THE ELEVENTH TREATISE.

 Of the Praxis, and making of the Stone, or Tincture by Art.

T

hrough all these foregoing Chapters, our discourse¹ of things hath been scattered² by way of examples, that the Praxis might be the more easily understood, which must be done by imitating Nature after this manner——

Take of our earth, through eleven degrees, eleven graines, of our Gold, and not of the vulgar one grain, of our Lune, not the vulgar, two grains: but be thou well advised, that thou takest not common Gold, and Silver, for these are dead, take ours which are living: then put them into our fire, and let there be made of them a dry liquor; first of all the earth wil be resolved into water, which is called the Mercury of Philoso[Pg 31]phers; and that water shall resolve those bodies of Gold, and Silver, and shal consume them so, that there shall remain but the tenth part with one part; and this shall be the radicall moisture of Metalls. Then take water of salt-nitre, which comes from our earth, in which there is a river of living water, if thou diggest the pit knee deep, therefore take water out of that, but take that, which is cleer; upon this, put that radicall moisture; and set it over the fire of putrefaction⁴, and generation, not on such a one as thou didst in the first operation: govern all things with a great deale of discretion⁵, untill colours appear like a Peacocks tail; govern it by digesting it, and be not weary, untill these colours be ended, and there appear throughout the whole one green colour, and so of the rest; and when thou shalt see in the bottome ashes of a fiery⁶ colour, and the water almost red, open the vessel⁷, dip in a pen, and smeare some Iron with it, if it tinge⁸, have in readinesse that water, which afterwards I shall speak of, and put in so much of that water as the cold aire was, which went in, boil it again with the former fire, untill it tinge again. So far reached my experience, I can doe no more, I found out no more. Now that water must be the menstruum of the world, out of the sphere of the Moon, so often rectified⁹, untill it can calcine Gold: I have been willing here to discover to thee all things; and if thou shalt understand my meaning sometimes, and not the letter, I have revealed all things; especially in the first, and second work. Now it remains¹⁰ that we speak next of the fire. The first fire, or of the first operation is a fire of one degree, continuall, which goes round the matter; the second is a naturall fire, which digests, and[Pg 32] fixeth the matter: I tell thee truely that I have opened to thee the governance, or rules of the fire, if thou understandest Nature: The vessell remains yet to be spoken of. It must be the vessel of Nature, and two are sufficient; the vessell of the first work must be round; but in the second a glasse, a little lesse like unto a viall, or an egge. But in all these know, that the fire of Nature is but one, and if it works variously, it is by reason of the difference of places. The vessell therefore of Nature is but one; but wee for brevities sake use a couple: the matter is one, but out of two substances. If therefore thou wilt¹¹ give thy mind to make things, consider first things that are already made; if thou canst not reach, or understand things presented to thy eyes, much lesse things that are to be made, and which thou desirest to make. For know that thou canst create nothing, for that is proper to God alone, but to make things, that are not perceived, but lye hid in the shadow, to appear, and to take from them their vaile, is granted to an intelligent Philosopher by God through Nature. Consider, I beseech¹² thee, the simple water of a cloud: who would ever beleeve that that contains in it selfe all things in the world, hard Stones, Salts, Aire, Earth, Fire, when as yet of it selfe it seems to be simple? What shall I say of the Earth, which contains in it Water, Fire, Salts, Aire, and of it self seems to be but meer earth? O wonderfull Nature, which knows how to produce wonderfull fruits out of Water in the earth, and from the Aire to give them life. All these are done, and the eyes of the vulgar doe not see them; but the eyes of the understanding, and imagination perceive them, and that with a true sight. The[Pg 33] eyes of the wise look upon Nature otherwise, then the eyes of common men. As for example, the eyes of the vulgar see that the sun is hot; but the eyes of Philosophers on the contrary see it rather to bee cold, but its motion to be hot. The acts and effects of it are understood through the distance of places. The fire of Nature is one and the same with it: for as, the Sun is the Center amongst the spheres of the Planets; and out of this Center of the heaven it scatters¹³ its heat downward by its motion; so in the Center of the earth is the sun of the earth, which by its perpetuall motion sends its heat, or beams upward to the superficies of the earth. That intrinsecall heat is far more efficacious then this Elementary fire; but it is allayed¹⁴ with an Earthy water, which from day to day doth penetrate¹⁵ the pores of the earth, and cooles it: So the Aire doth temper, and mitigate¹⁶ the heavenly Sun, and its heat, for this aire doth day after day fly round the world: and unlesse this were so, all things would be consumed by so great a heat, neither would any thing be brought forth¹⁷. For as that invisible fire, or Centrall heat would consume all things, if the water coming betwixt did not prevent it; so the heat of the Sun would destroy all things; if the Aire did not come betwixt. But how these Elements work one with another, I will briefly¹⁸ declare. In the Center of the earth is the Centrall Sun, which by its own motion, or of its firmament¹⁹ doth give a great heat, which extends it self even to the superficies of the earth. That heate causeth aire after this manner. The Matrix of aire is water, which bringeth forth sons of its own nature, but unlike, and far more subtill then it selfe;[Pg 34] for where the water is denyed entrance, the aire enters: when therefore that Centrall heat, which is perpetuall, doth act, it makes water distill²⁰, and be heated, and so that water by reason of the heat is turned into aire, upon this account it breaks forth to the superficies of the earth, because it will not suffer it self to be shut in: then when it is cold, it is resolved into water. In the mean time it happens also that in opposite places not only air but water goes out; so you see it is, when black clouds are by violence carried up into the aire: for which thing take this as a familiar example. Make water hot in a pot, and thou shalt see that a soft fire causeth gentle vapours, and winds; but a strong fire maketh thick clouds appear. Just in the same manner doth the Centrall heat worke; it lifts up the subtill water into aire, that which is thick by reason of its salt or fatnesse, it distributes to the earth, by meanes of which divers²¹ things are generated, that which remaines becomes stones, and rocks. But some may object, if it were so, it would be done constantly, but oftentimes there is no wind at all perceived. I answer, if water be not poured violently into a distillatory²² vessell, there is made no wind, for little water stirs up but little wind: you see that thunders are not alwaies made, although there be rain, and wind; but only when by force of the aire the swelling²³ water is carried to the sphere of the fire; for fire will not indure water. Thou hast before thine eyes an example, when thou pourest cold water into a hot furnace, from whence a thundering noise is raised. But why the water doth not enter uniformly into those places, and cavities, the reason is, because these sorts of vessells, and places are ma[Pg 35]ny; and sometimes one cavity by blasts, or winds drives away from it self water for some dayes, and months, untill there be a repercussion²⁴ of the water again: As wee see in the sea, whose waves are moved and carryed a thousand miles, before they find, or meet with a repercussion to make them return back; but to return to our purpose. I say that Fire, or Heat is the cause of the motion of the Aire, and the life of all things; and the Earth is the Nurse of all these things, or their receptacle. But if there were not Water to coole our Earth, and Aire, then the Earth would be dryed, for these two reasons, viz. by reason of the Motion of the Centrall Sun, and heat of the Celestiall: Neverthelesse it happens sometimes in some places, when the pores of the earth are obstructed²⁵, that the humidity, or water cannot penetrate, that then by reason of the correspondency of the Celestiall, and Centrall Sun (for they have a magnetick vertue betwixt themselves) the earth is inflamed²⁶ by the Sun: so that even sometimes there are made great chops, or furrows²⁷ in the earth. Cause therefore that there be such an operation in our earth, that the Centrall heat may change the Water into Aire, that it may goe forth into the plaines of the world, and scatter³ the residue²⁸, as I said, through the pores of the earth; and then contrariwise the Aire will be turned into Water, far more subtill then the first Water was: and this is done thus, if thou givest our old man Gold, or Silver to swallow, that he may consume them, and then hee also dying may be burnt, and his ashes scattered into water, and thou boil that water untill it be enough, and thou shalt have a medicine to cure the lepro[Pg 36]sie. Mark, and be sure that thou takest not cold for hot, or hot for cold, but mixe natures with natures, and if there be any thing that is contrary to nature (for Nature alone is necessary for thee) separate it, that Nature may be like Nature. Doe this by fire, and not with thy hand: and know that if thou dost not follow Nature, all is in vain: and here I have spoken to thee through the help of God, what a father should speak to his son; Hee which hath ears let him heare, and he which hath his senses, let him set his mind upon what I say.

1 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

2 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

3 scatter   

vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散

参考例句：

• You pile everything up and scatter things around.你把东西乱堆乱放。
• Small villages scatter at the foot of the mountain.村庄零零落落地散布在山脚下。

4 putrefaction   

n.腐坏，腐败

参考例句：

• Putrefaction is the anaerobic degradation of proteinaceous materials.腐败作用是蛋白性物质的厌氧降解作用。
• There is a clear difference between fermentation and putrefaction.发酵与腐败有明显区别。

5 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

6 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

7 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

8 tinge   

vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息

参考例句：

• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。
• There was a tinge of sadness in her voice.她声音中流露出一丝忧伤。

9 rectified   

[医]矫正的，调整的

参考例句：

• I am hopeful this misunderstanding will be rectified very quickly. 我相信这个误会将很快得到纠正。
• That mistake could have been rectified within 28 days. 那个错误原本可以在28天内得以纠正。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

12 beseech   

v.祈求，恳求

参考例句：

• I beseech you to do this before it is too late.我恳求你做做这件事吧，趁现在还来得及。
• I beseech your favor.我恳求您帮忙。

13 scatters   

v.（使）散开， （使）分散，驱散( scatter的第三人称单数 )；撒

参考例句：

• He scatters money about as if he were rich. 他四处挥霍，好像很有钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Truth raises against itself the storm that scatters its seeds broadcast. 真理引起了反对它自己的狂风骤雨，那场风雨吹散了真理的广播的种子。 来自辞典例句

14 allayed   

v.减轻，缓和( allay的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His fever is allayed, but his appetite is still flatted. 他发烧减轻了，但食欲仍然不振。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His fever was allayed by the medicine. 这药剂使他退烧了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

15 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

16 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

17 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

18 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

19 firmament   

n.苍穹；最高层

参考例句：

• There are no stars in the firmament.天空没有一颗星星。
• He was rich,and a rising star in the political firmament.他十分富有，并且是政治高层一颗冉冉升起的新星。

20 distill   

vt.蒸馏，用蒸馏法提取，吸取，提炼

参考例句：

• This standard set determine the method of petroleum products distill.本标准规定了测定石油产品蒸馏的方法。
• Distill the crucial points of the book.从书中提炼出关键的几点。

21 divers   

adj.不同的；种种的

参考例句：

• He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。
• Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

22 distillatory   

蒸馏器

参考例句：

23 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

24 repercussion   

n.[常pl.](不良的)影响，反响，后果

参考例句：

• After being put out,service has received very good market repercussion.服务推出后收到了非常好的市场反响。
• The president's death had unexpected repercussion.总统的逝世引起出乎意料的反响。

25 obstructed   

阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• Tall trees obstructed his view of the road. 有大树挡着，他看不到道路。
• The Irish and Bristol Channels were closed or grievously obstructed. 爱尔兰海峡和布里斯托尔海峡或遭受封锁，或受到了严重阻碍。

26 inflamed   

adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His comments have inflamed teachers all over the country. 他的评论激怒了全国教师。
• Her joints are severely inflamed. 她的关节严重发炎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 furrows   

n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• I could tell from the deep furrows in her forehead that she was very disturbed by the news. 从她额头深深的皱纹上，我可以看出她听了这个消息非常不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dirt bike trails crisscrossed the grassy furrows. 越野摩托车的轮迹纵横交错地布满条条草沟。 来自辞典例句

28 residue   

n.残余，剩余，残渣

参考例句：

• Mary scraped the residue of food from the plates before putting them under water.玛丽在把盘子放入水之前先刮去上面的食物残渣。
• Pesticide persistence beyond the critical period for control leads to residue problems.农药一旦超过控制的临界期，就会导致残留问题。