Previous Next
Golden Chain of Homer
Of the Generation of things, Part
I
Chapter 1
What Nature is.
Nature comprehends the visible and invisible Creatures of
the Whole universe. What we call Nature especially, is the universal
fire or Anima Mundi, filling the whole system of the Universe,
and therefore is a Universal Agent, omnipresent, and endowed
with an unerring instinct, and manifests itself in fire and Light.
It is the First creature of Divine Omnipotence.
Chapter 2
How all things proceed therefrom.
Thus God created first this invisible fire and endowed it
with an unerring Instinct and a Capacity to manifest itself in
3 Principles.
1. In its Original most Universal state it is perfectly invisible,
immaterial, cold and occupies no space, in this tranquil state
it is of no use to us, yet in this unmoved state it is omnipresent.
2. In its second state it is manifested by motion or agitation
into light. In this state it was separated out of the Chaos,
when God said, "Let there be Light." Yet it is still
cold. When gently moved or agitated, it manifests warmth and
Heat, as in the case in all Frictions and in Fermentation of
moist things.
3. When collected in a sufficient quantity, and violently agitated
it is manifested into burning fire. This continues burning as
long as it is agitated, and has a fit subject to act upon; when
that fails, it returns to its first state of tranquil Universality.
In the character of burning fire it manifests Light and Heat.
Thus,
(a) we say in its first most Universal state it is perfectly
invisible and immaterial.
(b) In its second state of manifestation it is visible in Light,
but remains cold and immaterial.
(c) In its third state of Heat and burning fire it is visible,
hot or burning, and becomes somewhat material as it occupies
Room or Space whilst in this State.
You have seen how 3 distinct powers of the Universal Spirit,
but it possesses still more and even some inconceivable powers.
We have told you that the Universal spirit endowed with an unerring
Instinct, working by the most simple and nearest way, it has,
also, besides its already mentioned conspicuous qualities, two
occult powers, viz: attracting and repulsing, and these two powers
are inconceivably great!
We see various instances of it in Thunder and Lightning, in Earthquakes,
Hurricanes and in the surprising effects of Gunpowder.
When God created this Universal fire, He gave it a power to become
material, that is to become Vapour, Humidity, water and earth,
although that fire in its own Universal Nature, is, and remains
centrally the same. Thus you see the Beginning of the 4 Elements,
viz
(1) burning fire; Vapour or Humidity mixed with Cold fire constitutes
atmospheric air,
(2) air, which still more condensed becomes water,
(3) and water inspissated becomes earth.
Originally it was but one Element Fire.
Thus the Universal fire became a Vapour of immense Extent, which
by further inspissation became chaotic water, and out of this
Chaotic Water the Creator separated the Light, that is: separated
the Universal invisible fire into Light. Thus we see here that
Universal, at first invisible fire manifested in two Principles,
Light and Humidity!
Therefore out of Light and water, God has created all Things.
Water was the first condensation or corporification of the Universal
fire, which water nevertheless in its center was, and remains
fire, full of life and activity, and the more so, as it was assisted
by its Equal, the Light, separated out of it, as much as was
necessary for the creating of all immaterial and material Beings,
and in success of time for their maintenance.
Of the separated Light we have spoken before, we have now to
consider its first body Humidity or water. This water differs
it regard to Rarefaction or Density; if Rarefied to a certain
Degree it constitutes air, that is fire predominating above water,
but if condensed to a degree it becomes Humid water, or Humidity
predominating above fire. Nevertheless, in both, that is in their
Center lays concealed fire or the Universal spirit.
As soon as the air gets deprived of its Universal fire, which
animates it and renders it elastic, it becomes immediately putrid,
and thereby declines lower down, becomes Humidity, mud, earth
and immoveable; it is the same case with water when deprived
of fire, or of animated air, it becomes putride, condenses still
further and becomes earth, immoveable.
God has ordained it so that the Universal spirit by means of
Humidity should work all things, because Humidity mixes easily
with everything, by means of which the spirit can soften, penetrate,
generate. destroy and regenerate all things.
Thus Humidity or water is the Body, the Vehicle and Tool, but
the spirit or fire is the Operator, the Universal Agent and fabricator
of all Natural Things.
This universal fire fills that immense space in the Universe
between the heavenly bodies. and as it has a power to become
material, it generates a subtil vapour or invisible most subtil
Humidity, its first passive principle: It causes therein a gentle
Reaction, and a general, gentle, most subtil Fermentation takes
place Universally, and by this Reaction the Universal Acid is
everywhere generated, which we can deem nothing else than a most
subtil incorporeal Nitre Spiritus Mundi, outwardly cold and inwardly
fire.
Thus this Spiritual incorporeal Nitre or Universal Acid; we deem
the second invisible change of the Universal fire, generated
out of chaotic invisible Humidity: and as this approaches the
atmospheres of the heavenly bodies, it becomes gradually more
and more material, until it meets an alcaline passive principle
wherein it fixes itself and forms Native nitre, so that from
Spiritus Mundi, it becomes nitre.
Thus we say, not without good reason, that the Solar Rays of
Light, are nothing else but a most subtil spiritual Spiritual
Mundi, which gradually becomes more and more nitreous, as it
approaches the Earth, but Sea Salt in the Ocean; animating the
atmosphere with fire or Life, and thereby giving elasticity to
the air, and Life and preservation to the water. From this, every
man of common understanding may learn what Nature is, and its
origin.
We see that between the Firmament and our Earth continual Vapours,
Clouds, and Fogs, which ascend like a transpiration of the Earth,
and are sublimed upwards by the Central heat of the Earth. This
Chaotic water and Vapours, contain, and are the First Matter
of all Things, and although this appears very simple before our
Eyes, yet it is two-fold, as it contains fire and Humidity, the
Invisible in the Visible, the fire or spirit is the Agent, and
the water the Patient.
Whosoever wishes to arrive at the Fountain of Secret Wisdom,
let him mind this well; and let him go with this Central Point
of Truth to the circumference, and for ever imprint in his memory:
that from fire and water, or spirit enclosed in Humidity all
things in the World are generated, preserved, destroyed and regenerated.
Whosoever comprehends this well will find no difficulty in analising
Natural things as he may easily volatilize fixt, and fix the
volatile: a stinking subject he may convert into a pleasant smelling
one, out of poison he can make a salutary Medicine because he
knows that all things proceed from one Root; and return to that
Root: The distinction is external and regards only the modification
of the Matter, which is more or less digested or fixt. Therefore
the Philosophers say that their Matter is in all Things, yet
they have selected such Subjects wherein the Universal spirit
is more abundantly contained and more concentrated, and easer
to be obtained; otherwise that spirit is All in All.
Chapter 3
How all things are further generated.
We have demonstrated that the primordial Vapour, or that fire
and water, are after God, the First Matter of all Things. This
two-fold Vapour by inspissation is become water and this water
by the action of the invisible spirit therein diffused, has begun
to ferment and then to generate Matter. At first, this water
was perfectly subtil and pure, but by means of the action of
the inward spirit, it becomes turbid, smelled badly and thus
generated Earth. It was divided into various parts. into a Spiritual,
most subtil, into a half or less subtil, into a half corporeal,
and into a Body. At first it was 1 and 2, -- now it is 1, 2,
and 3, likewise 4 and 5.
It was 1, as a simple Humidity;
2, as a water containing a spirit;
3, when it was separated into volatile, half fixt, and fixt,
that is, chemically speaking -- into Volatil, Acetum and Alcali;
Anima, spirit, Corpus;
4, when it was divided into the four so-called Elements, fire,
air, water, earth;
5, when it is by Art, assisted by Nature, formed into an indestructible
fiery Quintessence, thus [unidentified symbol].
When the water has attained to its term of putrefaction, we may
separate one subtil after another; the most subtil will certainly
ascend before the less subtil, and so one principle after another
until the least volatile comes last.
God had ordained that the different modifications of the Universal
spirit, in the four Elements, should continually generate and
produce a Universal General Sperm, for that reason God has given
to each individual thing its Agent and Patient, in order to cause
a Reaction; This we see by the evaporation of numberless Subjects,
who send forth whatever Humidity then have more than is necessary.
This evaporation when from above is called Influence, but when
from things here below it is called Effluvium.
God has given each Individual its particular Sperm. which however
all depends on the Universal Sperm, as their Ruler and Conductor.
Chapter 4
How the Universal Sperm is generated by the four Elements
After God had divided or corporified the Anima or Spirit Mundi,
the simple Chaos into four Elements. or predominating, leading
principles; He called to them "increase and multiply";
The Heavens and the Air, both animated by the Universal fire
are the Father, the Male, the Agent or Operating principles.
Water and earth are the Mother, the Female or Passive principle.
These four are nevertheless only two, fire and water; They are
forced to engender continually a regenerated Chaotic water or
primordial Chaos out of their Center, for the generation, preservation,
destruction and regeneration of all Things, and this will continue
until it pleases God to Calcine and regenerate the whole Earth!
These four so-called Elements, which must fabricate the Universal
Sperm or regenerate the Chaos, when one Extream is considered
towards the other, seem quite contrary, and indeed as contraries
they cannot effect any good; yet when they meet orderly, they
are fully capable to execute that what God has ordained them
for.
It is a natural and philosophical Axiom "Non transire posse
abuno Extremo ad alterum absque medio," -- that is: It is
impossible to proceed from one Extream to another Extream without
a Medium. This Axiom every Artist ought to mind, thousands err
because they do not observe this Truth.
Fire cannot become water without air, and earth cannot become
air without water . If you would unite fire, as being extreamly
volatile and subtil, with the earth, which is corporeal and fixt,
you will never be able to do it; because the most Volatile will
forsake the fixt and return to its Chaos. This is so in all Natural
Things, that the most Volatile principle, cannot unite with the
most fixt without its proper medium. An Artist ought to observe
this constantly that he may not lose his time, his Matter, and
Expenses.
Therefore if you want to unite Heaven or fire with the earth,
or convert fire into earth, unite it first with its nearest volatile
medium and they will unite immediately, when that is done, give
them the water, as a medium between air and earth, and they will
also unite; then add the earth, and thus you may unite fire with
earth and fix it therein; and so vice versa turn the earth into
water with water, then convert it into air, and the air into
fire by means of air.
The Heaven or fire is extreamly subtil, the air is also subtil,
but one degree more corporeal than the fire; water is again a
degree more corporeal than the air, and the earth is a degree
more corporeal than the water. Thus we must proceed as Nature
does, and we may then obtain a Quintessentificated Operation,
if we do not mind this, we can do little or nothing.
Nature has its different degrees of subtilty, and mixes the most
subtil fire with the less subtil, and that with the least subtil.
When they are united, they influence into the most subtil water,
then into the less subtil, and into the grossest. Then it mixes
gradually with the most subtil earth, with the less and least
subtil, until it becomes Rocks and Stones.
In a chemical Anatomy we see how the most subtil comes over first,
and how Nature regulates her Operations, and does not confound
one principle with another, but lets go the most Volatile and
most subtil first, and then the next less Volatile, and so on
etc. for Example:
Take an earth out of a Field or Meadow or what Earth you please,
pour Water upon it so as to dilate your Earth well, then let
it stand a few days and you will find that the coarse heavy earth
settles at the bottom of the Vessel, you must stir it 3 or 4
times a day. The water will in the meantime dissolve the most
subtil earth which is its salt, this does unite with the water,
as being a Virgin earth.
As soon as this salt, or Virgin earth is extracted out of the
common earth, the water cannot dissolve it any further.
Now you must distil this water containing the salt, into a spiritual
water, and you must cohobate so often until all the salt has
come over with the water.
This water now has the power to dissolve again the next subtil
earth, which can like the first salt be distilled over as a spiritual
water.
With this Water you may proceed in dissolving more of the remaining
earth, until by distillations and cohobations, you have dissolved
the whole quantity and volatilised it into a spiritual water;
This is a tedious Operation but of great moment: In the same
manner Nature operates by dissolving and coagulating, until the
Universal Sperm of all Things is generated, which is universal
seed.
The Artist must observe that Nature proceeds gradually and regularly.
and observes time weight, and measure, he must transpose the
External into the Internal and Heavenly, and he will obtain more
and more knowledge.
Chapter 5
In what manner the divided Chaotic water is regenerated and becomes
the Universal and General Sperm of all Things, called Anima or
Spiritus Mundi.
The 4 so-called Elements have been separated out of the Chaos,
but they proceed all from one. The form is but one, and the Matter
is but one. The form is fire, and the Matter is water.
The difference consists in their external appearance, by Fermentation
fire becomes air, and air becomes water, and water is become
earth; But when fire is fixed by Art or by Nature it becomes
earth, and when the earth is volatilised by water it becomes
air and fire.
Because one Element can be converted into the other, if this
was not true they would differ centrally, but they do not. The
Chaos which produced these Elements was in the beginning fire
and water only, these two have been divided into four b a further
volatilisation and Inspissation: By volatilisatian extennation
or rerefaction, Humidity becomes air animated by fire, but by
condensation in Inspissation of that Primordial Humidity the
Earth has been formed with the fire turned downwards, toward
the Center of the Earth. The Hieroglyphic characters of the Elements
explain their nature exactly.
There is not a Subject under the Heavens, whether liquid or dry
which does not contain this Universal fire, and Primordial Humidity.
The first is called Innate Heat, -- the last is called Radical
Humidity.
The Universal fire becomes Humidity externally, but remained
fire internally; being internally extreamly spiritual and volatile,
it was of course extreamly active and moveable, and by that primitive
mobility, excited warmth and fermentation and by that fermentation
the Universal vinegar was, and is continually generated, and
when this meets with a proper Body, whether in water or in the
earth the Universal Sperm becomes visible and Corporeal, but
whilst it is only a Vapour in the atmosphere, it is then the
Universal Astral and incorporeal Sperm. This is the influence
we receive from Heaven by means of the Air.
The Heavens give their influence, so does the Air, Water and
Earth, and with united efforts they fabricate continually the
Universal Sperm of the World.
Chapter 6
Of the Heavens and their Influence.
Heaven, after the separation of the Chaos, is the first principle,
and became visible in Light: It is the most subtil and the highest,
as well as the most universal, when it generated Humidity it
became a most subtil Vapour, pure and extreamly Volatile, for
that reason occupies the highest Station, or the remotest from
the atmospheres of the heavenly Bodies.
This most subtil principle is full of Life and the most active
for which reason we call Heaven the first Agent, the Male Sperm
the Soul, a subtle air, a subtil water, a volatile earth.
Heaven and air have their influence not upwards, but downwards,
towards water and earth, but earth and water ascends upwards
to meet them. They mix thus in the state of vapours in order
to fabricate the Chaotic regenerated, and impregnated water or
the Universal, Semi-material Sperma Mundi. As soon as the air
is impregnated and animated with Heaven, it communicates immediately
with water and earth to impregnate them also.
This communication is done in a moment, as the Elements are gradually
prepared to meet and mix with each other, by a continual circulation.
There is no doubt but our atmosphere is continually loaded with
Vapours, exhalations and clouds for the sake of communication
of the Elements; as soon as these Vapours become condensed into
Rain, Dew, Snow or Hail and fall down that same moment the volatilisations
and exhalations of water and earth take place and are ready to
succeed and meet those, which come down; so that there can never
be no want of generation of such Vapours, which when sufficiently
dilated or extended constitute our common air, which is more
or less pure according as it is more or less animated by Heaven
or fire.
The Heavens receive the ascending Vapours, which as they recede
from the atmosphere become more and more subtil and spiritual
until they are actually returned to their first Universal state
of Ether or Spiritus Mundi. The atmospheric air also receives
continually the volatilised water and succeeding Vapours, until
it is satiated and overloaded, when the superflous Humidity is
forced down again in Dew, Rain, Hail, Snow.
Thus fire and air come down into the Waters and impregnate them;
the Waters dispose their thickest part and give it to the Earth;
the Earth thereby becomes overloaded or saturated, which superfluity
of earth and water is again volatised and sublimed upwards by
the fire, inverted fire or Central Heat, into Vapours, which
ascension and descension God has implanted into the Universal
fire, as the Great and only Agent of nature, or rather Nature
herself which causes this perpetual circulation by its attracting
and repulsing power, as we have demonstrated in the Second Chapter.
The Lover of Natural Knowledge may clearly learn here how the
Effluvium of one Element becomes the food and nourishment of
the others, until converted therein; the same takes place with
us and our food, as, for instance, we eat Bread and drink Wine,
we discharge the superfluities of our food, which are used for
manure on the land; seed is sown therein and out of such superfluities
grows again our food.
A Tree looses its leaves during Winter, the leaves fall to the
Root, where they putrify and become humidity which penetrates
to the Root and feeds the Tree again.
Observe this well and you will fully comprehend the Superius
and Inferious of Hermes, and our Catena Homeri or Platonic Ring.
Thus you will see a continual transmutation of Matter, that is
a conditional change or modification, whilst the inward central
fire of Nature remains always the same, as it was in the beginning.
All things were water at first, and return to water . Apply this
throughout our Book, which is no small step towards out Art.
Chapter 7
Of the Atmosphere or air, and its Influence.
Air is the second principle after the separation of the Chaos,
and is the Vehicle or Instrument of the first i.e. fire; We mean
here the genuine animated air. This we call Male, Manly, Sperm,
and first Operator in all Things.
The Heavens or fire is the Anima and Life whilst the air or extenuated,
rarefied Humidity is the spirit and Receptacle of the Soul and
Principle of Life, and consequently animated fire ought to be
named Spiritus Vitalis Macrocosmi, or the Vital Spirit of the
Earth which we inhabit.
Air is a most subtil humid vapour or rarefied water wherein fire
dwells abundantly. This is more corporeal than the Ether beyond
the Atmosphere, which Ether is totally unfit for Inspiration,
as being too subtil to fill the air vesicles in the lungs of
animals: Air being the genuine Medium between fire and water,
as it partakes of both, is therefore capable to receive the most
subtil celestial fiery influences as well as the sublimed vapours
from below, and by a continual motion or circulation, more and
more vapours are converted into air, and more and more of such
air becomes animated by fire, and as soon as it is saturated,
the superflous humidity is condensed again and comes down in
the character of animated water, such is Rain, Dew, Hail, and
Snow.
By this you see that atmospheric air is the first Medium to unite
fire with water and earth, and without it the Heavens could never
communicate with water and earth.
Thus air becomes vapour and water, and the thicker the water
gets, the better it mixes with the Earth, as on the contrary
the Earth by Subtilisation by means of water is again converted
into air, Nature operating these perpetual changes and conversions
from one extream to the other: When they unite in Vapours they
fabricate the Universal Sperm of the World Spiritus Mundi, which
is partly resolved in Dew and Rain etc. and partly remains in
the air for the sake of animation; the atmospheric animated Waters
fall down upon the Earth, as the Receptacle of all Celestial
virtues, and fertilises it, for the growth and nourishment of
Animals, Vegetables and Minerals. The Earth itself is a condensed
or fixed Heaven, and Heaven is a volatilised earth, air is a
rarefied water, and water is condensed air. We have here to note
that one Element differs from the other only in this, that the
One is volatile, the Other fixed, the one is fluid or dissolved,
the Other is condensed or coagulated, and yet every one is and
remains centrally and inwardly what they all were at first, --
i.e. prima materia or fire; Lastly, the Air may be called Renes,
or the Kidneys of the Macrocosm, because in the air is chiefly
found the conflux of all radical substantial. macrocosmical fluids,
and the pure Extract of Essence of the World does meet there,
where that ancient primordial Chaos is daily and hourly generated
and regenerated for generation, preservation, destruction and
regeneration of all Natural Things.
What are Dew, Rain, Snow, or Hail else but a regenerated Chaos?
Out of which Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals receive part of
the vivifying principle and nourishment: and all this is generated
in the Air.
Chaper 8
Of Water and its Effluvium
Water and earth belong together, as fire and air do, nay,
all four stand in need of each other; the earth wants water,
and fire cannot do without air; air without or deprived of fire
becomes a putrid humidity, and water without animated air becomes
mud and earth.
Water is the third principle, but the first passive Element,
the Female Sperm and Menstrum of the Macrocosm, which does the
Office of conveying food and nourishment to all Sublunary Creatures,
and is, with the Earth, the Mother of all Things. Water is condensed
air and a fluid earth. Water is a Medium between air and earth.
As soon as fire is become air, and air been converted into water,
Dew, Rain, or Snow, they fall down on the inferior grosser waters
and earth and mix therewith, begin to ferment by means of the
primogenial implanted spirit or fire, and one Element operates
into the other, until they have produced their Fruit from convenient
Matrixes.
Here the Artist may learn Wisdom from Nature, which is not satisfied
with one Medium of Union, viz: air to convert fire into earth,
but makes use of water also. Thus the Artist must follow Nature,
if he wants to unite and fix his principles together; Let him
look for a Medium of Union, which is easily found; and if one
Medium is not enough, let him employ two, and if two prove inadequate,
let him take three, but homogenials and not heterogenials, as
minerals agree with minerals, vegetables with vegetables etc.
Minerals agree also with Vegetables, and Vegetables with Animals,
as the Vegetables stand between Animals and Minerals.
The difference between them all is but external, not central,
as they proceed originally all from one and the same Universal
spirit;
Minerals are fixt Vegetables, Vegetables are Volatile Minerals,
and one kingdom is transmutable into the other, in regard to
its internal qualities.
Men and Beasts make use of Vegetables for food, and by their
inward nature, they change those Vegetables into flesh and Blood;
now when man and beasts die, they are buried underground, and
Vegetables are again produced, which receive by means of their
fibres and roots mineral Vapours, which are thus converted again
into Vegetables.
This is the true Pythagorean Metempsychosis. Vegetables again.
when they putrefy, assume a nitreous saline nature which is dissolved
by rain and carried downwards through the pores, into the earth,
or into the Sea. if near hand, from whence it ascends again as
a mineral vapour, and thus Vegetables are frequently changed
into Minerals, as well as into Animals, although more frequently
into animals. Heaven and Air are Male Sperm, water is the Female
Sperm and Menstrum, the Earth is the Womb or Matrix, wherein
the two first, by means of the third operate every Generation.
Chapter 9
Of the Earth and its Effluvium.
Earth is the fourth and last principle of the Chaos. It is
the second passive Element, the Matrix, and Mother of all sublinary
Creatures; earth is a coagulated fixt Heaven a coagulated fixt
water, and condensed air. The Center and Receptacle of all the
heavenly Influences and of the Universal Sperm, which takes here
a Body as well as in the Ocean.
Heaven by its extream subtility, is of all Elements the most
moveable and omnipresent; its own motion, on account of its subtility
is imperceptible, although visible in Light; This Universal fire
is never idle, but perpetually active, pervading all things,
although its action is generally imperceptible. This is the original
cause of all Motion in Nature it moves the most subtil Air on
the outward superficies of the atmospheres of the opaque celestial
Bodies. This outward subtil air set in Motion, moves the next
towards the region of Clouds and Vapours, yet as the atmospheres
grow gradually thicker, i.e. more loaded with Vapours, the nearer
to Sea and Land, the Motion is successively and gradually slower.
That the air is moved by the Ether or fire, is observable on
account of the constant motion of the atmosphere; that Air set
in Motion moves the Waters is well known to those who navigate
the Seas and Rivers. That Water moves the Earth appears by the
Sand, Mud and Stones which the Waters move continually from one
place to the other. Here the Water carries off, and in other
places accumulates Sand and whole Shores: now every Motion manifests
warmth of the omnipresent cold, Universal fire, where it be perceptible
or imperceptible as this depends on circumstances; In living
Animals this warmth occasioned by moving the omnipresent fire
is perceptible enough, whilst that same Motion is imperceptible
in Vegetables and in Minerals. All Life proceeds from a Motion
of the Universal fire, as a total privation of action and warmth
extinguishes Life. From this let the Student collect that there
exists a perceptible and imperceptible warmth.
This we tell you because in all the Elements exist Innate Heat,
which is sometimes observable at other times not, this is not
always dependent on the collected Rays of Light, nor on the Central
Heat of the Earth.
Every Subject under the Sun, although invisibly small contains
Life or fire, and of course the four Elements. Now if every Subject
contains Heaven or fire, so every Subject has a Motion, whether
visible and perceptible or not, yet there is a Motion in it.
Heaven never rests: it must have a Motion, let it proceed from
what means it will; and although this principle may seem to be
inactive or at rest, yet it has its invisible influences, virtues,
and powers.
For instance, a plant, root, or herb, ore or mineral tore from
the Spot where it grew, seems to be dead, because it is hindered
from growing to a further perfection; But as Heaven is within
which is never at rest, it still continues to show its powers
and virtues, when that plant or ore is rendered medicinal.
The Lover of Natural Truths sees here, from whence each Concrete
derives its power, viz. from the implanted Heaven within as from
without, from its perpetual Motion, warmth and heat. Therefore
you will look in vain for a Subject big, or even so small which
is deprived of Life, that is of Heaven air, water and earth.
It stands to reason that the Children resemble Father and Mother,
now as all Things did proceed from the Primeval Chaos, they must
partake of the same properties. This property was fire and Humidity,
but fire is the mover.
Thus fire or the spirit is diffused through the whole system
of Nature, so that the meanest drop of water, or the smallest
atom of Sand or Earth is filled with that Universal spirit.
Observe here that the whole difference of Things consists only
in volatility or fixity; that is: volatility and fixity causes
the changes and different modulations of Matter, and the whole
scope of Nature is to corporify and fix Heaven, in order to become
useful and salutary; which, Heaven could not effect if it were
not by the gradual Mediums of Vapours, as it must communicate
with the Earth by means of air and water. God has ordained it
wisely, that Heaven must become corporeal and be converted into
all the Elements, as vice versa, the inferior Elements are by
subtilisation converted into air and fire or Heaven, in order
to be reimpregnated and renewed by the Celestial Influences,
for the sake of generation, preservation, destruction, and regeneration
of all Things. We have explained to you how Vapours are converted
into air and air into fire, we will now examine the nature of
these Vapours.
We have told you that there exists in the Earth an Innate Heat,
which we believe to be the strongest in the Center of the Earth,
by reason of its swift motion. This Celestial Heat causes a continual
transpiration and sublimation of Vapours; such Vapours are Dews
and Fogs; these Vapours are two-fold and four-fold. Two-fold
because they consist of water and earth, fourfold as they contain
the 4 Elements, which four Elements cannot do without each others
assistance; that I call these Vapours water and earth is, because
they contain those two Elements volatilised and subtilised, and
if they ascend they are still further subtilised and converted
into air and fire or Heaven.
Such Vapours have been water will be easily admitted, but that
they also contain a subtilised earth, may perhaps be doubted;
but note, that I have said before, that one Element is the conductor
of the other, and that one Element dissolves and subtilises the
other.
Fire dissolves and subtilises air, air dissolves and subtilises
water, water dissolves and subtilises and mollifies the earth,
vice versa, the earth condenses the water, water condenses air,
air condenses or corporifies Heaven or fire, by which means air
becomes animated, as we have explained before, and becomes this
Spiritus Mundi.
Thus one Element is the others Magnet, solvent, volatilising,
condensing, coagulating and fixing principles. You are to note
here that Nature has its degrees of Volatility and Fixity; as
for instance, that part of fire which is nearest to the atmosphere
is not so highly pure or subtil, as that which is a thousand
leagues remote from it: In the same manner, the highest atmospheric
air is purer, colder and more subtil as well as dryer than that
air near us, which we breathe. The superfluities of the water
is also lighter, more aerial and more subtil than the thick slimy
ground waters, which settle on pebbles. stones corals, and covering
them with a slime or subtil mud.
The Earth has also its degrees of subtility and fixity: We have
therein earth juices, sulphurs, bituminous substances, such as
the pitcoal, clays, loams, minerals, ores and metals, rocks,
stones, and flints, and the precious gems of a wonderful fixity.
The most volatile earth is mollified and dissolved by water,
further volatilised into air and fire.
Vice Versa the lowest fire sooner mixes and corporifies itself
with the air, than the remote, whilst the lowest atmospheric
air sooner mixes with, and becomes water, than the pure and highest
air, the Inferior slimy ground waters become earth sooner than
the superficial lighter waters.
The Volatile soluble Earth, in particular its Virgin earth, i.e.,
its salt is sooner dissolved by water than a pebble or Sand.
The volatile water is sooner converted into the lower air than
the grownd waters can possibly be.
If you understand us right, we shew you here the first beginning
of Nature, and the true First Matter. As the 4 Elements proceed
from the primordial Vapours, they are forced to generate continually
such a Vapour, of the very selfsame principles and substances,
which Vapour is converted by Nature into a Chaotic water, and
falls down in Showers of Rain.
In this Chaotic water is invisibly contained the Universal Sperm
for the generation, preservation, destruction and regeneration
of all Things.
Now we have treated of the regeneration of the Chaos or Universal
Vapours: we shall further show you its power and virtue so that
you may touch it with your hands, as well as see it with your
eyes.
Chapter 10
Discovery of the genuine Universal Sperm in the regenerated Chaos,
the corporified Animal or Spiritus Mundi.
We have demonstrated how fire water air earth be proceed from
the first Chaotic Waters, and how they produce the Universal
Sperm, and how they continually regenerate the Chaotic waters
for generation, preservation and Regeneration of all Things.
This Universal Sperm is generated by condensation and evaporation
of Vapours, which are circulated in the great Alembic of the
Air, until they are sufficiently impregnated or animated by fire,
when they are again condensed and resolved into water.
This Chaotic Waters are commonly called Dew, Rain, Showers, Hail,
Snow: But really and truly it is the true regenerated Chaos,
the genuine spirit and Anima Mundi animates it, who generates,
preserves, kills, and regenerates all sublunary Creatures agreeably
to their original form, by means of their Seed or Sperm, and
this Anima Mundi is Nature truly.
Now to prove that this Dew. Rain, Hail. or Snow is actually the
regenerated Chaos, containing the Universal Sperm and spirit
Mundi we must show you that they were generated first out of
the primordial Chaos. We must also show, nay, we have done it
before, that our regenerated Chaos contains the four Elements,
and if it contains them, it must of course possess all what the
four Elements contain.
We say therefore as a fundamental truth, that everything can
be resolved and must return to that; what it was at first; and
everything must be resolved and be returned to its first origin
by that self-same principle by which it was made or generated
naturally. The Elements originate from Vapour and fire, and they
return to Vapour, that is Water, and from thence to fire. They
proceed from fire and humidity, and by fire and humidity they
return to their first origin.
Now that Dew and Rain is fire and water, or such a regenerated
Chaos as the first Chaos was, is proved by its visible effects,
better known to Country-men and Gardeners than to Citizens: Chemical
Anatomy demonstrates visibly that the four Elements are contained
in Dew and Rain water.
Daily experience confirms it, that by the effects of those waters
every Plant prospers and grows, Animals cannot do without it,
and minerals and metals are generated by their inward fiery principle,
as we shall show hereafter. Now let us examine this Universal
Sperm, or regenerated Chaotic water by Chemical Anatomy. Take
a quantity of Dew, Rain, Snow or Hail, which you like; but the
most expeditious way is if you take Rain water from a thundershower,
receive it into clean glazed earthen Vessels, and filter it in
order to separate the dirt from it which intermixes from the
Roofs of Houses, and you will after filtration, have a clear
crystalline water, of no particular taste, in fact a fine clear
water, fit to be used like any other water.
Place this collected water in a warm garret, where neither Sun
nor Moon can shine upon it, cover the Vessels with a Linen Cloth,
to prevent the dust getting into it.
Let it stand a month unmoved, and if the place is warm enough,
you will by this time perceive an alteration in the water, because
this water begins by the power of the implanted fire or spirit
grow warm although imperceptibly and to break; it begins to ferment
and putrefy and acquires a bad smell, and you will observe that
it becomes turbid, although it was perfectly clear at first,
and a brown spongy earth ascends swimming at the top, which increases
daily and from its weight falls to the bottom.
Here you see a separation, occasioned by the ingrafted spirit
of the gross from the subtil.
The separated earth is brown, spongy or like wool slimy and slippery,
and this slimy earth is the Universal Gur of Nature.
Here the Artists may observe two things viz. water and earth,
which conceal fire and air.
Here the air animated by the fire is extended in the water. Now
you have two passive Elements water and earth. In the beginning
you had only a volatile water but by a gentle putrefaction in
a warm place you have manifested the earth also. Fire and air
we must look for in another way.
When you see now your Rain water in that state of putrefaction
that the slimy Earth is separated and falls to the bottom. then
stir it up with a clean wooden handle.
Separation and Distillation
Now pour your troubled water and earth in that state of putrefaction
into a large Glass Body, which place in an earthenware pot, fixed
into a charcoal distilling furnace, apply a large alembic and
receiver and light your fire, which keep so gentle that only
the stream or vapours arise. Let this all come over first as
a pure water, which contains animated air, that is air and fire.
Distil no more of the very volatile water over; than what will
go with the gentlest degree of Heat, whilst the Subject in the
body only vapours away but must not be suffered to boil, in this
manner you vapour over about the fourth part of the whole, or
less.
Take the receiver off with this very volatile water, this water
the more so, if you afterwards rectify it per se over a steam
bath is more luminous and clearer than common distilled water,
which is a proof that it contains much air and fire.
Now apply another receiver and continue the distillation, raising
your heat sufficiently, so as to cause the thickish water in
the Glass Body to boil and in this manner you must distil all
the water over, which will appear like water and in drops in
the Alembic; continue the distillation until it remains in the
body like melted Honey and looks Brown, but beware of distilling
until it remains dry, because you would burn the young and tender
Virgin earth in the bottom of the Vessel, which is not yet fixt.
Take the distilled water away and put it by as the Element water.
The Honey-like Matter, or the moist earth remaining in the Glass
body, take out cleanly and put it into a china basin and set
it in the Sun to evaporate until it is perfectly dry; then grind
it in a Glass Mortar to a subtil earth. Now you have separated
the Elements out of your Chaos.
Now it remains to be proved that they are truly Elements or else
it must be false what I have written, that all sublunary subjects
proceed from them. To produce heavenly subjects out of this Chaos,
or meteors, as this water itself is a meteorical production,
let no one undertake; but we will demonstrate that Animals. Vegetables
and Minerals may, and can be generated, and that is what we pretend
and no further.
To generate Minerals
Take your dried earth put it into a glass Body and humect it
a little with a few drops of your Dist: water, but not with the
Element air and fire, and put the Body in a warm room facing
the South, but let not the Sun's Rays shine upon the Body; after
your earth is dry, humect or imbibe it again with the Element
water. then set it to dry, and this humecting and drying you
may repeat several times every day and continue so doing during
the whole Summer, and you can mineralise the whole Earth. You
will find by your inbibitions and exsiccations, that the Earth
becomes more ponderous and sandy.
NB. the Glass Body must be covered with paper only to keep the
dust out, as there must be left access of air. As soon as you
perceive that the earth is become sandy, you may know that it
is mineralised, this sandy earth is neither Animal nor Vegetable,
consequently Mineral. If you have a few ounces of this earth,
try it as Glauber tries the sun containing Sands and you will
find a grain or two of sun and moon.
To produce Vegetables out of your Earth.
Take your before mentioned earth dried in the Sun. put it into
a Glass Body, make a mixture of two parts of water and one part
of air (which you rectified in the beginning) with this humect
or unbibe your earth as the gardeners do, by sprinkling only,
not too wet, not too dry, place your Body (open) on the air not
so that the Sun can shine upon it, and you will find several
Vegetables productions spring up in a few weeks, although you
have sown no Seed.
If you like to produce Animals. Take your before mentioned dried
and powdered earth, pour first together, one part of water, and
three parts of air, with this mixture humect your earth so copiously
that it may become like liquid or melted Honey, place the Glass
body which contains this mixture in the Air where it is warm,
the Sun may shine on it but not too hot, nor at the Meridian,
and the Glass is left open.
You will perceive that in a few days, there will be different
kinds of small vermine, in the thick water ; when the earth diminishes
and dries up you must humect it again, so that it may remain
of the same consistence like Honey or Syrup, as before; and you
will perceive that the first small vermine will die and loose
themselves, and others will be produced who will feed on their
putrefaction and become larger and more in number.
I could reveal here something, but as it would be abused by profligate
men, I am obliged to be silent.
You may be convinced by these experiments that our water or regenerated
Chaos, Rain water, or Dew, or Snow is, and contains the Mundi
and Universal Sperm, out of which, all things were, and are generated.
It appears from this that this water and Earth are endowed with
the principle of fertility for the three departments of Nature,
as all things are produced thereof.
Few there are that know the secret powers of these things, and
what it is that causes and gives fertility!
It is a spirit or fire, but as a volatile unembodied spirit,
he can effect nothing in natural productions.
All what is to be serviceable in visible Bodies, must be, or
become corporeal with them, it must become visible and palpable:
therefore this great and wonderful Universal spirit must take
a visible and palpable Body, as well as the Animal and Vegetable
Sperm is visible and palpable. Few know this although they handle
it often enough.
This corporified Anima Mundi or Universal Sperm according to
its origin is but little known, although it may be got in great
quantity. The cause of this obscurity is that it bears a different
name from what it ought to have. According to its root and origin
it ought to be called the Sperm of the Macrocosm, the Sperm of
the World, the cause of Fertility. This title belongs to it as
it is the concentrated corporified Sperm, and spirit Mundi in
a transparent visible crystalline Body, a dry water, which does
not wet the hands, an earth, a fiery pure earth, full of Light
and fire also full of cold, like ice, a coagulated or congealed
fire, a condensed and animated air, which is better and more
valuable than all the Treasures in the World!
But that I may show You this embodied spirit and that you may
touch It with your hands, proceed as I teach you. Process to
demonstrate the corporified Anima Mundi!
Take your putrefied Rain water, put it into a large glass Body
cut off low, or into a china basin of a large size, which place
in an earthenware pot, and evaporate this putrefied water gently,
until there remains only a 1/3 part of the whole. Let the fire
die away whilst it is yet luke warm, filter it through blotting
paper. Pour the clear into a clean pewter basin, or into an earthen
glazed dish, which place in a cool Cellar or Room, and during
the night the celebrated Spiritus Mundi will shoot in Crystals
and appear under two different forms.
The first is of a perfect crystalline transparent form, this
shoots ah round the sides of the Basin and settles on small sticks.
if you place any on the water.
The second fixes itself on the bottom of the Basin, and is darker
and not so transparent.
Here now you see that celebrated spirit, the Universal spirit,
the Sperm of the Macrocosm, the regenerated Chaos visible and
bodily. Pour the water off gently, and let the crystals dry.
Those crystals which hang all round the sides or on the sticks
keep by themselves separately. Those that are fixed on the bottom
of the Basin keep separately also.
With both sorts of crystals go to old Lame Vulcan and he will
tell you their Names! Take some of those Crystals which hung
all round the sides of the Basin, or were fastened to the sticks
and throw them on lighted Charcoal, and they will tell you what
they are, They are called nitre.
The bottom Crystals throw also on fiery Coals, they have a harsh
voice and spit about them. They are called Common salt or Alkaline
salt.
Here you have both names of the Corporified spirit Mundi!
This nitre out of the Rain water fulmunates with sulphur, like
any other Salpetre, and has no other, or greater effect than
Common purified universal seed.
The salt cracks and flies from the fiery coals like any other
Common salt, and shows the same effect in all other operations
like good Common salt. By this experiment you may perceive clearly
the Center and Sperm of all things, the Sperm of the World, visibly
and corporified before your eyes, and you may touch it with your
hands! Both generate, preserves, destroy and regenerate everything
that is on Earth.
In the atmosphere it is volatile and incorporeal, and produces
volatile meteors in water and earth, it assumes a crystalline
Body. and produces corporeal Subjects. according to different
degrees of fixity; no objects under the sun in their last resolution
are found without one or the other.
Everything in Nature does consist of these two.
The one is Nitre The other is Salt
The one is Acid The other is Alkaline
The one is Spirit The other is Body
This is the Father This is the Mother
This is the Male Sperm This is the Female Sperm
This is the Universal Agent This the Universal Patient
Primordial Sulphur Primordial Mercury and Salt
Fire and Air The Magnet
Chalybs Sendivogii The Magnet
The Hammer The Anvil
Sulphur Naturae Mercury and Salt Naturae
In the beginning this Chaotic water was entirely Volatile,
because if you did distil it before putrefaction, every drop
of it ascends like volatile water; By fermentation and putrefaction
it gets a basis of fixation and precipitates its subtil earth.
The most volatile part of this water generates Animals, when
it becomes a little fixer it generates Vegetables, and when it
becomes quite fixed it generates Minerals and Metals. Whosoever
like to generate minerals, let him take the fixest parts, such
as eath and water. If you like to produce Vegetables, add to
the earth and water some air and fire. If you want to bring forth
Animals add still more of the most volatile, that is more air
and fire, as containing more of the Universal. The vegetable
department stands between Animals and Minerals. because out of
them a Mineral or Stone may as soon be produced as an animal,
as we shall show hereafter.
The efficient cause which has enabled us to see and feel the
Universal Corporified Sperm, is putrefaction, the Principal Key
whereby the Lock of Natural Subjects may be opened.
The cause of fermentation and putrefaction is the implanted spirit
which is never idle whenever he meets with Humidity, his own
instrument, by means of which this spirit is ever busy, either
visibly or invisibly, either sensibly or insensibly, this causes
fermentation and putrefaction; and out of a volatile makes a
fixt, and out of a fixt again a volatile and this mutation is
continued without ceasing.
This spirit breaks and dissolves Stone and Rocks, which he himself
has coagulated and reduces them into Sand and Dust; this same
spirit reduces Trees into Mould and earth, and putrefies Animals,
and again from such putrefied substances produces Vegetables
and Minerals, and this continues from one thing into another.
I have said that the Universal Corporified Sperm of the World,
produced out of the regenerated Chaos of Rain water, that is
our nitre and salt is not better than common nitre, and common
salt, and it is truly so because they produce the same effect
and operation, and their is no difference between them, except
if the one should be more purified than the other, but if they
were equallv pure, there could be no difference; therefore let
the Artist not be deceived, if anyone would tell him, this from
the Chaotic water is the nitre of the Philosophers, and the other
is vulgar nitre, we say that such a distinction is folly and
superstition.
If Common pure nitre produces the same effects as the other does,
then Common nitre is philosophical nitre; but that the Reader
may be convinced that the Universal nitre out of the Rain water
is not better than purified vulgar nitre, let him consider that
the Universal nitre is the Father and Generator of vulgar nitre,
and he must then naturally conclude that the Blood of the Infant
must be like that of Father and Mother, and that it must contain
the very same principles and consequently must produce the same
effects as the Father, nay, it is itself the Father, and is centrally
one and the same with the Father and omnipresent.
Now if out of the Universal nitre and salt all things are produced.
Animals, Vegetables and Minerals, all things of course are reducible
into these their first principles. and still further into Vapour.
That all things proceed from universal seed is demonstrated by
nitre and salt being found everywhere in all things.
Chapter 11
That nitre and salt are found in the air and in all things in
this World.
As we cannot ascend towards the heavenly Bodies, we must judge
of what is above by that which is below within our reach. The
Firmament is full of Light, Light is nothing else but attracted
and repulsed, moved and manifested fire of Nature or Universal
spirit. This further agitated and concentrated produces Heat
and fire. Nitre is coagulated fire concealed in air and Humidity;
therefore we say and conclude, that the Heavens or intermediate
Space between us and the Heavenly Bodies consists of, or is filled
with a most volatile incorporeal nitre, which as it descends
into our Atmosphere and probably other atmospheres of Heavenly
Bodies becomes gradually more and more corporeal. Let this suffice
concerning the Spiritual Heavenly nitre. That there is nitre
and salt in the Air is plain by lightning, thunder and Hail.
Here on Earth we cannot find another subject which fulminates,
thunders, and hails besides nitre or stalteous things.
Nitre is born spiritual and volatile in the Heavens, in the atmosphere
it becomes acid but remains spiritual and volatile, in water
and earth it assumes a visible and palpable Body; how that happens
that it inflames hails, fulminates and thunders in the atmosphere,
we will first demonstrate theoretically by physical reasons,
and then mechanically by practice.
Nitre does not fulminate, except it meets with a contrary agent
and is excited by heat.
The more volatile and subtil the nitre is, the more vehemently
it fulminates and is the easier enflamed.
In the same manner volatile and subtil its contrary agent is
the more vehement, sudden and powerful in their mutual operation.
The Light heavenly fire and Life of all things is condense in
the atmosphere in the form of a subtil volatile nitre and this
must have a contrary agent for its operation.
In order that this volatile nitre may obtain a contrary agent,
there ascends continually out of the Earth, Ocean and Rivers
an equally subtil, volatile, sulphureous, alcaline Earth in the
shape of Vapours, Fumes, and Fogs, filled with salt alcalicum
Volatile. This is the natural evaporation of the Earth excited
by the Central heat of the Earth. This ascends continually to
meet the Volatile incorporeal nitre, now, when they do meet in
a dry rarified atmosphere they are moved by the Sun's Rays, which
by those ascending Vapours are collected and concentrated, whereby
these Vapours become more and more heated until the subtil nitre
takes fire and fulminates with this contrary sulphureous, volatile,
alcaline agent, rarefies the air all round and thunders with
dreadful Explosions as we observe during hot, dry, Summer days.
When on the contrary the atmosphere is dense and loaded with
humidity, these two Universal Agents meet peaceably: the subtil
nitre joins itself and embraces quietly the volatile sulphureous
alcali without any vehement concussions: as is the case in Winter,
when Humidity and Cold prevail in our atmosphere. Humidity and
Cold hinder the inflammation and, consequently the fulmen.
Take nitre let it melt in a crucible, in an open fire, add to
it a volatile alcaline sulphureous nitre, such as sal ammoniac
or volatile nitre of urine, which is also sulphureous, or a volatile
earth. Such are Charcoal, Mineral sulphur, Vegetable and Animal
Oils, and the nitre will take fire and fulminate like gunpowder;
the more volatile the earth or the nitre is, but in a dry state,
the more violently does the nitre fulminate, and this reaction
takes place only in a dry heat, but in humidity they unite peaceably
and quietly. Humidity is here a third Medium which prevents the
fulmen.
If you dissolve volatile salt of urine, or sal ammoniac with
nitre in water, both are dissolved without violence or alteration,
but if this humidity or water is evaporated and coagulated over
the fire to dryness, so that they only commence to melt, they
inflame and fulminate immediately. Another evident proof we have
in Aurum fulminans.
The reason of its fulmen many have sought to explain, but few
have known it.
Many chemists have attributed this fulmen to the sun itself:
some to compressed air, but here is the true reason:
The fulmen explained
Sun is dissolved in aqua regia, which must contain com. nitre
or sal ammoniac in order to become aqua regia. The sun when dissolved
is precipitateted with fixt oil of tartar or with any other alcali,
such as a volatile salt of urine, or so-called spirit of urine,
and the Sol falls to the bottom as a Spongy quicklime.
Although this quicklime is edulcorated or washed a 100 times
with water, yet you will not take its fulmen from it by washing
because some of the vinegar and alcaline salt remain fixed therein
so that such a sun quicklime becomes heavier than the sun employed.
Now let us examine the quicklime or sun fulminans.
It is on the same foundation of nitre and sal ammoniac dissolved
in, and then evaporated to dryness, with this difference, that
here in the progress of the sun fulminans, the ingredients or
principles are subtilised, and in the former solution only crude.
The aqua regia is composed of aqua fortis and sal ammoniac or
Sea salt; aqua fortis is spirit of nitre, the oil of Tartar for
the precipitation is a fixt alchali. Now when the sun is dissolved
in the aqua regia containing a highly volatile nitre by means
of sal ammoniac as being a volatile alcaline earth it is then
precipitated with the oil of Tartar, which is a subtil fixt alcaline
earth, the vinegar spirit in the aqua fortis are here partly
saturated, precipitated and fixed by the salt of Tartar their
enemy and contrary, and as this fixt salt is more porous than
the earth of sun, it lets go the sun after having impregnated
it first strongly with fixt vinegar nitreous and volatile alcaline
spirits, as much as the atoms of sun will receive; for that reason
it precipitates the sun to the bottom and detains it as an earth.
Every dry earth is greedy to receive a salt, arid as these two
salts of the aqua fortis and sal ammoniac are very subtil and
volatile they are easily excited and inflamed by the least motion
or smallest Heat: as soon as they feel that, Heat, they fulminate
and break forth downwards, as gunpowder shows its greatest force
upwards. Thus the volatile nitre and volatile alcali in the sal
ammoniac as powerful Re-agents cause the fulmen and explosion
and not the sun.
The cause of the sun's explosion downwards is because it is a
fixed earth which inclines downwards, whilst the charcoal in
the gunpowder being a volatile sulphureous earth explodes upwards.
We also observe a great difference between the force of the explosion
of sun fulm, and of common gunpowder, the explosion of sun fulm
being three times as violent as that of gunpowder because in
the sun fulm is a spiritual volatile highly subtilised nitre,
whilst the gunpowder is composed of crude corporeal nitre; therefore
the more subtil, volatile and spiritual the counter-agents are,
the greater must be the effect.
If you precipitate to the sun quicklime, in the room of taking
a fixt alcali such as the oil Tartari pr. delig. with a subtilised,
volatilised alcali, such as a salt volatile urineae or a vol:
salt of Hartshorn, the fulmen and explosion will be still more
violent. Thus we have demonstrated that the fulmen and explosion
proceeds from the Universal principles and not from the sun.
On the contrary if you want to take the fulminating power from
the sun quicklime, proceed in this way; After having well washed
your sun fulm., let the humidity drain from it on blotting paper;
then make a strong alcaline lye of fixed salt of Tartar and water,
or of pure potash and water, or oil of Tartar and water, and
boil your sun fulminans is such a lye for about 15 or 20 minutes,
then wash and dry the quicklime and its fulmen is entirely gone
and lost.
The reason of this phenomenon is, that the fixt alcaline lye
dissolves the volatile vinegar and alcaline counter-agents, which
had fixed themselves in the golden earth, and dissolving them
destroys their union, and by its fixity destroys the power of
fulminating anymore.
From all this it appears plain that the fulminating quality proceeds
from volatile nitre and a subtil, volatile alcali or a volatile
sulphureous earth, such as the charcoal sulphur, and the more
volatile those agents are, the stronger is the fulmen; and the
fixer they are, the less the fulminate. If you project an oil,
sulphur, charcoal dust, arsenic, [unidentified symbol], antimony,
etc. into fluid nitre, they repel each other and cause a violent
reaction according to the volatility and oiliness of the projected
agent.
On the contrary, if you project common nitre or fixed salt of
Tartar or any fixed alcali, or a fixed earth, such as terra sigillata,
chalk, quicklime, which contains nothing volatile into melted
nitre, you will see no re-action, but they will soon unite peaceably
and fix each other, without fulminating. We have now proved theoretically
and practically that there is a volatile nitre and salt in the
air, and that the fulmen proves it, as well as the experiment
with thunder-rain water.
Chapter 12
That there is nitre and salt in all waters and earths.
That nitre and salt is in Rain water we have proved by an
Experiment. That it is in all earths and waterss can easily be
demonstrated.
If you take any earth whether from fields, meadows, marshes,
Hills or Valleys, a sufficient quantity, and dissolve as much
as you can of such an earth in distilled Rain water, and then
filter the solution and evaporate it, until there remains no
more than a third part of the whole quantity of water employed,
the pour it off into basins or dishes and let it stand to cool
over night in a cold place, and you will find crystals of nitre
and salt in a lesser or greater quantity, according as the Earth
was less or more impregnated with nitre and salt. The Saltpetre
boilers understand this best as they boil no earth but such as
is rich in nitre, to pay them for their labour.
It is the same with all Waters, springs and wells, which are
all more or less impregnated with nitre and salt; nay, some Springs
are thoroughly saline and nitreous.
Rivers flow out of the Earth, dissolve the nitre and salt and
carry it along with them into the Ocean. Why the Ocean more salt
com, than nitre is because the Sun reverberates it continually,
principally between the Tropics, where the Rays of Light fall
more perpendicularly; this along with the motion occasioned by
the Winds and Tides convert the Aereal incorporeal nitre into
Sea salt; it looses its fulmen and becomes alcaline.
Experiment
Take nitre with its own earth, before it is purified, and boil
it often in water, until it is dry, and increase your heat more
and more as you advance with your boilings, and you will see
that the Nitre loses gradually its Fulmen and becomes more and
more fixed, until after 40 or 50 boilings it becomes quite fixed
and alkailsed and fulminates no more, but is converted into common
salt. Therefore we say that Common or Sea salt is nothing else
but nitre originally, reverberated and alcalised by the Rays
of Light.
Fixation in Via Sicca
This fixation of nitre is done more expeditiously with quicklime
viva, than by the detonation with charcoal or sulphur.
Take fiery stone lime fresh from the kiln, which reduce to powder
and Nitre finely powdered [in equal parts] mix the two powders
by rubbing them together in a mortar; 1/2 lb. of each. Put this
mixture in a roomy crucible, in a wind furnace and begin your
fire gradually (a lid must he luted on which must have a small
hole in the middle) let the fire be gentle the first two hours
to season the crucible, then keep it moderate during two hours
more. so that the Coals lay no higher than the upper part of
the ^-. after that i.e. after the first four hours, cover the
crucible with Coals and keep up a good fire during four hours
more, so that the crucible, keeps always glowing hot like the
fiery Coals. Then let the fire go out gradually: towards night
take out and break the crucible and you will find your nitre
alcalised or fixed in a lump which is outwardly Green and inwardly
Purple.
Elixivate this mass with hot water, or powder it and let it flow
per delig. (this is best).
During the first three or four hours of the operation the vinegar
spirit is forcibly driven out of the small hole in the cover
and even through the Luting, and displays various beautiful colours
on the fiery Cof the Generation o You may also fix nitre if you
melt it with common salt [in equal parts] or with fixt nitre
of Tartar [in equal parts] and the nitre becomes fixt.
If you let the mass flow per dilig. evaporate your oil of fixt
nitre to a dry fat salt,. and melt that, and if you project sulphur
or Powdered Charcoal, it does no longer fulminate.
NB. Such a nitre fixes sulphur by degrees.
Chapter 13
That nitre and salt is found in Animals, that Animals proceed
from nitre and salt, and are resolved into nitre and salt.
Whatsoever is intended to cause fertility must be saline or
nitreous. or it can be no manour. All Animals are nitreous or
Saline, as by their Chemical Anatomy, by distillation, we find
they contain a certain quantity of volatile, and some a fixt
salt and a stinking oil or sulphur. The fixt salt appears, when
we calcine the ashes. That this animal oil is a liquid salt is
proved by its inflammation, because it burns, and nothing can
burn but what is either nitreeous, or sulphureous. The fixt salt
and fixt earth cannot burn. We have a still stronger proof in
the phosphorous made out of animal salts.
That the Animal department is very nitreous is proved by the
Saltpetre - boilers in Germany, who dig up the floors of Stables
and Cow-houses in the country, such as have been abandoned, and
by boiling such an earth, they find it very rich of nitre.
The same is done on old forsaken burying grounds, and they find
such an earth, if it has but laid long enough, very rich of nitre;
which are sufficient proofs that the animal department is nitreeous,
and that animal substances are reduced into nitre; and where
into a Concrete is reduced, from that very principle it has its
origin, and this Resolution and Mutation is performed bid the
Archaeous of Nature, or Universal spirit in the air.
Chapter 14
That nitre and salt is found in Vegetables; that Vegetables consist
of nitre and salt, and are resolved into nitre and salt.
That Vegetables grow by Dew and Rain out of water and earth
is known to all husband-men and gardeners.
We have shown you that the pure and real essence of Dew and Rain
nitre and salt, and that all waters and earths do conceal either
one or both. Now it is known that the Universal Sperm, that is.
Dew, Rain, Snow or rather the nitre and salt concealed therein
causes fertility and the growth of Vegetables; nitre and salt
are found in all waters and earths if this be true, it is also
true that Vegetables grow and live by those salts, as a pure
or empty earth or an empty water without Sperm are insufficient
for their production and preservation, and this sperm is nothing
else but nitre and salt.
Experiment
Take two parts of salt and one part of nitre, melt these two
together in a roomy crucible. When cold, beat the mass into a
powder, and dissolved 1 lb. weight of it in 10 lbs. of Rain water,
keep this for use. In this water soak any seeds, until then swell,
then dry them in the Sun, and sow them in the ground. Now take
some of the same Seeds not soaked in this Spermatic water, and
sow them close to the others, but mark both places. You will
soon perceive the sudden growth of the soaked Seeds the beauty
of the Fruit and the quantity in comparison to the unprepared
seeds. If you will pour about a quart of the above water to the
root of a Fruit tree or Vine, and repeat that once a month, for
instance in Febr: March and April, you will perceive a wonderful
fertility of that Tree that Season.
That Vegetables are very nitreous in general yet some more than
others, appears by their Ardent spirit, or so-called S.V., by
their Vinegar, by their oiliness and alcaline salt. We see Vegetables
break forth into a strong Flame when they are set on Fire.
Inflammability, Heat and Flame proceed from nitre and sulphur
and from nothing else.
Is not the spirit Ardens or S.V. a subtil and heavenly nitre?
It burns so beautifully like the splendour of the Stars. That
the oil contains a salt is demonstrated by their alcali, whereby
they dissolve sulphurs.
We have also given satisfaction to this department and have proved
that their First Matter is nitre and salt, that is, their Universal
not yet specificated Matter, which when united universal seed
generate all things.
Chapter 15
That nitre and salt is found in Minerals; that Minerals are formed
of nitre and salt, and are resolved into nitre and salt.
The more the Universal fire of Nature approaches the earth,
the more it becomes terrestrial and corporeal; the more it becomes
corporeal, it becomes more fixt, and the more fixt it is, the
less it is inflammable; thus nitre descends from Heaven is volatile
and incorporeal, although visible in Light, and concealed in
the water, out of which it becomes manifest by putrefaction.
The more terrestrial and fixer this nitre becomes the more it
is alcalised, and looses gradually its fulminating power, as
appears in minerals and metals; because the more it descends
from its Universal Nature, the more it alters its Nature and
quality, and assumes a different nature in Animals, a different
character in Vegetables, and different quality in minerals and
Metals; yet it manifests its fiery nature in all three, more
or less, according to its degree of volatility of Fixity; in
the Animal and Vegetable departments in Oils, Fats, Resin, Pitch,
and in the Minerals in sulphureous substances, such as sulphur
etc.
As the Minerals are of a Stony nature and descend gradually to
more and more fixity, the inflammable sulphur by gradual and
continued fixation is deprived of its inflammability and obtains
another quality, and incombustible one.
That sulphur and such like adustable substances are of a nitreous
origin we have demonstrated before and proved, that all inflammability
proceeds from nitre. That there is a salt in Minerals is perceived,
when we elixivate a mineral with water, after having glowed it
previously in the fire; but that such a mineral salt is not always
found in any considerable quantity and sometimes hardly perceptible,
is the reason, because it becomes more and more terrestrial,
and the more earth it dissolves; the more it forsakes its original
Saline nature, at to outward appearance.
We see plainly, that, if we wish to separate the firmly united
mineral and metallic Bodies, we are obliged to make use of Saline
and nitreous Menstrums, without which they cannot be opened,
and that every menstrum is either saline, nitreous, or mercurial,
every good chemist knows. Therefore as the minerals meet and
dissolve in a saline menstruum it is evident that they must possess
a nature which is congenial to Salt or nitre, or they could not
be conquered thereby; thus they can be resolved into a Saline
or nitreous Nature, therefore such is also their first origin.
After having dissolved a Metallic Body in a Saline Menstruum,
if you evaporate your Solution to a third part, the solution
will shoot into a salt or vitriol, which vitriol by distillation
and cohobation becomes an vinegar, ponderous spirit or oil from
or out of which they proceed at first; because all minerals and
metals proceed originally and are generated from an acid, fermented,
putrefied nitre and salt, which dissolve a suitable Earth and
from vitriol, sulphur, marcasit, metal; which is done by a gradual
fixation and nourishment by the original nitreous and saline
spirits thus as they were generated by an acid, fermented spiritual
nitre and salt, they are resolved by them and brought back to
their First Matter.
Table of Generation
Anima Mundi
Fire
in
Nitre and Salt
United and fermented become
acid and Corrosive
dissolve a suitable Earth
and form
A vitriolic Soft butyraceous Gur; The above Vapours becoming more and more corrosive retain their
androgynal nature of Nitre and Salt and constitute now a double sulphureous and arsenical or
merurial Vapour
this setting by corroding forms nature
vitriol, sulphur, arsenic,
and by succeeding sulphur vapours, and also arsenical
Vapours, they form and generate
When Sulphur predominates When Arsenic predominates
Sulphurous Macarsites Arsenical, Marcasites, Cobalt
Pyritis, Antimony etc, Wolfram etc. Bismuth etc.
Mars Venus Sun Saturn Jupiter Moon
When both principles are in equality
they form [unidentified symbol] cinnabar mercury
Mercury
The Body of saturn, jupiter, moon, and with more sulphur of
Mars, Venus, Sun, Platina I think is of a Solar nature from its
weight and fixity.
Minerals are generated from nitreous and saline waters, which
penetrate into the Earth through its pores and crevices, this
nitreous saline water is heated and fermented by the ascending
central heat of the Earth, is resolved into Vapours and forced
upwards again towards the circumference but by this continual
circulation, these Vapours are resolved again into water and
ferment more and more, whereby they are subtilised, rendered
more acid and corroding. These fermented waters as they contain
a subtil spirit of nitre and salt, they become more and more
corrosive; if they were not corrosive, who could they dissolve
Stones and Rocks?
Therefore this Corrosive water dissolves Rocks, Stones, and earths
which is condensed and coagulated again by the gentle subterraneous
Heat into Salt, but not into such a Salt as it was in the atmosphere
or in the Ocean, but into a Vitriolic Salt, which by succeeding
vapours is formed into a subtil, corrosive, smeary or unctuous
earth, which the Miners all Gur.
This Gur is by succeeding Vapours dissolved and filled with corrosive
Acidity until it is changed into native sulphur; because the
more corrosive it receives, the more sulphureous it becomes;
but when the Mercurial Alcaline Vapours of Sea salt predominate
over the nitreous Sulphureous Vapours, the Universal Gur goes
over into arsenic, which is a dry mercury. Both sulphur as well
as arsenic, by fixation and succeeding Vapours become Marcasite,
such as antimony, Cobalt, Bismith, Wolfram, etc. this Marcasite
is the first and nearest Matter toward Metals, and not vitriol,
which is the remote first Matter of Minerals and Metals. That
Sulphur is very corrosive, in plainly perceived by its Smell,
which is suffocating, when received in the lungs, and by its
spirit and oil which is a strong corrosive. We see that the spirit
and oil of vitriol are dissolved sulphureous vinegar, if you
imbibe a fixt earth, such as chalk therewith, and suffer the
vinegar to evaporate strongly from that earth in an open fire,
you will see an inflammation and burning like that of common
sulphur. That sulphur has been a nitreous salt, appears from
its vinegarspirit which is of a Universal mineral nature. When
this vinegarspirit has forsaken the Body of the sulphur, there
remains an unctuous earth or the First Universal Mineral Gur
behind, in small quantity.
The reader may judge whether I understand the generation of Minerals
or not: Let him proceed either towards or backwards in the Anatomy
of Minerals, and if he works rightly, he will see what he perhaps
did not believe before!
Our ancestors have written that sulphur, mercury and salt are
the First Matter of Metals; true philosophers understand this
properly; sulphur and mercury proceed from salt and nitre, and
metallic salt is vitriol perfected and fixt; we have explained
how the earth in the Mines by receiving nitre, or corrosive vinegar
becomes sulphur; but the more such an earth is alcalised by nitre,
so that the vinegar corrosive is overcome, arsenic, mercury,
or Mercurial subject is generated.
Thus it appears plain that nitre and salt are the Sperm of the
Macrocosm, volatile and fixed; the visible elements air, water
and earth being the vehicle or dwelling of that Universal Sperm.
All minerals are generated by an acid corrosive vapour and subterraneous
air animated by nitre and salt, by the ancients named sulphur
and mercury, because nitre and salt contain the very seminal
principles of sulphur and mercury, which vapour and air are circulated
and sublimed upwards by the central fire become water and ferment,
and by their corrosiveness dissolve a suitable earth and generate
the Mineral Gur; and what is it else that performs this generation
but the Universal fire of Nature, corporified in nitre and salt.
Chapter 16
Of the principal Gate Key to Nature, the author of destruction
and regeneration of all things, called Putrefaction.
Heaven or fire; Anima and spirit Mundi is in its own Nature
unchangeable, omnipresent, and immortal, but as it gradually
unites with humidity, becomes the Universal vinegar and incorporeal
Spiritus Mundi, it lends itself then to all those changes the
matter or corporified humidity is subsequently liable to, therefore
in the air it begins to ferment, and still more so in water and
earth, in order to prepare the way for generation; without this
fermentation and putrefaction the Universal spirit does generate
nothing.
Therefore without previous maceration, fermentation, putrefaction
in gentle warmth and humidity, whether it be quick of slow, perceptible
or imperceptible, no real or genuine Anatomy of Natural Bodies,
whether in Universal or in specificated subjects can be effected.
Dew, Rain, Snow, Hail, Frost, all without distinction ferment
and thereby cause a separation of the subtil from the gross,
the sign of which is, that a feeble sour smell is perceived.
1. Animals putrify sooner and easier, and on account of their
copious, very volatile nitre they emit a most intolerable smell.
2. Vegetables putrefy easily on account of their humidity, yet
not so quickly as animals, nor do they smell so badly.
3. Minerals ferment and putrefy, but do not smell so badly as
the former two, except mars, which when in real putrefaction
smells worse than a corpse.
From this putrefaction we learn that minerals are changed into
vegetables, and vegetables into Minerals, and thus Nature changes
continually, converting the uppermost into the lowest, and the
lowest into the highest, nay, the three Departments of Nature
are changed into universal principles. Vapours ascend continually
from the Center of the Earth towards the superficies, some of
these are fat and sulphureous, and serve the Mineral and Vegetable
Departments, and when they penetrate the superficies of the earth,
they ascend in Fogs or Mists, and ascending still higher they
are Universalised. Exhalations from decayed Trees, leaves, or
Vegetables, ascend as well as those from putrid Animal substances
and are circulated in the Atmosphere, there to receive the Spiritus
Mundi for Reanimation and Chaotisation, which afterwards in the
character of regenerated atmospheric air return to Animals by
Inspiration, to Vegetables by a magnetic attraction, and to Minerals
by their own penetration and assuming a corrosive Nature, as
we have explained before.
Few amongst the adolescent Philosophers as well as common self
conceited Chemists will put faith in what we say here, but we
ourselves are thoroughly convinced that we write the Truth.
Putrefaction or Fermentation are the wonderful Fabricators, which
out of earth, produce water, out of water, air, out of air, fire,
and convert fire into air, air into water and water into earth
earth into Gur, vitriol, sulphur, arsenic, Marcasite, and Metals
Nay, the Metals themselves are dissolved and retrograded into
vitriol and salt.
This mutation is continued, until it will please God to calcine
the whole Earth and vitrifie it into Glass.
Chapter 17
What Putrefaction is.
- After God had created by Divine Emanation the Universal fire
of Nature, which on account of its essence, being a simple unity
not composed of parts, and consequently omnipresent and immortal
and which has since time immemorial been justly called the Soul
or spirit of the Universe but One in essence, but Threefold in
manifestation, resembling its Divine Origin, its Creator; To
this Universal Agent, God has given a Power to act by three differently
manifested principles.
1. In its omnipresent invisible, most Universal state it has
a Universal power of attracting and repulsion, and thereby is
the first cause of every Magnetism in the World and of every
Celestial Body's keeping in its proper place, as well as of gravitation
and falling Bodies in general.
2. In its second manifestation of Light, it has Power to generate
Humidity, the firs step towards materiality, to move and ferment
that Humidity and thereby to generate the Universal vinegar and
to become cold incorporeal Spiritus Mundi, inwardly fire, therewith
to animate extended or dilated Humidity, that is atmospheric
air, and further to enliven the whole Creation.
3. In this third manifestation of concentrated Light into Warmth,
Heat, and burning fire, it does and performs every necessary
action what it could not accomplish in its second and first state,
nevertheless remaining Centrally always One and the same and
omnipresent.
This Universal fire, endowed with an intelligent instinct, called
the Universal Agent of Nature, since its first emanation from
God, has never been inactive not one moment and produces one
alteration after the other, and although it seems to cease in
one creature, or recedes from a deceased subject, that same instant
it is occupied in producing something else out of such a death
or temporal corruption, for which reason the Ancient Philosophers
have said "Corruptis unius est generatis alterius."
The corruption of one thing brings forth the generation of the
other.
This universal fire is the Author and mover of all changes in
Natural Things and the Almighty can do with it what He pleases,
either for the preservation or destruction of His Creatures.
This Universal spirit begins by Fermentation or by Putrefaction,
by this the spirit causes a separation of the pure from the impure,
of the most Volatile from the less and least Volatile, of the
Subtil from the Gross, when that is done, that same fire unites
the pure Volatile again with the less and least Volatile, and
rejects what is not wanted for its present purpose.
The above spirit is the Generator, Preserver, Destroyer, and
Regenerator of all Things.
When this fire descends into our corporeal Elements, it is detained
by them and obliged to assume Body, wherein it appears in a White,
cold, crystalline, transparent form nitre, outwardly cold, but
inwardly fire; When it inflames, and if there was a sufficient
quantity of it and its Enemy should meet him, he would become
so irritated, that he would overset an break not only Rocks,
but the whole superficies on the Earth.
If its Sister, cold, fixed, Alcali salt, its Venus, whom it loves
dearly, which alone can overcome and tame it, was not coexistent
and always neat at hand, it nitre would long ago have destroyed
the whole Earth.
Its Sister, or Wife, when they embrace each other in Pluto's
Fiery Palace does not permit him to do mischief much longer,
but lays hold of him by his very Center so that he must convert
his Anger ito Love and Friendship.
As soon as he has embraced his Venus and is tied by ties of Love,
he forgets his passion totally, so that his Enemies approach
him and even lay hold of him he does not show the least inclination
to hurt them, on the contrary enters into permanent and everlasting
Friendship with them.
This fire or spirit which is all in all Things is distributed
in all Creatures, and non can do without it.
Therefore Putrefaction is the First Key and Gate, by means of
which the Universal spirit opens to us the Palace containing
Natures Secrets.
This spirit is never idle but is continually in action, by action
and motion, a warm propriety is communicated; this warmth whether
perceptible or not, opens the Pores of all Things, so that the
implanted spirit can penetrate everywhere, whether it be corruption
or Generation, for Death or Life; after this spirit has penetrated
everywhere, it begins to dissolve, and continues until the whole
substance is dissolved; the subtil volatile particles evaporate,
according to the degree of warmth, and emit a smell, by which
we know clearly that the spirit is operating and employed to
open the Body by this natural Digestion or Fermentation, and
this continues until the proposed end is attained.
This spirit was in the beginning concealed in Vapour and water,
and to this moment forms all Things by means of Vapour and Water,
and without Humidity of water he generates nothing, because water
or Humidity he wants absolutely for his operations, mixings and
solutions, as all things mix easily with Humidity or water.
This spirit generates Animals out of Humidity, as Animals consist
of humid and soft particles and after the extinction of the fire
of Life, they are resolved again into Shine and Humidity, by
means of Humidity. It is with Vegetables exactly the same, their
juices may be compared to the Fluids in Animals, and their woods
and roots to Bones and Cartilages.
Much in the same manner does the Universal spirit generate Minerals
by a corrosive water, and removes them again into water by a
corrosive water.
The Anima Mundi in its Most Universal State is invisible, and
when unmoved, for instance in the flint and steel, and in all
things where tranquil, is a cold fire. In its moved volatile
state becomes visible in Light, but remains cold, except it is
concentrated and further agitated. In its visible state of Light
it is called Firmament or Heaven, volatile incorporeal nitre,
Ether, Anima, Agent, Male, air; when concentrated and agitated
it is Heat fire. When inclining towards corporification it is
Universal Acid. When corporified, but remains volatile it is
called water, vinegar, Sprit, nitre, salt, vitriol, sulphur,
etc. But when it inclines towards fixation it is earth, patient,
Body, salt, female, Magnet, and when fixed it is called Alcali,
Female Magnet, Void.
This is the true meaning of the Universal spirit and its various
forms.
In the beginning it was a simple Vapour or water, animated by
fire, which like Protheus assumes various forms and shapes.
Thus we have explained what is the cause of Putrefaction, viz.
the implanted fire, the moving, altering, warming, heating, inflaming.
separating, omnipresent, simple and homogeneous spirit, but in
a double twofold appearance, causing a conflict between Acid
and Alcali, sulphur, mercury, salt, Anima, Spirit, Corpus.
- Next: Emerald Tablet of Hermes
|