Of Elias the Artist: Or, What we are to understand by Elias the Artist, and what he is to reform in the World at his coming

VIZ.

The true Spagyrical Medicin of the Ancient Egyptian Philosophers, which has been lost for above 1000 Years, and will be restored by him, and illustrated with many new Inventions, by rejecting much unprofitable Smut-work, and pointing out a nearer and better way to obtain good Medicines, with little Trouble or Charges; which true Medicine he will bring along with him, and declare the same to the present deceived World. Translated out of the High-Dutch.

Courteous Reader,

Towards the end of my last published Treatise concerning the Infernal Goddess Proserpina, I took occasion to mention, that probably soon after my Death, the long-since fore-told Elias Artista would appear, and bring along with him a great Light, to enlighten the dark World, enabling them to reject the Evil, and embrace that which is good: As likewise, that many great changes will happen in divers Kingdoms, and especially in the Roman Empire, where one Potentate will overcome the other, and make himself Master of his Dominions. I there also shewed what, Paracelsus hath declared concerning Elias Artista, and fundamentally confuted the groundless Opinion of some Persons concerning the same in my Fourth Part of the Prosperity of Germany, shewing that that Prophecy is not to be understood according to the Letter, and to be meant of some great Man in the World, but Magically; for the word Elias by transposition of Letters, makes out Salia, and so likewise doth the word Elisha, as I have formerly explained these words in my Treatise of the Nature of Salts. Elias Artista therefore according to the style of Philosophers, signifies extraordinary and unknown Salts, by which great and incredible things may be performed, and accordingly when manifested, will be the cause of great changes in the World.

These Salts were known to the Philosophers of old, who yet did not think fit any further to open themselves concerning them, than in declaring, that the Philosophers Stone must be prepared by them. Turba Philosophorum speaking concerning this matter, saith, This our Salt encreases the Redness in ☉, and whiteness in ☽, and further, if God had not created this Salt it were impossible to make the Elixir. It is probable, that the Philosophers who wrote concerning this wonderful Salt, had no knowledge of any other, supposing that this Salt only was proper to extract and prepare Tinctures. I must acknowledge there is no Salt in the World, that hath such virtue to encrease and exalt the Tincture in common as well as Philosophical ☉ and ☽, and that as it were in a moment, as soon as the Monarch of Salts is added to them. Neither doth our Salt only exalt, but it also joyns the King of Metals so indissolubly with his Queen, that no Art can separate them. A thing worth our wonder, that a Volatile white Salt should have the power to meliorate ☉ and ☽, and to exalt the same permanently. For to give some further light to the matter, I declare, that this Salt of which the Turba speaks, doth sublime white, and being dissolved in Water, gives a white Solution: It is white, and continues white both in and out of the Fire, and is altogether Volatile, for which reason I have called it my Secret Salt Armoniack; but as soon as it is join’d with ☉ or ☽ it becomes fix, and makes the ☉ and ☽ fixer than they were before, affording them a kind of plusquam perfection, and inseparable Conjunction. Let none think that this Salt of which I here speak, is like, or the same with that, which is made of Oyl of Vitriol and Spirit of Urine, of which I have treated in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopæa Spagyrica; for this our Sovereign Salt has no affinity with that, for as much as that Salt makes all things Volatile, and separates their purer part by Sublimation from the gross fæces, but this our white Salt, though it be unfixt it self, yet has the power to fix unfixt Metals, so as to endure the Test, provided always that the virtue of this unfixt Salt, be first fixed by its conjunction with ☉ and ☽. For the whole substance of this Salt (which the Philosophers have called a Bishop or High Priest) when ☉ and ☽ as King and Queen are inseparably join’d by it, doth not abide with the ☉ and ☽, but only by its hidden Tincture and Virtue, whereby it exalts all colours, the unprofitable body of the Salt separating from them, as soon as the Conjunction is made, even as a Priest, when he has join’d two Persons in Wedlock goes his way, having performed his Office. And indeed this inseparable Conjunction of ☉ and ☽, may well be compared with the Conjunction in Marriage performed by a Priest; for as when the Priest has join’d two Parties together in Wedlock, they must inseparably continue so till death; so likewise when the Metallic Copulation of ☉ and ☽ is performed by means of our Metallick High Priest, consecrated by Jupiter, then are their Bodies thence forward inseperable; the Water finds no ingress into them, the Air cannot pierce them, and Earth much less, yea, the strongest of all Elements, the Fire hath no power over them, but, like a Married Couple, abide together in all contrariety and adversity, and according to their Kind do multiply in infinitum, being supported with due Food and Nourishment; for we know, that except we be refreshed and strengthened with Meat and Drink, we can neither live nor multiply; the multiplying virtue in many and all Creatures proceeding from the Nourishment they take in. And the same we are to understand also concerning the Metallick Multiplication, for when ☉ and ☽ are permanently conjoined, by means of the Metallick High Priest, this alone is not sufficient in order to their multiplication, but they moreover must be supported with convenient Meat and Drink. And as Man at his first coming into the World is nourish’d with his Mothers Milk, in like manner the Philosophers do feed their ☉ and ☽ with their Mothers Milk, that is, with their first Essence, from whence they deriv’d their Original. Now we know that in contemptible Antimony, the first Ens of ☉, is copiously to be found, and may with ease be drawn thence, in the appearance of Milk, with which ☉ and ☽ are to be nourished in order to their Multiplication and Increase. The Nourishment then wherewith our conjoined ☉ and ☽ are to be refreshed, and disposed to a Multiplication in infinitum, is our Lac Virginis, Virgin Milk and Mercurial Water, which strengthens and increaseth the Procreative Seed in ☉ and ☽ both in quantity and quality. Wherefore also this feeding or inceration has always been recommended by the Philosophers, as a most necessary thing, whereby, as it were, a new life, and multiplying virtue is communicated to the inseparably united ☉ and ☽.

Furthermore we are to know, that after common ☉ and ☽ by means of the Salt of Art, are inseparably conjoined and exalted in their colours; yet nothing can be performed with them, because they want an ingress into other Metals, which they have lost by their Conjunction, which therefore must be restored to them by means of our mercurial Water, which not only communicates Ingress, but also easie Fluxibility and Multiplication to the destroyed Bodies of ☉ and ☽. For when our ☿ Water is fixed in Conjunction with the fixt ☉ and ☽, then it is no longer a Volatile ☿, but is changed by the exalted ☉ and ☽ to a fixt Tincture. This done, if we would multiply this Tincture, we must add to it some of our Mercurial Water, and fix them together as before, which Multiplication we may repeat as oft as we please. For when once ☉ and ☽ are made irreducible and more than perfect, by means of our Salt of Art, we need never after to begin our Work a-new, but only mingle the fixt with the volatile in order to their Fixation; seeing that our Mercurial Water is in its inside better than ☉, for which reason also it turns the ☉ and ☽ when fixed with them into mere Tincture. Let no Man wonder why in this Operation we join ☉ and ☽ together, and not rather make use of ☉ alone, forasmuch as this ☽ hath no colour at all outwardly, though in its inside it be higher of colour than ☉ it self, both which Metals nevertheless, except their colours be exalted by the Salt of Art, and Inceration, without our Mercurial Water can never be changed into a true Tincture, because ☉ and ☽ have no mere Tinctures than is sufficient for themselves, but being exalted by the tinging Salt of Art, they are capable of colouring white Metals, but not before. Indeed ☉ alone without the addition of ☽ may be exalted by our Salt of Art, and Mercurial Water into a Red Tincture. In like manner also may ☽ alone be exalted in its whiteness by our Salt of Art, and ☿, one part of which exalted ☽ tingeth many parts of ♀ into good and fixt ☽♀, for our ☿ wherewith we incerate and multiply, may be fixed into a Red or White Tincture, according to the ferment we join with it, with ☉ it makes a red, and with ☽ a white Tincture. However the best way is to put ☉ and ☽♀ together in due weight and proportion, exalting them with the Salt of Art, by which means the whiteness in ☽♀ when join’d with ☉, becomes changed into Redness, of which mine Eyes are Witness. Of this Exaltation of ☉ into a high purple colour, and of ☽♀ into the highest whiteness, I gave an Ocular Demonstration to some of my Friends, before my Sickness, but none of them have since undertaken the Work, and my self by Sickness have been hindered hitherto.

Ovid excellently describes the preparation of this Tincture, where he tells us, that Jupiter, having chang’d himself into a Golden Rain, fell through the Tiles into the Lap of Danaë, (shut up by her Father Acrisius King of the Argives in a strong Tower) and got her with Child, of whom afterwards Perseus was born, who in process of time being mounted on the Winged Horse Pegasus, killed the Sea-Monster, delivering the fair Andromeda, whom he took to Wife; and afterwards vanquished the Gorgons, and made himself Master of the Golden-fruit-bearing-Orchard. In which Fable the whole Work is clearly and punctually described, but the reason why it is so little understood, is, because so few makes it their business to consider thereof, or put their hands to the Work. For attentively considering the matter, we find that the King of the Argives, in the sense of the Philosophers, is our Black Lead, whence we prepare our Snow-white Virgin Milk or Mercurial Water, which is the Beautiful Danaë, that becomes inpregnate by Jupiter’s Golden Rain. Archivum signifies a Treasury of secret and important Records, and no Subjects contains more secrets, than doth our Black Magnesia. What is more lovely to behold than Jupiter’s Golden Rain, whereby the fair Danaë becomes impregnate? And from whence does this Rain proceed, but from our Salt of Art, without which it were impossible for ♃ to change the ☉ into such a desirable Rain? What is the Beautiful Andromeda else, but Diana the Consort of Apollo, who is exposed to the Sea-Monster to be devoured, and is delivered by Perseus. And, in a word, the whole Work of preparing a Tincture from the foresaid Subjects is so clearly set down by Ovid, as it could not well be set down more clearly; and yet how little is it understood, by reason of the general Stupidity and inadvertency of the Readers. I have here discovered all the ingredients belonging to this Tincture, so as nothing remains, except putting hand to the Work, and begging God’s Blessing upon it: For no good thing was ever the effect of idleness: But Praying, Seeking, and unwearied Labour, are the Well-Springs of all useful Arts.

And herewith I shall conclude the use of the Salt of Art, in preparing the universal Tincture upon all Metals, transmuting the same into ☉ and ☽♀. I suppose it hath been sufficiently made out, that the foretold Elias Artista is nothing else, but this our Salt of Art, whereby the Redness in ☉, and Whiteness in ☽♀ are exalted into Tincture. Wherefore also this Salt, by those who know its use, has been called the Monarch of Salts: For every Species of things hath its Monarch, excelling all the rest of the same kind; upon which account, Paracelsus, who in his Life-time had not his Peer, obtain’d the Title of Philosophers, Physicians and Monarch of Chymists. Forasmuch therefore, as our Salt of Art hath not its like in the World, for working Wonders in Alchimy, it may well be call’d the King of Salts: Tho’ indeed there be one only Salt which excels him, as far as Elias excell’d his Servant Elisha: For as Elias went up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot, leaving his Mantle to Elisha, so this Salt may more properly be compared to Elisha than Elias, because Elisha staid here beneath, and did not ascend to Heaven, as Elias did. Now the Chymists generally prefer that, which ascends by the force of the Fire, before that which stays behind, tho’ this Rule be not without Exceptions; for that which remains is not always to be rejected, because sometimes much good lies hid in it: As we may perceive in Elias his Ascension to Heaven, who left his Mantle behind, which was not without Virtue, as appeared when Elisha with it divided the River Jordan, going over dry-shod. The Chymists commonly call that which remains after Distillation, or Sublimation, Caput Mortuum, but without good ground, because in that which stays behind, often a great vivifying Virtue lies hid. This we may gather from the Virtue (as has been said) remaining in the Mantle of Elias, and in the dead bones of Elisha, which as soon as it touch’d the dead Body, raised it again to Life: If Elias his Mantle had been a dead thing, Elisha could never have divided Jordan therewith, nor could Elisha’s bones have raised the dead to Life, if they had been dead and without Power. Consider well what I have said, and you will find more in it, than I dare more plainly declare; remembring always, that Jordan is nothing else, but our ☿ Water.

Concerning the Salt of Art.

Having already heard, how by means of the fixative Salt of Art, common ☉ and ☽♀ may be prepared into a Tincture, for the cure of Men and Metals; it now remains to be declared, how, by means of the Volatilizing Salt of Art, most excellent Medicines may with ease, and small Charges, in a very short time be prepared, out of all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals. We are here to take Notice, as has been already hinted, that the Property of our Salt of Art, is, to make the volatile Metallick Subjects fixt; of which fixative Property, notwithstanding it may in a few hours, easily and without Charges be devested, and a Power of Volatilizing all things introduced into it, instead thereof, by which, incredible things may then be performed, both in Physick and Alchimy. Of which Wonder-working Salt, the present World knows nothing at all, and probably nothing will be known of it, till God shall permit it to be revealed by Elias the Artist. What I know of it, I am willing to communicate for common Good, not doubting, but that God in his due time by means of Good men will reveal the rest. To volatize this fixative Salt of Art, is an easie thing to the Wise, but to the Ignorant altogether incredible; though it be no difficult thing to me, to make it credible and apparent, which if thou wouldest do likewise, proceed thus: Pour upon our Salt of Art, in due proportion good Spirit of Wine, which draw off by Distillation, and you will have a wonderful Spirit, of great Virtue; but you will find your Salt of Art so weakened, as it cannot be used again: But the Spirit of Wine, impregnated with the Virtue of the Salt, performs Wonders, that were never yet made known to the World, of which we shall hear more hereafter. For the Spirit of Wine in this abstraction hath its Virtue multiplied ten fold, so as it not only extracts the Essence of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, both easily and suddenly, carrying them over the Helm; but also extracts the Tinctures from ☉ and ☽, and all precious and common Stones, and brings them over. Of which Extraction and Separation of the tinging Soul from fixt and unfixt Bodies, no Philosopher hitherto hath divulged any thing. Let us now take a view of the great Secrets, which may be obtained by means of our Alcolized Spirit of Wine. Paracelsus had an Alcolized Spirit of Wine, which he called Alcohol vini, with which he did great things; but it is not likely, that his Alcohol vini was of the same Virtue, as mine here described; for if so, it could not have been so long concealed. However it be, we cannot deny Paracelsus the Title of Monarch of Physicians and Alchymists, though he may have been ignorant of our Salt of Art, with which our Alcohol vini is prepared; for no Body knows all things; and God bestows his Gifts, as best pleaseth him.

But to our return to our Alcohol vini, and the manner of using it. First we are to take Notice, that as for Vegetables and Animals, they are to be reduced to Powder, if they be dry, but if fresh, they need only to be a little bruised or chopt, and then pour upon them our Alcohol vini; if the Subjects be dry, we may digest a while before abstraction, but in Case they be moist, we may distil the Spirit immediately, which carries over with it all the Virtue of the said Vegetables and Animals, together with the Taste and Smell, and poured upon Flowers, and distill’d, sometimes brings over their Colours also, which hitherto hath been looked upon as very difficult, if not impossible. But before we make use of it upon Minerals, we must prepare them, for our Alcohol vini is not strong enough to lay hold on hard Minerals, and compact Metals, so as to extract their Essences, and therefore they must be first opened with Waters, that are not Corrosive, and afterwards be digested with our Alcohol vini and then distilled; which being performed in this Order, the Alcohol will carry their Essences with it over the Helm. This is the true Preparation of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, in order to the extracting of your Essences, by means of our Alcohol vini. But here we must observe, that this Preparation of fixt Metals, by opening of their Bodies, must be done with fixt Liquors, and not Volatile; for if the dissolvent were Volatile, it would come over in Distillation with the Spirit of Wine, and spoil all; because after Distillation, the Spirit of Wine must be separated from the Essence it hath brought over with it; now if the dissolvent, by being Volatile, should come over the Helm, it would remain with the Medicine, and consequently spoil it. We are therefore to remember, that this dissolvent must be Firey, not Corrosive, without any Smell or bad Taste: The dissolvent being as necessary to our Work, as is the Spirit of Wine it self: Wherefore he who intends to plant good Fruit, in this Gold-bearing Orchard, must be provided with both these Keys, viz. with a Menstruum, not Corrosive, to dissolve Metals and Minerals, and with a well prepared Alcolized Spirit of Wine, without which, he cannot obtain the Tincture of Metals.

Having thus spoken of the foregoing Preparation of Vegetable, Animals and Minerals, in general: I shall now proceed to shew in particular, how out of them most surpassing, and excellent Medicines may be prepared.

And first to begin with Vegetables; their Essences are to be distilled in Balneo, with a moderate heat, changing the Recipient when it is needful: For that which comes over, first is of another Nature, than that which distils next, and that again differs from that which comes last. There are some Vegetables, that first give their best part, and the worst last, whereas in others, the worst comes first, and the best stays till the last. For the rest, it is easily apprehended, that the Virtue of Flowers and Herbs; especially when green and tender, doth more easily yield to Distillation, and come over sooner than the Essence of hard Wood, which is more closely shut up in its Body. He that proceeds aright in this Work, will meet with great delight and Satisfaction, and bless God for the Communication of this Light. For our Alcolized Spirit of Wine brings over Vegetable Essences, of a most fragrant Odour, which common Spirit of Wine can never do: We may indeed extract Vegetables, and Minerals with common Spirit of Wine, but cannot carry the said extracted Essences over the Helm: Which extracts made with common Spirit of Wine, are not to be compared with those, which our Alcohol vini brings over with it, differing as much as the shell from the kernel. For our Essences, as soon as they are taken into the Body, penetrate it throughout, passing every where to find out their Enemies, and when found Attack, and put them to flight, which gross Medicines cannot perform. The like Virtue is also in those ☿ Salts, Tinctures or Souls of Metals, that come over in the flame of the distilled Spirit of Wine, which also penetrate the Body throughout, chasing their Enemies before them; and the Tinctures of Stones in the same manner prepared do the like. Which we must not so understand, as if the Alcolized Spirit of Wine were to be taken into the Body, together with the Tincture, for indeed it must be separated from it. As for instance, when I have brought over the Quintessence of Flints or Crystals, with our Alcohol vini, and have a mind to make use of it against the Stone in the Bladder or Kidneys, or Stones that are grown in the joynts, I must not exhibit this Essence, as it is mixed with the Spirit of Wine, for if so, the good effect, that might be looked for from the Essence, would be spoiled by the great heat of the Spirit of Wine, which is the reason the same must be separated from the Essence, before it can be given inwardly. Now this Separation cannot be done by Distillation, because both would come over together. Neither can the Tincture, or Essence of the Stone, be separated from the Spirit of Wine, by Precipitation. What is to be done therefore in this Case? The only way to attain our desire is, to kindle the burning Spirit, and let it flame away under a large and capacious Helm or Head, made for that purpose; by which means the Spirit of Wine is consumed in the flame, and the incombustible Essence of Crystal remains in form of a sweet and pleasant Oyl. We are also to note, that in this burning away of the Spirit of Wine, the Sulphur of Wine only is consumed, and the incombustible ☿ of Wine, being condensed in the Head, falls into the Receiver, in the appearance of a sweet Water. [see more of this instrument in the Sixth Part of Phar. Spagyr.]

N. B. We are to observe, that the most highly rectified Spirit of Wine, is much about half water, which water ascends with the flame, and is caught in the Recipient. Yet is not this ⛛ any common ⛛, but indeed a powerful ⛛ of Life, especially when the Spirit of Wine hath been rectified from Aromatical, or Medicinal Subjects, but even without this, it is of very good use, because the incombustible ☿ of Wine lies hid in it, and may be separated from it, by abstracting the said ⛛ in a very gentle vaporous Bath, which done, the ☿ of Wine stays behind, in the form of a white lovely Salt, full of heavenly Powers and Virtues: For which cause this Salt or ☿ of Wine, hath been always termed by the Philosophers, Heavenly Salt.

It is likewise to be noted, that after the ⛛ is abstracted from the Spirit of Wine, the said ⛛ is not devoid of all Virtue, as invisibly containing some part of the foresaid Heavenly Salt, especially if the Spirit of Wine in its Rectification, hath been impregnated with Spices, or other good Subjects: For according to the different impregnation of the Spirit of Wine, the Heavenly Salt, or ☿ of Wine, will be more or less powerful. Thus we have seen in what manner the Essences of Flints and Chrystals are to be prepared, with the help of our Alcohol vini.

When this Spirit of Wine Crystallized is kindled and burnt away under a large Head, the greatest part of the Essence of Crystals remains behind, in the form of a pleasant clear Liquor, which is the most Sovereign Medicine against all Diseases proceeding from Tartar, viz. Stone in the Bladder, Kidneys and other parts of the Body, which it dissolves, and carries off. But the most pure part of the Crystals mounts with the flame into the Helm, in form of a clear Water, which when abstracted in a vaporous Bath the ☿ of Crystals stays behind, in form of a lovely white Salt, which is of far greater power in the Stone, Gout, and like Diseases, than the fixt Oyl or Liquor, which remains in the Vessel after the Spirit of Wine is burnt away. In like manner, we may proceed with other Stones. Yet we are to understand, that all Stones have not the same Nature or Property: Thus we find Several sorts of Crystal, viz. some White, Transparent and clear, others White, but Opake and dark, also Green, Blew, Yellow, Red, and Black Crystals, all which by the help of Salts, are melted into Glass of several Colours. Amongst these Crystals are also reckoned. Flints, Pebbles, Gravel and Sand, which likewise suffer themselves with Salts to be melted into Glass. All these forementioned Stones, may with Alkalick Salts be melted, and afterwards by Deliquium be resolved into a Liquor, concerning which Liquors, I have treated at large in the Second Part of my Furnaces.

These Stones that suffer themselves to be melted, with the Addition of Alkalies, may also, with Lead-ashes, be reduced to transparent Glass. Whereas precious Stones, viz. Diamonds, Rubies, Saphirs, Jacinths, Granates, &c. are of a quite different Nature, which neither by Alkalies, nor Lead, can be run down into Glass: Wherefore also none have been found hitherto, that have been able from them to prepare any good Medicine, as not yielding to the most Corrosive Waters whatsoever.

N. B. And though indeed, I know a way to dissolve them without any Corrosive, yet do not I think it proper, to Communicate the same in this publick manner.

There is another sort of Stones, which are commonly found in Rich and fat Earth, and sometimes also in Rivers or Brooks, such as Lapis Judaicus, Lyncis and others, which being not very hard, may be dissolved in good Spirit of Salt, which Solutions are by some of our common Chymists used against the Stone, but without any good Success, forasmuch as the Body of the Stone is not at all meliorated by being dissolved in Spirit of Salt, but rather made worse; because by this means, there is no Separation of the pure from the impure. But if any Man will take the pains to reduce these Stones into Essences, in the way before specified, he will find them much more available in all sorts of Tartarous Distempers.

There are also several kinds of Lime-stone, which cannot be melted with Addition of Alkalies, or the Ashes of Lead, but by a strong Fire are burnt into Lime. Amongst which Lime-Stones, we may reckon the Ludus of Van Helmont, which like other Limestones, may be sublimed with our strong ♓, and afterwards reduced into a Liquor, of which I have treated elsewhere, and particularly in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica. Out of these Stones, after they have been first burnt into Lime, a most excellent Medicine may be prepared against all kinds of the Gout: Basil Valentine assuring us, that he with Essence of quick Lime, cured the Chancellor of the Emperour of Germany of the Gout: Which we may the rather believe, because Basil Valentine knew the way of separating the ☿ from the Spirit of Wine, by enkindling it; and hath also described an instrument of Copper, for performing that Operation: And knowing all this, he could not be unacquainted, that the Essence of Quick-lime, being united with Spirit of Wine, and afterwards meliorated, and putrified by burning it away, was separable from it, which he having reduced to Practice, obtained this excellent Medicine for curing of the Gout.

We are further to know, that there be other, and better Stones, to prepare an universal Medicine against the Gout and Stone, by means of our Alcohol vini, after they have been first burnt into Lime, viz. Oyster shells, which, being burnt afford a Lime that is very Caustick; and of a like Nature are all Sea-productions, viz. the Stones that are found in Spunges, all sorts of Coral, Pearl, and Mother of Pearl, all which may be reduced by Fire, into a Lime of great and excellent use.

But above all other Stones, I esteem those that are found in Beasts, Birds, Fishes or Man, which being reduced into a Calx, and their Essences extracted with our Alcohol Vini, may then be brought into a pleasant Liquor of great Use.

Amongst Fishes, the best Stones are found in Haddocks and Whitings, Crabs Eyes also are very good, but must be calcined before they can be of any good use in Physick; for without that, they are more proper to generate the Stone, than to expel it.

Having thus declared, how, from some Stones, good Medicaments may be prepared against the Gout and Stone both of the Bladder and Kidney; we will next shew, what kind of Stones are proper to be extracted with our Alcohol Vini, in order to the obtaining of true Tinctures for Men and Metals. For all Stones that have good fixt colours, are not therefore fit to have their Tinctures extracted; because some of the Precious Stones are too costly, though we should only make use of their Fragments. Some will not submit to any Operation, viz. Granates, Saphires, Rubies, Jacinths, Emralds, Turkoises, &c. though they abound with much fixt Tincture; whereas all those Stones which are high of colour, and suffer themselves to be dissolved, are proper for this work, because without preceding Solution, it is impossible to extract the Tincture from hard and compact Bodies: Wherefore we must make choice of Stones that are soluble, and abound with fixt Tincture, viz. Green and Red Jasper Stones, Lapis Lazuli, and the Black Magnesia which contain abundance of Solar Tincture. All Stones likewise that are high coloured, and break smooth like Glass, whether found on Mountains or in Brooks, are good for this purpose.

It was because of this Solar Tincture abounding in the Jasper Stone, that the Ancients preferr’d it before ☉, as containing a most high and excellent Tincture. A very rich Tincture may also be extracted from the Lapis Lazuli; and from the Black Magnesia, (which is not costly) a richer. Let us therefore take this despised Stone in hand, and see how easily its Tincture, by means of our Alcohol Vini may be extracted, and what uses it serves for, as well in Physick as Alchimy.