operation which brings the QjQ, into being in the first, 



matter T >. 



second and third work, is not the heat of a / jj nor of 



* bath 



LJLJ nor of * '** nor of the other y\ which ^""^ 



\ 



horse-dung ashes fire philosophers 



excogitate in their books. Shall I demand then what is it 

 that perfects the work, since the wise men have thus con- 

 cealed it? Truly, being moved with a generous spirit, I will 

 declare it, with the complement of the whole work. 



The Lapis Philosophorunij therefore, is but one though 

 'it has many names, which before you conceive them will be 



very difficult. For it is of \/ /\ /\ \/ it is (37 



water, air, fire, earth; salt, 



and phlegm; it is sulfurous, yet is argent vive; 



sulfur, mercury 



it has many superfluities which are turned into the true 

 essence by the help of our fire. He which separates anything 

 from the subject or matter, thinking it to be necessary, 

 wholly errs in his philosophy. That which is superfluous, 

 unclean, filthy, feculent, and in a word, the whole substance 

 of the subject is transmuted or changed into a perfect, fixed 

 and spiritual body, by the help of our fire which the wise 

 men never revealed. 



Now the practical part is this : let the ^ be taken 



matter 



and diligently ^ with the contrition of " , put it 



ground philosophers 



upon the /\ with such a n that it only excite or 



fire degree of heat 



138 



