The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

The Ancients have not imposed these Characters, neither by chance nor in vain, but they have directed the whole reason of characterising to this end, that the Character might exactly agree with the Nature and Property of the thing signed; as the great agreement between the Celestial Luminaries or Planets, and the Metals, doth clearly manifest. Nevertheless these things are not to be discerned by all men, but by those only who are able throughly to inspect the nature of Metals, and from that knowledge of the Metals, to know the said degrees of perfection; for so much of rotundity as exhibits it self in the Character to the sight, so much also of purity and perfection is in the signed body; and so much as it shews of the square, so much also it hath of imperfection: And this is a Chymical Axiom or Precept altogether infallible, and so certain, that he who in the emendation of Metals shall follow it, will not easily erre.

Gold, the most perfect of the Metals, by touching the four sides of the square, argueth its great perfection: Silver is not far from the perfection of Gold. And among the rest of the Metals, Argent-vive, Iron, and Copper have the half, but Lead and Tin only the fourth degree of perfection.

These few things we think sufficient for those who are desirous of so great knowledge. He that desires to know more of these Harmonical Signatures, of the Celestial Lights, and Terrestrial Bodies, let him accurately examin this Foundation, and he will find those things which neither Aristotle long ago, nor our Schools at this day, have had any knowledge of. This I dare assert for truth, That the Ancients, in the Egyptian Schools, have hidden great Mysteries under the Characters of their Signatures, and not only in those signs imposed upon the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Metallick Bodies, but that they have manifested great Secrets by the very Names which they have given to all things, which was not by chance that they have given to this thing such a Name, and to that another: But when after times changed many Names, thence it happened, that those Signatures fell into great uncertainty, and are now perplexed with many doubts. The Names which from Adam, Noah, and their Posterity, were in use with the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Hebrews, the Greeks also had in use, and from the same Foundation called things by due and true appellations. The Latins have taken no care about those derived to them, although the only and true Foundation of every Investigation of those Secrets is placed in those. Indeed I being ignorant of the Egyptian, Chaldean, and Hebrew Tongues, know not how to interpret those Names with their signature. But one that is skilful in those Languages, and endowed with some knowledge of natural light, by applying himself to such searches, by a prudent inquisition, will find the Truth of those things which I have here written, to wit, That the Nature and Property of all things are posited in their Names and Characters: I will expedite the matter by a clearer Explication, and in a few words expound the Circle and Quadrate. In my Treatise of the Nature of Salts, I have clearly taught and demonstrated, that all things in the World have their original from the Sun and Salt. The Ancients have designed the Sun by a Circle, and Salt by a Square: But as a Circle is first drawn before that a Square can be put to it; and as a Circle by right is preferred before a Square, inasmuch as that is the Original of this; so also the sun is to be preferred to salt, to which it hath given Rise, and which it hath preceded in its existency, and which being compared with the sun its Original, is less to be esteemed: Hence, without the sun, salt generateth and produceth nothing; nor yet the sun without salt, because in every generation and production there is necessarily required the conjunction of Male and Female, the sun performing the office of the male, and the Moon of the female.

So Eve the Female, as a Square, arose from Adam, as from a Circle, and from both, to wit, from the circle and the square conjoined, the fertility and propagation of mankind hath drawn its original. The Poets have attributed this propagation to Venus, and noted it with a sign composed of a Circle and a square, saying, that the Goddess Venus was born of the froth or foam of the Sea and Salt, and dried up by the Rays of the sun.

The Character of Venus being weighed with an accurate consideration of mind, very perspicuously sheweth how wisely and prudently the Ancients have shadowed out the Mysteries of Nature by their Characters.

Venus is signed with a round Circle, with a Cross pendant from the Circle; the Circle denoteth the Sun; the Cross, Salt: For when four lines are conjoined in their extremities, they make a Cross, all the ends meeting in one point. But if all those Lines be disposed foursquare, they form a Quadrate. Therefore in things signed, the Cross and the Square differ only in their external Figure, and signifie one and the same thing.

That this Mystery may be the better apprehended, I will interpret the true signature of those principal Creatures of God, (to wit, the Sun and Salt, from which all things proceed) attributed to them by the Ancients, according to their Latin significations Sol and Sal, that their degrees and difference in nobility and goodness may evidently appear: For the more Circles there are conspicuous in those words, the more of purity and goodness they argue to be in the things which they denote; and the more Squares there are in a Word, the more of earthiness, imperfection, and impurity is shewn to be in the thing thereby signified. But this Rule holds only in those words which were imposed upon things by the Ancients, in others not.

Seeing therefore that it is beyond all doubt, that these two words, Sol and Sal, were by the Ancients imposed upon the things they signifie, according to a true signature; we will therefore further explain them.

And here it is first to be noted, that all the forms and figures of Vegetables, viz. of Trees, Herbs, and other things growing out of the Earth, and also of Animals, whether Men or Beasts, also of Minerals, do take their original only from the circle and square, so that by those it may be known what bodies or members are round or long; for the Body of a Man, as also the Trunk of a Tree, have not only a round, but also an oblong figure, and the joints of every finger, and the leaves and branches of Herbs and Trees shew forth the same figure, so that in those the Circle and the Quadrate are every where found.

And not only all the Creatures of God are noted with the same signature, but also all Writings and Letters, proceeding from Adam, Noah, and their Posterity, have taken their beginning from the Circle and Square. As for example: All the Latin Letters, even from the beginning to the end, you shall find to be composed of a circle and a square. A containeth two lines and a half of a square; B consisteth of two semicircles, and one line of a square; C is a semicircle; D is formed of a semicircle, and one line of a square; E hath three lines and a half of a square; F two and a half of the same; G consisteth of a semicircle, and half a line of a square; and so on to the last Letter of the Alphabet: So that all the Letters being composed of a circle and a square, were left by the Ancients to shadow out and signifie those Mysteries to Posterity.