Most Excellent, and Prudent Sirs.
Before I enter upon the Description
of the Philosophick PIGMY, (in
this little Theatre of Secrets) overcoming
and subduing GIANTS, I pray permit me here to use
the words of Vanhelmont, taken out of
his Book De Arbore Vitæ, fol. 630.
and here Transcribed.
I compelled to believe, that
there is an Aurifick, and Argentick Stone.
But (Friend of the
Spagyrick Art) I am not ignorant,
that many have been found among
the most wise, yea among the exquisite
Chimists, who have not only
consumed their own Goods, but
the Goods of others also, in this
Great Vulanick Secret, as Experience
even at this very day sufficiently
proves. For we have seen,
the more is the pity! how unwary
Chimists, yea such as are more
worthy, than those who are called
Alchimists; how, I say, they,
labouring simply, are daily deluded
with Guile of this kind, by Diabolick,
Aurifick, and Argentick Suckgoods.
Also I know, that many
Stupid Men will rise up, and contradict
the truth of my true Experience,
touching the Philosophick
Stone. One will have it to be a
work of the Devil; another affirms
there is no such thing; a
third faith it is the Soul of Gold
only, and that with an Ounce of that
Gold, an Ounce of Lead, and no more
may be again tinged: but this is
repugnant to the Attestation of
Kifflerus, as I shall briefly commemorate;
a fourth believes the
Verity and Possibility thereof, but
faith it is so chargeable, as it will
never quit Cost; with many other
like Allegations. Yet I wonder
not at this, for according to this
Saying,
Quorum rationem non intelligimus,
miramur,
Que vero pernoscere volupe est,
rimamur.
What we cannot attain to, we admire,
But what to know is pleasing, do
desire.
How can a Man, fallen from the
Fountain of Light, into the Abyss
of Darkness, effect any thing to
purpose, in Natural things, especially
when his Wisdome in this
natural Philosophick Study is barren
and sophisticate? It is, for the
most part, proper to these Fools and
unapt men, presently to contemn
a thing, not knowing, that more
are yet to be sought by them, than
they have the possession of. Therefore,
rightly saith Seneca, in lib. de
Moribus: Thou art not yet happy,
if the Rout deride thee not. But I
matter not, whether they believe,
or contradict what I write, touching
the Transmutation of Metals.
I rest satisfied in this one thing,
which with my eyes I have seen,
and what with my hands I have
done. For what Philosophers say
of themselves, I also have with my
hands handled this Spark of the
Eternal Wisdome, or this Saturnine
Catholick Magnesia of Philosophers,
a Fire of potency sufficient
to penetrate Stones, yea, a
Treasure of so great value, as 20
Tun of Gold cannot exceed the
price thereof. What seek you?
I believe what I have seen with the
eyes of Thomas, and handled as he,
(but in the nature of things only)
as well as the Adept Philosophers;
although in this our decrepit age
of the world, That be accounted a
most Secret Hyperphysico-magical
Saturn, and not known, unless
to some Cabalistick Christian only.
We judge him the most happy of
all Physicians, who hath the
knowledge of this pleasant Medicinal
potion of our Mercury, or of
the Medicine of the Son of our Esculapius
resisting the force of death,
against which there is no Panacea
otherwise produced in Gardens.
Moreover, the most wise GOD doth
not reveal his Gifts of Solomon
promiscuously to all Mortals. They
indeed seem strange to them, when
they behold a Creature, from the
occult Magnetick potency incited
in it self, deduced into art by its own
like; as for Example: In Iron is
a Magnetick, ingenited, potential
virtue from the Magnet: a Magnetick
virtue in Gold from Mercury:
a Magnetick virtue in Silver
from Venus, or Copper: and
so consequently in all Metals, Minerals,
and Stones, Herbs, and
Plants, &c.
Moreover, I may properly quæry,
which of the wisest Philosophers
is so Sage, as to be able to
comprehend with the acuteness of
his own most dextrous ingeny,
with what Obumbracle the Imaginative
Tinging, Venemons,
or Monstrous Faculty of any pregnant
Woman, compleats its work in
one Moment, if it be deduced
into art by some External Object?
I do assuredly believe, that very
many will foolishly say, that this is
a Mortomagical Work of the Devil;
but the Doltish and Ignorant
are affraid to be out-shined by the
true resplendent Light of Verity,
with which their Owl-like Sight
is troubled, and afflicted.
Also the Stars are a cause of
what we treat of, and this cause is
not to be contemned, although I,
nor you, know not how to comprehend
the Celestial Influences of
them in our mind. Nor are the
Plants, which the Earth supplies
us with, to be rejected, although
I; or you, from the External Signature
of them, know not how to
judge aright of the Effect of Virtues
ingenited in them, which they
notoriously exercise, according
to their power, in healing and
conserving Humane bodies. Therefore,
since all others are also offended
at the Internal Light, being
ignorant of all abstruse things, of
which you, or I, want the Science,
how can the same Virtues be deduced
into art, according to the
end for which they were created?
A thousand other like things
might be instanced. Although
you know not the Splendour in
Angels, the Candour in the Heavens,
the Perspicuity in the Air,
Limpitude in Waters, the variety
of Colours in Flowers, hardness
of Metals and Stones, Proportion
in Animals, the Image of GOD
in regenerate Men, Faith in Believers,
and Reason in the Soul;
yet in them there is such a beauty,
as hath been throughly beheld,
and fully known by very few Mortals.
Although in the Stone of Philosophers
there be so potent a virtue,
and the same hath been seen
by me, yet I would not therefore
have any man to think, that my
primary Scope, and intention, is
to perswade the worthy, or unworthy
Sons of this Age, to labour
in this work, no, not at all:
but I shall rather dehort all, and
every of the curious Indagators of
this Art, that they seriously abstain
from this most perilous Arcanum,
as from a certain Sanctum
Sanctorum; yea, and I would admonish
the Studious of this Arcanum,
accurately to take heed to
himself, and beware of the Lectures,
and Association of false
Philosophers. But I hope I shall
satisfie the curious Naturalists,
or investigators of Physical Arcanums,
by communicating and publishing
in this present Discourse, all
which passed between Elias the Artist,
and Me, touching the Nature
of the Stone of Philosophers.
For that is an Ens more Effulgent
than the Morning, or a Carbuncle:
more splendid, than the Sun, or
Gold: more fair, than the Moon,
or Silver: so very Recreable,
and Amiable, was the sight of this
Light, and most pleasing Object
to me, as out of my inward Mind,
it cannot be obliterated, or extinguished
by any Oblivion; although
the same be credited by none of the
fatuate Learned, or illiterate ignorant
Asses, and such as glory only
in the praise of ambitious Eloquence.
For in this malignant
ulcerated age of the world,
nothing is so safe and secure from Calumnies,
but it is taken in a wrong
Sense, and perverted unworthily
by the Idiotick Ignorance of
mad-brain'd CacoZelots.
So very farr do
all these dark-sighted men deviate
from the true rule of Verity,
as in success of time, they, intangled
with their own Errors, will
miserably wast away and expire;
but our Assertion, built on the
Eternal Foundation of Triumphing
Verity, shall continue and remain,
unto the Consummation of
all ages, without diminution, although
this art be not yet known
to all Mortals. For the Adept Philosophers,
according to the antient
Faith of their experience, have
affirmed, that this Natural Mystery
(which many anxious men
have sinistrously sought, and required)
is only to be found with
Jehovah, Saturninely placed in the
Centre of the World. In the
mean while, we proclaim those
happy, who take care, by the help
of art, how they may wash this
Philosophick Queen, or how they
ought to circulate the Virgin-Catholick-Earth,
in Physico-Magical
Crystalline Artifice, as Khunradus.
did; they only, and none others
besides them, shall see the Crowned,
and internally fiery King of
Philosophers, coming forth from
his Glassy Sepulchre, in an external
fiery Body glorified, more then
perfect with all the Colours in the
world, as a shining Carbuncle, or
perspicuous, compact and ponderous
Crystal, a Salamander Spewing out
Waters, and by the benefit
thereof in the Fire washing Leprous
Metals, as I my self have seen.
What? How shall they see the
Abyss of the Spagyrick Art? when
as this Royal Art hath so long lain
hid, and been absconded in the
Mineral Kingdom, as in the Safest
of all Secret places, for so very many
years? Assuredly the Genuine
Sons of this Laudable Art, shall
not only behold a like Flood of
Numicius, in which Æneas heretofore,
by the command of Venus,
washed and absolved from his Immortality,
was immediately transformed
into an immortal God; but
also the Lydian River of Pactolus
all transmuted into Gold, and how
Midas Mygdonius washed himself
in the same. Likewise those candid
Rivals of this Art, shall in a serious
order behold the Bathing-place of
naked Diana, the Fountain of Narcissus
and Scylla walking in the Sea,
without garments, by reason of the
most fervent Rayes of Sol: partly
also the Blood of Pyramus and
Thisbe, of it self collected, by the
help of which, white Mulberries
are tinged into Red; partly also
the Blood of Adonis, by the descending
Goddess Venus transformed
into a Rose of Anemona; partly
likewise the Blood of Ajax, from
which arose that most beautiful
flower the Violet; partly also the
Blood of the Giants slain by Jupiters
thunder-bolt; partly also the
Shed Tears of Althea, when she put
off her Golden Vestments; and
partly the Drops, which fell from
the decocted Water of Medea, by
which green things immediatly
sprang out of the Earth; partly
also the cocted Potion of Medea,
made of various Herbs, gathered
always three dayes before full
Moon, for the cure of Jasons aged
Father; partly also those Leaves,
by the tast of which, the nature of
Gaucus was changed into Neptune;
partly also the Exprest Juice of
Jason, by the benefit of which, he,
in the Land of Cholcons, received
the Golden Fleece, afterward by
reason of that, compleatly armed, he
fought in the Feild of Mars, not
without the hazard of Life; partly
also the Garden of the Hesperides,
where Golden Apples may be gathered
from the Trees; partly also
Hippomenes running for the Mastery
with Atalanta, and staying her
Course, and so overcoming her
with three Golden Apples, the Gifts
of Venus; partly also the Aurora of
Cephalus, partly also Romulus transformed
by Jupiter into a God;
partly also the Soul of Julius Cæsar, by
the Goddess Venus, transfigured into
a Comet, and placed among the
Stars; partly also Python, Juno's
Serpent, arising out of the putrid
Earth (after Deucalions Flood)
made hot by the Rayes of the Sun;
partly also the Fire, with which
Medea kindled seven Lights;
partly also the Moon, inflamed by the
burning of Phæton; partly also the
Withered Olive Branch, a new;
flourishing and bearing Fruit;
yea, becoming a new and tender
Olive Tree; partly also Arcadia,
where Jupiter was wont to walk;
partly also the Habitation of Pluto,
at the Gate whereof lay the Three-headed
Cerberus; & also partly that
Mountain, where Hercules burned
all his Members, received from the
Mother, upon Wood, but the Parts
of the Father remained Fixed, and
incombustible in Fire, and nothing
of his Life was destroyed, but he,
at length, was transmuted into a God.
Likewise we will not forget
those Germans, the Sons of true
Philosophers, who entred into a
Country-house, at length transformed
into a Temple, whose Covering
was made of pure Gold. Certainly,
I cannot choose, but must yet once
more with acclamation, say with
the Adept: O happy, and thrice
happy is that Artificer, who by the
most merciful benediction of the
highest, Jehovah pursues the Art of
Confecting, and preparing that
(as it were, Divine) Salt, by the
Efficacious Operation of which, a
Metallick, or Mineral body, is
corrupted, destroyed, and dyes;
yet the Soul thereof is in the mean
while revived, to a glorious Resurrection
of a Philosophick Body. Yea,
I say, most happy is the Son
of that man, who, by his Prayers,
obtains this Art of Arts, unto the
glory of GOD. For it is most
certain, that this Mystery can be
known no other way, unless it
be drawn and imbibed from GOD,
the Fountain of Fountains. Therefore,
let every serious Lover of
this inestimable Art judge, that the
whole work of him required, is,
that he constantly, with the prayer
of true faith, in all his labour,
implore and solicite the Divine
Grace of the Holy Spirit. For the
solemn manner of GOD alone is,
candidly and liberally, either mediately
or immediately, to communicate
his gifts and benefits, to
none, unless to candid and liberal
Ingenies only. In this holy way
of practical Piety, all Inquisitors
of profound Arts, find what they
seek, when they, in their work,
exercise themselves Theosophically
by solitary Colloquies with
Jehovah, with a pure Heart and
Mouth, religiously. For the Heavenly
Sophia, indeed, willingly embraces
our friendship, presenting,
and offering to us, her inexhaustible
Rivolets, most full of gracious
goodness and benevolence. But,
happy is he, to whom the Royal
way, in which he is to walk, shall
be shown by some One expert in
this Arcanum.
I seem to presage to my self, that
I have not equally satisfied all Readers
in this Preface; but it is, as
if I did presume to teach them an
Art, unknown to my self; yet I
hope better of the greatest part of
them. For my intention was, only
to relate to you a certain History.
Therefore, Drink, my Friends, of
the following Dialogue, or Springing
Colloquy, presented by me,
wishing you well, that thence
you may satisfie, and allay all the
Thirst of your Thirsting Minds:
for I doubt not in the least, but
that this Study of Divine Wisdome,
will be more sweet to you,
than Nectar and Ambrosia. No
other will I communicate, no other
have I common, then that of Jul.
Cæs. Scaliger: The End, of Wisemen,
is the Communication of Wisdome:
according to that of Gregory
Nyßen: He who is Good, in Nature,
the same very willingly communicates
his Goods to others. For it is the
part of good Men, to be profitable
to others.