242 PARACELSUS 



with the action of the intellect, that consists in collecting 

 and comparing ideas. " All things are hidden within 

 all things. One of them is their concealer, and at the 

 same time their body and vehicle, external, visible, and 

 movable. All things are revealed within this vehicle, 

 for it is a corporified spirit ; but the spirit thereof has 

 no name." Translated into modern language this means : 

 "Mercury represents divine wisdom. The whole of 

 Nature is a vehicle and visible manifestation of the wisdom 

 of God ; but God Himself cannot be described. He is 

 the universal life, the root of all consciousness and know- 

 ledge, and the will of divine wisdom." 



2. 1/ Jupiter. Universal primordial substance and 

 'power. " Within the body of Jupiter are contained all 

 the other six metals in a spiritual state, each always 

 still deeper hidden and more remote than the one that 

 precedes." This means that, of all the seven principles, 

 each contains the other six either actively or potentially. 

 Thus, even within a stone or an oyster there is a hidden 

 spark of divinity, such as may become conscious and mani- 

 fest in the constitution of man. 



3 . $ Mars. Universal energy. The will. " Mars, owing 

 to its combative energy, is enabled to gain glory and to 

 assume the place of the king. Care will have to be taken 

 that he does not become captured. We must see how 

 we can raise him up and combine O and (( with ^ in the 

 place of Mars." This indicates that we should seek to 

 attain a powerful will, but avoid letting that will become 

 subservient to matter ( ^ ). This is done by combining 

 our imagination ((I) with wisdom (0). 



4. $ Venus. Love, identical with Knowledge ; because 

 true love is the spiritual recognition of the true self. 

 " The six other metals have formed a corruptible external 

 body with the quality of Venus ; but all combustible things 

 can be changed by the power of fire." This is to say 

 that human love is at present bound up with many im- 

 purities, but when the true fire of love awakens, these 



