamletted with various Colours which did swell up to the face of the waters All these things were actuated or stirr'd with their own appropriat fire but in very truth imperceptible and ethereall But one thing above the rest forc'd me to an incredible admiration Namely that so many things such divers and in their kind such perfect particular should proceed from one only thing and that with very small assistance which being further'd and strengthned by degrees the Artist faithfully affirmed to me that all those Diversities would settle at last to one Body Here I observed that fusilkind of Salt to bee nothing different from a pumice-stone and that Quick-silver which the ancient Authors of this Art call'd Mercury to be the same with Lullies Lunaria whose water gets up against the fire of Nature and shines by night but by day hath a glutinous viscous faculty◠This is the sense of our learned Adeptus and for his Analogie of the Philosophic Salt and a pumice-stone it cannot be well conceiv'd without the Light of Experience It is then a porous hollow froth-like spongious Salt◠The Consistency of it is pumice-like but neither hard nor opacous It is a thin slippery oily substance in appearance like Mouth glew but much more clear Sometimes it looks like Rosials and Rubies Sometimes it is violet Blew sometimes white as Lilies and againe more green than Grasse but with a Smaragdine