T H E T RI U M P HA L C HA RI O T

A I N Y O F N T M O .

B Y

V A L E T I B A S I L I U S N N U S .

WI TH THE C OMMEN TARY O F

H D RE K E R K RI N G I T E O O C U S ,

A Docfo r of Medi ci n e .

B EI NG T HE LATI N VE RSI O N P UB LI SHED AT AM ST E RDAM I N T HE

Y EA R 1 TR ATE D T E H T 685 AN SL I N O N GLI S , W I H

A B O RAPH PRE A E I G I CAL F C .

fi nnbnn J AM E S E LLI O T T AN D CO T E M P LE R CHAM B E S , F A LC O N C O URT , F L E E T ST RE E T , E . C . —- 1 8 93 .

C O N T E N T S .

P AG E .

B i o graphi c al P re fac e

De di c ati o n

De di c ato ry E pi s tle

" T o th e Re ad e r

T h e T ri u mph al C h ari o t o f An timo n y

Appe n di x

O n the Tri u m h a C hari o t o f An ti mo n p l y ,

an d the N atu re o f the F i re S to n e

I n de x

B I O G RA P HI C A L P RE F A C E .

HO U LU any uninstructed per son who might chance upon ’ “ Basil Valentine s Triumphal Chariot O f Antimony undertake to read that work , he would probably be mystified

O f r by much its contents , by its eferences to the Spagyric art , to the grand Magis te riu m r , the t ue and universal Medicine , the Tinctures which , transmute metals , with other unknown quantities and other deep mysteries which make part o f the

' Sacra men tu m Re zs r g . But if he we e asked what he thought of Basil Valentine

r r in his histo ical and pe sonal Character, it is unlikely that he would suppose fo r a moment the existence O f any romantic mystery encompassing the mere life o f the man . H e would regard him as a pious Benedictine monk , uncommonly well versed for his period in certain ' ' le T rzu m /zal /zamot o n ti m n x p C f A o y. departments Of experimental and medi c al r r Chemistry, and , pe haps , as a biza re S peculator in the cloudy borderlands Of physical science ; but suc h biographical data as c an be gathered concerning him r from his w itings , he would naturally r accept without question , because the e would be no ground fo r assuming any reason to doubt them . Yet even as such a person would be mistaken in his

estimate Of Valentine the alchemist , as distinguished from Valentine the i n ve s ti ato r r g Of antimonial the apeutics , so it is just possible that he would be astray O f in his estimate the man , being misled by a veil o f simplicity which skilfully conceals the adept under the u n p re

c tending mask Of a monasti canon . “ When I had emptied to the dregs the

’ c u hu man su ffe ri n w as c o n p Of g, I led to ” r r o f r S O side the w etchedness this wo ld , “ Valentine tells us in his preface to T he ” “ O f Great Stone the Sages , and the ’ fearful consequences o f O ur first parents I r disobedience . Then saw that the e

was o f fo r no hope repentance mankind , / ' i m i x . T ze T rzu fnp/zalChari ot of A n t ony . that they were getting worse day by ’ fo r r day , and that thei impenitence God s everlasting punishment was h anging over them ; and I made haste to with r draw myself from the evil wo ld , to bid

r fa ewell to it, and to devote myself to ” h r t e se vice Of God . After the manner o f as o n his age , he goes to inform us , he took refuge in a monastery , where the time that he could spare from his de votions was made use of fo r the study and investigation Of those natural secrets by which God has shadowed o u t eternal ” r things . H ere , in this pious etirement , there was ultimately revealed to him “ that great secret which G o d ever con c e als from those who are wise in their ” w n r o conceits . As appears f om the Cn rrn s T and other o f his r wo ks , he belonged to the religious order

. to Of S Benedict , and he is said have

r f been canon of the prio y o S . Peter in

’ “ r r See Basil Valentine s t eatise, entitled P actica , ” T 1 o f 7 718 with the welve Keys and an Appendix , p . 3 3

Her meti c M u seu m Resto red an d E n lar ed Vo l. I . L g , , ondon ,

1 8 . 4 to, 93 ' ' xi i T lla T rz mn nal 72417 ’ . 6 s o A n zz mo n p f y .

r u r e E f rt . I t is fu th r stated that his “ philosophical Last Testament re mained concealed fo r a numbe r Of years in the high altar Of the church belonging r r r r to the p io y . The e seems , at fi st S r ight , no eason to challenge the literal veracity Of these matters ; the c o n ve n tual institutions Of the middle ages were frequently centres o f scientific research innumerable monks have prac tlse d al c hemy ; and works which thei r authors regarded as too good fo r the time when r r they we e w itten , have been entombed for the benefit O f a more deserving epoch both before and after the age Of Basil

. r c Valentine The e is some oc asion , not

c withstanding, for suspe ting that here , as in everything connected with the are alchemists , the most simple facts

r c appa ently the most de eptive . Even unto the points and pricks here are to be ‘ ” r r s us 1c 1o n I S found g eat myste ies . The p not the result of an over great s ubtlety

o n r c the part Of modern mystical c iti ism ,

c u n which is ac used , and not always

o f r r . justly, eve ywhe e supposing the n xi ii . ff /ze T ri n znp/zalCnari ot of A n ti mo y .

' wonderful ; it was far back in the early Seventeenth century that the doubt was r aised originally , and such investigations as were possible have tended rather to

f ad confirm than dispose O it . I t is van c e d that the monastic character assu med by Basil Valentine was simply a veil and an evasion to conceal his real r identity, and , furthe , that his name was a pseudonym which was H ermetic and

r allego ical in its significance . Maxi

S to e l. the milian , author Of a handbook r of p actical medicine , which is now most

e ac c e ssIble r r adily in its fou th edition , * adopted this view . SO also did

Boerhaave , the celebrated physician Of r Leyden , whose proposed ch onological

' history o f the alchemists has bee n a loss et re ai re d ’ ‘ T O llius y to be p . l J acobus contrived to resolve the enigma Of the

' La M edi ci n e P rati ue r See q , fo ming the seventh ’ ' di vi si o n E n e elo éai e des S ci en ces M edi eales r Of the y p , Pa is ,

1 8 8 v0. 34 , ’ 1" On this and other points consult Dallo w e s t ranslation ’ E em n t h m str 2 1 o f r l e s o C e i . Boe haave s f y , vols , 73 5 , 4 to ; also Herman Boe rhaave : His Academical Lectures o n

L u es Ven erea r L 1 6 8vo , t anslated , ondon , 7 3 , . ’ i T e T m m nal no t t x v. n n ri o o n i mon p C f A y. assumed name by a consideration o f the philosophical significance attac hing to the two words in Greek and Latin res * e c tivel i n te r re p y . According to this p tati o n , Basil in Greek is equivalent to royal , while Valentine is the Latin ’ o a ten o o o f r . The union the two te ms “ formulates the symbol O f power which gives the regulus fo r the penetration O f

r c bodies . I n anothe aspe t , Basil V “ ” alentine signifies the mighty king, who rules by initiation and adeptship “ the th ree analogical worlds of occult r f philosophy . This inte pretation O itself has little but a Show o f ingenuity to recommend it, yet as early as the year I 5 1 5 the identity of Basil Valentine was involved in S O much uncertainty r r that the E mpe or Maximilian the Fi st , fo r r in his passion the sciences , sea ched the Benedictine archives at Rome , and also made many inquiries in different r monaste ies about him , but without

T o lli us : F o rtn i ta I n n i on s re ter c t Jacobus . o p ri i m

on zilla Iota abu lari s hi stori c: Gre t a P hoen i cia {E tio m n , f gyp

e/zemi am erti n ere asseri tu r. r 1 68 8vo p Amste dam , 7, . '

T ne T mn mpnalCnari ot of A n ti mony. xv .

‘ Plac c i u s o n e success . Vincent , Of the earliest bibliographers and investigators Of the secret history Of anonymous and pseudonymous authors , affirms that the * T h ld n real name Of Valentine was o e . Others state that it was J ohn E stc he n fo r reuter . The evidence the statement

Plac c iu s n o t Of is satisfactory , and as Prosper Marchand calls his curious work ma re ma n um erm to mem g , it might be unwise under any circumstances to accept him as a guide . On the other hand ,

u n su the alternative statement , equally p or p ted by reference , appears in the monographs Of certain biographical dic ti o n ari e s are which not very trustworthy , if only because they betray little o r n o acquaintance with the works o f Basil

Valentine . I n order to appreciate the assertion Plac c i us Of Vincent , it must be noted that it was owing to the solicitude O f T ho lde n He ssiu s J ohn , that is , J ohann

T ho elde , that the works Of Basil Valen

Tit eatrzt m A n o n mo ru m et P seudo n mo ru m y y . In two

r 1 8 l r 0 F o . pa ts . Hambu g, 7 , T l i t ti m n x T be mumana /zar o o n o . vi . / C f A y

r r tine began to be issued f om the p ess . Under his editorial auspices T be T m et o tbe G7 eat Ston e r 1 6 0 2 f appea ed in , the treatise Con cern i ng N atu ralan d

S u ern atu ralTki n s 1 6 0 Tko p g in 3 , and

T l nari ot A n ti mon 1 0 ri u mpha C of y in 6 4 . That Plac c iu s was aware O f these facts m see s doubtful , but he knew that in 1 603 there was published at E i ssle be n a

r Ha /z ra ni a o n wo k entitled g p , the title page Of which T ho elde is indicated as * 1 6 r the author . Now in 4 4 , unde the r r r auspices Of anothe edito , a ce tain por tion o f this book was translated into

r O f Latin , and published as a wo k Basil

' ' Vale n ti n e lunder the slightly altered

Ha li ra ni name Of og p a . The claim Of its editor that it is produced from the

Hali ra lt i a : C g p that is, a omplete and Exhaustive D r O f M i n eral ff esc iption all the Salts, e ectively describing

O f r r fo r the Salt the Fi st Matte , the tests Salt Waters , the o f o f r u fi means Obtaining the Salt the Sun th o gh re , by

r r o f va ious methods , and the imp ovement the same . By

T h o elde . O f Johann Hesse At the cost Jacob Apel , book r E i ssleben 1 60 8vo selle , , 3 , . 1' r r r It ep esents less than half the o iginal , namely, from 1 68 r far 1 0 p . onwa ds , as as p . 3 , missing the Lo n clu si o A a tari s r r , and othe matte at the end . / n ti mon xvu . T Ice T ri n mp/zalC tari ot of A y . manuscripts o f the great alchemist seems wholly without foundation ; its attri bu tiOn to Valentine may perhaps be accounted for by a blunder but there i s no reason fo r supposing that it was other than an original storehouse of H ermetic

r i theo ies and exper ments , compiled by

T h elde IS o himself. That so far as he known at all he is known chiefly as the editor o f Valentine does not preclude T ho e lde from having appeared i n depe n de n tl y as an author, and so early as the year I 5 9 9 we find that he actually did * so . At the same time it is possible fo r a mistake to have ari sen through a misconception o f some prefatory verses

r Ha/z ra /t i a prefixed to the fi st g p .

Si c t u M ate r e s auto ru m u o s T ho lde , q , ,

s h r m o p o u ,

B ru i s n ri e t e e b s das ue vi de re i e m . , q d

Pe r t e B as i i u s lu c e m s u a o re r m o l q ll e to , * C e rn i t B as i li i mate r e s i a ma tu . , l

Information concerning the Revolting Malady called D r D rr r Red ysente y, ia hea, and the ext emely swift and dan r ge ons sickness o f the Pestilence . By Johann T h o lden

. rf r 1 o f 2 2 Hesse E u t , 599 , 4to (a pamphlet pages) .

r r f r r He rman n us Ki r n ru F om the p e ato y ve ses of c e s . 2 A ’ T/i e iii . T tt m /zal nari ot n ti m n xv m p C of A o y. And again

De ro mi s S alT h o lde e n u mo rtalib u s e r o p , , p g

C o n im e n ta c o u u s t u m u e H i e a are t d q , q yg p

N n li n m r n d n s o c o n du s s i s , B as i i m o u e n ta e c o e ,

S e d r m B li n o u s ate at as i i u e e u . p , p q p Q u o m age B as i lii a do c ti s n u n c s c ripta

le u n tu r g , * an t m a r ri ri T h ld T o o e t o a o t u a . j gl , e , But the reference w as not to the ’ Ha/z ra ni a T ho e lde s r g p , but to edito ial r r labou s ove Basil Valentine , then in r r r p og ess , and p obably well known to r his f iends .

r r r While , howeve , the e is no eason fo r fathering the Haligmpni a upon T ho e lde Valentine , with as editor, so is there less ground for identifying T ho e lde o r with Valentine, Valentine o f with any his family, which is the course that 15 countenanced by Plac c iu s o n r r the authority Of a vague efe ence . The Claim of John E stc he n re u te r to have worn the mask o f Basil Valen r fi tine, is negatively mo e dif cult to dis

r r f r r o f T an ck i us F om the p e ato y ve ses M . Johannes , who himself shortly afterwards figu red as an editor o f r r alchemical lite atu e . ' nari t n ti mo n x i x m a/ o o . T /te T ri n p/z C f A y .

o f pose , because nothing is known about him , nor, indeed , has it been possible to discover by whom his Claim has been ’ r O f T he o ldes prefe red . At the period

T an c kiu s activity , we find J ohannes o f r c editing a collection alchemical t a ts , among which there is a brief epistle by

E sc he n re u te r o r S c ho n re u te r Gallus , , but

there is nothing known concerning him . Boerhaave denies that there was a ’ f r n r o . o monaste y S Pete s at E rfurt , but r this point the e is no reasonable doubt .

M o lle n baec k A certain , whose identity

u r is diffic lt to determine , while his reco d

does not seem to remain , so far, at least , as libraries in E ngland are concerned — is

to said have visited it personally , and to have ascertained from the prior that the name o f Basil Valentine did not appear

n o the records . What is more to the purpose is the testimony Of J oannes

G ude n u s o f Mauritius , the historian

See o f G l ch o n reuter r the Epistle a lus S , Docto o f O rd r P Medicine and ina y hysical Chemist at Galen stadt ,

add ressed to William G ratalo rum. I t i s the third t ract in

O u scu la Cfiemi ca 1 60 8 vo the collection , entitled p . 5 , . / . T ne T ri n m talCnari o t o n ti m n xx p f A o y.

r r E fu t , which is conclusive as to the

to existence of the convent , and testifies the connection o f the Al c hemist there with though the latter point is pe rhaps o n r the autho ity of the Alchemist , and if o n c o f c not that of the re ords the pla e . r I t is Obvious , Of cou se , that if the

name of Basil Valentine was assumed , he might still have been a monk of the r convent , and he would have appea ed in r r its a chives only under his t ue title . Despite the doubts that have been

r r O f raised , the p eponde ating feeling critics inc lines to the belief that a person r named Basil Valentine eally existed , and actually filled that position in the devout life which is des c ribed in the

Cn rmcs T r This , howeve , r is the utmost extent of thei unanimity ,

' ’ Di ci tu r n zsse aae tu s G ude n us n f o , says , and agai ’ a em a ta/e S ci li cet B asi li us Valen ti n n s zn ( , ' ’ di w P etri mo n asteri o z i xi t, a rte meai ca et n at u rali a m

’ i n aa i n e mi raoi lzs ln m er i ts accen setzcr n o s i n a u n 'en g . p g g

tu m s ei n o mi n an t a n ru m con eci sse si c ali en a demen t i a p j , ' ost secu la alli t i dea mi n i ma c u labi li s n oa n on m y: p f . p , g ’ ' t olu men P mmu m a ecipi a man tes jaczt lati ous exuat . V

m M u n ti aca ru m 1 2 2 F 0 ] . r ru o . Re g , 7 The histo y was

published at Erfurt .

' xx n l . i e mn m na! /zari ot o n t m n T T p C f A i o y . the recent appearance in Germany of the r h e venereal scou ge, which calls the F rench disease — M oron s Galli cn s and

L i tes Ga /tea r l . Now it appea s to be r certain , f om abundant historical testi

M oron s Ga l/i cn s mony , that the name of was given to the complaint afte r r r the expedition Of the F ench , unde r Cha les V I I I . , to Naples , which took e 1 w place in 4 9 5 . Basil Valentine is one O f the fe w c r Al hemical write s who does not , at least r in the undoubtedly genuine wo ks , such

’ as the Ca m/ as T mn mpna/i s and the

A o f f : I n 1 synopsis the testimony is as ollows 49 7,

Le o n i cen us o f Vi c en ti a Nicolaus , , calls it by this name ,

the o f : though he denies novelty the disease , saying I can

a h r by no means im gine , with some , t at this complaint neve ” r 1 8 N atalis M o n te saurus o f appea ed till now . In 4 9 , ,

r r r lc Ve ona , ema ks upon those dispositions common y alled ” [Wat F ra n z oz o 1 S r G r r a . In 499 , the pania d , aspa To ell , narrates that the disease broke o ut in Alvernia in the year

1 f r r t 493 , thence making its way into Spain , a te wa ds in o

fr r n o f Italy , and om Italy into all Eu ope . Joa nes de Vigo,

r i a r r Genoa , w it ng in 1 503 , says that it ppea ed almost all ove

D c r 1 d T Italy in the month of e embe , 494 , and he a ds he d r French isease , when once it comes to be confi med , seldom ” c r L r s admits o f any other than a palliative u e . eona du

h mai o f S z r 1 1 8 r Sc , al bu g , in 5 , bea s witness to the same date ,

o f r f and makes use the same name . In the yea ollowing , '

lze zcm /zal /tamot o n tz mon iii . T Tri p C f A y . xx

T w eloe K e s r y , bet ay the approximate date o f his treatise by citations from

r the slightly ante ior adepts . On whole , it is safe to place him at the end of the fifteenth and the beginning Of the

r sixteenth centu ies . H e had probably passed the prime o f life when he entered upon his labours in literature, and a whole century was destined to elapse before any Of his works found their way

f r into the hands o the p inter . The I t following bibliographical list , while all r in cludes his extant t eatises , in the matter of the dates appended does not

1 1 Ulri chus r r 5 9 , de Hutten , a Ge man , discou sed upon a ” o f r G method cu ing the French disease by uaiacum , fixing

1 fo r N fo r th e c f r . 493 the date , and aples pla e o its appea ance

a 1 0 ffi r th e r Joannes Baptist Montanus, 55 , a ms, on othe hand , that it was the soldie rs o f Columb us who imported the

fr A disease om ntigua , and the West India Islands , to the

o f 6 1 n Lan ius o f N 1 . siege aples , in 49 In 554 , Joa nes g ,

L r o f r n imbu g , speaks the F ench disease , maintaini g that ” w v o n e although some ould ha e it to be a new , it is no ” r a othe than a tarr go o f diseases known to the ancients .

C r Bern ardi n us T o mi tan rus o f 1 66 ompa e also , Padua , 5

n r De M o roi r Ven em Adri an us T o lli us Joa nes Ast uc, ’ r r f rt r rm r He man Boe haave , etc . See u he , John A st ong s ” o f s r C r o f r D Synopsis the Hi to y and u e Vene eal iseases , L 1 8 vo . ondon , 73 7, ’ li e mn m /tal lea ri o n i . t xx v T T p C ot f A i mony. necessarily determine the original period o f r publication in eve y case . Conc erning Natural an d Supernatural Things : also concerning the Fi rst

r r o f Tinctu e , Root , and Spi it Metals are r r how they gene ated , b ought r forth , smelted , alte ed , and aug

n d r r me te . A t ue account , by F ater

i Basil Valent ne , Of the Benedictine

r r r O w n O der, p inted f om his manu

r T ho lde n He ssi us sc ipt by John ,

’ cu m mo i /e i o c p g . Leipzig, at the ost D r 1 6 . . A . . 0 of Jacob Apel , bookselle , 3 ’ F rate r Basil Valentine s T reatise con

’ cerning the G reat Stone of the r Ancients , whe eat so many thousands o f Masters have worked sinc e the

r e c beginning Of the wo ld . A om pan i e d by his c lear repetition and r r reite ation , wherein the t ue Light o f the Wise is philosophically ex

ibi d c c h te . Together with an a ount o f the princ ipal metals and thei r pro

rr . . r pe ies I I Of the Mic ocosmos ,

r r o f I I I o the small wo ld man . . Of

r r r the G eat Sec et of the Wo ld , and r i n The ri n m hal a i t n t mo . T p Ch o of A y xxv .

O f the Medicine pertaining to man highly useful fo r all wh o desire to f w o . know the source . isdom (This tract is termed in some later editions

De M acr c s o o o m . ) I V . Of the know ledge and hidden secrets o f the r planets . N ewly p inted and pub

li she d o f r for the Sons the Doct ine ,

r with approp iate diagrams , by J ohn

T ho lde n He ss i u s O f , at the cost

Jacob Apel , bookseller, in the year

6 2 1 0 . The Revelation Of F rater Basil Valen

e o f r tin , the Benedictine O der , concerning the H idden Operations di rected towards the U nive rsal

Subject . Also conclusions and arguments from all his w ritings and

r o n t eatises Sulphur, Vitriol , the

hilo so Magnet Stone , both the p hi c al r r p , f om which the unive sal

r r o iginates , and the ordina y, which r r o iginates the particular . (The fi st t reatise in this volume is better

r A oca known unde the Latin title , p

si s Chemi ca r {yp . ) P inted at the x i ' T he ri n m hal ar i o xv . i ot o n t m n T p Ch f A y.

r r o r expense of J ohn Bi kne , bo kselle

r 1 6 2 . in E furt , 4

r r o f F ate Basilius Valentinus , the Bene

dic ti n e r ' O der Twelve Keys , where by the ' doors are Opened to the

o u r Ancient Stone of Forefathers , and wherein the inexhaustible foun

tains of all health are found .

r 1 6 1 1 tran sla Frankfo t , . (A Latin tion stands fi rst in the Golden T ripod

O f r the celebrated Michael Maie . Other editions in German appeared 1 6 1 00 in 77, 7 , and

r r a Azoth ; or, the sec et Au eli e of the

r c Philosophe s , faithfully and learly r r explaining the Fi st Matte , and the

o f r famous Stone the Philosophe s , r unto the sons of He mes , by way of

c r c a Philosophi al E nigma, pa aboli

c r o f olloquy , the Sma agdine Table

r r r He mes , and the Satu nian Pa ables and Figu res o f F rater Basil Valen r r r tine . I nte p eted by M . Geo gius

r r 1 6 1 r c Beatus . F ankfo t , 3 . (A F en h translation of this work appeared at

r 1 6 2 i s Pa is in 4 . I t difficult to say i x n xv . The Tri n mphalChari ot of A nt mo ny.

i f o f r how much , any , the o iginal is r to be att ibuted to Valentine . ) Hali o graphi a : concerning the Prepara r tion , the Use , and the Vi tues of all

Salts , mineral , animal , and vegetable ; from the manuscripts o f Basilius

Valentinus , collected by And . Sal

mi n i c iu s 1 6 8 vo . , Bononia, 44 , ( Doubtful) r o r o f Sec et Books , Last Testament

Basil Valentine , of the Benedictine

r r O der . Copied from the o iginal which w as discovered in the high r altar Of the Chu ch at E rfurt , under r r a ma ble tablet . N ow p inted in accordance with numerous requests o n the part o f the Sons o f the r r o f Doctrine . St asbu g, at the cost r Caspa Dietzel , ( Contains long treatises on mines and the “ A r Bo rri c hi us cco ding to Olaus , he enclosed his writin gs in o n e O f the pillars o f the abbey c hu rch ; they r fo r m r - r at emained any yea s in this hiding place , but we e

' length discovered by the fortunate violence of a thunder ’ - L w es A c h l so h rs o l em sti ca hi l e . bolt . / y P o p But Olaus

Bo rri c hi us r De A rte et ro resszt Chemi ce 1 668 w ote his P g in , and probably derived his information from the so -called

t i a men t Las T e t . ii i T he i m hal har t o . n xxv Tr n p C i o f A ti mo ny .

r o f gene ation metals , a commentary o n r The Twelve Keys , and othe

r I t I s r . matte s , but In all p obability r spu ious . ) The Fifth Part o f the Last Testament o f that estimable H ermetic Philo so r pher, F ater Basil Valentine ; part o f which has never been previously r r o f p inted , pa t which is now pub

li she d r r r in completely f esh o de ,

r r r and diffe s from fo me exemplars . All translated lite rally from a secret r r fo r manusc ipt , p inted the public

Hi skias C ardilu c iu s . good , by John , A r le t . . Co n . Pal . , Phi , Med , etc ( p e are n tl r r chan .

p y a spu ious fi ) 0 I n addition to these there is the

M a n i estati o A rt ci o rn m r r 1 6 2 f ifi , E fu t , 4 , 8 v0 r r , which the p esent edito has n o t r c been able to t a e , except in its

r 1 6 6 F ench edition , published in 4 , under ’ ’ the title Revelati on aes Mysteres aes ’ T ei n tzcres essen ti elles aes se t M étaux p , et de [ea r Ve tas M edi ci n als r r e . The e ’ ' is also a M a n n dn cti o M ea zci n a‘ men t i o n e d r r by Boe haave , and by no othe

Th i n m /tal . e r ari o t o A n ti o n xxx T p Ch f m y . early nineteenth century did honour to r o f r the philosophe E furt . At the same r i time , the e w ll be some satisfaction in Citing the panegyric o f a French s c i e n ti st , Louis Figuier

o n e r o f Every , says the autho ’ ' L A lchi mi e et les A lch zmi stes , is acquainted with the remarkable dis c o ve ri e s relative to Antimony which are contained in the celeb rated work o f

Cn rrn s T ri n m ha/i s Basil Valentine , p ti A n mon i i . The German Alchemist had so thoroughly investigated the properties o f r r this metal , sca cely indicated befo e

we c him , that find many fa ts stated in his treatise which in o u r day have been brought forward as modern discoveries . I n the same work Basil Valentine speci fies many other chemical preparations o f

r r r o f the fi st impo tance , such as spi it

o r o u r r - r r salt , hyd o chlo ic acid , de ived after o u r own manner from marine salt il f r r and o o vit iol (sulphu ic acid) . H e

n n r r r r . r ati g gold , many me cu ial p epa ations empy eumatic

r f C hi s o wn ca bonate o ammonia , laimed as by Sylvius

- Deleb o e B i o ra hi e Un i verrelle. , etc . g p / a t n i o n i T he Tri n mpha Ch ri o of A t m y . xxx . gives the method o f Obtaining brandy o f b r by the distillation wine and ee , rectifying the product o f the distillation r o f o n calcined tartar (ca bonate potass) . H e even teaches the extraction o f coppe r r o f from its pyrites (sulphur), by fi st all t ransforming It Into vitriol o f c oppe r o f o f (sulphate copper), with the help ai r r bar moist , and afte wards plunging a o f i ron into the aqueous dissolution o f

s this product . Thi operation , which Basil

r was Valentine was the first to desc ibe, often p rofitably made use o f by Alchem iSts at a later date , but , notwithstanding the fact o f the precipitation o f metallic r i t fo r coppe , they mistook a transmuta

o f r o r tion i on into copper, at least as the commencement o f a transmutation which could be perfected by art . One may regard this Alchemist as having been the first to obtain sul hu ri c p ether, which he prepared by distilling a mixture o f spi rit o f wine o f r and oil vit iol . I n a word , there are few chemical preparations known to his period . concerning which Basil xxxn T he i n m hal i i n . r a r o t o n t o T p Ch f A m y .

Valentine has not registered some valu able facts . Concerning the subject matter o f ” T ri n m ha t Cha ri ot the p , it will be seen

r r who by the gene al eader, has an elementary acquaintance with the proper O f o f ties Antimony , that the account rr Basil Valentine is co ect , not only as to r r r gene al cha acte istics , but in many o f o f points detail . As to the value the metal as a factor in the act of transmuta r tion , the mode n chemist is not in a

n o r position to adjudicate , have we as yet a canon of interp retation by which we can distinguish the true meaning of the adept . The method of the translation which follows is literal as regards all that is o f

r r fo r r p actical impo tance ; the est , while

it is by no means , and in no sense , an

r r . b ab idgment , it makes for b evity y the skilful comp ression o f a p rolix r r and tautological o iginal . The t ans lation has been subjected to revision at r r the hands Of the edito , and the gene al

plan , it is believed , will commend itself n . i i T he Tri n mphalCha ri ot of A n ti mo y xxx i .

r not only to the E nglish reade , but to those who are acquainted with the Cn rrn s T ri n mphai i s in either its G e r

r man o Latin guise .

I n conclusion , it may be added that no particulars are forthcoming as to

Ke rc k ri n i us m Theodore g , the comme r who r tato , is interesting by his aspi ations

r and his modesty . H e does not appea to have entered a second time into the

o f r r field H e metic lite ature . I n the year 1 6 0 7 he published , at Amsterdam , a c r entu y Of anatomical Observations , under

S i ci /e i n m A n ato mi cum the title p g , a i very beautiful spec men Of typography , r ado ned with valuable plates , but having no connection with esoteric medicine o r r chemist y .

ARTHUR E DWARD WAI TE .

T o T LL O HE I USTRI US ,

V N AB SAI N T Lv AN B D E ER LE , , D LESSE

M E N ,

A T O F T T I O O Y DEP S HE RUE PH L S PH ,

OV O F T L ERS VIR UE ,

O O F F O T N L R D S R U E ,

I O F T O LD DESP SERS HE W R ,

W O I F I O I N I N O I N H SE L E S H L ESS H L ESS ,

KNOWLEDG E I N KNOWLEDG E AN D WHOSE WORK CONSISTS I N T HE

RELI EVI N G O F THE SICK

AN D OO P R .

T he ri u m al a ri o t o n ti o n 4 T ph Ch f A m y . and lord Mercury do not forbid me to

r r o f shew fo th , since , in the wo ds l r n Basi ius , I have al eady gai ed a place

a o u in a higher class . To spe k to y in r r er r r you own ph aseology , M cu y appea ed r br to me in a d eam , and ought me back from my devious courses to the o n e way Behold me clad not in the garb o f the ’ r ' vulga , but in the philosopher s mantle

— s o r to he said , and st aightway began leap along the road in headlong bounds .

w as r Then , when he ti ed , he sat down , r who and , tu ning to me , had followed

r r he him in the spi it, bade me ma k that no longer possessed that youthful vigou r with which he would at the fi rst have

r r “ ove come eve y obstacle , if he had not been allowed a free course E ncouraged r r by his f iendly salutation , I add essed “ r r r him in the following te ms Me cu y , r eloquent Scion of Atlas , and fathe of all

me Alchemists , since thou hast guided

r r hithe to , shew me , I p ay thee , the way

to those Blessed I sles , which thou hast promised to reveal to all thine elect “ r r he r . child en Dost thou emembe , n T he Tri n mfhalCha ri ot of A n ti mo y. 5 “ r o eplied , that when I quitted thy lab ra r to y , I left behind me a garment so t o w n horoughly saturated with my blood , t hat neither the wind could efface it , nor a ll- devou ring time destroy its indelible e ? ssence Fetch it hither to me , that I may n o t catch a chill from the state o f perspi ration in which I now am ; but let me clothe myself warmly in it , and be c S O losely united thereto , that I may s r m r afely each y b ide , who is sick with love . She has meekly borne many

r r wrongs , being d iven through wate and

fire , and compelled to ascend and descend times without number— yet has she been c arried th rough it all by the hope o f e r nte ing with me the bridal Chamber, wherein we expect to beget a son a dorned from his birth with the royal c rown which he may not S hare with O r the s . Yet may he bring his friends to r the palace , whe e sits enthroned the

o f who King Kings , communicates his dignity readily and libe rally to all that a I pproach him . brought him the gar ment , and it fitted him so closely , that it 6 T he ri um hal ari o t t m T p Ch of A n i ony . looked like an iron skin secu ring him f “ against all the assaults o Vulcan . Let r us p oceed , he then said , and straight wa r y sped ac oss the open field , while I r boldly st ove to keep up with my guide .

we r e Thus reached his bride , whose vi tu an d constancy were equal to his own . There I beheld thei r marvellous conjugal union and nuptial consummation , whence was born the son c rowned with the royal diadem . When I was about to salute him as the King of Kings and Lord o f

an d Lords , my Genius stood by me ,

r i S wa ned me not to be dece ved , ince this ’ was r r n o t only the King s fo e unner, but the King himself whom I sought . When r I hea d the admonition , I did not know ”

r o r . r whethe to be sad joyful Depa t, r l then said Me cury, with this brida

o u c gift, and when y ome to those dis c i le s v r p who ha e seen the Lo d himself, shew them this S ign - and therewith he ’ gave me a gold ring from his son s “ r r finge . They know the golden b anch which must be consec rated to P roserpina f before yo u c an enter the palace o Pluto . t n i mo n T he Tri n mpha/ Chari o of A t y. 7

r r When he sees this ing, pe haps one will open to yo u with a word the door o f r that chamber , Where sits enth oned in his magnificence the Desire o f all

Nations , who is known only to the ” Sages . When he had thus spoken , the

t r vision vanished , but the b idal gift that

I still held in my hand , shewed me that it had not been a mere dream . I t was o f gold , but to me more precious than

r f u the most p ized o all metals . U nto yo I will shew it when I am permitted to

r o u see your faces , and to conve se with y

r - fo r f eely . Till that earnestly wished

o u r . time , I bid y fa ewell When I

o u r behold y , the sight will be to me mo e

far o f r o r pleasant by than that Me cury, my Genius . I , your humble servant and

r r wo shippe , shall easily recognize you by

' r r ambro si allo c k s you au oral necks and ,

r r r which do give fo th a f ag ant odour . T o R A T H E E D E R .

o u W I S H to deal candidly with y , r r gentle reade , and I therefo e pre sent to yo u here the work Of Basil r Valentine in a Latin ga b, in order that it r may be widely unde stood , with a Com r o f m menta y my own . To e he spoke in r Ge man , and without a commentator ; I

r r be studied his wo k ca efully , because I lie ve d r r c rr his p omises , p a tically ca ied o u t r all his di ections , yet incurred much useless expense , made many mistakes , and , though I went through each oper

r c ation mo e than ten times , ould not ’ r r succeed , not th ough the Autho s , but , as

c r o wn I will onfess honestly, th ough my

F o r ~ Basil r o f fault . is the P ince all c r r hemists , and the most lea ned , up ight , r and lucid o f all alchemisti c write s . H e tells the c areful student everything that c an be known in Al c hemy of this I can zcm ai ari t o n t mo n T he Tri ph Ch o f A i y. 9

most positively assure you , not as though r I had al eady attained , or knew every r thing ; that Would be a bold asse tion . But what I have already learned from

r this write fills me with hope , the aliment o f the Alchemist , that I shall attain the r emainder also . The Author needs no fu rther commendation ; did I add more it would be insufficient to satisfy those who r r eject this . The Commenta y which I subjoin , I do not commend . I n these notes I only give information which in itself is humble enough , but the want f O which has cost me many thousands .

o u r I f y do not ca e to avoid this expense ,

Yo u you may do without my guidance . will learn perhaps through you r own mistakes , if neither money nor patience f u ail yo . My guides have been constant a ttention and the most careful thought ; n r r r 5 0 o do you need any othe leade s . r r the efo e do without me , by all means ,

r if you can affo d it . But if you wish to a r void unnecessa y delay , mistakes , and useless expense , I may be to you a not

r o r quite wo thless counsellor, at least a 1 0 T he ri n m ha/ a ri o t o i mo T p Ch f A n t ny.

fin e r- rc c humble g post . when pe han e you stand perplexed by the multipli c ity o f r r r o u inte secting oads . Fa ewell I f y r will take my advice , eject not my

r ad se vices , and you will enjoy many r vantages . Again fa ewell

1 2 The ri n m ha/ ari ot o A n ti mo n T p Ch f y .

r r w e age , but Of futu e gene ations , when

o u r r o ur shall be in g aves , and when of

r r r n o r contempo a ies , neithe king peasant r r will be su viving . This Object I pu sue not only fo r the honour and glo ry o f the r Divine Majesty , but also in o der that men may render to God implicit obedi ence in all things . I have found that in this Meditation r are r the e five p incipal heads , which must r be diligently conside ed , as much by all who are in possession o f the wisdom o f philosophy as by all who aspi re after

u r that wisdom which is attained in o art . The fi rst is the invocation of God the s c o f r econd , the ontemplation Natu e ; r r r r r the thi d , t ue p epa ation ; the fou th , the way of using ; the fifth , the use and

r c r p ofit . H e who does not a efully attend to these points will never be included

r c o r r among eal Al hemists , be numbe ed among the perfect professors of the r r w e Spagyric science . The efo e will t reat Of them in thei r p roper order as r r lucidly and succinctly as we can , in o de that the careful and studious operator al a t 1 T he Tri n mph Ch ri o of A n ti mo ny. 3 may be enabled to perform o u r Magistery r in the ight way . r Fi st , there should be the invocation

G o d fl r o f of , owing f om the depth a pure

r r and since e hea t , and a conscience which

r h o c should be f ee from all ambition , yp ri s c y, and vice , as also from all ognate

u r faults , s ch as a rogance , boldness , r pride , luxury , wo ldly vanity, oppression

S of the poor, and imilar iniquities , which S hould all be rooted up o u t o f the heart — that when a man appears before the r o f Th one Grace , to regain the health of his body, he may come with a o f conscience weeded all tares , and be

r o f changed into a pu e temple God , “ d fils cleansed of all that e e . For God is not mocked , as worldly men fondly n o t suppose ; H e is mocked , I say, but will be called upon with reverence and r fear, and acknowledged as the C eator o f all , with proper proofs of obedience . F o r what has man that he does not o we

P— o u to God whether y look at his body, o r the r at soul which wo ks in his body . Does he not nourish the latter with the 1 The ri n m hal ari ot o n ti 4 T p Ch f A mo ny.

word of H is mercy ? and has not he promised to it eternal life ? Does he

not give to our bodies food and clothing, without which we could n o t even live ? All this man must obtain from the r r Blessed Fathe , who has c eated the r ea th , things visible and invisible , the

firmame n t , elements , vegetables , animals ,

'

and all things . H ence a wicked man c an r r neve obtain the t ue Medicine , much less become partaker Of the r r heavenly ete nal b ead .

r r Therefo e , let all you hope be

o n r r stayed God , and let constant p aye ,

o u to impart to y this Blessing, be the r r r r beginning of you wo k , in o de that

r fo r you may safely each the end , the fear o f God is the beginning o f W I S

dom . He who would seek the greatest of r all ea thly benedictions , the knowledge

o f r f all c eated good , and of the ef ectual vi rtue which God has liberally implanted r r in stones he bs , oots , seeds , animals ,

i r plants , m ne als , metals , and all things ,

r r must fling away eve y ea thly thought , i n hal ari ot o n ti mon T he Tr mp Ch f A y. I 5

fo r r hope only freedom Of hea t , and r pray to God with the g eatest humility .

r Thus , the aspi ation after freedom will

r r o n e soon be ealized . This t uth no will call in question who knows that it is G o d who redeems I srael from all r foes , and not only I s ael but all that c all upon H im with a contrite and broken spirit .

r o f The fi st head our teaching, then , r I N VO must be p ayer , which we call the C ATI ON O F G O D , and see that it comes

r o f not fo th out feigned lips , but is the

r O f o f f uit faith and confidence , like that the Centurion o f Capernaum ; i n humility r and cont ition , like that of the Canaan i ti sh r o f woman ; in cha ity , like that the Samaritan who took up the wounded

o n r man the way to J ericho , pou ing into

o il his wounds Wine and , and paying his expenses at the inn , with an injunction that proper care S hould be taken o f him r f in b ief, let the prayer be of ered up in that spirit o f Christian charity which desi res to share what it Obtains with its neighbour then yo u will doubtless attain 1 6 The ri n m ha/ ari o t o n ti mon T p Ch f A y.

o f r r V I ! the Object you unde taking, r * iches and health . Next in order a fte r prayer follows

C ON T ATI ON w e EMPL , by which apprehend

I t is not fo rme to c riticise by p rai se o r blame what the

r r r o f Autho he e says about piety , the wo ship God , and the

o f fo B invocation His Name . No doubt it was natural r asil

r e to w ite as he did , and my business does not extend b yond

r r r r L the task of ende ing his ema ks in atin . In the mean

r c so time , I have endeavou ed to a quit myself of my task as to give as little offence as possible to more advanced thinkers .

T S r r r he c iptu e says that godliness is p ofitable to all things,

r r r r o f I f and p aye is the most impo tant exe cise godliness . r r f t r r a f p aye ulfilled no o he pu pose , it would at le st be use ul r t in imparting earnestness to eve y search , and concen rating

r r the mind o n the object in view . It p events all dist action , and that perfuncto ry t reatment o f o ur p roblem which is o n e

o f o f the most frequent causes f failu re . It O ten happens in this search that what you vainly endeavoured to understand

r a r r fo m ny days , suddenly is ende ed plain to you in a single

O f r o n e moment by an instantaneous flash inspi ation , which

r f r D i would be ung ate ul not to att ibute to ivine ass stance . i f r r o r r r o f r But you o ation, p aye , is to be any avail , the e mu st also be c o -Operation o n your part the solution which

o f r v r r ffo r you then find , by dint pe se e ance and concent ated e t , may be fitly called revelation . This would never have come r c o - r to you without o ation and Ope ation ; and yet , as the solution is nowhere contained in the process by which it is

r r i r sought , it appea s to you like a ma vel , and a celest al evela

i f r r r o f r tion . Thus , p aye be the powe concent ation , we can easily understand how it is the means o f placin g temporal and

S r o r r r r pi itual blessings within u each . Hence p aye is highly

all fo r commended by Basil , and the Sages ; godliness is

r p ofitable to all things , and especially to that which is the g reatest O f all earthly blessings . o n ti mon 1 T he Tri n mpha/ Cha ri ot f A y . 7

r the essential prope ties of a thing, the circumstances by which it is conditioned , r its matter, its form , its ope ations and

r their sou ce , whence it is infused and r implanted , how it is gene ated by the

r r r Sta s , fo med by the elements , p oduced r and perfected by the three p inciples .

Again , it enables us to understand how the body o f anything c an be dis

i e solved , . . , resolved into its first matter o r essence ; to this change I have referred in my other writings as the transmuta i o f r t on the last substance into the fi st , f * and o the first substance into the last . r This Contemplation , which fo ms

o f o u r the second part work , is heavenly ,

r and spiritually app ehended , for only the spiritual mind c an grasp the circum

Here you have an epitome o f all the elabo rate and

r h r o obscu e teaching of the Sages , whic is comp ised in s r rf many books . The Autho had a pe ect knowledge of that S r r r ffi pi it which pe meates all c eation , and is the e cient cause o f r r all things , yet is eve ywhe e bound up with the de file

r s o f r r fr r r r ments and d os matte ; if f eed om this d oss, it etu ns to r o f r r the pu ity its substance, in which it p oduces eve y

e r r f r . thing, and b comes eve ything in eve y o m To comment o n i t o r r , attempt its explanation , would be t ying to con dense the work o f all th e Sages int o the compass o f a

- foot note . 1 8 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y.

s f stance and foundation o all things .

N o w two - , this Contemplation is fold o n e r is called impossible, the othe

possible . The former consists in end

c an less meditations , which have no r result because thei object is intangible .

o f G o d Such problems are the E ternity ,

the Sin against the H oly Ghost , the o f infinite nature the Godhead . They

r r are incomp ehensible , and necessa ily

baffle the finite enquirer . o f The other part Contemplation ,

Theori a which is possible , is called . It deals with the tangible and visible which has a temporal form — shewing ho w it c an be dissolved and thereby perfected into any given body ; how every body

c an r o r impa t the good evil , medicine

o r poison , which is latent in it ; how the wholesome is separated from the unwholesome ; how to set about des tru c ti o n and demolition fo r the purpose o f really and truly severing the pure from the impure without any sophistic guile . This separation is brought about by

2 0 The ri n m hal ari o t o T p Ch f A n ti mo ny.

tion o f all things — which is a matter o f r r the g eatest impo tance .

fo u n da This , then , is the second tion of philosophy, and follows upon

I nvocation . I t is the most important o f o u r aspect Art, and is expressed in the following Wol‘ ds ’ Seek fi rst the G o d Kingdom of , and H is justice by I nvocation— and all other things

fo r r that men need , the suppo t and health of the body , will be added unto you . r On theory , which lays ba e the mo st ' I n tI mate r o f elations things , follows P A ATI ON r b REP R , which is pe fected y r manual ope ation , and yields a tangible r o f r r esult . Out p epa ation arises know

c r ledge , whi h lays ba e the foundations of Medi c ine . Manual Operation requi res diligent application , and knowledge is founded

r f r c be on expe ience , while the dif e en e r tween the two is set fo th by Anatomy . Operation shews how all things spring into existence , and become visible , o u t Knowledge points practical methods , o n 2 1 T he Tri n mpha/ Chari o t of A n ti m y . a n d is nothing but Confirmation ; manual

r Ope ation shewing the good , eliciting the

r r latent and hidden natu e , and b inging it forth into the light fo r good fo r as in s pi ritual things the way o f the Lord

r r Art must be p epa ed , so in this also the way must be Opened and made

r straight , in o der that the goal may be reached without any false step o r aber * ration . r After prepa ation , and especially after separation of good and bad (brought r about by dissolution), we must p oceed ’ i s r r o f o r ao s . to the P opo tions Weight , F o r you must avoid taking either to o little o r to o much : this is a point to which the physician should pay the “ h e n o t Closest attention , if would make

r r ‘ ‘ a fat chu chya d . l When the Medicine is diffused

r r r i s d In this thi d pa t , manual expe iment in ispensably

r Wi th r necessa y , since thout it e student is d iven about by

e r n r r . C r ve y passi g wind like a udde less ship once ning this , f it is di ficult to give directions in w riting . One hou r o f practice teaches mo re than many pages o f the most lucid r r w itten inst uctions .

' ‘ I I f o u n o t w r o f y do kno the ight q uantity a Medicine , it may p roduce an effect di rectly the opposite o f that which 2 2 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti T p Ch f A mony.

r t th ough the Whole body , to counterac its defects w e become acquainted with

' F r its USES . o it may happen that a r Medicine prope ly prepared , and given i in proper quant ty, Is , nevertheless , rather r r ha mful than curative , in ce tain diseases and therefore we must discover the c o n di rions under which alone it is likely to be beneficial .

I n answering this question , you must observe whether the wound is internal or external - fo r the treatment f is widely dif erent in the two cases . Hence you must go to the root o f every

c an disease, and determine whether it be r r r o r cu ed by exte nal emedies only, whether it must be driven o u t by internal

c F o r appli ations . If its centre lie hid within , you want a medicine which will penetrate to the centre and restore it ;

r r r o f you contemplate as desi able . To discove the doct ine doses by experience is very risky , and yet this is the only

f o ut I n r method by whi c h it has been ound . this matte we

o ur r r may profit by the teaching of p edecesso s, and withal be

r . S rather o ver timid than ove bold till, when Antimony is

r r r r i s as r s o r . B ut p ope ly p epa ed , it ha mless as ca sia manna

f r r r r c in the fi rst stages o its p epa ation , whe e it etains mu h of

r u r r . its poisonous c udity , you o ght to be ve y ca eful m n 2 T he Tri n mphalChari o t of A n ti o y. 3 else all your healing efforts will be * fruitless . s o f An external disea e , admitting external treatment , cannot be driven inward Without fatal results . I f, while a tree is putting forth leaves and blossoms , yo u were to drive the sap inward o r o u downward , y would not only Obtain no fruit, but probably blast , wither, and

destroy the entire growth . r There is a g eat difference , then ,

between fresh wounds , inflicted with a o r sword dagger, or in some other way , and old wounds which have an internal

F re sh wo u n ds r o rigin . can be pe fectly c ured only by external remedies ; but in the case o f internal diseases the external

application of Oils , plasters ointments , and

be o f i balms will little ava l . The inward o f fountain the disease , whence the morbid humours flow to the outward “ W r r a hat is he e said , about inte nal and extern l diseases ,

r r f t he r me its ca e ul attention . If Reade be wise, he will

r r r r r unde stand that Basilius he e speaks i onically, in o de to r r r r r lead all sco ne s and igno ant pe sons ast ay . While others

o f yield to indignation at his method instruction , the true h student will gather the fruit whic hangs in cluste rs among

the thorns . 2 T he ri u m al ha ri o t o n ti mo n 4 T ph C f A y.

r pa ts, must be dried up . Then the flux

will cease , and the evil can be cured by o f means diet alone . I t does not requi re much skill to heal a common fresh wound ; any bo or c an r r do so with a little c ude la d . But r to stop all the symptoms , by d ying r up the fountain of an inte nal wound , tests to the utmost the physician ’s c unning. r Come hithe , then , ye that claim to

r o f r c c be docto s both b an hes of Medi ine , healers of internal as well as o f exte rnal diseases ° see Whether you c an make r r you Claim good ask you selves , in the

o f r r sight God , whethe you eally possess o r r this knowledge , whethe it belongs to r r o f you as a me e fo mal title honour . F o r as great as is the distance between

r r f heaven and ea th , so g eat is the dif er ence between the art o f healing internal r r and external diseases . If you honou

‘ i o f able t tle be the gift God , the same

God will also follow it up with blessing, r success , and happiness ; but if you title be a vain imagination ; of you r o w n am t n ti mon 2 T he Tri n mphalChari o of A y . 5

biti o u s heart , all your attempts will fail l your honour wi l be grievously sullied , and you will prepare fo r you rself the fire o f r hell , which can no mo e be put out r than it c an be explained in wo ds . For “ Christ says to H is disciples : Ye call ”

do . me Lord and Master, and ye well r r Whoever, the efo e , takes to himself a

r title of honou , should be careful to see whether he does well , whether he does

rr to o not a ogate to himself much , more r than he knows or has lea ned , which would be an abuse of the title . Who ever calls himself a Doctor o f both branches o f Medicine must be skilled alike in internal and external pathology he should also know anatomy , which teaches the constitution o f the human

r body , and the pa t in which every disease o riginates and is localized H e must know the remedies which are applicable to the seve ral varieties o f

o f disease , and the peculiar conditions r exte nal wounds . Good God ! I f an r h examination we e held on t ese points , ho w many doctors o f bo th branches o f 2 6 T he ri n m hal ari T p Ch o t of A n ti mony. Medicine would be compelled publicly to declare thei r ignorance ! Once upon a time Doctors o f Medicine were content to cure external wounds, and looked upon this task as part o f their duty ; but now they leave it to ignorant and inexperienced begin “ r r ne s , who ha dly know how to drive a ” o u f donkey t o a field . These persons style themselves masters in the art o f r r healing wounds , and g eat Docto s and I am ready to admit that they have a

o u better claim to such title than y , illus tri o u s who surgeon , do most impudently rr a ogate to yourself a false title , calling yourself a Doctor o f both branches o f

Medicine .

What more would you have , my

? o u r lord Doctor What say y , O expe t ? Sti rge o n I f I were to put to yo u some searching questions respecting the

r r o f r natu e and cu e exte nal wounds , I should find that there is in yo u about as much -knowledge as there is in the brain ’ o f a cock o n the title page o f a child s

- spelling book .

2 8 T he ri n m hal ari o t o n ti m n T p Ch f A o y.

r putrefaction and cor uption . The same thing is observable in the transmutations o f r h all frag ant substances . H ence t e

r r Sage should enqui e what an odou is , r r whence it de ives its prope ties , and how those properties c an be turned to good F o r r r account . the ea th is nou ished

r c r with stinking dung, and p e ious f uits f r are produced thereby . T 0 account o this phenomenon there is a multiplicity o f causes which it would take a whole

book to explain , if we attempted to des c ribe r r , even b iefly , all natu al mutations

and generations . But digestion and putrefaction are the Master Keys o f the

r r ai r r p ocess . Fi e and p oduce a kind

o f c c maturity , by whi h a hange can take

u t r r place o of wate and ea th . This is the kind o f transmutation by which fra

r g ant balsam becomes stinking dung, and stinking dung fragrant balsam But you will ask me why I quote suc h simple

r and absu d examples . The example , I

c o f r r confess, sma ks the stables athe than o f the drawing- room ; but the c areful student o f Nature will understand me all T he ri n m hal ari o t o n ti mon 2 T p Ch f A y. 9

the better for that reason . H e will see that the highest things bec ome the lowest , and the lowest are changed into the highest - L e a medicine into a

a poison , and a poison into a medicine ;

S rr weet thing into a bitter , acid , and co o sive substance and a common thing, on

r the othe hand , into something useful . — f But , good God how di ficult it is for us shortlived men to explore the f whole compass o Nature . Thou hast reserved to Thyself many things in Creation which are Objects o f marvel

f r rather than o knowledge . The efore permit me to the end o f my life to keep

to Thee in my heart , that in addition the

r tempo al health and wealth , which Thou

r ma ' also givest f eely, I y Obtain the sal f r o . vation my soul , and spi itual riches Of

r n o t fo r this I da e doubt , Thou hast shed the balm and sulphur of my soul o n the bitter cross — a balm which to the Devil

S is deadly poison , but to inners the most potent medicine . I strive to heal the

o f r souls my b ethren with prayer, and their bodies With suitable remedies . May 0 The ri n m hal hari ot o n ti mon 3 T p C f A y .

G o d grant that we may all dwell together

‘ in H is man s i o n s o n high ! But to return to the science of Anti mony . You should know that all things

r r contain ope ative and vital spi its , which derive thei r substance and nourishment from thei r bodies ; nor are the elements themselves without these spirits , whether r good o evil . Men and animals have within them an operative and vitalizing

r spi it , and if it forsakes them , nothing r but a dead body is left . H e bs and r Art trees have spi its of health , else no r to could tu n them medicinal uses . I n wa r the same y, mine als and metals r possess vitalizing spi its , which consti tute their whole strength and goodness

r o r for what has no spi it has no life , r vitalizing powe . Know that in Anti mony also there is a spirit which is its r strength , which also pe vades it invisibly, as the magnetic property pervades the magnet . r f Now , the e are dif erent kinds Of

r r spi its , which are pa tly visible , and yet cannot be touched as the natural body o f n 1 T he Tri n mphalChari ot of A n ti mo y. 3

a man can be touched . Such are especially those spirits which have fixed S f their domicile in the elements , pirits o r - fire , light , and othe light dispensing er objects . Such are the a ial spirits which dwell in the air ; watery spi rits in “ rr r r o r r the water ; te est ial spi its , ea th ” r men in the ea th , especially where there

' r are rich veins of o e . These spirits

have reason and sensation , are skilled in f r c an the dif e ent Arts , and assume a

o f variety of shapes , until the time the judgment , which perhaps even now God " has pronounced against the mfi

S Other pirits which cannot speak , nor exhibit themselves by thei r o wn

power, are those which dwell in men

and animals , in plants and minerals .

What is here said about spirits looks like a medley from the works o f some theologians who speak o f i ntelli

r fire ai r r gence being inhe ent in , , and the othe elements, and

are ultimately doomed to eternal fire . The nature and the fate o f these spirits we willleave to the omniscience and

o f G o d r S r o f justice ; but as to the mate ial pi its Antimony ,

r all o ur r r and othe visible objects, that Autho asc ibes to them is true ; and the things they accomplish are far more wonderful than the fabulous achievements o f any so -called

r r supe natu al beings . 2 T he ri n m halCha ri ot o n ti mon 3 T p f A y.

They have an occult , operative life, and manifest themselves by the efficacy o f thei r working ; when separated from bodies by o u r Art they have a most

r r u ma vellous sanative vi t e . I n this way the operative spi rit and r vi tue of Antimony bestows its gifts , and r impa ts them to men , when it has been separated from its body so as to pene trate other bodies with its sanative r r r vi tue . I n this p ocess the A tist and

o n Vulcan (fire) must be of e mind . The u r fire ca ses the separation , the A tist r fo ms the substance . So the smith uses

fire o n e r . r one and mate ial , viz , i on and yet produces o u t o f them a great variety r r of diffe ent instruments , a spit , spu s , an

o r r . axe , some othe tool I n the same way Antimony can be put to a great r r many diffe ent uses , whe ein the smith r fire is the skilled A tist, While the is , as r rac ti it we e , the key which opens , and p c alexperiment results i n experience and a useful conclusion .

Alas , if men only had eyes to see ,

r r r and ea s to hea not me ely what I say, T he Tri n mphalChari o t of A n ti mo ny. 3 3

to but understand the secret meaning, they would no longer drink those tu rbid and unwholesome potions , but would r hasten hithe , and receive the limpid water of the well o f life ! I t is my design to shew that those

r great docto s , who think themselves

are wise , very fools , while my book may make many foolish and unlearned r f persons the deposita ies o true wisdom . All men who are real lovers o f knowledge, and humbly seek after it by day and by night, are herewith cordially i i nv ted to listen to my teaching, to pore r over my book with the greatest ca e , and thereby to Obtain the desire o f their

r hearts . Their g atitude will , after my r r death , raise me f om the g ave , and

r o n e rende my name immortal . I f any be opposed to my Opinions , he will find

N o r a crushing reply in this work . am

r who I fea ful that my disciples , through r my teaching, Obtain the empi e over r f Natu e, will ever suf er my name to

o r sink into oblivion , to be bespattered with vile calumnies . T he ri u m hal a ri o t o n ti mon 34 T p Ch f A y .

Know then , benevolent and sincere o r art 5 bserve of , W o f r Antimony , which diffe widely from CE CE other . One is beautiful , pure , and o f a golden quality, containing a con s ide rable r amount of Me cury . The o r the has much Sulphur, is not so r friendly to gold as the fi st , and is known r by its beautiful , long, b illiantly white

r o n e st eaks . Now , Antimony is more r fo r useful than the othe , both Alchem

i s i r t c and Medicinal pu poses . There a re many different kinds of flesh , the flesh o f fishes and the flesh of animals

are and as both flesh , so two widely different substances may be called Anti

mony . Many have written about the inward o f i r virtue Antimony , but few know e the r r o r the t ue foundation of its powe , the r r o rigin the eof. Thei knowledge is verbal erudition only it is devoid o f a

r r r . solid g ounding, and bea s no f uit

T o r o n w ite Antimony, there is r r needed p ofound meditation , a la ge r r mind , a wide knowledge of its p epa a

6 T he ri um al ari o t o n ti mo n 3 T ph Ch f A y.

o f r end , composed all colou s ; and the r mo e is always found in it , the more diligent and prudent the searc h which i s ’ made . One man s life is too short to r discove all these mysteries . I t is a

s i s most potent poi on ; then , again , it r t free f om poison , and a most excellen fo r Medicine , both external and internal

r application . This is hidden f om many

r r e th ough thei blindness , and they judg r it to be a foolish , inc edible , and vain

a c thing . We must excuse them on c ount “ r r of their igno ance , and pe mit them to plead their stupidity in extenuation o f r r thei folly . The wo st of it is that they will not be taught . Antimony has the four fi rst qualities ;

r it is f igid and humid , and yet hot and dry ; it accommodates itself to the four o f seasons the year, and is both volatile and fixed . I ts volatility is poisonous , n its fixed state free from all poison . H e ce Antimony is one of the seven wonders o f r the world , and many have w itten about it without knowing the meaning o f thei r

o n e r n own words no befo e me , and eve ti mo n T he Tri n mphalCha ri ot of A n y . 37

a t the present time no o n e besides my s its elf, has any real acquaintance with

potency , virtues , powers , operation , and

e f r ficacy . I f any such pe son could be

found , he would be worthy to be drawn

r about in a t iumphal car, like great kings and warriors after mighty and

heroic achievements in the battlefield . Bu t I am afraid that n o t many o f o u r Doctors are in danger of being forcibly * ar placed in such a c . r Men of this wo ld , who are at the

s o f art ame time students our , are so given up to the desire o f gain that they c an think only o f the riches which Anti mony is to bestow upon them they do not realize that the medicinal vi rtues o f Antimony should be the first object o f

Read carefully all that o ur friend Basilius says in praise

Yo u r o r o f Antimony . will find he e no vain bo asting foolish

r fo r a exagge ation , as yet no man h s been able to sound

rf d o f We see the wonde ul epths this marvellous Medicine .

are d r l r many things , new things daily iscove ed , and sti l mo e r o ut r r f A are a emain to be found . The esou ces o ntimony s

x r as o f fire ar ine haustible and infinitely va ied those , which e not diminished by taking away from them . Hence Basilius rightly judged him who should sound the mystery of

r r e ar Antimony wo thy of a t iumphal . 8 The ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti mon 3 T p Ch f A y . o ur r o f sea ch , in order that the name G o d r shall be glo ified , and that our fe llo e n be n e fitte d may be truly . We admit that greater riches are to

' be found in An timo n y than it is possible

fo r . to imagine , even me , though I know much more about this matte r than you who are so exceedingly wise in you r own

r f r conceits . But let none be af aid o thi s r o f eason , or despair ultimately attaining to this highest felicity of human life fo r the loving kindness of God is great in

be the dispensation of H is gifts . But o f cause the ingratitude of men , H e has

r r c o b covered thei eyes , as it we e , with r webs , so that they cannot pe ceive the r r myste ies hidden in this mineral fo m . All clamour aloud : We want to be r ' r ich , rich Yes , you desi e wealth , and say with Epicurus : Let us provide fo r o u r o u r bodies , and leave souls to take care of themselves . Even as Midas in

r s the fable, you desi e to Change all thing r r e r into gold . SO are the e nume ous p sons who seek this coveted wealth in r fo r Antimony, but since they do not ca e T he Tri n mphalCha ri ot of A n ti mony. 39

God , and have cast far away from them

o f r the love thei neighbour, they will ’ look at the horse s teeth o f Antimony fo r ever without knowing anything about its r age o qualities . Like the wedding

o f guests Cana, they may behold the miracle by which water is turned into wine they may know that it was water , and they may taste that now it is wine yet they c an never learn the way in which the Change was brought about . ’ r Neve theless , it is every one s duty to investigate the myste ries and wonder ful secrets which the Creator has infused into all things . We may not be able to

r r unde stand and explain eve ything . Yet many things are possible to industry and perseverance ; and though many an o n e may be severely handicapped in the fo r h struggle wealth and ealth , yet ,

r o f G o d th ough the grace , he may still r attain thereto . Therefo e he should not think any labour to o great which is likely to advance his knowledge of Antimony .

Whoever, then , would perfectly under

o f An timo n stand the Anatomy y . should , 0 T he ri n m hal hari ot o n ti mon 4 T p C f A y .

r in the fi st place , become acquainted with o f the manner its solution , so that he to r may be able seize it in the ight place , r r and p oceed in the ight way, without r ente ing into devious paths . I n the

S second place , he hould learn how to

regulate the fire , so that it shall be

r r n r to o r neithe too fie ce o feeble . Fi e r r is the oot of the whole matte . By means of fire the vitalizing spirits are extracted and dissolved for the purposes o f o u r r r u ope ation . But ca e m st be

‘ taken not to mortify and destroy the r spi it by means of too much heat . The thi rd point fo r consideration is r r o f the p opo tion the substance , the dis c o ve r o f r r y the prope measu e , as I have r al eady noted , when enumerating the five points which are requisite in Al r chemy . I t is necessary to enla ge r r r fu the upon this matte . The substance is prepared by means o f dissolution ; it is perfected by means fir o f coc tion in e . This is the axe that r kills the ox , and divides it into pa ts . But men cannot partake o f the flesh till ari n ti mo n 1 T he Tri n mphalCh ot of A y. 4

it has been cooked over the fire, by which means the red colour of the meat

r is emoved , and a white nutritious sub stance is substituted in its place . I f a

r man , d iven by hunger, were to eat the raw , red flesh , it would be a poison to

r him ather than a medicine , because the stomach has n o t sufficient natu ral heat to

raw digest the material . I n the same way , it will be so much the more danger o u s fo r you to use Antimony before

r r sepa ation , prepa ation , and coction , as the mineral substance is more gross and po i sonous in its raw state than that r obtained f om the animal body . Therefore Antimony must be so tho roughly deprived o f its poisonous natu re that it c an never again return to it , just as wine which has once been Changed into vinegar by putrefaction and

c an r corruption , neve again produce the

r o f r spi it wine , but must always emain

r. o f vinega But when , by means distilla

r r r tion , the spi it alone is emoved f om the

r r r wine , so that the wate y pa t is sepa ated

r S r from the spi it , and the pi it is after ' 2 The ri n m hat hari ot o n ti mon 4 T p C f A y .

c an r wards sublimed , the wine neve thenceforth become vinegar, even though r r r it we e kept a hund ed yea s , but would r r always emain spi it of wine , just as the r vinegar always emains vinegar . This change of wine into vinegar is

r fo r r a wonde ful thing, the eby something is actually produc ed o u t o f the Wine which did not before exist in its v ege table essence . I n the distillati on o f wine the fi rst p roduct is a spi rit in the distil lation of vinegar the fi rst p roduct is a

r r wate y substance , and thus a spi it , as I

th s ir t o f explained above . H ence e p i r r wine , being itself volatile , rende s othe

o f things volatile , but the spirit vinegar r fixes and rende s solid all medicaments, M

' r tlTaT Ih é both mine al and vegetable , so y attract fixed matter and expel fixed diseases .

Pay diligent attention to this fact ,

fo r r and Observe it well , he e lies the * r f ur Art maste key o o whole .

Do not blindly believe these and similar assertions o f

r . r r Basilius , but keep you eyes wide open He ein is the fi st

r h f o f Art . key, he ein the c ie point the whole This will open

T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mo n 44 T p Ch f A y .

r The same process may be obse ved , fo r r o f instance , in the b ewing beer ; bar

o r r r ley, wheat , othe grain , must unde go allthese p rocesses before it becomes a

r palatable beverage . I t must fi st be m ashed and dissolved in water, as I have observed them do in Belgium and E ng a land , when I was young man . This is

o r rr Putrefaction , Co uption . Then the r o ff r water is pou ed , and the moist g ain r is left in a wa m place , till it germinates r and sticks togethe . This is Digestion . Thereupon the grains are once more separated from each other, and fir r r o r r e . d ied , eithe in the sun befo e the r r u n This is Reve be ation and Coag latio . The prepared germ is then ground

c in the mill . This is vegetable Cal ina r r r tion . I t is afte wa ds cooked ove the r fire , and its nobler spi it is mingled with the water in a way which would not have r r r been possible befo e it was so p epa ed . r r w e Thus , wate becomes bee , and this are may call Distillation . I f hops added

r are to the bee they its vegetable salt , which preserves it from all adverse The ri n m hal hari o t o n ti mo n T p C f A y. 4 5

corrupting influences . This method of converting water into a fermented bever age by the extraction o f the spirit o f grain is unknown to the Spaniards and o f I talians , and in my native country

Germany I have only found a few, in the r Rhenish dist icts , who understand such Ar t . Afterwards a new separation takes

o f place by means Clarification . A little r yeast is added to the bee , which stirs up its internal heat and motion , and thus , in r time , the gross is sepa ated from the

r subtle , and the pure f om the impure . The beer thereby becomes a perfect beverage o f great efficacy ; before this r Cla ification this would not be , because such Operative Spirit was Clogged and hindered by its o w n uncleanness from fulfilling its objects . Does not e xpe ri ence teach the same lesson in the case o f

? c an wine I t is not perfect , nor it properly fulfil its object , till it has been

r r U n c lar fi f eed from all impu ity . i e d beer o r wine is not half so intoxicating o r as beer wine when it is purified . 6 T he ri n m ha/ ha ri o t o n ti mon 4 T p C f A y .

r r Afte this , we may b ing about a nother separation by means o f Yege r o f table Sublimation . The spi it wine , o r beer, by this process , and by Dis tillati o n r r , is sepa ated , and prepa ed in

r o f r r the fo m anothe beverage , or a dent r r r r spi its . He e the ope ative vi tue is separated from its body ; the spirit is

r o f ext acted by means fire , and has de se rte d r its ine t and lifeless habitation , r in which befo e it was domiciled .

f r o r o f I f such a dent wine , spirit

r . wine , be ectified , you have Exaltation r When this is done , the spi it of wine is several times distilled , and so condensed by being purified from all phlegm and wateriness that o n e measure is more effectual than twenty measures were be r i t r r fo e ; intoxicates mo e apidly , and is volatile , and subtle in penetrating and * acting upon substances .

Do n o t despise these remarks on the p reparation o f

r an d r r r r bee wine . The e may be appa ent epetition he e , but r r r the e is nothing supe fluous . Retu n often mentally to this b eersh o r r r r p ead , ma k , lea n , and inwa dly digest all that is

. r r o said It may be that in this tu bid wate , which looks s

f r r I f o f unlikely, you may a te all catch you fish . the excess ti m n The Tri n mphalCha ri ot of A n o y . 4 7

r o u who Here I exho t y , desire through my teaching to secure health and riches as the reward o f your study of

to Antimony , not suppose that there is so much as a superfluous word o r lette r

in what I have hitherto said . I tell you there are many words sprinkled up and

down i n ' my writings which may make it well worth your while to turn over the o r pages again and again , and to p nde very frequently the meaning of sentences in which eve ry word is worth its weight

in gold . Know that though the illus trations which I have given have a rustic

r and simple appearance , they set fo th a o f grand truth the highest moment . But it is neither desi rable n o r necessary to praise my o wn works : they will praise

themselves , as soon as the suggestions r contained in them are p actically tried . I purposely use rude and common illus F o r trati o n s . it is my business to set forth the hidden vi rtues o f Antimony ;

r r S n o t light which p evails he e hould enable you to see , no amount o f obscure alchemistic reading will disperse you r w r r in a d da kness . 8 T he ri n m ha/ ha ri o t o n ti mon 4 T p C f A y .

and as this is a very profound and r abst use speculation , it is useful to pre pare the w ay by th rowing upon my subject all the light which c an be gained from common and familiar things other

i n r o f wise , you might be dange losing you r road at the very outset o f you r r jou ney . Antimony is also likened to a bi rd which is borne through the air o n

r r the wings of the wind , and tu ns whithe i r . o r a re re it will The wind , , here p r who c an sents the A tist , move and r impel Antimony whithe it pleases him ,

an and place it wherever he likes . H e c

r re d o r o r colou it yellow, white black , according to the way in which he regu fire lates the , since Antimony, like

r r r Me cu y, contains within itself all colou s . I f a book be placed before an r r illite ate pe son , he does not know What the letters mean ; he stands staring

c r r c o w stupidly at the ha acte s , like a at r r a new gate . But if that pe son we e

r r s i n ific a taught to ead , we e shewn the g

o f r c tion the letters , and inst u ted in the

o f r r meaning the wo k, he would no longe T he ri n m hal ari ot n ti mo n T p Ch of A y. 49

r be a p ey to stupid wonder, but the why and the wherefore o f the whole thing

r would be plain and familia to him . Such a book is Antimony to those who have not yet learned to read it : hence all such persons should pay the most careful attention to my preliminary i n struction , and should not be offended if I offer to teach them the alphabet o f Anti mony . Let them study this alphabet diligently, in order that they may learn r to ead the book , and thus advance from Class to class in this our school of

Alchemy , until . they have reached the f highest grade o all . But at this point I remember that r r the e is , f om time to time , a great “ c r o f Clamour, and y Away with them , ' crucify them , crucify them raised against those who prepare medicines o u t r r r of poisons such as Me cu y, A senic , and Antimony I t is averred that by means o f such medicines many have me t o r o n with a sudden death , are dragging

r r a mise able existence . This clamou is most persistently raised by those Doctors E 0 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mo n 5 T p Ch f A y.

f o Medicine (save the mark !) who do not know the difference between a poison

r S and a the iac , nor yet how a poison hall be prepared in order that it may become

a salutary medicine, and exchange its

- malignancy for health giving qualities . I protest against being numbered amongst the persons who administer to thei r pa t ie n ts orpiment , arsenic , and mercury ,

are which , in their unprepared state , , * o f r r cou se, deadly poisons . But afte legitimate preparation all venom is re r moved and expelled , and there emains only a Medicine which resists all r inte nal poisons , and radically removes r them . I t is also the su est antidote

a r r r gainst eve y unp epa ed poison , and

* At r r f the time when Basilius w ote, the igno ance o c ertain physicians was so great that they administered as

m r raw n ri fi d edicines many poisons in thei and u pu e state , and ignorantly prosc ribed the means by which the Al c hemists r rendered them truly saluta y to the human system . Against these pseudo -docto rs honest Basilius and hi s friends were

r s wont to inveigh with the greatest sha pness . But in thi

r r r r r an d impe fec t wo ld t uth is not necessa ily victo ious ,

t A c i h ad r r n t hough the l hem sts the bette cause , thei oppo en s

f n r . r su had the advant age o umbe s Yet , even then, Pa acel s foresaw the dawn o f better times which should be ushered in by the coming o f the Artist Elias .

2 T he ri n m hal ari o t o n ti m n 5 T p Ch f A o y.

r o f familia with the method preparation . The unreasoning Clamou r o f the majority ” ! r Poison , poison will doubtless ca ry

r the day , just as the senseless Clamou “ o f r ! the J ews , C ucify , crucify H im doomed to death the Saviou r of the r wo ld , Whom the multitude pronounced

a most deadly and injurious poison , r while in eality H e was the only true , f o u r noble , and ef ectual Medicine of r souls , come to deliver us f om eternal

o f death , hell , the power Satan , and all r r othe evils and misfo tunes . This pro found truth those supercilious Scribes and Pharisees could and would not

r r unde stand , yet it was the t uth then , and will remain so th roughout all eter

n i t o r y ; nor will the devil , death , or the o f r gates hell , eve be able to prevail

o r r . against it , to p ove it a lie So I know that in spite o f the clamorous outcry raised against it by

c r qua ks , mountebanks , and idle Docto s

r who esident in towns , yea, by all men profess to have any knowledge of the Art r noble which they disg ace , Antimony ti m n T he Tri n mphalChari o t of A n o y. 5 3 will triumph and trample underfoot the

o f whole rout its assailants , and its false and hypocritical judges will receive the same condemnation as the wicked J ews . What a poor figure do they cut in my

— ma n ifi eyes all these grand , conceited g who coes solemnly admonish E mperors ,

Kings , Princes not even to touch such r medicines with thei lips , because they are poisonous , noxious , and most danger o u s n o t . I will attempt to refute them , for they speak at random without the

u slightest knowledge o f their s bject . I

W r ill only say this , that I offe to give to o n e who has swallowed the most deadly o f all poisons so powerful an antidote ,

to that , if he be left altogether my treat ment , the venom will at once be totally expelled from his system .

As to the rest , I do not care in the

o u who least whether y , Sir Doctor, know nothing at all about this matter, and have never given the least thought to it , condemn my medicine , or not ; it is enough fo r me that I c an prove its

r efficacy , that I have p epared this Medi T he ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti n 54 T p Ch f A mo y.

Cine with my own hands , and admin i ste re d it with unvarying success to great r are to numbe s of people , who ready bear me witness under thei r own hand and seal . I f I ever had to dispute in the r schools with this quality of Docto , who cannot prepare his own medicines (such are as they ), but must leave that work to

re - another, I should justly Claim p emi n e n c e over him . For he does not even know the colour of the remedies which r r he p esc ibes . H e has not the slightest

r are o r idea whethe they white black , red o r r o r g ey, blue yellow, or whether the

dr o r . medicament is hot , cold , y, humid H e only knows o n e thing— that he has found the name o f that medicine in his bO o k s o n , and , pluming himself the

o f r antiquity his hoa y ignorance , he r r claims the right of p io possession . H ere again I am tempted to c ry woe upon these foolish doctors whose

c are r cons iences sea ed with a hot iron , who do not care in the least fo r thei r rr patients , and will be called to a te ible ha a ri o t o n ti mo n The Tri n mp lCh f A y. 5 5

account for their criminal folly o n the f day o judgment . Then they will behold H im Whom they have pierced by neg ’ lec ti n h g their neig bour s welfare , while

pocketing his money , and they will see at last that they ought to have laboured r night and day , in orde to acquire greater f skill in the healing o disease . I nstead o f this they c omplacently go on trusting

to chance , prescribing the first medicine r they happen to find in thei books , and leaving the patient and the disease to

fight it out as best they can . They do not even trouble to enquire in what way the medicines they presc ribe are pre

r r r pared . Thei labo ato y , their furnace , ’ their drugs , are at the Apothecary s , to r r whom they a ely or never go . They

r o f r insc ibe upon a sheet pape , under “ Rec i e that magic word p , the names

r of certain medicines , whe eupon the ’

Apothecary s assistant takes his mortar, and pounds out of the wretched patient whatever health may still be left in him . ! Change these evil times , oh God

the se tre e s r Cut down , lest they g ow up 6 The ri n m ho / ari o t o n ti n 5 T p Ch f A mo y.

to the sky ! Overth row these over

weening giants , lest they pile mountain r upon mountain , and attempt to sto m heaven ! P rotect the conscientious few who quietly strive to discover the mys t e ri e s of Thy creation I will ask all my brothers in o u r Monastery to unite with me in earnest r p ayer, by day and by night , that God may enlighten the ignorance o f these

- Pseudo Doctors , that they may under stand the virtues which H e has implanted r r in c eated things , and may lea n also that they can become manifest and Operative only by means of that p repara tion which removes all harmful and r r poisonous impu ities . I t ust that God r r o f will answe our p ayer, and that some my brothers at least will survive to witness the blessed c hange which shall

o n r then take place ea th , when the thick veil o f ignorance shall have been re r the ' e e s o f moved f om y our opponents, and thei r minds shall have been e u

“ lightened to find the lost piece of silver . r i i o f May God , who over ules the dest n es a ri o n ti mon T he Tri n mphalCh o t f A y . 57

men , in H is goodness and mercy bring about this consummation ! Since I have undertaken to publish\

r o n a set t eatise the subject of Antimony , it is fitting that I should begin with an

e o f . xplanation its name The Arabs , to whom this metal has long been known , called it ASI N AT ; the Chaldeans de sig n ate d it S TI B I UM ; its usual name among T O r the Latins is AN IM NY . The Ge man name ( M ag) reflects o n e o f the r the r i o f . peculia it es the metal , viz , st eaks by which it is distinguished , and the ease With whi c h it is changed into a kind o f * coloured glass . This variety of names teaches us

: r two things fi st , that Antimony was r known to the A abs , Chaldeans , Latins ,

Poets sometimes commence thei r tale in the middle , and

r n r r then wo k back to the beginni g , in o de to sustain the in terest o f r r r c thei eade s . Al hemists sometimes adopt the same device in order that thei r meaning may be hidden from

r . r o f all except the wo thy He e Basilius , in the middle the r o f hi s u t eatise , begins to discuss the name s bstance, with

r r r which an o dina y w iter would have commenced , but soon

o r r he aband ns this plan , and p oceeds to answe the question ,

r r A r o f al eady mooted , whethe ntimony can be dep ived all i ts — a i s o f poison , question which explained by means useful

c r and highly signifi ant illust ations . 8 T he ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti m n 5 T p Ch f A o y.

r and Ge mans , and , second , that its vir tues were held in the highest estimation among them but that afterwards he re ti

c al notions crept in , the potency of

was r r Antimony more and mo e fo gotten , and its glory obscu red and finally ex

ti n u i she d g . That this should be so , must appear very natural to any o n e acquainted with the wiles and cunning craftiness of the great A rch - enemy of o u r

r c race , who eve lies in wait to de eive the r o f ro b child en men , and to them of the light which they possess . And especially does he put forth all his power in order to induce amongst men igno ran c e of the

r . t ue medicine , and to discourage its use H e knows well that the reby the glory o f r o f God is obscured , and the sac ifice thanksgiving kep't back which else would rise from many a human heart to the r who r Give of All , has shed ab oad among created things the outer rays of H is

r c r glory . H oweve , it is ompa atively of little use to speak about the name of r r Antimony . I ts g eat vi tue and utility c an be known only to those who are

6 0 The ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti mo n T p Ch f A y.

r o f making actual contact, a pa ticle a r true unico n . The coin will be as surely re pelled and moved backward as the duck which sees the sportsman taking

aim at it with his gun . That homogeneous substances always attract each other yo u may learn r f om the fact , that if you place a piece

o f r r pu e , unadulterated b ead in a bowl o f r water, so that it floats on the su face ,

r far o f and hold , not ve y from it , a piece r r true unico n , the b ead will float in any di rection in which the piece o f unicorn is r r o f moved . So g eat is the att action like to like in Natu re that poison always d raws towards it irresistibly all

that is poisonous , and substances which a re free from venom exert the same influence over substances which enjoy a r simila immu n ity . H ence poison c an be removed in

: r r r two ways fi stly, by its cont a y which

r r r epels it , as the unico n epels the spi r der ; secondly, by its like , which att acts r c it by magnetic powe . The poison whi h is to cu re a homogeneous poison must / a r t n ti m n 6 1 T he Tri n mpha Ch i o of A o y. have been so prepared that it shall have o f become a medicine instead a poison ,

r r ma , in o de that it attract them m owth" er y p w u o n r w " ‘ m M ” “e W M “ may take it into imtsu w -w w m ‘ h natuW and pa M vo w \v" “ M y 7 1 W i expel t . A proof o f this action of natural affinities may be Observed in the effect o f soap upon linen . Soap is composed o f o il r c , fat , and other g easy substan es , which seem much more likely to sully than to cleanse linen . But by means of

o f digestion , and through the action salt , a certain rectification and separation has

s o n o w n taken place , that the soap , in

S o f tead smirching the linen , attracts to itself all the impurities with which it is fild de e W . , and renders it Clean and hite I n the same way poison may be so p re pared as to become instead a purifying

'

medicine , which attracts to itself all the o f corruption the human system , and restores it to perfect soundness and

health . As we have begun to point out to the true student o f medicine what is good and what is evil in Nature — a 6 2 The ri n m hal ari ot n ti mon T p Ch of A y .

question in regard to which o u r so -called doctors maintain a supine carelessness

it will be well to set forth the truth , and to make it plain by a few mo re e xpe ri

ments and illustrations . Le t a an egg, which is conge led by ’ r r - the winte s f ost , be placed in icy cold water . The shell will soon be covered

i c e with , but the frost will be extracted from the egg, and it will be fresh and r vital as befo e . ’ o r r I f any man s hand foot be f ozen , he should at once apply snow o r ice w r wate to it . The cold will thus be r ext acted and the limb saved .

On the contrary , inflammation is best cured by means o f some hot o r o u i n burning substance . I f y have an

flammati o n in your hand , apply to it

r o f r o r spi it wine (which is pu e fire), quintessence o f sulphu r ; the outward

r fire heat will attract to itself the inwa d , and not only will yo u experience imme r l diate elief, but the limb wi l become s trong as before . I n orde r still further to confi rm n 6 T he Tri n mphat Cha ri o t of A n ti mo y. 3

i r a . this t uth , I add yet nother llustration

S Take the pawn of frogs , which is found o n in March dry it a plate in the sun , place it o n a wound inflicted by a viper o r r other venomous se pent , and the wound will be so prepared as to be healed subsequently by other medicines . Or you may spread the spawn o n a linen to rag, and then apply it the wound with r the same esult . r Simila ly, you may take a venomous dr toad , y it in the sun , reduce it to ashes r in a ca efully closed pot , pulverize , and r apply the powde to any poisoned wound , whereupon it will attract to itself all the o f ? poison the wound . Why By the

o r o f combustion calcination the toad , its o u t inward efficacy is called , and becomes

we operative . The principle which have so largely illustrated holds good in all

z cases . I f you are sei ed with the plague ,

r astrn m so/i s o f M e r t eat it with , or spirit

c o f ury , for the spirit Mercury attracts r eve y poisonous matter, and purifies the mo rbific r system of all its pa ticles . The efficacy o f a strn m ro ti s (Star o f 6 The ri n m thal ha ri ot o n ti mon 4 T / C f A y.

r F o r the Sun) is infinitely g eater. it concentrates within itself all the quick o f ning power the Sun , which is the life o f r Natu e . I t is the Soul of Gold , and the generative principle of all minerals r and metals . I will say mo e about this wonderful astrn m so/i s in its own proper place . r I n the same way, we must t eat r Antimony , which has the like Ope ative

f n qualities as the body o gold . I do o t

S o f r o f now peak the Sta the Sun . ” F o r , says Antimony , I know that I must quake and tremble exceedingly

r c before it , and though I g eatly ex el it

r r o n in many p incipal espects , yet, the f o f whole, I can ef ect none those things , r r which the Sta of the Sun , st engthened

ac c o m by heavenly testimony, is able to h o f r pli s . I do not speak either the sta o f r r Me cury, whose pa entage is the same r as mine . But as to intense penet ative

r to vi tue , I must yield the palm the

Star o f the Sun . My books and sayings are related to

r r each othe by expe ience, like the metals , al ari t o n ti mon 6 T he Tri n mph Ch o f A y. 5 o n e o f which must be tested and known in its relation to the rest . I n like

r r manne , my w itings and prescriptions r have o n e common S cope o aim . The guide who alone can lead yo u to the

i s place where Plutus sits enthroned , f fire Vulcan (the god o ) . I f you strike

steel with a flint , the violent collision

r r elicits a spa k , and calls fo th the hidden

r o r sulphu , hidden fire , which is kindled by the air so that it bu rns truly and

f . r ef ectually Salt emains in the ashes ,

r r r u t and me cu y is st uck“o together with the burning su lphu rfi

I n Antimony , too , the mercury must, r r by a natural method , be sepa ated f om

its sulphur and salt . U nless the fire which is latent in the steel becomes visible

c an and tangible , it be of no use ; and so

‘ u r f o Medicine will produce no ef ect,

* ' ’ I bis illustration is as remarkable and suggestive as it

r r r o ut i s simple . F om cold steel the e is st uck with a cold

r O f fire r r a flint a tiny spa k , which has powe to penet ate f whole mountain o f uel with intense burning flame . This

o f rr e phenomenon is daily occu enc , and in it the fixed the d r becomes volatile , and volatile is fixe . He e is wisdom

fo r see w r fo r wh o him who has eyes to , and an ans e those r doubt the powe of Alchemy . 66 The ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti mon T p Ch f A y. unless it be fi rst separated from its gross e r r lements , ectified , manifested , Cla ified , a n d r r p epa ed , that all may see how a separation o f the pu re from the impure

c r has taken pla e , and that the pu e metal

r o f r r is pu ged all ea thy elements , afte r which the ha vest may be expected . But

c c this annot take pla e, until the metal has been Opened and dissolved by a fir c arefully regulated e . I n order that I may comprehend much matter o f importance within a s r mall compass , this , sho tly, is the sum f o f the scienc e O Antimony . Whatever is hidden from c ommon o bservation is the province o f Art ; but a s soon as the hidden has become man i L f o u r Art est and visible , the task of is a r ccomplished , and all that emains to be done is purely mechanical as I have more than once set forth i n my other

’ books

. The bee extrac ts honey from the flower by the art which God has given to he r ; but when once the honey is v r w r r isibly pe fect , that s eet and f ag ant

6 8 The ri n m hal hari ot o n ti mon T p C f A y.

are and whatever you , follow me and

Nature . I will teach you the whole truth without any admixtu re o f false

hood . I will instruct you ho w to

r r rr r r distinguish t uth f om e o , good f om

r F o r evil , the highest f om the lowest .

though Antimony be a deadly poison , there can be prepared from it a medicine r which adically destroys all diseases , and r penet ates and consumes them , by coc fir e . tion , like r r r Fi st , Antimony must be p epa ed

i s so as to become a true Stone, which its quintessence . And forasmuch as in

r fire this ope ation it is in all things like , a I call it, fter its coagulation , the Fire r Stone . When this Fi e Stone has been

r r r r r p ope ly p epa ed , acco ding to the di re c tlo n s gi ven at the end o f thi s

r i i V i r t eatise , its med c na tue is such as to

r r consume all noxious humou s , pu ify the r blood to the highest deg ee, and be in all things equal to the efficacy of potable gold . o u r H ere I ask y , my inexpe ienced

r to r docto s, not judge me by the standa d r n ti mon 6 T he Tri n mphalCha i ot of A y. 9

f n r o your o w igno ance . I t is not enough

r for you to ead my book , and to become a cquainted theo retically with the p repar tion o f Antimony ; you must experiment a r lly follow my di ections , and thus gain the knowledge which will teach you both * how to prepare and apply this medicine .

When you have done this , you will begin to have some notion of that which

is now hidden from your pu rblind gaze .

O wretched and pitiable medicasters ,

o n o n who walk the clouds , and moun o f tains in the air, thinking highly

r o w n y ou selves in your conceit , and yet

n o fo r r having solid foundation you feet,

o u take heed , I beseech y , what answer yo u will make to God o n the day of judgment ! Think o f the sacred duty which rests upon you before it is too

late , and then , if you are really willing

r to do that which is ight, God will most a r ssu edly help you . But you who , in r r you ext eme folly and madness , do not

Ilere Basilius once mo re yields to his indignation against the false Doctors but afterwards he gives some use fulhints embodied in remarks o n aqua fortis and spi rit of

wine . 0 T he ri n m halChari ot o n n 7 T p f A ti mo y.

c r a e to learn , or to become any wiser , r r r U ef ain , at least , from p onouncing pon

r what you do not understand , lest you own judgment be harder than you c an

bear . I t should be the principal aim o f r r eve y physician , whilst he does eve y

c an to thing he to cure the disease , not hinder rather than help the cure which r r f r t Natu e is t ying to ef ect . I f the spi i o f ua r wine be added to a fortis , the e W r f r ill be a st ong ef e vescence, and these two substances will not agree ; but if r o f they be p operly united , by means r philosophical distillation , they will fo m

o f r r a highly useful compound . Oil ta ta r r and g ape vinegar are similarly elated . They are as inc ompatible as fire and

r are r r wate , although they both p epa ed from the same substance . Hence it ’ should be the physi c ian s fi rst care to become ac quainted with all the ci rcum

c rc stances of the disease . These i um

S r stances he hould then diligently conside , and select such remedies as are likely to e r r move the diso der, lest , by giving the

2 T he ri n m ha/ hari ot o n ti mon 7 T p C f A y.

r r wo ms of the dust , and food for wo ms , r always stopping sho t at the husk, and

c r r r negle ting the p ecious ke nel , fo getful o f r r r r you C eato , who has fo med you a fter H is own image ? Why do you not rather thank H im by studying H is works

r r ? r be which t anscend Natu e Retu n , hold i n you r heart the image o f your

r r o u ing atitude , and p ay that y may feel heartily ashamed o f yourself fo r not having realized and accepted with a thankful heart what God has prepared fo r yo u !

c c But I must on lude this appeal , r o f lest , while I w ite , I stain the pages

r o f my book with tea s indignation , and

r o f lest , while deplo ing the blindness the

r r r wo ld , I ende these words illegible , which I wish to become known to all . I am a man belonging to a most holy r r r c eligious o de , in whi h I shall Continue to live so long as God is pleased to animate this wretc hed body o f mine with

r c the b eath of life . H en e I must needs write as becomes a religious man . But

r r if I we e a secula judge , I would lift up t n The Tri n mphalChari ot of A n i mo y. 73

S o u t my voice , and peak in loud clarion r tones , so as to fo ce those deaf persons to

r hea who now stop their ears , and blas

he me c alu mn i p , despise, and ignorantly

ate the truth .

But Thou , O Lord God , Who

‘ o n art dwellest high , and truly called the

S abbao th God of , Who rulest heaven and r ea th , which thou hast created , Who

o rde re s t r the course of the sta s , Whom r the elements obey, before Whom all c ea

r tion t embles and quails , both in heaven ,

o n r r ea th , and unde the earth , look down ,

o n I beseech Thee , this world , and teach the Children o f men the inner meaning of those things which Thou hast visibly set r ! fo r fo th before their eyes As me , I know that I am utte rly unworthy o f the gifts of health and riches which Thou

r o n . hast so g aciously bestowed me Yet, r as long as I live , I will p aise and bless r Thy H oly Name . Mo e than this , my r Fathe , I cannot do in this miserable and

r r impe fect wo ld . I n beginning a treatise o n Anti r mony , we must fi st describe the root T he ri n m hal ari ot o n t n 74 T p Ch f A i mo y. whence it receives all its glory and r strength , and is exalted to the pe fection r of Ope ation . We must shew also how it r r r o iginates in the ea th , afte what man n e r it is made subject to the dominion of the stars , by which elements it is

r cooked , and by which led to matu ity .

o r Antimony is nothing but a vapour, a

r r c r mine al exhalation , p odu ed by the sta s

r r above , and digested th ough elementa y media to a state o f coagulation and r r matu ity . Obse ve that Antimony has r r r o iginally eceived its vi tue , essence , r r prope ties , and efficacy f om the same planet as common Me rc ury ; but its

ar r r c oagulation and its essence e ha de . The reason is to be found in the fac t that

r r c r of the th ee p in iples , it has eceived r r F o r mo re salt than liquid Me cu y . though salt is the least important of its

r r c r th ee first p in iples , yet it has mo e of

c r the essen e of salt than common Me cury , and consequently a mo re permanent coagulation . For it is salt that imparts

r r c o f ha dness to mine als , and an ex ess hot spi rit o f sulphur keeps Mercu ry in a

6 T he ri um al a ri o n t 7 T ph Ch ot f A i mony. r esembles gold , seeing that it has grown r r r from the same oot , and sp ung f om exactly the same branch as that p recious r metal . But just now I am not conce ned

rc r r m with Me u y . I have p oposed to y self at present to describe the true o rigin o f r Antimony . Neve theless , what has been said o f Merc u ry is important fo r the due apprehension o f certain ulte rio r

r fo r r r r conside ations , and the clea e unde standing o f the nature o f Antimony r r itself, which is sp ung f om the same

r r * root as Me cu y .

Let me tell you , then , that all metals and all mine rals grow in the

r r same way f om the same oot , and that thus all metals have a common o rigin . This fi rst principle is a mere vapou r extracted from the elementary earth r th ough the heavenly planets , and , as it ‘‘ r érait we e , divided by the sid distillation o f the This sidereal hot

The dents o f o ur " A rt What is o u r Me rcury P is here clearly and lucidly

r n r f . A answe ed . Atte d ca e ully to all that Basilius says ny light that I could add to his brightness would be darkness indeed . r n m hal ari o t n ti mon T he T i p Ch of A y. 77 i n fu si o n / de sc e n di n g from o n high into

are those things which below , with the ee ro - r sulphu eous property, so acts and works as to engraft o n them in a spiritual and invisible manne r a certain r strength and vi tue . This vapour after wards resolves itself i n the earth into a

o f o u t o f kind water, and this mineral wate r all metals are generated and per f d r e c te . The mineral vapou becomes this or that metal according as o n e o r the other of the three fi rst principles i e r predominates , . . , acco ding as they

o r r o r have much little me cury, sulphur,

o r o f salt , an unequal mixture their

are weights . H ence , some metals fixed , and some are not fixed ; some are per manent and unchangeable ; some are r volatile and va iable , as you may see in r gold , silver, copper , i on , tin , and lead .

r Besides these metals , othe minerals are generated from these three principles ; according to the proportion o f the ingre di e n ts r , we have vitriol , antimony , ma ca r site , elect um , and many other minerals . astrum o r I n its very first , star, and 8 The ri n m hal ha ri ot o n ti mon 7 T p C f A y. i ts r r fi st substance , gold has mo e perfect s r r r r ulphur, and mo e pe fect me cu y than r r e the othe metals and mine als . H enc its operative vi rtue is much stronger and f more potent , as it is also more e ficacious r than the sta s of the other metals . The q ualities which are found singly in other

are metals all united , with many more , in r the composition of the sola star, which is gold . When the substance o f gold is r r matu ed and pe fected by fire , it em bodies more perfections than all other r r metals and mine als together . The e is o nly one metal (which we have al ready mentioned) wherein the solar sulphur is o r q uite as potent , even more potent than in gold . Of the two metals in which the substance strongly pre do mi n

i

a c an r r . tes , we he e say no mo e I must remain Within the limits which I have s e t fo r myself, and confine my attention the present to Antimony . Antimony is a mineral made o f a

r r r te rest ial vapour changed into wate , which side real Change is the true Star o f

80 T he ri n m ha! a ri o t o n ti mo n T p Ch f A y .

Antimony at all times by men o f all r ' Classes . Both the lea ned and the u n learned look di rectly fo r satisfaction of

r r this their bu ning and insatiable desi e . r tr Therefo e , I will not y the patience of r r r my eade s by any unnecessa y delay , but will briefly set forth the results o f my diligent researches as to the nature of Antimony , though human life is too short fo r any o n e to be fully acquainted r F o r with all its sec ets . in the pre parati o n o f Antimony mi racle follows o n r mi acle , colour upon colour, and the potenc y and operation of eac h succ eeding degree is greater than that which went r befo e . T o begin with , Antimony is a rank

c c and deadly poison , whi h may ause the

o f r death men and beasts , so tho oughly has the destruc tive essence pervaded r every part O f this mine al . H ence the

r c c unive sal out ry, whi h is raised both by the vulgar and by those doctors who are ignorant o f the real nature o f Medi

c cine . All exclaim with one a cord “ ! o w w e do Poison , poison , poison N i n 8 1 The Tri u mphalCha ri o t of A n t mo y. n o t advise any o n e to apply common A ntimony as a Medicine, because its use would really be fatal to health and life . Both at the courts of the princes and in towns the brethren o f the profession r warn kings , courtiers , and bu ghers not to have anything to do with Antimony . This outcry has actually brought the s substance into evil repute , and to thi very day no o n e ventures to avail him self o f the wonderful and various medi cinal qualities latent therein . Yet I r o f solemnly declare , in the p esence God , the r Creator of heaven and ea th , and of things both visible and invisible , which we either know now o r shall one day know , that there is not beneath the sun any more efficacious Medicine , or o f stronger pillar health , than this very same Antimony .

H earken diligently to my words , and ye , wise men of this world , observe well the announcement which I shall make concerning Antimony : for my r theo y is based upon Nature, and my

r n p actice o experience . I am fully pre G 8 2 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y.

r pa ed to admit, and I have already r admitted , that , befo e its preparation ,

’

Antimony is a poison , and nothing else .

r o r o f Neve theless , you Doctor, Master t o r o f r o r Ar s , Bachelor A ts , whatever

o n r o f o u your title , the st ength which y s peak ignorantly and arrogantly about things which yo u do not understand r r listen ca efully to my wo ds , and hearken

u to what I have to say to yo .

o u r : Antimony , y affi m , is a poison therefore let every o n e beware o f using ! it But this conclusion is not logical , S i r r o r r Docto , Magister, Baccalau eus i t n o t r r is logical , Sir Docto , howeve much you may plume yourself o n your re d c ap Theriac is prepared from the r venom of the vipe , the most deadly r poison in the wo ld . Does it therefore follow that Theriac ought not to be used ? a s a Medicine You know that it is so e r c an mployed ; and , simila ly, Antimony

so fre e d o f o u r r be , its poison by Spagy ic Art as to become a most salutary Medi ’ c r c r ine , just as the vipe s poison a qui es medicinal properties after its conversion

8 T he ri n m hal a ri ot n ti mon 4 T p Ch of A y.

h which exist in gold and mercury, wit the exception o f the Star o f Sol ? From this c an be prepared potable gold

o f rc t (against leprosy), spirit me ury (tha r fo r r sovereign emedy the F ench disease), the and many other medicines . I pity

r o f r fo r igno ance our adversa ies , they speak o f those things which they do not r understand , and , the efore , no weight r Whatever can attach to their wo ds . I n vain would the stable boy attempt to teach the donkey to tune his voice to r fo r sweet ha monious music , he cannot

r o u r Art are lea n . I n only those qualified to deliver a sound Opinion who have listened to the voice of experience .

r r r - Any othe pe son , whateve high sound ing title may be attached to his name , is no bette r than an ignoramus and a c harlatan . o n r c But , before I go to the p acti al

: part of this treatise , someone may ask H ow minerals and metals c ome to contain ? poison ? What poison is H ow anything

r can be pu ified , and have its envenomed ? nature removed These and similar 8 ' The Tri n mphalCha ri ot of A n ti mony. 5 e nqui ries I desi re fi rst to answer b riefly a n d clearly . The origin o f poison is either r n atu ral o r supernatural . One eason why God has implanted poison in c reated things was H is purpose to

shew us H is wonders , and to teach us h o w to distinguish good from evil how to choose the good and eschew h t e evil . I n the same way the tree of life w as s e t in Paradise . I ts proper use would

o u r have tended to benefit . I ts abuse

r o u r f b ought about fall , and all the suf er

i n r g that has followed f om it . The second reason that there is ’ s uch a thing as poison is God s purpose that we should thereby learn the ugliness

a n d o f hatefulness evil , and conceive a desi re to substitute that which is good in

F o r G o d its place . hates nothing that

r o u r H e has made , but rathe desires m r o al and physical amendment . By e schewing poison we are to be taught how to avoid the evil and choose the

good . 86 The ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti T p Ch f A mony.

Poison is also produced by contrary oppositions and conjunctions among the r sta s , which infect the elements , and are the cause of the plague and othe r r r contagious diseases in this nethe wo ld . This is clearly seen in the case o f comets . Poison is fu rther occasioned by hos

r - tile ext emes for instance , by excessive r o r r r ange , by d inking cold wate when you are very hot . Deadly weapons may also be enumerated among c auses o f

- poison , though when used in self defence ,

r r r they are athe of the natu e of medicines . The natural origin o f poison is as follows . Whatever is repugnant to

r fo r if Natu e is poison ; as , instance, anyone takes food which does not agree

e with him , that food is poison , becaus r r repugnant to his natu e . Yet to anothe r with whom it may ag ee , it is medicine . But poison is specially attrac ted to

r r c r bodies in the ea th , whe e a e tain

r r r c ude , undigested me cu ial essence ( I o f r c speak mine al poisons) , whi h has not r s o yet undergone any prope coction ,

8 8 The ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti mo T p Ch f A ny.

a o f att ck the seat the disease, and are not content with a mere external wash o f r ing away impu ities . H enc e we a dmonish all and sundry that Antimony has to be freed o f its crudeness and poisonous indigestibility before it can be safely applied as a medicine ; and this r r f t ansfo mation is ef ected by fire , and by fire only . Vulcan is the only arbiter o f r such a pu ifying process . What Vulcan (fire ) of the upper sphere has left c rude and unfinished is accomplished by the o f Vulcan the lower world . H e matures

r r the immatu e , digests the c ude with his r r heat , and separates the pu e f om the r r impu e . By the sepa ation and fire

c r whi h pe fect fixation , its poisonous

r r natu e is emoved , and all that is evil in Antimony is c hanged into something

r r good . Fi e pu ges away the deadly

r o f o u r c natu e medi ine , as is known only to those who have fraternally c o - opera

c r ted with Vul an , and have seen the b ide r r cleansed of all impu ity in the fie y bath , whi c h enables he r to lie in the bridal bed with he r c hosen spouse . T he ri u al a ri o t o n ti mon 8 T mph Ch f A y . 9

Wo e who unto you , neither under s n o r r r ! tand , care to unde stand my wo ds I f yo u knew the meaning o f fixation and o f r volatility , and the sepa ation of pure

a n d o u r impure, y would cease from you f oolish occupation and follow me alone .

I t is I , Antimony , that speak to you . I n o u r r me y find me cury , sulphu , and salt, r the three g eat principles of health .

Mercury is in the regulus , sulphur in the

re d r colou , and salt in the black earth

r which emains . Whoever can separate

re - these , and then unite and fix them by

a rt r , without the poison , may t uly call

fo r the himself blessed ; he has Stone,

fire which is called , and in the Stone ,

c an o u t which be composed of Antimony , he has the means o f perfect health and r tempo al subsistence . I n Antimony yo u will find all c r r olou s , black , white , red , g een , blue , a n d an incredible number o f mixed tints

(besides grey and yellow), which must a ll r be seve ally known , and used in their o wn r r p oper orde . N o w I will declare ho w the medi 0 The ri n m ha/ a ri o t o n ti mon 9 T p Ch f A y.

r cine should be prepa ed and fixed , and how all that is good in it may be i n creased , and all that is bad diminished r and dest oyed . Here let me advertise the lover of art that the vi rtue o f Antimony is not o n e r among many p ecious stones , but it combines the vi rtues of all other precious stones , as is sufficiently evidenced by its c r re d r olou s . I ts rep esents carbuncle,

r r py opus , and co al ; its white, diamond

r r and crystal its blue , sapphi e its g een , r eme ald ; its yellow , jacynth ; its black ,

r c o r g anite . As to the metals , its black r r re d esponds to Satu n , its to iron , its r yellow to gold , its g een to copper, its r r blue to silve , its white to me cury , its mixed colours to tin . And not only does

“ r o Antimony contain the colou s , it als contains the vi rtues and qualities of all other stones and metals , only human life is too short for any one to learn how to educe all the potencies that lie c oncealed r f in the hea t o Antimony . You may get r c r f om it, by distillation , an a id humou , r r r like pu e vinega . By anothe way, you

2 The ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon 9 T p Ch f A y.

We will therefore now speak of its r r prepa ations , its magistery , a canum , and r tinctu e, its elixir, and its special essence , which you will be able to extract when I have told you about the Fi re - Stone and r r its p eparation , and many other a cana a n d r o f sec ets, which the wise men of r this wo ld know nothing, and to which too little attention has been paid since o f r the decay the Egyptians , A abs , and

r ar o f Chaldeans . These t uths e the greatest importance in the study of the r t ue medicine . Take care that the different Opera t ions shall follow each other in the exact o rder in which I declare and describe ; fo r c if the result is to be perfe tion , every part o f the work must be properly

a . ttended to Now, fixed medicines ex p eland eradicate fixed diseases ; but r Antimony , in its c ude state , is only a

r r p u gative , which does not touch the eal root o f the disease . I will therefore declare the pre p arati o n o f all things which belong to Antimony ; I will deliver up the keys T he ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti m n T p Ch f A o y. 9 3

r to thereof, and ea nestly ask the student bear in mind that fire is the sure key by which access is obtained to most o f the

f u r Art secrets o o . This mineral pre parati o n o f Antimony is prepared in various manners by the regimen o f fire

b i and y a multiple manual Operat on ,

u whence its medicinal activity, virt e , potency, and colour flow and emanate . As Antimony is distinguished by a r crude , black colour, va iegated with white , I will now speak of the first operation to

vi z which the substance is subjected , . ,

o r i s calcination , incineration , which carried o u t in the following manner

o r Take best Hungarian Antimony , any kind yo u c an get pu v e ri z e 1 as n e l o n y as possible , spread thinly an earth e n ware dish ( round o r square) provided With a lo w margin ; place the dish on a

fire W over a coal , which as should at first be moderate . As soon

o u r y see smoke ise from the Antimony ,

c o n stir it about with an iron spoon , and tinn e doing so tillm no mo re smoke , and the Antimony sticks together T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon 9 4 T p Ch f A y .

o f in the shape small globules . Remove r fire r oa it f om the , pulve ize again int fine

r o n fire powde , place it , and calcine , as r r r befo e , till the e is no mo e smoke . This calcination must be repeated not only till

o u t r the Antimony gives no mo e smoke ,

r but does not conglome ate into globules ,

’ and has the appearance o f pure White

l o f ashes . Then has the ca cination l d Antimony been successfully comp ete . Place this calcine Antimony in a d‘ - - r S c OldSfii iihs fo r c ucible , u h as g use

S m gold and ilver, and set it over

fire r a violent , eithe lighted in a wind fu rnace or increased by means o f the

bellows , till the Antimony becomes r liquid like pu e water . To test whether Antimony has acquired its proper glassy

r r di i n i t o f t anspa ency , p an oblong piece r cold i on , and examine the Antimony

r which clings to it ca efully . I f it be

c r r r r lea , pu e , and t anspa ent , it is all

r r . t), ight , and has attained its due matu ity

r o r er sh o u lm The ty o , beginn , (these remarks are addressed to begin ners who are students of the Spagyric

6 The ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon 9 T p Ch f A y.

r d o broad coppe ish over the fire , pour int it the Antimony i n as clear and thin a

o u state as possible , and y will have pure , e llo w , pellucid glass of Antimony . This n “ preparation of what I call the glass o f ” “ I S an d Antimony the simplest , best , most * efficacious with which I am acquainted .

This is a n o w familiar way of preparing glass o f Anti

. r o f so mony It is se viceable in many cases illness , but ( p reca rious a thing is the human constitution) its use may

1 o ut o f r now and then , n one case a hund ed , be attended

with fatal results . I once saw a man who had taken a quantity give up the ghost afte r much vomiting and violent

r o f pu ging . Such casualties give a handle to the enemies

n r Alchemy , but the medicine in question is admi iste ed only by

- unscrupulous pseudo Alchemists , who do not mind how

so r n many people they kill , long as they cu e some . and gai

f r o f r t r . f o r themselves the eputation g eat doc o s The act is , r o f A r that the emetic vi tue ntimony inhe es in its salt , which

r f e r salt harbou s all its poisonous qualities . Hence eeble p sons de rive more harm from its poison than good from i ts

r i f m r medicinal p rope ties . But Anti ony p oduces beneficial

r o f h o w results even when it still has an admixtu e poison , much more beneficial is it when the poison has been t e

T f a r fo r o f moved . he ollowing is ecipe the glass Antimony , which may be used without any fear o f fatal results

r o f A o f B asi li uS Take the pu e glass ntimony ( ) , melt in

o n e - r r r c rucible till thi d pa t evapo ates , pound into fine

r r o n r r o f powde , pou it best ectified spi it wine , which must

r o f r to cove r the powde to the height th ee inches , close , allow

f r r r r o f di s ci rculate o th ee months, and ext act spi it wine by

r red r ti llati o n . I f the tinctu e be , as it will be inva iably

r c i t should the Operation have been ightly condu ted , decant n T he Tri n mphalChari o t of A n ti mo y. 97

o f A 7 M may also be G”lass i i as prepared W th an adm xture of borax , follows Take o n e part o f crude Antimony o f i tian x and two {g g bora pound finely ,

place in crucible , melt them together in o r t a reverberatory furnac e , by a fire kep

r ho t r up with the bellows , pou into coppe r r o u dish , and p epare as befo e y will

then have a beautiful , pellucid Antimony * like pyropus . The redness o f this Antimony may be extracted by means o f spirit of

w 1n e ‘ ’ . l

an d set it apart as an excellent medicine . Once more place

r r the body which emains in a c ucible , and melt and mould

into whateve r manner yo u please . In artistic shapes it may

r an r o n r . T be wo n as o nament a ing his substance , when ' i di sso lved o vern ght in a glass o f wine , will act as a gentle purgative o r emetic if taken by a Sick person the next

morning . The dose ( two ounces o r less) must be adapted to

the strength o f the patient .

This colou r is only obtained by a very powerful fire . ‘ N o t r o f fo r 1 common spi it wine , which would be useless

r o f r r this ope ation , but that the Sages, which is p epa ed as follows fo r the extraction o f this tincture Take four ounces o f thrice -sublimed salt of ammonia ; o f spi rit of wine distilled

r o f r r so r— ove salt ta ta , that it is quite clea ten ounces place in phial over digestive fire till the Spirit of wine is filled with

fire o r r o f o f m r th e the sulphu the salt a monia, distil th ice in H 8 T he ri n m ha! hari ot o n ti mo n 9 T p C f A y.

Transparent white glass of Anti r r mony, after its commixtu e, is fu ther

r r : r p epa ed as follows Pound , togethe , o n e part o f Antimony till it becomes a

r o f fine powde , and four parts Vene t i an borax ; melt in c rucible till the

s are ubstances in flux , when they will r become fi st yellow , and then white as fo r r glass , , unde the continuous regimen o f fire r the , the yellow he e gives place

s to the white, and a beautiful gla s r esults . The white colour is matured a s r befo e , and is tested , in like man

n e r o f o f , by the insertion a piece cold r \ i on . There are many other ways in whi c h * v i rifi d Antimony may be t e . I only describe the results of my own practical

e r r o f r r xpe ience , and the fi st way p epa

o r o f ing Antimony , glass Antimony, is

lembi c o u o u r r r r , and y have t ue menst uum , whe eby the

red colour is extracted o ut of glass o f Antimony . The t incture of this glass is also ext racted by means o f its

r r O b o wn vinega , and thence , in this last ope ation , is

tai n ed a most excellent medicine . The curious reader may find such methods in Hart

m C ro lli u s B e ui n us r . ann , , g , and othe s

1 00 T he ri n m hal hari o t o n ti m n T p C f A o y.

Pour over the Antimony some highly rectified vinegar, subject to di

e sti ve o r the g fire , , in summer, expose to o f rays the sun , shaking it once and again * every day . Let this slow digestion be c o n ti n u e d till the vinegar assumes a yellow, o r r r o f rathe a eddish , colour, like that well purified gold . Then pour Off thi s clear and pure extracted substance, add

r r ro mo e vinega , and repeat the same p cess till no more gold - coloured Tincture c an r r be ext acted . Mix all the ext act , r r o n l filte , place in cucu bit, put lid , disti ’

r . r re the vinega in S Ma y s Bath , till the remains at the bottom a gold - coloured powder approaching re d ; pour o n thi s powder distilled rain water ; let it e vap o r rate by distillation , add mo e rain water,

r r r sub When I followed this latte di ection lite ally , the

c o f stance became solid like a stone , and stu k to the bottom

so o ff. the vessel , that I could not get it At length , being r o r six warned by expe ience, I shook the vessel five times

rr S o ur daily, sti ing the substance with a wooden poon , and y

r r r will be wise if you p ofit by my expe ience in this matte , not r r r only as regards the present expe iments , but in the p epa a

r r o f r o f tion o f the glass , and in eve y ext action the tinctu e

Antimony . a i t o n ti mon 1 0 1 The Tri n mphalCh r o f A y . a n d repeat this till all the acidity is

o u t washed , and there remains a sweet * ( I pleasant powder . This sweet powder yo u S hould pound o r r in a hot marble glass mo tar, place in c r o n ucu bit, pour it best highly rectified spirit of wine till it covers the powder to the h eight of three inches ; expose t o gently digestive heat , as above , and there will be extracted a beautiful re d Tincture with an earthy sediment at the bottom .

’ T r r are rr he Autho s di ections co ect , but if you have r r e much ext act , you must take a la ge vessel ; yet the vess l s hould not be larger than the quantity o f the extract requi res - else the fire necessary to bring about the distillation will h a ve to be fierce r than the Tincture can bear. When two r ur r thi ds of the Tinct e have evapo ated , change the vessel , a n d r r r distil the emaining Tinctu e in a smalle vessel , till r f h o u r the e is le t a thickis paste . If y d ain the powder r o f r r T altogethe moistu e , it will be bu ned . he method by which yo u may know whether the powde r is as swee t and r fr as o f f ee om acid taste it should be, is to taste a little the

r r o ff r wate which you have d ained by evapo ation . If you are r r an d not ca eful , howeve , you may still make a mistake , s r F o r r f poil eve ything. you must distinguish ca e ully between the acidity o f the vinegar and the acidity of the Antimony else you may go o n with the dist i llation after all the acidity o f i r r the v nega has been emoved , and distil all the acidity ,

i . e. all r o ut o f , the st ength the Antimony. 1 0 2 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mo n T p Ch f A y. The extract is sweet and pleasant to the taste the sediment still retains its

c r r poisonous Chara te , but the Tinctu e is r r a wonde fully potent exte nal Remedy , o fo r b th man and beast , passing almost the possibility o f belief in any one who is r r inexpe ienced in this matte . Th ree or four grains of this medi r r n e w cine will cu e lep osy, and the

r c r F en h disease . I t pu ifies the blood , r r dispels melancholy, esists eve y r poison , emoves asthma and all chest f o f complaints , including di ficulty

r r b eathing, and elieves the stitch in the r r side . Mo eove , this Remedy cures r r many other diseases , if it be p ope ly * applied . r The yellow powde mentioned above , from which the extract has not yet been

T r o r ur his Medicine , which has n o violent catha tic p

ati ve ff c o u r S r r m g e e ts , acts gently on pi its, impa ting to the

r S r o f r s r r the Unive sal pi it Natu e , and insen ibly esto ing the

rf f r r whole organism to pe ect health . But be o e its pu ification

u r it is like a jewel on a d ng heap , and utte ly unable to mani

r r o f fest o r exhibit i ts vi tue . The Tinctu e spoken in the text r has all the virtue ascribed to it by the Autho . But its use fo r r r r should be continued some time, in o de to secu e its full benefits . a n d e o f n glected ulcers , even those that are alive with worms cannot withstand i * t . I am acquainted with two methods o f reducing the glass o f Antimony to an o il o f by means distillation in the alembic .

i t I S Take glass of Antimony, just as , r composed from the mine a of Antimony ,

i ts i pound to fine powder, extract t ncture by means of distilled vinegar, remove all

o f r o f traces acidity (as above), add spi it r wine , and ci culate in a pelican vessel ,

r well closed , for a month ; dexte ously

o ur r r o f If Su geons believed the wo ds Basilius, how

r o f A eage they would be to obtain this balm ntimony And , r r r r r indeed , the Autho athe unde rates the vi tues o f this r r as f emedy than othe wise , I myself can testi y. A woman o f 40 years had fo r seven years suffered from a hard

h er f r D r malignant swelling in le t b east . All the octo s and Surgeons whom she co n sulted dec lared her disease to be an

C o f r aggravated ase cance . A most celebrated physician said that the only means of cure was the amputation o f the

f r r breast . To this doubt ul and despe ate cou se the woman

w n o t as r r she . ould consent , and , a last esou ce, came to me

r r o n e I thought that , in an ext eme instance like this , whe e breast was twice as la rge as the othe r, and filled with

’ r r r o f cance ous matte , I might ventu e to employ the balm

A fo r ntimony, even a disease in which Basilius does not

h r z us T o f r aut o i e its e . he upshot the matte was that , in less t r r rf . han two months , the woman was esto ed to pe ect health n mon 1 0 The Tri n mphalChari o t of A ti y. 5 d it * istil , without adding anything, and

re d o il you will have a , from which the r Fire Stone is afterwards fo med , which , a lso , is a sweet , pleasant , and wonderful M edicine .

o il o r This is the quintessence , the f r highest form o Antimony . The e must be four preparations before Antimony is

o f c o n sid perfect, and the fifth point e rati o n is its USES and its APPLI CATI ON to r the human body . The first prepa ation is calcination and liquefaction into glass

T r ffi z z fo r r he g eat di culty which pu led me many yea s, i s h o w ri r to b ng about this dexte ous distillation . Shall I describe it to you in a riddle ? Haste slowly a bitch in a

rr r r o f h hu y b ings fo th blind pups . By mean Bacc us , Juno ,

r u r r and Vulcan , you must give you s bstance wings, but est ain

r Let r r r Art it f om flying away . Me cu y inst uct it in the of

fl . r r r r ying Hold it at fi st by a st ing , lest it ise upwa d beyond

r r r f r you each befo e the time and all headlong , like Ica us , with

r o u ff r o r sco ched wings . In due season , y may su e it t sp ead fo r f its wings , then it will wing its flight to the Isles o the D Blest . O yo u accuse me of mocking yo u after the manner o f Tantalus ? What would yo u have I may n o t cast pearls r o r befo e swine , lightly make the mystery o f mysteries the

r r f r common p ope ty o fools and knaves . Those who unde

s Art r I f r tand the , unde stand me. you do not unde stand r r me , ponde , ead , and study the books of the S ages ; co m

r r r o u e pa e thei pa ables with mine , and y will s e that I have

S h a o n hed muc dditional light the subject . 1 06 The ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y.

the second is digestion , by which the ex tract is perfected ; the thi rd is coagula tion the fourth is its distillation into an o il r , the subtle being separated f om the r g oss . Then follows fixation by the last

o u i coagulation , and thereby y obta n the pellucid fiery Stone which c an operate o n r metals only when it is fe mented , and r r r c an ende ed penet ative . Even so , it r r only act in a particula manne , as I

r r o n shall explain fu the , when I speak o f r the Fi e Stone .

The distilled oil , of which I have r fo r spoken , accomplishes all pu poses which it c an be employed by the phy * s i i an c .

I f I did not know that Basili us is here declaring no

r r r fo r o n e o f the mo e than the ba e t uth , I should take him

r quacks and mountebank Charlatans o f the ma ket plac e . But experience has taught me that he rather unde rstates than

r I f exagge ates his case . you do not believe me , the way is

fo r tr . r i f r r open you to y I epeat that this Oil , p ope ly used ,

r r . r is t uly an Unive sal Medicine The body must , howeve , first ha ve been purged o f its gross humou rs by means o f

r r . r r r are gene al emedies Mo eove , the e some diseases which

d sa o u r O il o f are incurable , an I do not y that is any avail

rr fr against these . I have the most i e agable evidence that this f er r medic ine acts like magic in all ev , and especially the qua tan f r r r o f o ld . 1 66 ur eve , the ep oach the system In 5 I c ed a

1 08 T he ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y.

’ r o n e mothe s blood , and from fountain " o f vitalizing he althfi N 0 o n e need be afraid that this o il o f d Antimony, istilled with vinegar, afterwards with the purest spi rit o f r wine , then most skilfully ext acted , and ,

o f r lastly, though all most impo tant ,

o f fire exalted by means , will ever act a s a purgative ; it purifies the body by

o f r o f means perspi ation , and by means r r urina y and saliva y excretions . Common glas s o f Antimony is pul e riz e d six grains o r more are absolved warm wine overnight ; in the morn ing the wine is d runk without the s r ediment, and pu ges , both by laxation a n d o n vomiting, account of the poison o us c rudeness which still remains in glass of I t is impossible

The gold and the Mercury here spoken o f are not the c M r r o f ommon metals, but the gold and e cu y the Sages,

r r far r r r mo e p ecious by than is any o dina y metal , mo e

r r r r was powe ful than all othe Me cu y, that even which T r f r o u r f . fabled to resto e the dead to li e he e o e , I advise y n o t rashly to spend you r money o n that which cannot p rofit . i This emetic s n o w commonly used by all quacks, but r r o f n o t always with happy esults . It is as with the swo d

r r C astri o t. T b ave Scande beg , the he Sultan Mahomet i n m hal ari ot o n ti mo n 1 T he Tr p Ch f A y. 09 that I should be acquainted with all the o f r secrets Antimony, as my life is sho t , and I am only a man ; but even in the e r grav I will p aise you , if by careful study and experiment you succeed in improving upon and supplementing my

o f discoveries . Common glass Anti

mony may be reduced into an oil , which

o f will be quite safe , and great value, in

as ro epileptic cases , I shall at once p

c e e d to explain . Pound the glass o f Antimony into

o m ha as fine a powder as possible , add p c ium , digest for some days in a broad

- bottomed cucurbit well closed with clay ,

desired to see this mi raculous sword which had w rought

r s such wonde s in the battlefield . But when it was ent to r r r “ him , he could pe ceive nothing ema kable about it . N o ” “ r r r fo r r wonde , said a cou tie , Scande beg has sent his ” r n o t arm swo d, but he has sent his . The best medicine in

r f r t r unskilled hands may p oduce atal esul s . In o de r to be

f r r as quite sa e , I p epa e this emetic follows R. Fou r ounces

o f r f-an - o f pu e glass of Antimony , and hal ounce Venetian r bo rax melt them togethe , when you wi llhave a green glossy

n r substa ce like eme ald ; pound fine , and put into French - wine ; keep it in a warm place fo r some days ; then give to

r r o n e the patient , acco ding to his st ength , to two ounces o f

r . T i f o this mixtu e his emetic is quite safe , and y u pou r more wine o n the sediment it will be just as efficacious an

emetic as the first . 1 10 T he ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti mo n T p Ch f A y. till all the moisture is abstrac ted pound

r r with a double quantity of cla ified suga , moistened with spi rit o f vinegar ; place

o f in a retort , and distil , in the name

G o d r , at the end , with a st ong fire ; you will then have a re d oil — which must be clarified to transparency with spi rit o f * wine .

r o f To this oil add a little spi it salt , and pour the whole into a subtle prepa “ ” r o f o f ation calx gold , which has r r r p eviously been p epa ed with its water , after a manner whi c h I have laid down in my other writings it will then t ransce nd

ar the alembic . When they e thus dis

r i t m c r tilled togethe , assu es the Tin tu e o f in tac tf ‘ gold , and leaves the body !

r ffi This p ocess is somewhat di cult . Basilius would say il rr r th i t the o must be ca ied ac oss the alembic . It is the x r de te ous distillation which I explained to you above .

Do o u r r fr P Yo y unde stand the iddle , my iend u can

r i t r an ( E i not unde stand , unless the e come d pus to sol ve it fo r o r A r r you , an lexande to cut the Go dian Knot . The diffi culty lies in the fact that all solvents by which tinctures are r r fo r ext acted must themselves be colou less , unless they are r o u r r so , how can you know whethe y have eally ext acted

T r o r r r r ? the inctu e , only ecove ed you solvent I will tell you

r rr o ut r r 1 66 b iefly how I ca ied this Ope ation in the yea 5 . I r red o il r r o ilof ectified the in the eto t , and obtained a white

1 1 2 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y . ,

r gently, and philosophically conside the r subject, will discover f esh virtues in

r r this Medicine eve y day, and will lea n more from its use than from his whole r oe Pha macop ia beside . When you have prepared Antimony o u t to this point , y may justly boast tha yo u have solved the enigma of the

o u r Sages , and that y have lea ned the r Magiste y which is known only to few . r This Magiste ium , when mixed

c with a solution or tin ture of corals, and

r all taken in some co dial water , heals diseases which proceed from some im r r pu e condition of the blood , st engthens

r r the ne ves , p omotes chastity and good fo r r ness , and makes a man fit eve y

business which he takes in hand .

S r We hould , therefo e, at all times thank the C reator fo r implanting suc h r r wonde ful vi tues in created things , and fo r supplying us with the means of dis

pelling every disease and weakness . We will n o w briefly continue o u r instruction concerning the A rcana o f

Antimony . r n ti n 1 1 The Tri n mphalCha i o t of A mo y. 3

Take o n e ely pulverized

ri z e d - Antimony, and salt armo n iac so called r e Armenia ; mix these togethe , plac h r ‘ ' O n i n r r to e t e . l a eto t, and distil g

c o f the produ t this distillation pour hot , r distilled (common) rain water, emoving r r the eby eve y salt and acrid taste . Then

o f r the Antimony will be a pure , b illiant , r dr and feathe y white y with subtle heat , place in the circulato ry vessel called

to t pelican , pour it highly rectified spiri

o f are vitriol , and circulate till they properly amalgamate d i Then distil

T o f o he quantities the tw should be equal . ! The retort should be o f the kind exhibited on page 1 1 o f r B r C r D 4 , consisting A Fu nace , Reto t , Receive , Tube , f r between Receive r and Alembic E . F is a u nace which sublimes by its moderate b eat all that is in the Receiver into Alembic E and so the substance which is distilled from the Retort B i s i mmediately Si i blimed by the fire o f the furnace F r r f r f . This eto t is use ul in eve y kind o sublimation . I T hi S union must be so c lose that i n distillation the two r r r r shall ise togethe , othe wise you will lose both you o il r r and you labou . Amalgamation in Alchemy is not

r r me ely mixing two liquids the union must be insepa able , and th e ingredients must really change and modi fy each

r o f f othe . The union should be like that male and emal e

r r r i s r seed , which p oduces a eal o ganism , that , something mo e

r r r L n than a me e mixtu e of the two ing edients . ater on i

1 6 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mo n I T p Ch f A y.

the Antimony over a moderate fire in a

- re d well Closed vessel , till it becomes ,

, r r o f add st ong distilled vinega wine ,

r r extract its redness , emove vinega , till there remains a powder (by means o f ’ S . Mary s Bath) . Extract with spi rit o f wine , so as to remove the sediment you will then have a clear and pure r r Tinctu e . Place this spi it of wine with the tinc ture in a broad - bottomed cucur

r o f r bit , add some tinctu e co als , and

u i n te sse n c e o f r r rhuba b , and administe

f r r r s a dose o three o fou d ops . I t act as a painless purgative, and has an exhilarating effect on the animal r spi its . Some physician may wonder that a r o f r r mixtu e Antimony and huba b , which are r both violent in thei action , should f r answer o a gentle laxative . Let such an o n e know that purified Antimony does not affect the bowels at all the pu r

ative c r r r g action pro eeds f om the huba b , which is rendered more soothing by the

c r c Antimony . By means of the lea an e

r f which the hubarb ef ects , the Antimony n 1 1 T he Tri n mpha/ Chari ot of A n ti mo y. 7

is enabled to work mo re successfully on * the system . The Elixir prepared in this way has the same power o f penetrating and per vading the body with its purifying

r r p ope ties , that Antimony has of pene t rati n g and purifying gold . I f I were r to count up and describe all its vi tues , I should have to ask G o d to grant

me a longer life , in order that I might be able to explore so many wonderful

r r p ope ties .

o f r I n fulfilment my p omise , I here describe those experiments which I have

o u t myself carried . I t would not become

me to Speak o f that which I do not know . I have quite enough to do to c o mme mo rate that o f which I have had practical r r o f expe ience . The e is plenty scope for those who come after me to i n ve s r f 0 tigate the ma vels o Antimony . N o n e is more acutely sensible than myself

The diffe rence between the pu rgatives o f Medicine and the pu rgatives o f Alchemy is as follows : the former cause

v r r set r ro iolent pu ging , but have no powe to up a cu ative p c ess ; the latter possess the double virtue both o f pu rgin g and

h n eali g . 1 1 8 The ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y. that I have by no means exhausted the

subject .

r r This much , howeve , I have p oved beyond a possibility o f doubt that r Antimony not only pu ifies gold , and r r r r f ees it f om all fo eign matte , while it

l r r i t a so amelio ates all othe metals , but

n re does the same for a imal bodies , as r r ga ds both men and b utes . I may r illust ate this by a simple experiment . I f a man wishes to fatten a pig, let him o r r r give to the pig, two th ee days befo e r o f he begins to fatten it , half a d achm r crude Antimony, so as to cause a tho ough cleaning o u t of the bowels the pig will

r r then eat more f eely , fatten mo e quickly, and be freed from any bilious o r lep rous disease to which he may be subject . This illustration may seem some what unpolished and unsavou ry to the great ; but it has the strong re c o m m e n dati o n i r of be ng familia and apposite , and of rendering the matter really c lear r r to the general body o f my eade s . Of

r c r cou se , I do not advocate that ude Anti mony should be administered to human

1 2 0 T he ri n m hal a ri o t T p Ch of A n ti mo ny.

r r r i . e p epa ed by sepa ation , . , distillation ,

o r r vegetable sublimation , which rende s r the spi it volatile . I n the same way , Antimony has different effects in accord

a f r o f r nce with the dif e ence its p eparation . I ts fixation is brought about in the following manner Pulverize some Anti

r - mony , place it in a b oad bottomed dis

- tilling vessel , namely , in a cucurbit, pour upon it aqua fortis to the height o f six

inches , Close well with clay, and expose

to gentle heat for ten days , to accomplish extraction : decant the pure and clear r r extract thus obtained , f ee it by filt ation

r a f om all f ecal impurities , place in glass r r vessel , and emove all the aqua fo tis

° by distillation in the ashes . There will

r dr then emain at the bottom a y, yellow powder of Antimony : pour o n it dis l r s til ed ain water, expose in similar gla s r vessel to mode ate heat, and you will r r have a red tinctu e (or ext act) ; filter, ’ r distil the rain water gently in S . Ma y s r r re d Bath , and the e will emain a pow

o n r der . Pour it st ong distilled vinegar, r which , in time, is colou ed red , like blood , i n 1 2 1 T he Tri n mphalChari o t of A n t mo y.

and deposits a sediment . Distil this r r vinegar again , and again the e emains a

r r red powder . Reve be ate this powder continuously fo r th ree days over an Open

fire r r , and ext act f om it the tincture with spi rit o f wine ; then strain o ff the sedi ment that remains from the Tincture . Again remove by distillation the ’

r . spi it of wine (by S Mary s Bath), and there will remain a fixed red powder o f “ wond rous e ffic ac yfi Half a drachm r should be taken th ice daily , in the

r . mo ning, at noon , and in the evening

It ’ c le an se s r all ulce s , radically cures the

s French di ease (syphilis), and renovates r the whole f ame . I t is now desi rable that I should p roceed to describe the preparation o f

o f the Flowers Antimony , which is per formed in various man n e rs T

This is not the fixed Antimony sold by apothecaries o ur red r r no , fixed powde is not to be bought eithe with

r o r r silve with gold , seeing that it is infinitely mo re p ecious

r Let hi m h as than eithe . that this fixed powder use it in

r e r i r ch onic diseases, esp cially whe e it s impo tant to excite

r r r ff pe spi ation , and he will see the most wonde ful e ects .

' 1 r f r r r F om the ollowing pages, as f om all contempo a y r r lite atu e, you may see in what evil repute the Art o f 1 2 2 T he ri n m hal a ri ot o An ti mo n T p Ch f y.

Of these flowers o f Antimony th e

r o r wo ld knows little nothing, and it will not be able to apprec iate my pre r r sc iption . The students and f iends o f

r Art o n r this Spagy ic , the othe hand r will estimate it at its ight value .

r r c Neve theless , I wa n you , my dis iples , that if you desi re to be true and earnest

r r Alchemists , you must take you c oss

Yo u upon you , and follow me . must r r f r lea n , as I have lea ned , to suf e , to

r c c submit to pe se ution , to kno k at the

A o f u lchemy was held in the time Basili s , and how many theologi c al and political authorities were to be found in the

r o f r rr a my igno ance a ayed against it . Now , you should understand that I do n o t blame these w rite rs fo r visiting with the most severe invective those mounte bank quacks who p ractised thei r c riminal int rigues under the clo ak o f

Ar c r d r n o this t. Such persons I onside as ese ving t only

c r s r e . emphatic ensu e , but the most eve e punishm nt But me n o f e ducation and piety should not have been so bli n d f l as to con ound the innocent with the guilty, and to invo ve honest Alchemists in o n e sweeping condemnation with these “ r i Charlatans . In o ur times the dense cloud o f igno anc e s here and there shot with light physi c ians do not ventu re to

’

d r r b c r d . con emn Alchemy, and even p esc i e Alchemisti eme ies When will the darkness be utte rly dispersed by the advent o f r r c r c o f the A tist Elias , which Pa a elsus p edi ts in some his

fo r 8th r o f r De books , as, instance, in the chapte his t eatise “ M i n eralzbn s : The c ommon thi n gs G o d permits us to

r r make known , but the mo e momentous sec ets cannot

1 2 no T ri n m nal /zari o t o n ti mon 4 T p C f A y . t r r fire hem ove a st ong , and , by placing

o n three alembics each other, they r manage to prepa e white , yellow , and re d I flowers at the same time . have

ri t ed these ways , and find them useful ; but the most potent and effi c ac ious flowers o f Antimony are prepared as follows : Mix re d flowers of Antimony

o f r with colcotar vit iol , and sublime the r r o f mixtu e th ice . Then the essence r vit iol ascends with the flowers , and f r they become more ef ectual . E xt act r r the flowers with spi it of wine , emove

r o f sediment, distil spi it wine in Bath of

r r S . Ma y, till there emains a dry

r r r r powde , which ep esents the pu ified I flowers of Antimony . These have r r to shewn to the other f ia s , and many who have c onsulted me in their spiritual and physi c al diffic ulties . These flowers act as a gentle pu r gativ e ; they cure tertian and quartan r feve , and most other diseases , so much I r so that have dete mined , by the help o f my Saviou r J esus and the most holy

r r Ma y , H is Mothe , to bequeath in my T /zo T ri n ni /za/ C/zari ot o n tz /n o n 1 2 p f A y . 5 will to suffering humanity all the reme dies whi c h I have extracted from the r bowels of the ea th . The sublimed o f Antimony , called flowers Antimony , is like the springs which well forth o n high mountains . Water is found both by digging in the deep places o f the r r r t ea th , and it ushes forth with g ea

r o n o f fo ce the summits high mountains . Ho w is this most remarkable fact to be explained ? I believe that the womb of waters in the earth is more copiously stored in some places than in others, so that while you have to dig fo r water in r r ce tain dist icts , in others , owing no r doubt to side eal influences , it is drawn upward with great force to the snowy

i u o f s mmits the Alps , and to the pin ' * n ac le s o f of the Tower Babylon . I f any foolish person should read these

This pa rable is so clear to those from whose eyes the r r cata act has been emoved , that to explain it would be like T n o t lighting a candle at noonday . hose who do under i t r stand should ponde it again and again , and let that which

r -da f o f er they ead to y explain the di ficulties yest day , and the studies o f to morrow throw light o n the uncertainties o f to day . 1 2 6 le T ri n m /zalC/zari ot o n ti mon p f A y.

I words , he will think that am either o r r I mad d unk with wine . Well , shall then only be subjected to the same

o f suspicion as the disciples the Saviour . The water which rises by sublimation to the mountain t0ps is purer and more wholesome than that which is found in o f r the bowels the ea th . But if it be r r r d iven upwa d , the ea th still remains to

c an r the Sages , and the salt be ext acted as a means of separating the good from r r the evil , the pu e f om the impure , the r r r g oss f om the subtle , the medicine f om the poison . Just in the same way, we o f r are r sons ea th laid in the ea th , and

r are rr there put efy and co upted , till at the last we are sublimed by the fire and r o f heat of heaven , and are pu ged all o ur r sins and impu ities , and become sons r f r o f God and hei s o ete nal life . Let no o n e be offended at this c omparison o f earthly and temporal sublimation to heavenly and spi ritual

I sa I sa a d sublimation . What y, y v i se dl I r y, and yet know ve y well the f r dif e ence between black and white ,

1 2 8 T /i o T ri n m /zat C/za ri ot o n ti n p f A mo y.

r o f o r either by means of spi it wine , by f r r means o vinega . Ext act of glass o f Antimony pu rges when made in the

r r wa forme way but made in the latte y,

it does not occasion purgative action , r and ather the reverse . Such facts as I these , with which have dealt at some r r length in my othe w itings , should set

thoughtful men meditating, and may open up to them the inmost shrine o f philosophical knowledge . r o f r Fi st all , it is wonde ful that every extract made with spi rit o f wine should have purgative properties ; while

r c o f r an ext a t glass of Antimony, fi st r r made with vinega , and (afte the purging away o f the vinegar) extracted r o f r r c with spi it wine , etains not a t a e of

r r r c its pu gative p ope ties, but leanses the system by means o f sweats and salivary

r r r exc etion th ough the mouth , pu ifies r re the blood , cu es pulmonary disease, li e ve s r asthma, and the most invete ate c oughs and colds ; and is a most ad mi rable medicine . Another extract of Antimony is pre ' ’ li e mn m /zai / s i t 1 2 T T p C o of A n ti mony. 9

pared i n the following way : Pulveri ze r c ude Antimony, pour to it strong min

r r e al vinega , put in vessel , close well ,

and expose to the gentle rays of the sun .

After some time the vinegar will assume .

- r d e . c a blood colour Filter the extra t , and distil again in an alembi c ; it will then exhibit some admirable and beauti r ful colou s .

o il re d This is as blood , has a

r conside able sediment , and is of the r g eatest medicinal value , especially in * r f n w the cu e o leprosy . I t heals the e

Ho w timid has the wickedness of his contemporaries made o ur Valentine He does not tell us that from this

o i l r r b is p epa ed the quintessence of all things , extolled y

r o f r r o f Pete Spain as the g eatest sec et philosophy . He speaks so obscurely here o f this all -important matter that it i s clear he has only written it in o rder to let the initiated

c see that he was a quainted with the myste ry . But in o rder that you may not have spent your money in vain in buyi n g r r this book , and you time in eading it , I will give you clear and straightforward di rections which you must take care to

r r r. T r follow out in eve y pa ticula ake best f iable Antimony , fo r r o f c the c ude kind , in spite the advi e of Basilius , is o f

i ts r no use , because in fi st distillation it has been deprived o f

r r its most subtle sulphu ; pulve ise finely , pass th rough fine r - sieve , place in b oad bottomed distilling vessel ou cn roi ta ( ) , r fr r r r i add vinega , distilled om its own p ope mine a , d gest fo r

r . T r r fo ty days he vinega will then be tinged , as it we e, with K 1 0 no ri u m alCnari ot o n ti mon 3 T T ph f A y. disease which has only recently made its appearance among o u r soldiers (venereal r mo rbific disease), and utte ly consumes all

matter . H ence the physician should not grudge the time and trouble which must be given to the preparation o f this

Remedy . Another extract of Antimony is prepared as follows I n the name of the r Lord , take Antimony and c ude tartar in r r equal pa ts , pulverize well togethe , place r in st ong crucible , which will not let the spi rits escape ; calcine the substances in

. P r red T r r r r blood ou this inctu e into a eto t , gently emove the vinegar by di stifiM k e an extract o f the powder r r o f l f which emains with spi it wine , which wil be o a blood

r r r r r r ed colou . Pou into a ci culato y vessel , like that rep e

o n 1 1 sented page 3 , which is the most suitable I have met

fo r v o f D r with the olatilisation substances . igest the ext act ’ i n r r r r S . Ma y s Bath, till you see the tinctu e ise upwa d , and

lati le r h a vo . Le t pass in state th oug the alembic it cool . r Place the whole substance in a glass cucu bit, distil the

r art r Spirit acco ding to , and when it passes th ough the

-r d r r alembic it will be of a blood e colou . Remove the spi it l H o i . o w o f wine, and you will have a thick , heavy this

fo r o ilis united with its salt , and is then most valuable the f l l r o . amelioration meta s, I wi l tell you in anothe place , T 5 “T — 2 ( V o In the meanti me you may use the 011 as a most efli cacro us

r r Medicine , which p evails in despe ate cases, accomplishing f i ts purpose by pro use sweating .

' ' 1 2 12 3 T mn m nalC amot o n ti mo n 3 T p n f A y. a wind furnace till the tartar is enti rely r r bu ned ; pulve ize the burnt substance , r r pou ove it common hot water , and cleanse and sweeten the substanc e with “ c r lye . I t will then be ome a live

(hepar), a name given to it by the * “ Dr r c ancients . y this live , pla e it in

r r r o f a cucu bit , add pu e spi it wine , ex r t act the spi rit by distillation in S . ' r r Mary s Bath , so that a thi d pa t of it

r r e tc . remains . ( Fi st st ain the spirit , , r r r th ough a piece of pape . ) This ext act should be used with great caution . I t is

* T r r d he live is a thing highly esteemed by gou man s , and so is liver o f Antimony among Al c hemists. The ope ra tion is g reatly improved by substituting salt o f tartar fo r

r r N o r r r plain ta ta . does Basilius tell us that the mo ta in which they are pounded must be hot ; also he fo rgets to specify the quantity o f the water in which the powder must be dissolved that it may assume a more beautiful c olou r.

o f r r r ri Now , in this exaltation colou the e is a g eat inhe ng

r r r r o f vi tue . Fu the , he omits to say that the p ecipitation “ ” r the liver in the wate r takes place by means o f vinega .

r r fu o f n c f Mo eove , this sion A timony , like all su h usions,

rr o u t o n r . F o r if o u must be ca ied a b ight sunny day , y laugh at me when I affi rm that the heavenly bodies have

r o f c an important influenc e on the Ope ations the Al hemist , I also will laugh at you when your expe riments come to

r r refu nought . I know bette than to waste any elabo ate tati o n on those who make o u r A rt and its claims the subject ' ' ' a t t o n 1 Tli e T mn mp/i alCn ri o of A n i m y . 3 3

“ a remarkable fact that the spi rit o f wine thenceforward refuses to mingle with the

re d r r ext act whence it is de ived , but il r o . floats on it , like upon wate But if the tincture of spirit of wine be poured o n o f the liver Antimony, it will attract W it , yet the two ill not amalgamate with

r r the fi st extract . Who can decla e all the wonders o f God ? O r who can rightly value the gifts which H e has im planted i n H is c reatu res I have spoken of the extract made from glass o f Antimony by means o f

o f h r r F o r a e o ur t ei sco n. we speak of what we h ve s en with

d o ur — r e r eyes , and han led with hands but those igno ant p s o ns suppose that they can establish a claim to wisdom by

r snee ing at that of which they can know nothing . True

r o f r f r r f r love s Alchemy e use to cast thei pea ls be o e swine . I

f r r r l r o f a fi m , then , that at ce tain seasons of the yea , the ive Antimony has a deeper colou r and greater efficacy than that

r r d r r p epa e at othe times , its cu ative potency being greater ' r both with egard to metals and to human bodies . As to the

r o f r o f vi tues this medicine , the e is no need any elaborate reco mmendation . Everyone who has t ried it knows its

a r fo r v lue , and is eady to exchange it its weight in gold .

f r In the ollowingpassage the Autho speaks like a. faith

le r an d fu t ache , who again again inculcates th e same t ruths

upon the minds o f his disciples . Yet he says that he does not u s e r r f r a single wo d too many , and the e o e it will be well fo r

o u r W i r . y to keep you eyes open , and to listen th both you ears 1 The ri n m hal ari ot o n ti m n 34 T p Ch f A o y.

o f o f vinegar, and also by means spirit wine . Now I say that when this extrac t has been made with vinegar, and the ’ vinegar removed (in S . Mary s Bath) , the powder which remains is dissolved in a moist place into a yellow liquid . This liquid is wonderfully effective in r o ld the cu e of and fresh wounds , and my hand would weary of holding my pen if

I attempted to set forth all its virtues . The same efficacy belongs to an extract from this powder before the solution f with spirit o wine has been made . I n

o f r s the matter internal diso ders , it yield nothing to other medicaments . lhave described this preparation at some length in this treatise o n Anti mony , as well as in my other writings , r because I know its value and I , the e

ru m r fore , t st and hope that y reade s will not think the apparent repetitions in my F o r books tedious . though I may seem

c an o u to repeat myself, I assure y that I do n o t write a single word which does not demand the most careful attention o n r r the part of the eader . Child en and

h i um al haif ot o n ti mon 1 T e Tr ph C i f A y . 37 the substance becomes blue like a sap phire ; from this is precipitated a White

r c powde by the effusion of ommon water . This powder is an emetic and purgative l like the W ely . I n the first solution made o f the capn t mo rtn n m o u o f , y may subject thin plates r r r i on to coction , and will then t uly t ans

r r mute Ma s into Venus , as expe ience shews us . Again take the distilled oil o r o r water bef re mentioned , pour ove it

r o f r c ocus Mars , reve berate with sulphur re d until it becomes , expose to heat ,

r o f and the tinctu e iron , like blood , will

r o n e r f be ext acted . Take pa t o this ex tract and th ree parts o f the re d extract o f r r w 1th Antimony , which was p epa ed * r r f bu nt saltpetre and spi it o wine .

In the next sentence Basilius asks us to use water o f

r r r r r Me cury , whose p epa ation he desc ibes in the t act called

M r r r S upplement . o eove , the e must be an opening in the

r t r r r reto t , h ough which the water o f Mercu y is g adually

r . I f o f r r pou ed in you put in too much the Me cu y at once, it may burst and ove rturn the reto rt and the furnace as well hence you shoul d have a succession o f retorts (as o n page

1 6 c r r 3 ) all in communi ation with each othe . But as eve y t rue c hemist is familiar with the potency o f this Me rcury in

r s r o n the e olution of metals , I will not enla ge this point . 8 he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon I 3 T T p Ch f A y.

o f I nject gradually, by means a long tube , o n e part of water o f Mercury add half ap art o f calxof gold dissolved in caustic water ; distil all together over a gentle r r fire , and the e will emain at the bottom * a beautiful fixed solution . The sanative

r are vi tues of this fixed solution great , r f especially in the cu e o open wounds . From the dead body whi c h remains is prepared a solvent far more acrid than

r ua the st ongest a fortis . The white powder is prepared from Antimony in the following way Pulverize pure li tig garian Antimony, and an equal quantity o f th rice-pu rifie d saltpetre ; burn this

This solution is not yet fixed . but may become so by

o f n r I ts c hi ef use n o t dint patie t wo k . , which Basil does

rf o f . F o r even allude to , consists in the pe ection metals this purpose an ext ract must be made from the powder with strong

r r r i est vinega emove vinega by d stillation , sweeten what remains at the bottom with distilled water ; make a second

r c r o f r r r ext a t with spi it wine , abst act spi it ; the red powde which remains should be mixed with fixed salt prepared from the sediment which remained after the removal o f the vinegar. r r Afte th ee months they should become fixed , and able to

r fire r o wn r r . emain unchanged in the , as in thei p ope element

When you have done this , you have made the fixed volatile,

ar ar r o f and the volatile fixed , and e not f f om the fulfilment ’ r r d r you hea t s esi e .

1 0 T he ri u m hal ha ri o t o n ti mo n 4 T p C f A y .

r fo r c r c powde heat a whole day in u ible , suc h as is used by goldsmiths fo r the melting of silver and gold ; dissolve

r c powde in a humid pla e , on a stone table, o r r - Dr in a ha d boiled egg . y the liquid w r r r r hich esults , and esto e to a pulve ized * c f ondition . The medicinal efficacy o

r r r r this powde is g eat , but it equi es time f r r f r r o its ope ation . If a man suf e s f om a n internal tumour and takes a quarter o f a d rac hm of this white fixed powder o f

i r o r Ant mony in gene ous wine , five six r times , the tumou will be emptied of its co rrupted blood without any prejudi c e to

r c vital p ocesses . I t also onsumes the ’ r r new soldie s (vene eal) disease , and ex r r pels it f om the body. I t enews the

r r r hai and the whole f ame , invigo ates r the blood , and does mo e good than I

c r a m able to des ibe . I t would not be right fo r me to set down the whole o f this Art so plainly a n d r t clea ly that any one , even the mos

I f you have experienc ed the virtues o f the detonated

r ln o t h m o f powde , you wi l be a T o as as to the potency this

r . powder, which has been th ice detonated a r n ti mo n 1 ! The Tri u mphalCh i o t of A y . 4

o n ignorant , might , its perusal , become a perfect adept ; just as it is not well for a ’ country bumpkin to eat the finest baker s * r b ead . I f any one should marvel because my book desc ribes some Operations which apparently differ from those of other

o f Sages , let him know that the style the Sages exhibits many important points f r r of dif erence from that Of other w ite s .

r rr You must not , the efore, qua el with me for I only adopt the necessary rules laid

u r down by the ancient Masters of o Art .

o f r The balm Antimony is prepa ed ,

o f not crude Antimony , but of the

Regulus Of Antimony , whence the living r o f ls Me cury Antimony derived , and in the following manner .

Yet Valentine has rev ealed the secrets O f th is Art more

r r clea ly than his successo s, who have been busily employed

r r h in obscu ing his light . Hence they do not p aise him in t e

r ma ket place , though they esteem him most highly in the

r r r s r labo ato y and the y do not t an late him into othe tongues , though he i s worthier than any othe r to speak all the

o f r . O f r languages the wo ld But , cou se , Basilius cannot

r Art r . o n e o n u desc ibe the so clea ly that any , taking p the

a t r book in an idle moment , may once become a maste Of o ur r noble Magiste y . 1 2 The ri u m al ari o t o n ti mon 4 T ph Ch f A y.

Take equal parts o f best Hungarian r r Antimony and c ude ta tar, and half the o f r r quantity saltpet e ; pound togethe , r r melt over wind fire, pou into coppe o u dish , allow to cool , and y will find the * r o r Regulus . The Regulus is th ice, r r r Oftene , pu ified with ta tar and saltpetre

” till it becomes o f a brilliant silvery white . r Pulve ise finely, place in vessel , add Oil o f o r r o f r juniper, spi it te ebinth , which must have been previously distilled and must be pure as spring water ; digest in ’ closed vessel in S . Mary s Bath ; the Oil o f r o r o f r junipe , spirit te ebinth , will r o u t become red , like blood ; pou it , and r o f ectify with spirit wine . The virtues Of this balm o f Antimony are the same r o f as those of spi it sulphur, which I will r r r desc ibe he eafte .

As r r o f r o f A so r in the p epa ation live ntimony , he e , you should take salt o f tartar instead O f c rude tarta r. The

r r salnitri i s useless in this Ope ation . DO not th ow away t he glassy substance fo r from it an useful cordial (dose 30

o r r to 50 d rops twice th ice a day , in a suitable liquid) may

r h o t r r r be prepa ed by pounding it in a mo ta , p otecting it lfr r O f ai r wel om the moistu e the place it in a vial , extract its tincture with alcohol Of wine : it willbe o f a beautiful red colour.

1 T he ri u m al ari o t o n ti mon 44 T ph Ch f A y.

The way O f preparing simple u n c o m

o ilo f r pounded Antimony, and t ue

r : r sulphu , is as follows Place pulve ised Hungarian Antimony in a glass cuc ur r o f bit ; add t ue vinegar the Sages ,

r r rende ed mo e acid by means of its salt . r r Close the cucu bit, plunge it in ho se ’ r f r r o r . o dung, S Ma y s Bath , fo ty days , till the matter pu tre fie s and the vinegar r d r e . r tu ns a deep Decant this vinega , and keep adding more till no more re d

r c an r ff colou be ext acted . Strain O all r r the vinega , pou into a clean vessel , r plunge in ho se dung, and allow to f r r putrefy o fo ty days . Then the body

is again dissolved , and the substance i bec omes as black as ink . Th s is the sign that the true solution has taken

c f c place , whi h will ultimately ef e t the

separation of the elements . Place this black substance into

r c r o n anothe cu u bit , and an alembic ;

r fire distil the vinegar over a mode ate ,

r c r and it will ise as a lea fluid , while there remains at the bottom a di rty sub

c r stan e . Pulve ise this , sweeten with ti on 1 T he Tri n mphalChari o t of A n m y . 4 5

r dr e distilled ain water , y gently , and plac

- in a long necked circulatory vessel . The ci rculatory vessel should resemble three

o n e o n hollow balls placed the other , and communicating by means of tubes with a long neck at the top . Add highly

o f rs rectified spirit wine , so that it cove the substance to a height of two o r three i nches close the vessel well , and expose t to gentle heat for two mon hs , when the spi rit of wine will become o f a brigh t

r r red pou out the extract , filte , place in r r a cucu bit , and emove the black sedi f r e o . m nt , which is no fu ther use to us

o n r Place the alembic the cucu bit , and distil gently the spirit o f wine will rr r ca y the tinctu e of Antimony upward ,

are the elements separated , and the alembic and receiver present the aspect r o of b ight g ld . Finally , some few dregs r r emain , but the gold colou in the glass

t r su b u terly pe ishes . Place the red stance , which by distillation has passed r r into the eceiver, in a circulato y vessel f r r o ten days . By means of this c i cula tion separation takes place ; fo r the o il 1 6 The ri n m hal ha ri o t o n ti mon 4 T p C f A y.

r r r has the eby acqui ed g avity , and sinks

r o f to the bottom , while the spi it wine is fir limpid , as at st , and floats above the o il r . Then sepa ate the oil from the * s r r i s spirit in a epa ato y vessel . This oil o f r r b ema ka le sweetness , most pleasant r rr to use , and f ee from all co osiveness . N 0 o n e c an understand or compre hend the incredible vi rtue and potency o f this Royal Oil I call it the Balm o f

c an r Life, because it help, by the g ace of e God , thos whom all physicians have ’ r given up . I t enews a man s system r r r just as if he we e bo n again , pu ifies

c the blood , and , in onjunction with tinc

o f r o u t r r ture co als , casts lep osy, d ives

r c away melancholy and sadness , b a es up

This is the substance O f which all the Sages and

A r . o f A c lchemists have w itten This is the goal all l hemists , f A r i the Oil o ntimony, which is soon to be conve ted nto the

r w c r n r Fi re Stone . It is a P oteus hi h appea s to us u de

f r r . I f different o ms, and yet is eve the same you put together all the different Operations whic h have been des

i ed r r o f r c r b , and ega d them in the light my commenta y, you will have allthe parts o f the p rocess by which o ur Stone is evolved ; you will make the volatile fixed , and the fixed the r r r volatile , and then you have g eat t easu e coveted by the

r r o f multitude . I f you do not unde stand me , th ee shiploads hellebore will not cure ) O ur folly.

1 8 The ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti n 4 T p Ch f A mo y .

r the red p ecipitate , place on a smooth , clean stone in a humid cave ; leave i t there six months , till the precipitate

r re d resolves itself into a pu e liquid , and

r r i e a sediment is sepa ated f om it , . . , the f salt o Antimony only is dissolved . Fil

c r ter the liquid , pla e in cucu bit , extract

c phlegm , place again in the ave , and it will c rystallize beautifully separate from

r are the phlegm ; the c ystals pellucid ,

r d r are mixed with e colou . When they r Dr again pu ified , they become white y r this Salt of Antimony, mix with it th ee

o f r c r parts Venetian ea th ( alled t ipel) , r fir r and distil over st ong e . The e will be sublimed first a white and then a re d

r c . c spi it , whi h also becomes white Re tify dr gently in a y bath , and you have another white oil distilled from Anti mony , but it is by no means so good as

r re d c r the forme salt made of the Tin tu e . r o r r This spi it , salt , distilled afte a

r r r spi itual manne , is useful in qua tan

G r r r r s Like to like is a eek p ove b , and ce tainly thi salt i s mo re effectual in making extracts from Antimony than even from other metals . n 1 T he Tri n mphalChari ot of A n ti mo y . 49

fe ve r . an d o f , in the breaking up vesical s tones , as also in gout it purifies wounds

an d a inflicted with iron , the blood gener a lly Yet it is n o t as perfect in its o re d O ilo f peration as the Antimony , the sulphu r of which is highly and per fe c tl y digested . I have spoken o f the salt and sul r phur of Antimony , and have desc ibed thei r medicinal uses ; I n o w proceed to d iscuss the medicine , which is profoundly r hidden in its Me cury . Take eight parts o f Regulus o f

o n e r o f Antimony, pa t salt clarified and

r r o n e r o f sublimed f om human u ine , pa t

o n e o f r sal ammoniac , and salt of ta tar ;

r mix well in vessel , add st ong vinegar, a n d close up with the clay o f the Sages digest the salts with vinegar a whole r month ove a suitable fire . Put all into r r a cucu bit and distil vinega in ashes . r r r o f Mix to salts , thus d ied , th ee pa ts Venetian earth ; distil with strong fire r th ough the retort , and you have a

r r ma vellous spi it , which add to the pulverized Regulus o f Antimony ; let 1 0 T he ri n m hal ari o t o n ti n 5 T p Ch f A mo y .

r mo them put efy months , then distil

r an d vinega gently, mix with that which remains a fourfold weight o f steel filings distil over a strong fire through the retort ; the spirit o f salt will then carry the Mercu ry with it in form o f smoke ; let it be driven into a large glass receive r full of water : the spirit o f salt then r the r r mingles with the wate , but Me cu y

is precipitated to the bottom , as true r r * s Me cu y . Thi is the way in which running Mercu ry is prepared from Anti mony : we must now go on to des c ribe t its uses . b b o f r Take , in the name the Lo d , one r r r r pa t of this Me cu y, and st ain it th rough leather ; take four parts of highly rectified Oil of re d vitriol extrac t

Certain secrets whic h we re deeply concealed in the days o f Basilius are now included among the common pro cesses o f chemists N O person could now be regarded as a true chemist who is ignorant of the method by whic h M er

o f h r cury is composed out Antimony , whet e that which

c o r r fo r ar r Basilius tea hes , anothe method , v ious a tists have

r excogitated va ious ways , and that which has been success

fully p roved by one is by him favoured in proportion . How many Alchemists in those times cou ld elicit the Mercury o f o n s r Antimony Yet they looked down Ba ilius , fo sooth , and

upon his whole system .

1 2 T he ri um hal ari ot o n ti mon 5 T p Ch f A y.

r This is that g eat wonder, by which

o il r c the fi st floats , and then be omes heavy and sinks to the bottom . Observe

o ilo f r that the vit iol is also heavy , but at fi rst the Mercury is rende red lighter by the impurities which still adhere to i t ; subsequently those impurities remain in the vinegar ; the M ercury recovers r r r r its p ope g avity, and is p ecipitated to r r the bottom . This Oil of Me cu y is the r r o f fou th pilla Medicine . I t stimulates

o f r the vital action the b ain , makes men r active, and cu es both leprosy and

r o n e pa alysis . I f any who has been suffering from ch ronic disease uses this o il fo r daily some time , his nails and

r r o ff r hai d op and g ow again , his whole r r r f ame is apidly enovated , his blood

r r r pu ified , and all mo bid matte expelled . The F rench disease is easily and radi r cally cured by this emedy . r Let us , then , thank God f om the bottom of o u r hearts fo r this Medicine whi c h H e has so graciously bestowed

! o u c r S ur upon us And y , Do to s and r geons, you I exho t to come to me, a ha ha i t o n ti mon 1 T he Tri n mp lC r o f A y. 5 3 mOn k o f , and servant God , and I will shew you what your eyes have never seen ; I will point o u t to you the way o f o u health , along which y have never led r you patients . I f any one should under stand this Art better than myself, let him not be silent , nor attach a padlock

s n o t a to his lip . I shall be shamed to

r f o u r lea n o him . I have often said that life is to o short for o n e man to investi r f gate all the myste ies O knowledge . On who the other hand , let those be silent

who do know less than I , also not even understand my books ; let them refrain

r r r f om hasty rep ehension , and f om teach ing their schoolmaster the alphabet . My terminology has a different sound and a different meaning from that o f are to o my Opponents , who lazy and r indolent to plant and g aft trees , and , therefore , never get beyond their Wilding plants o r withered branches carelessly r stuck in the g ound . Be n o t over hasty in judging and condemning that o f which you know

Yo u f absolutely nothing . may be o n e o 1 T he ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti m n 54 T p Ch f A o y.

those who suppose , with the multitude, that in winter fishes are frozen to death

in the water . But that is a notion in support o f whi c h not a tittle o f evidence has ever been produced . The reason that fishes sometimes die in the winter is to be sought in the fact

ai r that no animal can live without , and when the ice is frozen over the fish are frequently suffocated . N ow , if Anti

r o w n mony is to bea its proper fruit , it must not be suffocated in the bowels of r o u t the ea th ; but it must be dug , and r r r p epa ed by the auxiliary media of wate , ai r r , and fire , lest its f uitfulness be r strangled ln the ea th . I t must be made manifest by many laborious preparations r r r of the a tist , in o de that it may be effectual fo r the healing of diseases and r fo r the pe fecting of metals .

What , then , can you say , or what argument can yo u br1n g forward that is of the slightest w e ight P Sin c e you are so densely ignorant as to have not even the slightest idea o f the composition o f r o w n Antimony , you do well to keep you

1 6 T he ri n m ha l ari ot n ti mon 5 T p Ch of A y .

But you who are true disciples o f Art r r this , st ive to penetrate to its cent e ; be n o t content to linger o n the surface; Pursue your object as the hunter pu rsues rr r the qua y, and take ca e that you do fo r o r not catch a hind a buck, a fox for r r a ha e . Cast you nets well , and you will enclose a great multitude of . fishe s r r lay your t aps discreetly, and the bi ds will not escape . Let the fowler place his snares with due regard to the wind

r r r let the ma iner, who is d iven hithe and thither by the tempestuous heavings o f the vast ocean , look well to his compass , and then his ship will surely retu rn with

r r r a ich ca go of me chandise .

But why do I waste my time , like

m - r those e pty headed boaste s , in treading o ut ? straw Nay, but I am not threshing

r fo r r empty st aw , the e is not a single word in my books that is without its significance and utility .

Now I will fall back one step , like r r the gladiato s , and int oduce a new sub

e c t . j , viz , the way in which Antimony should be p repared fo r the treatment of The i n m hal ari o t o n ti mo n 1 Tr p Ch f A y . 5 7

r r exte nal wounds . I have al eady briefly des c ribed the preparations which are most useful from a medical point of view ; I will next mention some othe r preparations which will o n e day re vo lu i n i z r f r t o e the A t o the su geon .

o u r Young man , y who desi e to know

r to r the secret things of Natu e , and b ing

r to light her hidden myste ies , listen to me , that you may be able to distinguish

r r r day f om night, and the clea f om the

r o n e r obscu e . Take pa t of Hungarian

r o f Antimony , half a pa t common salt , six parts o f unburned clay ; pound to r gethe and distil vehemently , without

r intermission , till the oil passes upwa d r then emove its thickness by distillation , so that a re d dry powder remains at the

o f r r bottom the cucu bit ; pulve ize , dis o n o f' solve a slab marble , and you have

re d fo r a , brilliant balm wounds , which far excels all other similar remedies . I ts utility is great in the case o f wounds

fo r * which have been open a long time .

A p rudent general so a rrays his fo rce s as to place the

r fr n r r r good soldie s in the o t anks , the best in the ea , and 1 8 T he ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti m n 5 T p Ch f A o y .

r o f The open wounds , in the t eatment r which this balm produces st iking results , are especially those on which the medical r r profession have b ought thei plasters , n r ligame ts , and ointments to bea in vain . You see that I speak o u t with great

fo r simplicity , I am a monk , and know

r c an not the ways of the wo ld . Yet I not always disc ourse so plainly and lucidly as the nature of the subject would r r seem to equi e . This o ilis very helpful in serious

o f c r cases a cident , and mo e especially in o ld wounds , so that few medicines can sur

i O il r r pass t . That which is p epa ed with the common sublimate o f the apothecaries r has equal efficacy, and , f equently, as ex

e ri e n c e r p has taught , is supe ior in cancer ,

r c . lupus , and simila omplaints But in

r r o f r o dina y cases fistula, and in b uises

r r c and uptures , this balm has g eat effica y . r f I do not mention all its ma vellous ef ects ,

those that are less good and brave i n the middle . The

r t r rr r o n r c o a o a anges his a guments the same p in i ple , and

f r r Basilius ollows thei p ecedent .

1 6 0 T he ri n m hai ari ot o n i n T p Ch f A t mo y.

. o il r quicklime Expel the st ongly , pound all that is sublimed with the dead body , pour to it oil a second time , distil thrice , r r and the oil is p epa ed . I n cases where old wounds resist all r r . othe emedies you may use this oil . r r For it is st ong, potent , and penet ative , and lays a good foundation fo r other

medicines . An admi rable balm fo r old wounds is prepared with various ingredients in the following manner Digest four ounc es o f sulphur and half a pound of Mercury over a moderate

fire rr , sti ing with a wooden spoon ; pound fine till they form o n e solid mass (for it

c r r is made as innaba is usually p epared),

r c and with it fou oun es of Antimony,

r o f re d r fou ounces a senic , and two “ Ounces o f c rocus o f P lace in

c glass ucurbit , and sublime . As the result of this operation yo u will have pyropus stones the colour o f which i s o f c fully equal to those the East , ex ept

are i n that they not fixed , and vanish

r Sulphate Of i on . m ‘ l a i t o n ti mon 1 6 1 T he Tri n pha Ch r o f A y.

fir r the e . I n order that the a tist may separate the pyropus stones from the

r r cinnaba , which du ing sublimation as c e n ds t , pulverize , and make an extrac r with strong distilled vinega . Distil ’ r vinegar gradually in S . Ma y s Bath , and there remains a powder further pulver ize, place in another glass vessel , extract r o f tinctu e with spirit wine , and throw t he away the sediment . Digest extract

- in a well closed bath for a month , remove spirit of wine by distillation , place the remaining powder o n a flat glass dish in

' t o f a ub full water, so that the plate floats o n it like a boat ; in a few days the powder will resolve itself into a clear liquid . This tincture is useful in the treat

o f o ld ment open wounds , and is sure to be highly efficacious in cases where all r other remedies have failed . Open ulce s which have their origin in internal c o n di ti o n s r , must be t eated internally , and r thus adically extirpated . But ulcers caused by inflammation may be success fully cured with this Tincture . 1 6 2 T he ri um al ari o t o n ti mon T ph Ch f A y.

I f men would consider the mass o f suffering which the sin o f o u r fi rst parents has brought upon o u r race and the sor

ro w r i , disease , mise y, and pa n which have

r o f r followed in the t ain that fi st fall , they would be more industrious in seeking the

o f r r f r salvation thei neighbour, p of e ed at s o great a p rice by the Chief Ruler o f r f . r o Heaven But alas , g eat numbe s men live o n from day to day without thu s redeeming the time fo r the glory of God a n d the good o f their neighbours They a re r r af aid , forsooth , of soiling the ve y r tips of thei fingers , just as if they grudged the grocer the profits which he derives from the sale of soap . But do we not all live in this world as the vas

are o u r sals of God , and not all goods n r H is feudal possessio s , g anted to us

r ? r du ing life only Let us , the efore , make a good and kindly use o f them in o rder that we may be able to render a j oyful ac count in the presence o f the

r r O f r G eat Maste , instead being, by eason o f o u r r r ingratitude, cast into oute da k r ness , where the e is weeping and gnash

1 6 The ri n m hal ari o t o n ti mon 4 T p Ch f A y. r r r e r elics , or we e g ateful to God , but p r r r sisted in thei mocke y and sco n . The following preparation o f Anti mony is useful against fevers and the

e x e ri plague itself, as I have myself p e n c e d : r Pulve ize Antimony , place in a

r r r r r glass eto t , distil ove a st ong fire th ee o r fou r times ; let it be kept in a large vase till it becomes a re d powder ; ex

r c r tract with vinega , i culate , extract ten

r fire r r days ove a gentle , emove vinega

r re by distillation , and t ansfuse what

' * a r i n to an il mains by skilful p ocess o . r r Fou g ains of this oil , taken with ’ c r r St . Benedi t s co dial , cu es quotidian , r r r te tian , and qua tan feve s , if the patient

r r r r be well cove ed and pe spi e f eely . The same dose is an effi c ac ious remedy against the plague , being mingled with

r o f o r r c r spi it wine distilled vinega , a co d r ing as the disease fi st makes itself . felt in an excess of he at o r cold Th ree

who r r r i n . o u r f ia s monastery, had al eady

r S r o f This ext act must be made volatile with pi it wine ,

L et o f r b c i r as above . the humidity the oil be emoved y

l dr r. cu ation , so that it becomes a y powde a ari t n 1 6 T he Tri n mph lCh ot of A n i mo y. . 5

r r made thei wills , were thus resto ed , and e ver since that time thei r gratitude i n duc e d them to take a great interest in o u r Art , and to assist me as much as

they could during their spare time . F o r all the help so kindly rendered to

me , I would have allotted to them a r p ominent place in my last will , but they have n o w gone to thei r rest before r me , and I commit them to the G eat

Physician who is in heaven . May H e give them a good recompense o f joy which was denied them here on earth !

r o il fo r Anothe , which is good the

c r o f r r r u e wounds , is p epa ed f om Anti mony in the following manner Take of

An t1mo n r r y, sulphu , and saltpet e , equal r pa ts detonate under a bell , like the oil

o f r o f r sulphu . This method p eparation r was ea ly known to the Ancients . I t is better- still to take an alembic instead o f r the bell , and place nea it a receiver ;

o u r o il o f thus y obtain mo e , and the s ame colour as that extracted from r l r r vulga su phu , but highly superio as to 1 66 The ri n m ha/ a ri o t o n ti n T p Ch f A mo y.

* r e ffic ac r e its st ength and y . We use th e d rops o f this o ilwith the spi rit o f wine internally against pulmonary c o n su mp r tion used outwa dly as a liniment , c r r ove ed with a stiptic plaste , it is most efficacious in the treatment of foul o r r r feste ing wounds and so es . Anothe r o ilof Antimony fo r the cure o f cancerous and corrosive wounds is prepared as follows Pound together o n e o f pound of Antimony, half a pound

o f r common salt , and five pounds b oken latera plac e in reto rt and distil a yellow r oil , when all the spi its will pass away .

r r r i ts Pou into f esh vessel , and emove r r r oiliness the e emains a powde , which , r sp ead on a stone , in a humid place , and

‘ yo u will have a humid balm which is o f r g eat efficacy against foul wounds , and

r o r the cance in the face , when it attacks r b easts o f women .

* ' I f r o n 1 6 you use the vessel oughly sketched page 7,

o f r fr o n e fr m you will get as much Oil sulphu om ounce, as o

. f r r i . e fr o a pound by the o dina y method , , om sixteen ounces

- - f fo d sulphuryou will get half an ounce o oil , rwhich you woul otherwise require sixteen pounds .

1 6 8 The ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y.

I would dilate still further o n o f O il the virtues this , only I am afraid that some foolish member o f the profession may charge me with

r c o m saying mo e than I know , and mitting to paper mere wild specula tions . Another o ilis prepared as follows Let o n e part o f Antimony be sublimed

r r o f r with a fou th pa t salt a moniac . The salt raises the sulphur of Antimony r r d to a b ight e . Pound the sublimed r substance , and if at the fi st you have taken one pound of Antimony , pound with it again five ounces o f Antimony sublime as before ; and dissolve the sublimed substanc e in a moist place . Sweeten by removing the salt added to

dr o u it ; y gently, and y have a sulphur

r r which bu ns like that of the apotheca y . r E xtract i ts t 1n c tu re with distilled vinega . ’ Remove vinegar gently in S . Mary s

tran stilthe r r Bath , emaining powde very r — if gadually, and you have made no

— o u o il mistake y have an excellent , r sweet, pleasant , and g ateful in its use , a t n ti 16 T he Tri n mpha/ Ch ri o of A mony . 9

r * without any corrosivity or dange . There are othe r effects whi c h this Medicine has in common with other

r o f r p eparations Antimony , and , the e

n o t r r fore , I do enumerate them , in o de r to give no occasion to the adversa y , and to avoid wearying the reader by repe

‘

. s tition The liquid , which is di solved in

r a moist place , is an exte nal medicine ,

and very useful in skin diseases . Mixed

o il with of tartar , and applied to a whit

r r f low , it p oduces ma vellous ef ects it is a lso o f great utility in the treatment of

s r c ofula . Sulphu r of Antimony may also be prepared in the following manner Pul

ve riz e the Antimony, and digest for two

‘ This is another way o f p reparing the balm o r quint ‘ e ssen c e O f Antimony— fo r by that latter name Basili us

d r r r r o f r esc ibes it in his othe w itings . The e is , cou se , a

difleren c e e . r ar o f , . g , he e the sep ation is made with salt

r m r ammonia , and the e it was ade with vinega . But even these slight dive rgen c ies afford scope fo r the ingenuity O f the

o r r T o il r n pe ato . his cu es consumption and all pulmo ary

c r f o f r n omplaints ; it elieves asthma and di ficulty b eathi g .

r i i n r o f r an d Take two g a ns spi it wine in the mo ning, in the

f r r r f e r o r r O n . evening , be o e ti ing, in elixi spi it wi e It will r e nla ge the chest , and pu rge o ut all phlegm and every

o r bst uction . 1 0 The ri n m hai ari ot o n ti mo n 7 T p Ch f A y.

r o r r hou s , longer, in a st ong lye made of f o c . r the ashes bee hwood St ain , add r o f re d vinega , and the sulphur will be a r r colou , and sink to the bottom pou off r d r . the liquid , and y the powde gently r r r Distil this powde with g ape vinega ,

r c r r r ext act the tin tu e , and t eat the sulphu

r i e . r as in the last ope ation , . , conve t it

r into oil by distillation . The sulphu mentioned above has indeed greater

c Was poten y, because it sublimated and better dissolved at the beginning with r salt a moniac . The other p reparations o f Antimony whi c h the Spagyrist should be able to

are r o f make , the Vinega Antimony , the

c r Philosophi al Signed Sta , and the Lead o f c r c r the Sages , once ning whi h the e has been much vain speculation , it being said , fo r c r r instan e , that genuine Me cu y could r r r r r be p epa ed f om it . But Me cu y, as the fi rst substance o r fi rst water o f the r metals , and the seed the eof, whence the

o f Stone the Ancient Sages is evolved , r is not found in Antimony, but in anothe mi neral which has a mo re potent metalli c

1 2 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon 7 T p Ch f A y.

b c the su stan e will be sublimed . Pound again with the sediment and add the same

r r c wate , and again ext a t , when it will r already be much mo e acid . Repeat the operation till the water is as so ur as ordin a r r r y vinegar . The Oftene the p ocess is r r epeated , the less the e is of the sublimed s r r r ubstance. Pou this vinega ove some more o f the raw o re to the height of r about th ee inches . Digest in a pelican fo r r twelve days , till the vinega becomes re d r r , and mo e acid than befo e . Decant ’ a n d r distil in S . Ma y s Bath , without a ddition of anything ; the clear vinegar

r re d will then ise , while the powder r r c emains at the bottom , and if an ext a t

r be made with spi it of wine , it is an r excellent medicine . Rectify the vinega ’ c r r r on e mo e in S . Ma y s Bath to f ee it

’ r i n o wn f om its phelgm . Dissolve its

i . e. r c salt , , one ounce in fou oun es sub i i n r r l me ashes , and the vinega will be mo e a c c r r r r id , and a qui e g eate st ength and * e ffic ac r r y. This vinega has a wonde ful

* This vinega r is o n e O f the p rinc ipal preparations f r f r f ar rom Antimony , and the e o e I subjoin the ollowing p ' 1 The Tri n mphat Chari o t of A n ti mo ny . 73

cooling effect , being far more potent in this respect than 18 ordinary vinegar ; it stops gangrene and heals cancerous wounds by outward application , if it be made into an ointment with Soul o f

r Satu n . I t also soothes and relieves inflammation , when mixed with endive water to which so ! [M a n et/m has been

c o f added . The a tivity inflamed blood is also soothed thereby At the time o f plague the vinegar (o n e spoonful) is a r r wonde ful preventive , and ext acts the poison from the boils , if applied as an

i F o r r o ntment . this pu pose it should be

ti c ulars rr o ut r o f , which will enable you to ca y the di ections

r rf T si x o f Basilius mo e pe ectly. O pounds Antimony you requi re fourteen pounds of distilled wate r the success o f the next distillation is ensured by placing the alembic so that its

r r r spout is imme sed in wate (see p . else mo e than o n e

f o f r o f . f r th e hal the spi it Antimony will be lost When , a te

o f t r fir i distillation the wa e , the e is qu ckened , you should

u fo r r r keep it p th ee days and th ee nights then let it cool , and mix that which is sublimed with fresh Antimony resume

r fo r r r an the p ocess again th ee days and th ee nights, d so a

r I f r r thi d time . you conve t the vinega into a tinctu re with

r o re c r some mo e Of Antimony, you will have the tin tu e f Di d which Basilius calls the balm o f li e . men only kno w

r c r the myste ies whi h lie concealed the ein , I know not Whether any other Operation upon An timony would b e i r thi s c o n tai n s h m attempted . Ve ily, t e all .

1 6 T he ri n m hal ari o t o n ti mo n 7 T p Ch f A y.

r r finely, add to it , afte asce taining its

r r r r weight , th ee times as much bu nt ta ta ;

r r Re melt , and pou into basin as befo e .

r ‘ peat a thi d time , and the Regulus r r becomes highly efined and b illiant . If you have performed the fusion properly which is the point o f greatest impor tance— you will have a beautiful star of a * r r a b illiant white . The Sta is as distinc t as if a d raughtsman had traced r it with a pai of compasses . This star with salt armoniac is re du c e d re d fo r the r to a sublimate , tinctu e

r c of i on as ends . This sublimate may be dissolved into a liquid o f highly

‘ r u ilit ' su gical t y . l

o r r r This Regulus , Sta , may be ve y often carried through the fire with a

r c stone se pent , till at length it onsumes itself, and is completely joined to the

In the third fusion o f th e Regu lus the fire should be

r an r r . most intense , so as to emove y emaining impu ity

' ‘ f r fo r lThe said sublimate , be o e being placed in a cave

r o f r dissolution , should be pu ged its salt a moniac with

r F o r o f r distilled wate . want such t ifling hints much

ma f n rr labour and expense y O ten be vainly i cu ed . ar t o n i m n 1 T he Tri n mphalCh i o f A t o y . 77

* ho t serpent . The Alchemist has then a

i i w o n and gn table substance , in which d rfu l e possibilities are latent . I t is dis

o il be solved into an , which should purified and clarified by transfusion an d o il distillation . Three drops of this in two ounces o f wine may b e administered

r inte nally , but with great caution , and

not Oftener than twice a week . The proportion should be determined by the o f peculiar circumstances the disease ,

c r whi h should , the efore , be known to the

physician . This is a remarkable acrid sub f stance , comprehending within itsel r r many a cana, but the e is no need to r r eveal eve ything at once to the ignorant . e r Some Arts must be k pt secret, in o der to stimulate the spi rit o f enquiry -T Who ever would follow in my footsteps should

T r he se pent is that which mingles with the King,

r o f and he calls it a se pent stone , because it is a salt . Whoever understands the immense importance o f

r r r ext acting essences f om metals will value this ac id Oil ,

i r r n which s eally the g eat metallic solve t , and without

r r r n he which the ent ance to the G eat A ca um , and to t

r o f r th one the kingdom of chemist y , would be closed . 1 8 The ri n m hal ari o t o n ti mon 7 T p Ch f A y.

r never g ow weary in the search , but do

in all things as I have done , and he will

a r ttain to the same esult . This is a book which sets forth the r Art udiments of the . Many spend thei r whole life in trying to master the O b elements , and never attain to the real o f r r r jects their sea ch . I n o der to p event

c rr r the re u ence of such f uitless lives , I have here set down a full account o f all r that is necessa y for the beginner to know . I n this Oil wonderful effects lay

n F o r r hidde . if ci culated a long time ,

r r a r it finally fo ms into c ystals , and fte t h ree days and th ree nights calcination there is elicited from them a salt ; and then this o ilis again distilled through the r r r r eto t . I n this way is p epa ed a medi

c ine which dissolves vesical stones , and is f r o great efficacy in many othe complaints . o f As to the Lead the Sages , let me tell the student that there exists a g reat affinity between common lead and r r Antimony . As some t ees sepa ate through thei r bark a certain resin o r

um g , like that of the cherry tree, for

1 80 The ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon T p Ch f A y . in a wind furnace till the Regulus i s r r ext acted , it is rende ed more viscous and ponderous than before ; for it has received ponderosity from the spirit o f salt, and consistency as well , its body * having become compact and heavy . Hence I say that there is no very great difference between the Signed Star and the Lead of Antimony ; fo r both are

r r o f prepa ed f om glass Antimony, and

r f are thei medicinal ef ects the same . But r now I will break off, and , afte setting r the fo th my appendix , I will explain

o f r meaning and the nature the Fi e Stone .

Bestow upon us Thy blessing, O

r rs God , and open the hearts of my eade that they may see , know, and acknow ledge Thy omnipotenc e and wonderful

r fo r r an d wo king in Nature Thy glo y ,

i the healing of the S ck ! Amen .

L r r vsi th e t this Regulus , which is ende ed malleable

o f u r r o f r r salt Sat n , be mixed with equal pa ts Me cu y, con den sed with Satu rn ; let them be fused and well combi ned

h r in a ot fu nace , and you have a substance which in its out

r r r i s ward appearance resembles silve , but in its p ope ties

r r far m ore precious than silve . Hamme into thin plates ,

r t o r c r c h and apply to any invete a e wound , fistula , ul e , whi o f r has resisted all the plasters and ointments the p ofession . D I X A P P E N .

N conclusion , you should know that Antimony is used for a good many purposes besides those o f

r the typog apher . U nder a certain favourable stellar conjunction there a re c ast from it certain characters and a f r mulets o great vi tue and potency . I n the same way metal mi rrors may be prepared which possess all but magical

r are prope ties . There also founded from it bells o f great sweetness o f

o f sound , images men , and many other * things besides . But as these matters

Without yielding to the temptation o f taking up the o f r r o f lamentation Basilius ove the folly and ca elessness men , who are so engrossed with the greed o f gold that they do not besto w much attention o n the wonde rful virtues which God

r has implanted in c eated things , let me at least make the following remark Antimony is a mine ralin which so won derful r i s d r are a spi it hi den , that its vi tues inexhaustible ,

a n r r N o d d its powe s t anscend human knowledge . r o I 2 e m hal ari t o n ti n 1 8 Th Tri n p Ch o f A mo y. have nothing to do with my vocation and calling in life , I leave them to those who c an do them mo re justice than myself.

believe that in other things Antimony would possess less re markable capabilities than in Al c hemy and Medicine I will not tell you what I think of the characte rs and amulets which Basilius mentions but it is a fact that Antimony exhibits far more sympathetic affinity to the stars than any other metal o r mine ral .

1 8 T he ri n m hal a ri o t n ti mon 4 T p Ch of A y.

r n his bu ning heat , and I fell headlong i to t he r r sea ; then , in answe to my p ayer,

God sent an angel to help me, who bade t he r waves be still , and caused a g eat mountain to arise in the midst of the r wate . I ascended it to see whether there really existed that correspondence between things below and things above o f which so much has been said, and whether the stars possess the power o f p roduc ing things resembling them o n * e r r a th . As the esult of my investiga tion I found that what the ancient Doc tors have delivered to their disciples was ’ r r r r God s own t uth . The efo e I rende ed profound thanks to the Lord of H eaven a n d r fo r r r ea th H is wonde ful wo ks .

r r To put the matte b iefly, I find that all that is dug up from the bowels o f the mo untains is infused by the stars

c r and elestial bodies , and de ives its

' o r r a r igin f om ce tain aqueous vapour , r r e which , afte being nou ish d by the s fo r r tars a long time , is educed to a

rr c an d This co esponden e exists , no one who has the l e east Alchemistic experi nce c an be disposed to deny it . n 1 8 The Tri n mphalChari ot of A n ti mo y. 5

r tangible shape by the elements . Fu ther r i o f mo e , as the fire , w th the aid air , gains the ascendency , that aqueous sub stance becomes dry ; out Of water is o f fire produced fire , and out and air we o btain earth all these elements are still found in all bodies b efore their separa

tion . Water , formed into earth by fire a n d o f air, is thus the first substance all * things . The Fire Stone which is prepared

from Antimony , which also I have r promised to desc ibe , does not only cure the o f diseases men , but it removes the

r o f r impe fections metals . I must p oceed to tell yo u what the Fi re Stone is what is its o re ; whether it can be prepared without a proper substance ; wherein consists the difference of the stones ;

o f are how many kinds them there ; and ,

. G o d finally , what are their uses . May

r This , as all Sages ag ee in telling us , is the substance fr m r r r r r o which is p epa ed the lesse Fi e Stone , and the G eat

o f r . r o f A r Stone the Philosophe s It is the Wate naxago as ,

r r o f r the Fi e of Empedocles , the Fi st Substance A istotle .

r r are r . It is that by which t ees g ow , men nou ished , and

metals generated . 1 86 T he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mo n T p Ch f A y. illumine my mind by H is Holy Spirit r r r that I may pe fo m this task a ight, and be able to appear before H im with a

r c o f clea cons ience on the day judgment , when senten c e will be pronounced upon the lives of all men ! Above everything you should know r r o f that the t ue tinctu e Antimony , which is the Medicine of men and

' r r r r metals , is not p epa ed f om c ude , m c elted Antimony, whi h is bought in

r o re o f i shops , but f om the Ant mony , as it is dum first r r im fo med into glass . The g eat and portant question is H ow is thi s ~ ti n c tu re r ? r r ext acted Know also that the p epa ed ,

r o f o r fixed , and solid tinctu e Antimony, r r r Fi e Stone, as I p efe to name it , is a

r o f r i r pu e essence penet ative , sp itual ,

r c and igneous quality , and is edu ed into a coagulated substance , which , like the

r r c salamande , ejoi es in the fire as in its

r own p rope element . But the Fi re Stone is not an

r c r Philo so unive sal Tin tu e , like the ’ he r s c r r r p Stone, whi h is p epa ed f om the

1 88 The ri n m hal a t o n T p Ch ri o f A n ti mo y.

Tincture of Vitriol or Venus ; and also t he r f Tinctu e o Mars . The two latter r f include the Tinctu e o the Sun . Then c ome the Tinctures o f Jupiter and

fo r r Saturn , the coagulation of Me cury , a n d r r , finally, the Tincture of Me cu y f itself. All these dif erent Tinctures are generated from W e n to which the great Universal Tincture also o wes its bi rth ; but apart from these r are r the e no other tinctu es . I t is not , r howeve , my business , in this place , to d r o r be esc ibe these tinctures stones , c ause they have no medicinal value .

i n The animal and vegetable Stones , d r r r eed , have certain cu ative p ope ties ; but all these are contained and summed ’ r r up in the g eat Philosophe s Stone . r o f The salts have no powe tinging, but are only keys in the preparation o f * t he r tinctu es which we have named .

The salts open the chest in which the t reasu re is pre f r are r r . o se ved , but not themselves the t easu e You should , c r di i n s w di sso lv ou se , st gui h bet een those salts which have a ' r ing action , and those which c oagulate and ente into the c omposition O f the Stone— a distinction that is implied in t h e text . n m ha/ ari ot o n ti mon 1 8 The Tri p Ch f A y . 9 Metallic salts should by no means be de spi se d nor rejected in the preparation o f r r the tinctu e , since they fo m an indis pensable element in their composition ; for they contain the precious substance which is the cause of all fixation . r Next , the question arises whethe the Stone can be prepared without a sub stance . The answer is in the negative , for everything must have its substance .

r e Animals , vegetables , and mine als , hav each their own particular first substance . But no substance c an be O f any use i n the generation o f o u r Stone without fe r mentation . From the tangible and for mal body we must elicit the spi ritual an d celestial entity ( I hardly know what

r s expression to use in desc ibing it) . Thi entity , or essence , has first been infused into the body by stellar influences , and r b pe fected and digested y the elements . By the digestion and regimen of the lesser fire, the spiritual entity must become a tangible , fixed , and solid substance .

But to what purpose do I speak , 1 0 T he ri n m hal ari o t o n ti mon 9 T p Ch f A y.

? a n d what do I say I speak as one who has temporarily lost control over his r o f o gans speech . If an atom o f judg r ment still emained to me , I should not have Opened my mouth so wide , and I should have stayed my hand , even at the * last moment . All tinctures should be so prepared as to have an irresistible attraction to

r wards the metals , and an i resistible

, inclination to mingle with them , and per fe c t r r i n firmi i them by emoving thei t e s . I t is the same as with human bei ngs who a re c an inflamed with mutual love, and not rest by day o r night till they are r r b ought togethe in loving union , and s r r r r atisfy thei desi e afte that they est , and multiplication takes place according r f to the o der o Nature . Man is subject to many grievous

Are r r so r you in you ight mind , Basilius , to p ostitute

r so r f l r the Stone , which has hithe to been ca e u ly kept a sec et ? r let r by all the Sages You have he e out the whole sec et ,

r r are r d and now we see how the pu e and the impu e sepa ate ,

h o w . o w the fixed become volatile, and the volatile fixed N ,

o u r r r f ! re - r fo r y , my eade , attend ca e ully The is he e you a f p recious pearl do not resemble the fowl in the able .

1 2 The ri n m hai Chari o t o n ti mon 9 T p f A y.

r his appetite for food and d ink, and ren ders him incapable o f exerc ising prudent fo rethought with regard to the future i t r makes him fo get his calling, vocation ,

r . O h study , p ayer I f the lover does not

r o r are tain what he desi es , if his wishes

not immediately fulfilled , by what melan

c ho l r to r y, sor ow, and anguish is he me n te d ! Ho w soon he wastes away to a mere shadow ! Ho w often does he

r ! r not die of a b oken heart I n sho t, such persons think very slightly either of

o r o f c this life the life to ome , until they ‘ have been satisfied Wi th the enjoyment o f the loved object .

But I , as a monk , must not dilate any fu rther upon the symptoms o f this unholy and consuming passion . I have r kept myself pure f om it all my life , and pray God that H e may preserve me faithful to my holy spouse , the Church ,

. 1 even to the end . E ven what have said was only mentioned fo r the purpose o f shewing by what passionate love the tinctures should be violently attracted

r r r r towa ds thei metals , in o de that they he ri n m hal ari ot o n ti mon 1 T T p Ch f A y. 9 3

s may penetrate them wholly , and thu

bring them to perfection . Our Stone is digested and matured

fire are by , like all things else that found

r f r in this world . N eve theless , dif e ent substances requi re different fires fo r thei r development .

fire o f The first is that heaven , and quickens in o u r hearts love towards G o d o u r r r r t Fathe , and the Lo d J esus Ch is o u r Saviour . The faith enkindled by this love c an never forsake us in any r o r r t ouble dist ess . Another fire is the elementary heat

r r of the Sun , which b ings eve ything in

r r the great wo ld to pe fection . The thi rd fire is that corporal fire with which we cook o u r food and medi cines — without which we could not

o u r o r o u r . maintain health , even life The fourth fire is that mentioned pre vi o u sl o n e y, which will day consume

fire the visible world . The fifth is the

r r inst ument of eve lasting punishment , in which the devils and wi c ked men will be r tormented for ever and eve . I exhort o 1 The ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti on 94 T p Ch f A m y.

all men to seek God , and to listen to H is

c r gra ious voice while it may be hea d , in o rde r that they may es c ape from the r fire o f ter ible hell . O u r Fi re Stone should be pre

r o u r pared and matu ed , like food and

r r r all othe medicines , by the co po al fire

r r r which eigns in the little wo ld . Whe e the solar fire o f the great world leaves o ff r o u r c r r fire , the e o po al begins a new r r r r gene ation . Co n g ows and ipens by the heat o f the great Fi re ; but a new p rocess o f cooking and maturing is brought about by the action of the little

fire r to , in o der that men may be able

fo r r use it thei bodily sustenance . The oil of Antim from which o u r r r r c Fi e Stone is p epa ed , is ex eed

i n l r r r g y sweet . I t is ende ed so b illiant r r o f by the emoval of its ea th , and all r r impu ities , that it may be compa ed to a bit o f crystal on whi c h the meridian rays o f the sunshine fall The method o f its p reparation is as follows

o f Take , in the name God , equal

r o re o f pa ts of the Antimony , obtained

1 6 T he ri n m hal a ri o t o n ti mo n 9 T p Ch f A y.

’ r O f r spi it wine in S . Ma y s Bath , sublime

r r and the powde which emains , it will be distilled in the form o f a many r il o . colou ed , sweet , pellucid , reddish ’ r Rectify this oil in S . Ma y s Bath , so r r that the fou th part emains , and it is then prepared . Then take living Mercury o f Anti

c o u ho w to mony , whi h I have taught y * r d f r . e o compose Pour to it oil vit iol , r r r made ove i on , and highly ectified ; remove by distillation in sand the vis c idi t o f r y the Mercu y, and you will have a prec ious precipitate o f a glorious

r c o f c colou , whi h is the greatest medi inal value in c hronic diseases and open

F o r r r wounds . it quickly d ies up thei

r r r symptomatic humou s , which ep esent r the adical moisture of the disease . Take equal parts of this prec ipitate and of o u r sweet o ilo f Antimony ; put into a well - closed p hial if exposed to

r r o f so f . That is, the Me cu y the Sages O ten alluded to Whoever tells yo u the secret o f this Mercury will be your

fo r my r o u Or . Pylades , and y will be his estes I , pa t , r shall be glad to make a thi d in such a company . T he ri n m hal a ri ot o n ti mo n 1 T p Ch f A y . 97

r gentle heat , the precipitate will g adually be dissolved and fixed in the o ilfor the fire consumes its viscidity, and it becomes dr a red , y, fixed , and fluid powder, which * o u t does not give the slightest smoke .

When you have reached this point , r my f iend , you have the Medicine of o f men and metals it is pleasant , sweet , r and penet ating, and may be used with

o u t r a any isk . Without being purga v ti e , it expels all impure and morbid

r r r r matte f om the body . I t will esto e to

o u o f you health , and relieve y want in this life ; n o r c an you ever discharge to

o f r f r God your obligation g atitude o it . I fear that as a monk and religious man I have transcended the proper bounds o f

r r o ut eticence and sec ecy , and spoken

' fre e l’ an too y . lAt y rate , I have told

Keep revere nt silen c e : fo r n o w the King enters hi s l brida chamber, where he will delight himsel f many months with his spouse : and they will only leave the

r r r r chambe when they have g own togethe , and p oduced a

so n i f o f who, not the King Kings , is at least a King , and

r fr delive s his subjects om disease and want . ' ‘ ur r f r I f o u lO Autho ea s that he has said too much . y r sha e this Opinion , his anxiety will be joy to you . It is marvellous that when a Sage has thro wn ever so little light o n b m r r so this su ject, he im ediately eg ets having done . 1 8 T he ri n m hal ari t ti m n 9 T p Ch o of A n o y.

you enough ; and if after all that has r been said you do not discove the secret ,

it will not be my fault .

c I have spoken as lu idly and openly ,

r s nay , I fear, more openly , than the ule o u r r of b otherhood permit . For it is not lawful ‘ fo r every o n e to eat of the Tree o f Knowledge which stands in the r midst of Pa adise . I will now proceed r r to desc ibe the uses of this Elixi . With reference to its medi c inal

application to the human body , the dose ought to be regulated and determined by careful observation o f individual peculiarities o f constitution N e ve rthe r less , an excessive quantity is not eally

r r o u r dange ous , as the e is no poison in r o r r Elixir . Th ee four g ains at a time ,

r o f fo r given in spi it wine, are sufficient the cure o f every disease ; fo r this Medicine penetrates every part o f the body , and contains within itself the r potency of many arcana . I t emoves r dizziness and all pulmona y complaints , as well as coughs and all difficulty o f r r r fo r b eathing . I t is a wonde ful emedy

2 00 T he ri u m hal ari ot o n ti mo n T p Ch f A y.

r r you may discove the est , so that the ’ fulness o f God s wonderful gifts to men may be made known before the end o f

r r r r the wo ld . I etu n to my Monaste y , where I mean to devote myself to further

study, and , if possible , to elucidate the r r r sec ets of vit iol , common sulphu , and

r r r r the magnet , thei o igin , p epa ation ,

an d r vi tues . May the God and Lord of H eaven a n d Earth vouchsafe unto us health in

r r r time he e , and he eafte salvation , with

o u r o n o f eternal rest to souls , thrones o r ! j y and gladness , wo ld without end

Amen . Thus I conclude this T reatise o n

r r Antimony . Pay pa ticula attention to what has been said of the re d oil of r r r Antimony , which is p epa ed f om highly

r r r c pu ified sulphu , and of the spi it whi h is prepared from its salt c ompare these ope rations t M ave written c o n

c r r e ning the Fi e Stone , and then put the

r F o r i two togethe . in th s way you will

' ru n down the dee r whi c h yo u have been f r pursuing o so long . I N D E X .

r r 1 i h. 1 1 r o f Ae ial Spi its , 3 . , 4 ; eduction glass s o f 1 0 o f 1 06 Antidote , 53 . , 4 ; distilled Oil , ;

' ' An ti mo n S i ri t 0 o f 1 08 O f y, p in , 3 ; two common glass , Oil o f o f 1 0 Ar kinds , 3 4 ; anatomy , the common glass , 9 f r o 6 o f 1 1 35 , 39 ; myste ies , 3 ; canum Antimony , 3 ;

o f i h. r r o f 1 1 qualities , ; iches Of, elixi , 5 Antimony and 8 f 0 r r 1 6 t 3 solution o , 4 dange s pu gatives , 1 ; An imony

r r 1 1 1 1 1 8 r a Of its unp epa ed state , 4 ; and gold , 7, ; p ep

r o f o f i d r o f A vinega , 4 3 ; key , ; ation and fixation nti

r O f r 1 1 1 2 0 r O f hidden vi tue , 4 7; colou s mony, 9 , ; flowe s , o f 8 8 0 1 o f 1 2 1 -1 2 r r o f , 4 , 9 , 9 , 9 names , 5 va ious ext acts ,

- o f 80 82 1 2 et se . r 5 7 ; toxology , 59 , ; 7, q ; f iable Anti

6 1 2 1 8 ° 1 2 r o f 1 2 M au d ; 5 . 4 , 9 mony, 9 ; live , 3 ;

m o f 68 o f 1 6. r O f 1 1 1 2 1 edicine , stone , egulus , 4 , 4 , 4 7,

ui n tesse i h. 1 0 1 6 1 r o f 1 2 q pp ggf, , 5 , 9 79 ; va ious Oils , 4 ,

r o f &c . r o f 1 oot , 73 , 74 ; components ; oyal Oil , 44 ; salt

o f M e r o f 1 8 r o f 1 1 68 , 74 ; Antimony and , 4 ; sulphu , 49 , , r 1 6 1 cu y, 74 , 75 ; what Antimony 9 , 95 ; medicine hidden 8 r o f r r r o f 1 is , 7 ; sta , 79 ; mi acles in the Me cu y , 49 Anti

O f 80 r 8 fo r r , ; c ude Antimony, 7 ; mony exte nal wounds, r n 6 r A Antimonyand p ecious sto es , 1 5 ; othe ntimonial Oils ,

0 fr 1 1 fo r 9 ; Oils om Antimony, 9 5 9 ; balm Old wounds ,

r r o f r d 6 n f r pu gative natu e c u e 1 0 Antimo y against eve s ,

A 2 r re r o ilfo r ntimony, 9 ; mine al p 1 64 ; anothe wounds ,

arati o n o f r o f p , 93 ; calcination 1 65 ; vinega Antimony , f o v r o f 1 0 1 1 r .o f , 93 , 94 ; it ification , 7 , 7 ; signed sta , 6 w 1 0 1 1 80 A 9 5 , 9 ; a method ith 7 , 75 , ; ntimonial r r s r W S 1 0 r bo ax, 9 7 t an pa ent hite lead o f the ages , 7 ; va i o f m 8 t r 1 1 glass Anti ony , 9 o he o us uses O f Antimony , 8 ;

O f r n i h. fire o f 1 8 of yo methods vit ificatio , stone , 5 , ga ;

red r o f 100 w o re o f 1 red o i lo f 2 00 tinctu e , ; yello , 95 , . r o f 1 0 m o f r tinctu e , 3 ; bal , Apollo , invento of Alchemy, 3 . f r 0 1 1 8 6 Aqua o tis , 7 , , 3 , Exaltation , 4 .

A r a . r 2 2 8 ch eus , 79 Exc ement , 7, . Ar 1 60 . senic , r 1 1 1 Astrum 6 8 8 Fe mentation , . Solis , 3 , 77, 7 , 4 , 1 r r o f 0 r 07. Fi e , egulation , 4 va ious o f 1 kinds , 93.

1 0 . r 68 2 1 0 106 Bacchus , 5 Fi e Stone , , 9 , 4 , , r o f C 8 . 6 1 1 1 8 . Basil , the P ince hemists , 4 , 5 , 94

. r Art 2 Blessed Isles , 4 Fi st Key of , 4 .

- r 6 . 1 2 B ewing, 44 4 1 106 , 1 1 0 . Fixation , 9 , 9 , had/ m i h i p I F i 8 f 1S ixed Med cines , 7. 1 1 C , 1 9, 43 , 9 , , alcination 3 5 Foundations of Hermetic Prac

1 0 . 3 1 2 tice , .

C r 8 . atha tics , 7 r D 1 02 1 2 1 F ench isease , 43 , , ,

C r 1 . austic Wate , 35 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 . 3 , 4 , 5 , 99

C r Tr . h ist the ue Medicine , 53

C r 1 1 . 6 1 8 o f i culation , 9, 45 Gold , 4 , 75 , 7 calx ,

C r n . 1 r o f i h. la ificatio , 4 5 1 0 ; tinctu e , potable

C o f 1 . 1 1 1 . lay the Sages, 49 gold ,

C 106 . r r 0 1 . oagulation , 44 , 79 , G ape Vinega , 7 , 7 C 1 r 1 . r A . ohobation , 9 G eat canum , 77

C o f r 1 2 ontemplation Natu e, ,

o f 66 6 . 1 6 -2 Honey, toxology , , 7 0.

C r o f r 1 1 60 o f ocus Ma s , 37, ; - t o f 1 2 1 16 . l 1 Invoca ion God , , 3 meta s , 39 .

f 1 0 . Isles O the Blest , 5 D Art 2 eficiencies of Medical , 4

2 6 0 6 6 8 r o f 1 2 , 5 , 5 4 25 , 9 9 3 Junipe , Oil , 4

D r o f . 1 0 . esi e the Nations , 7 Juno , 5

D 1 6 . etonation , 5

f r 1 0 . D 1 2 8 1 00 106 Key O He cules , 7 igestion , 9 , , 44 , , ,

o f 6 . 1 1 King Kings , 5 , 9 .

D o f r 1 iseases Mine als , 5 .

L r 1 66 . ate a , D . issolution , 40

f a 1 0 1 8 . Lead o the S ges , 7 , 7 D 1 1 0 1 2 istillation , 9 , 44 , 4 , 3 ,

f 10 . Lique action , 5 1 6 1 .

- r 1 r c 6 . Ea th Men , 3 . Mac o osmos , 7

r 1 1 . r 1 12 Edulco ation , 5 Magiste ium ,

r 1 . r 1 2 100 10 108 U ine, 5 9 Vinega , 4 , 4 , , 4 , ,

2 2 . 1 1 1 2 8 1 2 1 2 1 8 1 Uses Of a Medicine , 9 , , 9, 3 , 3 , 49 , 1 6 1 0 1 1 1 6 1 . 5 , , 4 , 7 g ag . r o f 1 l 1 1 Vinega the Sages , 44 . Vegetab e Fixation , 9 . r 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 2 i 6 1 2 0 Vit iol , 5 , 4 , 35 , 5 , 5 , Vegetable Subl mation , 4 , .

r 8 1 1 88 . Venetian Bo ax , 97, 9 , 09 . 6 8 88 10 . a. r 1 8 1 Vulcan , 5 , 3 , , 5 M Venetian Ea th , 4 , 49 . o f r 82 Venom the Vipe , .

T r 1 8 r r 1 . o f 8 . Venus, inctu e , Wate y Spi its , 3

AN D C O . J AM ES ELLI OTT ,

TE E E S LC ON C O U RT F LEET ST REET M PL C HA M B R , F A , ,

ON ON E . C . L D , E A PRICE T wo G ui N s .

s m a u arto c o th e xtra i t . I n tw o v o l u me s , ll q , l , g l

ali bi abutment museum

r f r all Restored and enla ged , most faith ully inst ucting the Disciples o f the S o pho -Spagyric Art how that G reatest and Truest Medicine ’ r S o f the Philosophe s tone may be found and held .

r r r r L r u N ow fi st done into English f om the a e atin o iginal , p blished r 1 6 8 r r at Frankfort in the yea 7 . The illust ations rep oduced in fac -S r r imile by a photog aphic p ocess .

This curious storehouse o f Hermetic Science comprises twenty r s o n r o f two choice t eati es the Myste ies Alchemy , and the com O f O f r position the Medicine the Philosophe s , namely

T he G o lden Tre at i se c o n ce rn i n g th e T h e O rdi n alOf A c h em . ’ l y Philo so phe r s Sto n e . T he Te stame n t o f o hn remer s me J C , o T he Go lde n Age c o me back . t i me A bbo t Of We st mi n s er . h W r t T he So phi e Hydro li t , o r ate T he N ew Li h t f c em W g o A h y . Sto n e o f th e i se . l

T h u r O t h e i s . r i f a ure e S phu f Ph o o phers T h e De mo n st at o n o N t . l l r An O pe n E n tran c e t o th e o sed A p hi lo so phi c alsu mma y , Cl a a O th P c e f e Ki n g. T he Pa th o f th e o n ly Truth . l Of W l Table A Subtle AllegO Y c o n c ern i n th e T he Glo ry th e o r d, o r Y g

O f Paradi se . e t f he mi s r S cre s o C t y .

T h e Ge n erati o n O f M e tals. h T he M e tamo rp o si s o f M e tals. lz e T h e 3 00k O f A . A h R S o rt Guide t o the Ce lesti al uby .

F i ure s an d Emb e ms c o n c e rn i n th e T h h i a Tr th g l g e F o un t o f C e m c l u . ' Phi o so phe r s Sto n e . l T h e a e G o ld n C lf. T h e “d Keys O f Bas” l-Wi o rk e e e r l se Do . viii T he A p

While affording to the modern student o f Hermetic Doct rines an unique opportunity O f acquiring in English a representative col o f f r r o f T HE lection the chie alchemical w ite s , this edition HERMETIC MUSEUM claims consideration at the hands O f the historian and archaeologist as a contribution o f real value to the r r o f r r r o f ea ly histo y chemist y. The t anslation is the wo k a gentleman who has had a life -long acquaintance with alchemical r r r lite atu e, and has been subjected to careful revision by anothe r r A expe t in He metic ntiquities .

— N . B . T hi s E di ti on i s li mi ted to 2 0 co i es n u mbered an d s n ed 5 p , ig . Cr 8 vo r fr o ld- o n r own , p inted om faced type, antique laid pape ,

r r 105 6d cloth ext a . P ice . .

a G ulhen anti 13195 5 211 (masher of

’ fi ature s wet ti ng.

’ CONC ERN I N G T HE BLE SS E D M YSTERY o r T HE PHI LOSOPHERS T ON E S .

Containing the Revelation o f the Most Illuminated Egyptian r r r : r o ur King and Philosophe , He mes T ismegistus t anslated by G r r r r e man He mes , the Noble and Beloved Mona ch and Philosophe

Tr . Ph . T r r . A r ismegistus , A heoph astus Pa acelsus lso Tinctu a Ph si co rum Paracelsic a y . with an excellent explanation by the L r A v n S r r o M . D. Noble and ea ned Philosophe , lexande uchten , , r r r r r togethe with ce tain hithe to unpublished t eatises by this autho , and also other corollaries o f the same natu re as spec ified in the p reface . Now published fo r the use and benefit o f all sons o f the

Doctrine o f He rmes.

BY N D CT F I GULUS O UT E N II O F E N . BE E I US , F

I n P re arati on p .

C r 8vo r r m o ld-f e r own , p inted f o aced typ , on antique laid pape , cloth

r r 105 . 6d. ext a . P ice

aut ha i flbtlusopburum.

The most ancient o f Western Treatises o n Alchemy and the r W r r f r b all r G eat o k , the subject of continual e e ence y late adepts , r o f r r rankingsecond only to the w itings He mes T ismegistus, and ” recognised as a final authority in the practi c e o f the philosophers. While it has been the subject o f innumerable commentaries and r o f r o f the most pious veneration o n the pa t He metic students , this curious fountain -head o f al c hemical literatu re has never been r A r r f r o f previously t anslated . ve y ca e ul ve sion , containing both . the accepted recensions and the most important o f the vari ed r d readings in the different p inted e itions , and in available manu r r r r o f C sc ipts, is now p ep a ing , and a limited numbe opies will o f c shortly be issued to the pub lic . The elucidations sele ted r r commentato s will be added to the text , and in the int oduction p refixed to the work an attempt will be made to t race the history r o u u m So /zoru m and influence of this a chaic C lloq i p .

I n P re arali n p o .

C rOwn 8 vo ri n te ro m l- , p d f o d fac ed type o n an tiq ue laid

a e r c o th extra i ustrate i th s m o i c a esi n s p p , l , ll d w y b l l d g , h o r hi o t a ca re ro uc . Pr p g p lly p d ed i c e 1 08 . 6d.

l ( ithe iBearI of S wat iBri cr.

A NE W T REATI SE CONCERN I NG T HE TREA SU RE AN D

’ MOST PRECI OUS PHI LO SOPHER S STONE ;

O r the M etho d an d Pro c edure o f thi s Divi n e Art ;

ei n s r a i o n s ra n r m h r O r b g o b e v t d w f o t e wo k s f A n o ld ,

R mo n Rhasi s A ertus an d M i c ha Sc t s w ay d , , lb , el o u . No

first u i she b ames Lac i n i us h a a rian i th a p bl d y J t e C l b , w c o pi o us I n d ex.

Tran sl ated i n to E n gli sh fro m th e muc h -priz ed edi ti o n

f us hi c h a ar ith th ri i e e o f Po e Pau o Ald , w ppe ed , w e p v l g p l

h n V i i n 1 n t at f n c e 6 . I I I . a d e Se e o e , 5 4

T he P refi osa M a rgari ta N o vella i s suppo sed to be a “ ” fai thful abridgmen t o f a wo rk e n titled Alargarzifa

P reti osa hi c h i r a i n m n usc ri t , w appears to have c c ul te d a p i n I a uri n th first ha f o f the fo urteen th c en tur t ly d g e l y, as ritten but d o es n o t seem to have b een pri n ted . I t w w b Pi etro B n o wh n o hi h re ute as an a e t i n y o , o e j ys g p d p the art o f A c h m an h resen t ersi o hic h has l e y d t e p v n , w

n n i s n i s e ite ith an bee su bjec ted to a searc hi g rev i o , d d w in tro d uc to ry an alysi s o f the vari o us Herme tic bo o ks

T h P r ti osa whi c h are attri buted to thi s auth o r. e e M a rgari ta N ovella h as spec i al i n terest as o n e o f the earli est b o o ks whi c h appeared i n pri n t o n Al c hemy.