42 The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony. 



wards sublimed, the wine can never 

 thenceforth become vinegar, even though 

 it were kept a hundred years, but would 

 always remain spirit of wine, just as the 

 vinegar always remains vinegar. 



This change of wine into vinegar is 

 a wonderful thing, for thereby something 

 is actually produced out of the wine 

 which did not before exist in its vege- 

 table essence. In the distillation of wine 

 the first product is a spirit ; in the distil- 

 lation of vinegar the first product is a 

 watery substance, and thus a spirit, as I 

 explained above. Hence the spirit of 

 wine, being itself volatile, renders other 

 things volatile, but the spirit of vinegar 

 fixes and renders solid all medicaments, //, 

 both mineral and vegetable, so that they 

 attract fixed matter and expel fixed 

 diseases. 



Pay diligent attention to this fact, 

 and observe it well, for here lies the 

 master key of our whole Art.* 



* Do not blindly believe these and similar assertions of 

 Basilius, but keep your eyes wide open. Herein is the first 

 key, herein the chief point of the whole Art. This will open 



