QUNTESSENCE.DOC

1982

THEODORUS MUNDANUS

His answer to W. Dickinson concerning:

Quintessence of the Philosophers

Although very many letters relating both to business and Civ­illity, as is most agreeable to a man of my character, and con­tinually written by me, arid no Time does more please and truly delight me, than that which is spent in philosophical reading, and contemplation; yet sometimes I am constrained to give Answers to philosophical letters very unlike the mariner of philosophers; because for some reasons (which they cannot but conjecture) I would not appear in the dress of a philosopher; but rather to write in such a form, which may deserve the name of imprudence or ignor­ance: However my very learned friend, so greatly was I delighted, and as it were ravished, with your most ingenious, elegant, and excellent philosophic letters, dated the last of July 1683, that had not your most courteous and friendly deportment, Chymical Industry, candour of behaviour, and all kind of Learning extorted from me a promise, I could not but at this time give an Answer to them and your demands with so much clearness as may agree with former obligations, and the Rules of Secret Philosophy.

And I ingeniously profess, so far as those Rules will beare an Amplification, without a rupture, I shall for your sake, dilate arid extend them.

About 20 years ago in my travels through all England, where in my passage and short stay at that harmonious and splendid Univer­sity of Oxford, I had the favour and happiness to come to your acquaintance and be an eye witness of your great Labour and Cost bestowed on the Chymical Art.

I was filled with great joy that I found to meet together in one man, probity of behavious, variety of ingenuity, a Studious gen­ius of Pyrotechny, with the true principles of philosophy: that I had a mind in my letters to promote and illustrate the principles

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of my philosophy to you, to confirm your earnest and diligent search of the True Science: And if you will remember I gave my councel in this Thing in a letter from London, wherein I payed my Thanks for that most courteous entertainment I received from you at oxford; which undoubtedly I had performed, had I now afterwards heard that your weighty employ in Medicine, and great esteem would not hereafter permit you -to be at leasure, for chymical experi­ments. For this cause I altered my purpose, of having further acquaintance and commerce with; although I can never recruit the Veneration I have towards your signal Eminency. But when on my return to England in 1679, I heard again of your Name and fame at London; and at that thme when meeting together with my friend Beckett, I found your Love of Chymistry, not altogether extinct, but contracted, and covered over with business, like fire with hot ashes. And perceived by the furnaces newly built by which, your Chymical desire, like fire afresh stirred up, I greatly re­joiced at this Sight, both for your own sake, (being well pers­uaded that by the blessing of God) prospering your painfull sag­acity, at length you would obtain that, which would abundantly recompence your labour and Cost; as also for the sake of the Art itself, which in my opinion such an ingenious, honest and prudent Lover of it, by an undoubted Argument, how great an opinion I had of you, and how honorably I thought of you, and that I might the more confirm you in the principles and practice of philosophy, not long after in your presence, I made those two projections; And what I say ought not to be questioned, lf I affirm for certain, that, although I have been an Adept philosopher more than 40 years, I never made known myself, or the Verity of the Art to 3 persons, besides yourself. But this my silence and recess, is not to be imputed to pravity of mind, or envy, but to a just fear, and nec­essary care, which becomes every wise man to use, for his own safety. There are many examples and proofs of Dangers, Imprison­ments, and untimely deaths, which philosophers have brought upon

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themselves, to the knowledge of others. If other arguments were wanting, the things which have of late happened to my friends the philosophers ~f France, would give me sufficient admonition and what happened in times past to Raymond Lully in England, they may also teach you to be wary, if at any time the Almighty God shall Crown your Chymical Endeavours with a desired event.

Some portions of the Elixir, or Transmuting Powder have come to the hands of wicked men; but it has been a snare, and destruction to them.

But my dear friend, be fully persuaded of this, that those philo­sophers which know the nature and intimate Mysteries of this Art, were eminent in Piety and honesty, and had performed many magni­ficent and famous words to the Glory of God, the good of Mankind, and the peculiar profit of the common weale where they lived, if they doust discover their faculty of doing those things, but such is the parvity of mortal man, such the covetousness no less of the superiour, than inferiour; but no sooner has a philosopher made himself known, but he is presently exposed to imprisonment by the injurious and treacherous inclinations of ill men; nevertheless, there is extant in many countries great Monuments of liberality and magnificience and in every age great works have been performed by them which have not been publically known to be by the help of the Elixir, or to proceed from their beneficience, who were indeed the author.

I shall only produce 2 examples of their magnifience; first, that which was done by a philosopher of your own land: The 2nd. because it was done in your own country, for a Regint of unblaina­ble credit, hath noted that your countryman Ripley for many years successively sent 100,000 pounds annually to the Knights of Rhodes, to sustaine the War against the Turks.

And Raymund Lully gave to Edward Vth. King of England, six minards (?) of gold, to be spent in the holy War, waged in the Holy Land, which he made in St. Cathariries Church near the Tower of London.

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But it may clearly appear how little the philosophers esteemed vain glory, or popular applause, very many of them who set forth books have not affixed their names to the writings; and those that founded Convents, Monestarys, Hospitals, Temples, and other public Houses (many among them having taken care that such places should be erected) have not suffered their Statues to be seen in the frontispiece of the Buildings, or their names to be read or Known, they were greatly pleased with Religious words at their own proper costs, although they were built in the name of others, and serving to propagate the fame (of) other men, being abundantly content with that private applause which they had in the Theatre of their own conscience.

For this my dear friend, I would have you know, that this Mys­tical (and to speak with other philosophers) divine science, doth indowe and replenish the breasts of the happy Adepts, with cogitat­ions and affections aspiring far above the basis of this world, so that Ambition, Avarice, with other passions torturing and corr­upting the minds of other mens have little or no dominion in them and therefore they more esteem the virtues of the great Elixir for the perfect vigour of body, and most high Tranquility of mind, joined to a wonderful perspicuity which it doth stedfastly pro­duce; than for those immence riches which at their pleasure they may obtain from it.

Yet do not so interprete my sayings as tho’ I would have it believed that the Philosophers did altogether dispise the Treasures of the earth, so as to employ no part of silver or gold lawfully possessed, by them from this blessed science to their own proper uses, & etc.

For this only reason they have endeavoured carefully, by what means and methods they might, to conseale the first matter and cover and darken the verity of it, with obscure appolations: and so they do affleict, and confound the curious searchers, with Hyroglyphics, traps, Allegories, windings, and divers feigned

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names, which are taken from the various forms seen in its preparat­ion.

As from the Blackness seen in the beginning, they call it a crow, Black lead, Pitch, and any other thing that is under a black colour. From the Whiteness which from a further coction it acquires to itself the name of the Swan, White Lead and other things that by nature are Whiteish, from the divers colours which by inter­mediate vicisitudes appear, it is called the Peacocks Tail, the rainbow and the tide. From the redness which at the last it is cloathed withall, it is noted by the names of the Red Lion, Minium, and other things of a red colour: Moreover from the stink it send­eth forth in the beginning of its preparation its distinguished by the tittle of Asafoedita, and other bodies of a stinking odour.

But under these coverings the truth is veiled with artifice that it may shine to the studious and wise searchers if so be they ob­serve these rules which you before hath propounded, and heartily implore the Divine Grace, to succour their indeavours without which the great mystery cannot be understood, or at the least acquired. However let the writings of the philosophers seem never so difficult or mysterious, nevertheless the Disciples of this science are obliged to them for the pains they have sustained in composing of them. For the writers neither acquired fame, nor gain to themselves, in regard they concealed their names and per­sons; Therefore they did proceed from a desire to hold forth as it were Ariadines Clue that might lead the Sons of Art through the Labyrinth of Chymistry, and in what they could to succour their industry yet withall not to expose the Art naked to the profane vulgar, to prostitute chast Diana to the lust of the potent and rich, who are very ready, if money could do it, to procure the possession of her.

Wherefore seeing the philosophers have so well acted their parts, it behoves the Disciples of the Art to act theirs; likewise, viz. to accustome themselves to labours and pains, and by intent meditation

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and well weighed daily experiment (which are to be accounted the best comments of their Books) to obtain the interpretation of them. As to the contradictions which frequently seem to occur in chy­mical writings, they are not so really if well understood, for first, when the Philosophers Stone is by some assumed to be a natural thing; everywhere to be had, and of mean price; by others an artificial thing, no where to be found, nor to be obtained without great cost; nevertheless they speak true on either side, if they be descretely and with different grains of salt apprehended.

For when the original stone is taken for a concrete matter of which it does consist, it is rightly called natural and everywhere to be found, as well in things of small as of a great moment. But when it si considered in the State of Perfection for the im­mediate proper object of the Philosophic Work it is equally said to be the effort of Art, nowhere in nature to be had, nor to be possessed without great cost. By the same distinction the Con­tradictions used by divers philosophers concerning their Mercury are made perspicuous, and reduced to harmony.

Secondly. There are some that say the Stone is made only of one matter, viz. Argent Vive; some of two; others of three; yet neither do these sentenaces oppose one another. For it is com­pounded of Sulphur and Mercury, both which are one Thing: And although it is said to consist of 3 things, viz, individuals of SAL, SULPHUR, & MERCURY, in the purity of its nature it is simple Mercury, of a 3 fold form only in its external shape.

Although many things are brought together for our use, yet all these things ought to come into one, before they are fit ingred­ients for our Work.

Thirdly. There are Philosophers that declare the Work to be short and easily done; there are some that say it is a long bus­iness, and Hurculean Labour, they record not from the truth who affirm the first preparation of the natural matter to be painfull and very Tedious; nor they who say the Coction of the prepared

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subject to be easily and expeditions, but the different progress of the operations makes the work short to these and long to others.

Fourthly. Some dO determine the matter of the Philosophic Stone to be meerly metalline; others both Vegetable and Animal, which diversity is to be taken in and showing in reality there is no difference. For all the true and general searchers of Nature agree in this, that the stone may be made of any subject of those kinds; and thus it is best of all made of the 3 conjoined in one; but because it is necessary that the Sulphur and Mercury of the other two bodies are to be reduced into a pure Homogenious and unctuous substance, (which is the condition of a metallic nature) before they can be accomodated to the great work, therefore the matter may rightly be called metalline--a metal.

Fifthly. Some report the Elixir to be made only of Vitriol; others declare that of Vitriol alone it is by no means to be made. The same possibility of divers other subjects, both Animal sen­sitive (vegetable?) or Mineral, is alledged and decryed, yet an easy distinction will bring these different positions into concord:

For it being supposed, that Vitriol is that general substance, out of whose inward parts our Mercury may be copiously drawn, and of which alone the Philosophers Stone may be made. Yet Vitriol, as VITRIOL cannot effect this; nor Sulphur as SULPHUR; nor blood as BLOOD; nor oil as OIL, nor Lead as LEAD, nor Gold as GOLD, can any way conduce to its production: Nevertheless in every one of these individual bodies there is more or less a mercurial nature, the Spirit of Mercury, or Gold of Gold; which is efficacious and fit to perfect this work. For which cause Mercury, no less by the Philosophers than the Poets, is said to compose all contentions, and discords with his Caducean Rod, because all the Repugnations and opposite propositions of Philosophers, are softened, and re­conciled by oppositions TAKEN from the various forms and condit­ions of MERCURY, which agrees to all Things. So that if the writ­ings of Philosophers are read with due vigillancy of mind, and

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one sentence compared with another and one book with another, every one, but a little initiated in the Knowledge of nature, being exercised in the books, will plainly perceive the truth contained enough, not altogether, but dispersed in them. What one Author omits, another contains, the things that one place is silent in, are exprest in another; neither can any thing more with modesty be hoped for from them it being most insolent to expect that the philosophers should set their closets wide open, and expose their Immense Treasures to the Liberty, and Rapines of all Men.

Let the sluggish Drones of this science well consider, who re­joice in honey prepared and other labours whether he does not sufficiently express his Love and Good will, who shows the woods to others, where plenty of Pheasants and wood Cocks flock together, and the ground where Quails and Partridges frequent? And with what decency and modesty can they ask that they should be caught for their woe; cooked and dressed and put in their mouths, as meat ready chewed is thrust into the mouths of little Children?

Let a Disciple know for certain that it behoves him to play the Vulcan, and to work out his own Lot for himself. To read, to meditate, with the highest study, to spend very much labour, and (which is a harder Task to many who thus desire philosophical daintys) to pray frequently and beseech the Grace of God, who is the Giver of all good things and knows the Secrets of Hearts, whether their desires aim at a good, or evil end; for he that searches into this immence Treasure thus by this means he might satisfy the passions of the mind, or more freely indulge the Wicked pleasures of the Body, shall never bring his endeavours to the desired end, for such an abuse nature cannot; the philosopher ought not.

Divine providence will not Instruct. For although the general matter of the Stone is natural, and the Method of working to be performed by the initiation of the daily works of Nature, and the

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work itself is nothing else than a due application of ACTIVES & PASSIVES; Yet the subject matter in which the Work immediately begins, is a subtile Composition, prepared by the hands of the philosophers; and although it behoves him for a little space to follow nature, yet afterwards it is necessary that he go beyond her, otherwise he will never come to his Mark. It becomes him then to separate, and conjoin things by some means, which Nature by herself cannot make use of, so that Industry with, and sagacity by the alone conduct of nature cannot direct and show all the meanders of this work: But with how great difficulty, and with what rare success this work has been finished by the Institutions of writers, they have known by sad exposition, who being conver­sant in daily reading of books have made many and great fruitless experiments, whereby they find nothing but dangers, Impediments and almost IMPOSSIBLE Inevitable frustrations meeting every one in this work. I add that the work itself is, by the philosophers almost rendered Inseparable, as speaking of one operation when they mean another, or by omitting its beginning or end they miser­bly confound the most Knowing Searchers.

You may consider that a Carpenter (who in a structure of stairs, makes many steps not well joined together, or leaves out some, in the middle or near the top, makes rather a precipice than a right assention) to build the same way by which our Philosophers have delivered their processes to posterity to be read, and such is the frame of the ladder which they have ingeniously erected; for how many steps in the beginning have you left unmade and how many afterwards, before you have come to the top; there are many gaps between the purification and the fixation of the matter, of which I believe you are not ignorant. For purification is a Thing so difficult so many and great the turnings between purification and fixation. That even they who understand everything to be so aptly explained to render the work probably easy, and clear, are at length compelled to confess, that without the help of a Master

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or the special favour of the Diety, it cannot be performed. 

   I readily grant (what before is said) the matter of our Work  to be natural, and that nature does daily teach and show the manner of preparing our Tincture, by distillations, sublimations, solut­ions, purifications, and fixations which she continually forms, but ~.ant how occult the mediate matter is which is inclosed in the Casket of Nature, which is the Center of all things, and how greatly the way to come to it is observed by the most subtile endeavours and wit of the Philosophers.

This also being granted, with which great labours, experices, and dangers is encompassed, and are with me persuaded without without the help of much eloquence to this belief, that Heaven hath the chief dispossing of this precious matter, and Lays it up for the use of the Pious and prudent yea; truly the evils which would be perpetuated by this Art, were it more common, are of that nature for its quantity and quality that its publication would by no means conduce to the benefit of mankind, nor connist with the duty of a philosopher; Yea, I am persuaded that although an imprudent, and rash Master of this Art, should too openly make known his great Mystery (which certainly hath been done by some, nevertheless by the difficulties on the one hand, and the Incredulity of men on the other, it would be hidden and it seems to happen out not withour a certain special providence, that not only the rude, and illiter­ate vulgar, but the Learned and most Ingenious part of men, do stiffly deny and the thing itself and deride the Art as the most vague and foolish of the World, without any examination, or search of the fact, whether the matter be according to nature and any way profitable. In other controvercies sober men, and endued with Judgement endeavour to apprehend what may be understood by the thing itself before they begin. But here diffidence and denial for the most part proceed the E~camen of the question. This pre­judice and incrudulity hath deferred Thousands from the search and scrutiny of this Secret; for why, would they who believe that

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in India no gold is to be found, take so long and dangerous a journey thither to fetch gold from thence? Certainly such obst­acles will cast them in a doubtfull circumstance in their jour­ney, who set upon this work before they understand the nature of the thing, or the Right manner of proceeding, which may make void the indeavours of the hesitant. For how can any one of a weak and unstable faith keep constant in undergoing Labours, Cost, Study, Watchings, whilst he sees no other effort, but troublesome doubtings, and discourageing misfortunes, which are to be expected by all that are not well instructed in the true matter, and right manner of working.

Poritanus does expressly affirm that after he knew the true matter; yet he had erred 200 times, before he had compleated the work itself.

But I have enough harped on this string; And your Aenigmatical Stinubigavi (?) And your Ex: Sarcastical Epistle; which newly, and on purpose coyness by them, or you, to upbraid the sublime and Mystical Wisdom of the Wise, I could easily pardon: They, in the mean time no less disdain such words then the trabing of Goose, or that I may repay your Ex-new Latin Word with an old French word; Magicanori crepi ruditum.

Such reproaches will not stain your fame, because it is necessary both for the security of their persons, as well as their Secrets.

Yet they walk in the Clouds, and their writings ought not to be reproached because they are above the capacity and Intellect of the Vulgar: Besides it is an Argument of their Love and Virtue, honesty and Industry, that they do not communicate this Arcanum to the people, and it is a proof of their ingeneous subtility, that they can make this thing obscure, when its matter is so vile and common, and its operation so simple and easy, and so agreeable to the daily work of nature. Furthermore the whole mystery hath been plainly shewed by some imprudent men, that the Philosophers have been fain to strain their wits to keep the Knowledge from

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diligent but undeserving inquirers.

Wherefore that great Philosopher Lully saith, that the Composit­ion of our books is nothing else than a subtility of sagacious Art to conceal the Art. But this they could not do unless they had hidden the matter, and manner of working under the thick voices of AEnigimatical speeches, and disturbed the braines of men with equivocal words and appearing contradictions,; I confess, some contradictions may be found in the writings of some Adepts, which deserve your Ex-reproach, because they do not only disturb the candidates of this Art, but also are Injurious to nature, and derogate from her in making her less large & bountifull than indeed she is. For some do confidently assert that the secret matter is to be found in no subject but gold and Mercury: Others profess that it is hid only in Vitriol, in which subject they have wrought with success. And there are some who determine Antimony to be the only subject of the Hermetical Science and Operation. Yea almost everything which is positively affirmed by some to be the matter of this Majestery, is with the same confidence, and show of reason too, stifly derided by others, each one thinking that there is no other way to Corinth but that which himself hath gone.

But this comes to pass (as you yourself hath wisely observed, and very acutely expressed) because they were so shut up within such narrow bounds of knowledge that they have plainly been ignor­ant, what Universal Nature can produce, and what affinity there is between the essences of all things, especially of Minerals; and how eagerly Nature herself hath laid the most solid foundation of making gold. From whence it is evident that not only the sub­tile endeavours of very many; but also the ignorance of some Adepts, hath obscured the Art; and rendered it so difficult, as not to be acquired without a Master, or by revelation.

There is no need for me longer to swell on this Theme, of which, as well as other things we have so accurately discoursed and cer­tainly above all other that ever I have known; and therefore I had

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here made a conclusion, if we had not obtained particular solut­ions to some questions annexed to your Epistle, which now I shall subjoin, with all the clearness I may.

Of the Matter of the Stone.

As to the Matter of the Stone, you yourself who have made so fair a description of it, and so sagaciously searched it out, then to its original, cannot be altogether unable to answer your own question, because, as you have well known; It is the Virtue of the Heaven and Earth, and all the Elements, and so diffused through the whole world, and essential to everything, that nothing can remain one moment without it, By it the Sun rejoices as a Giant to run his race; by it he governs the day, and gives his masculine heat to all things; by it the Moon governs the night, and lets down his fertile Menstruum to the Earth; by it the clouds drop fatness, and the ground brings forth its timely fruits; the Birds of the Air the fish of the Sea, the Beasts of the Earth bring it to you. Adam brought it into the World with him; and dying, brought it into his Sepulchre; neither can the Vilest creature of the World; nor any element be without this fiery essence and this subtile Earth; which joined together make a viscous and oily water, which is the matter of the Majistery. So that it may rightly be called a Thing of small price, because it is so common; and at the same time esteemed most precious, for its wonderful power and difficult Asquisition; for it is covered and locked up in the Center of all the Concretes; so that neither human Art without Industry and Cost; nor riches and labour, without the Divine Bless­...