The Seventh Book: Of the Transmutation of Naturall things.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Sedziwój, Michal, Paracelsus, and French, John
Of the Transmutation of Naturall things.
f wee write of the Transmutation of all Naturall things, it is fit, and necessary that in the first place wee shew what Transmutation is. Secondly, what bee the degrees to it. Thirdly, by what Medium’s, and how it is done.
What Transmutation is.
Transmutation therefore is, when a thing loseth its form, and is so altered, that it is altogether unlike to its former substance, and form, but assumes another form, another essence, another colour, another vertue, another nature, or property, as if a Metall bee made glasse, or stone: if a stone bee made a coale: if wood be made a coal: clay be made a stone, or a brick: a skin bee made glew: cloth bee made paper, and many such like things. All these are Transmutations of Naturall things.
There are seven principal degrees of transmutation.
After this, it is very necessary also to know the degrees to Transmutation, and how many they be. And they are no more then seven. For although many doe reckon more, yet there are no more but seven, which are principall, and the rest may bee reckoned betwixt the degrees, being comprehended under those seven: And they are these,
Calcination, Sublimation, Solution, Putrefaction, Distillation, Coagulation, Tincture.
If any one will climbe that Ladder, he shall come into a most wonderfull place, that hee shall see, and have experience of many secrets in the Transmutation of Naturall things.
What Calcination is, and its kinds are.
The first degree therefore is Calcination, under which also are comprehended Reverberation, and Cementation. For betwixt these there is but little difference as for matter of Calcination: Wherefore it is here the chiefest degree. For by Reverberation, and Cementation, many corporeall things are calcined, and brought into Ashes, and especially Metalls. Now what is calcined is not any further reverberated, or cemented.
By Calcination therefore all Metalls, Mineralls, Stones, Glasse, &c. and all corporeall things are made a Coal, and Ashes, and this is done by a naked strong Fire with blowing, by which all tenacious, soft, and fat earth is hardened into a stone, Also all stones are brought into a Calx, as wee see in a Potters furnace of lime, and brickes.
What Sublimation is, and its kinds.
Sublimation is the second degree, and one of the most principall for the Transmutation of many Naturall things: under which is contained Exaltation, Elevation, and Fixation; and it is not much unlike Distillation. For as in Distillation the water ascends from all flegmatick, and watery things, and is separated from its body; so in Sublimation, that which is spirituall is raised from what is corporeall, and is subtilized, volatile from fixed, and that in dry things, as are all Mineralls, and the pure is separated from the impure.
Besides Sublimation, many good vertues, and wonderfull things are found out in Mineralls, and many things are made fixed, and become constant, so as to abide in the Fire, and that in this manner.
Let that which is sublimed be ground, and mixed with its feces, and bee againe sublimed as before, which must bee done so long, till it will no longer sublime, but all will remaine together in the bottom, and bee fixed.
The fixation of Mineralls into a stone.
So there will bee afterward a stone, and oyle when and as oft as thou pleasest, viz. if thou puttest it into a cold place, or in the aire in a Glass. For there it will presently bee dissolved into an Oyle. And if thou puttest it againe into the fire, it will againe bee coagulated into a Stone of wonderfull, and great vertue. Keep this as a great secret, and mystery of Nature, neither discover it to Sophisters. Moreover, as in Sublimation many Corrosive things are made sweet in the conjunction of two matters, so on the contrary, many sweet things are made Corrosive: many sweet things are made sowre, harsh, or bitter; and on the contrary, many bitter things as sweet as Sugar.
Rules concerning Salt Armoniack.
Here also wee must take notice, that every Metal which is brought into Sublimation by Salt Armoniack, may afterward in the cold, or in the aire bee brought into an oyle, and againe bee coagulated into a stone in the Fire, which indeed is one of the chiefest, and greatest Transmutations in all naturall things, viz. to transmute Metall into a Stone.
What Solution is, and its kinds.
The third degree is Solution, under which are to bee understood Dissolution, and Resolution, and this degree doth most commonly follow Sublimation, and Distillation, viz. that the matter be resolved which remaines in the bottome.
Now Solution is twofold: the one of Cold, the other of Heat; the one without Fire, the other in Fire.
A cold dissolution dissolves all Salts, all Corrosive things, & all calcined things. Whatsoever is of a Salt, and Corrosive quality, is by it dissolved into Oyle, Liquor, or Water. And this is in a moist, cold cellar, or else in the Aire on a marble, or in a glasse. For whatsoever is dissolved in the cold, contains an Airy spirit of Salt, which oftentimes it gets, and assumes in Sublimation, or Distillation. And whatsoever is dissolved in the cold, or in the Aire, may again by the heat of the Fire bee coagulated into powder, or a stone.
What things a hot Solution dissolves.
But a hot Solution dissolves all fat, and sulphureous things. And whatsoever the heat of the Fire dissolves, the same doth coldnesse congeal into a Masse.
A double Solution viz. of Heat and Cold.
And whatsoever heat coagulates, is again dissolved by cold, or in the Aire. Here also we must know that whatsoever Aire, or the Cellar doth resolve, is of a very great drynesse, and hath a secret corrosive Fire hid in it: so whatsoever is dissolved in Fire, or in the heat thereof, hath a sweetish frigidity out of the Fire. Thus, and no otherwise is Solution to be understood.
Putrefaction what it is, and its kind.
Putrefaction is the fourth degree, under which is comprehended Digestion, and Circulation.
Now then Putrefaction is one of the principall degrees, which indeed might deservedly have been the first of all, but that it would be against the true order, and mystery, which is here hid, and known to few: For those degrees must, as hath been already said, so follow one the other, as links in a chain, or steps in a ladder.
The aforesaid order of Degrees is to be observed in making tinctures.
For if one of the linkes should bee taken away, the chain is discontinued, and broken, and the prisoners would bee at liberty, and runne away. So in a ladder, if one step bee taken away in the middle, and bee put in the upper, or lower part, the ladder would be broken, and many would fall down headlong by it with the hazard of their bodies, and lives.
So you must understand the matter here, that those degrees follow one the other in a just order, or else the whole work of our mystery would be mar’d, and our labour, and pains would bee in vain, and fruitlesse.
The force of putrefaction.
Now putrefaction is of such efficacy, that it abolisheth the old Nature, and brings in a new one. All living things are killed in it, all dead things putrefied in it, and all dead things recover life in it.
Putrefaction takes from all Corrosive spirits, the sharpnesse of the Salt, and makes them mild, and sweet, changeth the colours, and separates the pure from the impure, it places the pure above, and the impure beneath.
What Distillation is, and its kinds are.
Distillation is the first degree to the Transmutation of all naturall things. Under it are understood Ascension, Lavation, and Fixation.
By Distillation all Waters, Liquors, and Oyles are subtilized out of all fat things. Oyle is extracted, out of all Liquors, Water, and out of all Flegmaticke things Water, and Oyle are separated.
Cohobation.