Virgil here calls Vitriol, a concealed, that is, a shadowed Tree; adding, that by the help of Proserpina, Pluto’s Wife, but one Branch can be cropped by him, whom Fortune shall favour; and that it is willing to be plucked off by any Skilful Man desirous of the same. Such a Branch is consecrated to Juno, &c. We know Juno, according to Poetical Fictions was the Wife and Sister of Jupiter, but Proserpina the Daughter of Jupiter and Ceres, or (as some say) of Isis, whom Pluto the God of Hell stole away from her Parents and married her. From all which it clearly appeareth, that this Golden Branch sprouting in the green Tree of Vitriol, could not be cropped, or obtained without Proserpina’s help. Therefore if any one would crop such Golden Boughs from like shadowed Trees, he must learn to know Proserpina, and consult with her; because she only can profit him, and prevail with her Husband, to wax the more hot in his infernal Sweating stove, that thence into another place may ascend a Spirit or Oyl of a Blood-Red-Colour.
But this is to be considered accurately, lest this Work, like many other of our Undertakings, be frustrated. Therefore GOD is to be prayed to for his Blessing: for if the Benediction of GOD be not present, all endeavour will be vain; as I have more than once experienced. Although I did demonstrate our helper Proserpina, to some of my loving Friends, and taught them how to obtain and rightly use her; yet they were all destitute of so good Fortune, as to elaborate it as it should be elaborated: Yet at length more accurately hitting the Mark, their work succeeded happily twice or thrice, but never afterward.
From which, being so evident, it is plain enough, that such Arcanum’s are so preserved by the All-seeing Eye of the Divine Providence, as it is never permitted to all Operators promiscuously, that every of them should attain to the highest Science, and thenceforth the Good given be perniciously abused. Wherefore, although one Man communicate any famous Secret to another; yet, if GOD be not favourable, he can never prepare the same, but shall lose his Labour and Charges, spend his time unprofitably, and instead of a Golden Harvest, reap nothing but Trouble and Grief.
Hence they drew their Original, who writ of the Secret ripening Fire. Our Fire, before Coagulation, always burns in our Glass, but externally not. It is sufficiently manifest, that Philosophers, by their Secret Fire, understood Oyl of Vitriol; and that their Fire, is only Fire before Coagulation; after that, no more so, but a sweet Ripening Stone. Therefore they add, that before Coagulation it is Fire, but after Coagulation not so. Aptly with this agrees that Writing of ancient Philosophers. Visitabis Interiora Terræ, Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam. To which Monument of ancient Philosophers, we may fitly subjoyn this sutable Poesie, making for our present Purpose, and expressing the same in few Words.
Dissolve the Fixt, and make the Fixed fly,
The Flying fix, and then live happily.
In these few Words are compendiously contained, all whatsoever I have largely written in this Treatise.
Moreover, our Salt of Philosophers, besides its being a Medicine, and fit for Transmutation of Metals, is also endued with other famous Virtues, of which at this time I cannot forbear to write. Philosophers have written, that their Key of Keys doth indifferently open all closed Bodies, and that it is endued with a Virtue, breaking most hard and Adamantine Stones, and taking from them their inclosed Treasure; for acquiring which, there is nothing at all in the whole Nature of things given, except this our Key, by help of which the most firmly locked Inclosure may be unlocked. As for Example. A Granate is a Stone of so great hardness, as although it may easily be reduced to Powder, yet it can never be corroded even by the sharpest Aqua Fortis, nor dissolved, nor can it be Anatomized. Wherefore, although these Corrosives, vulgarly known, prevail not against this excellent Stone, (which visibly in it self contains a noble Tincture of Gold, and also is not a little impregnated with invisible Corporeal Gold, as plainly appears by its weight: For it is much more ponderous than all other precious Stones, or the more vile small Stones) but are judged as unprofitable for this kind of Labour; yet our Sweet Salt possesseth so potent a Faculty, as it can easily open the same and take from it all its Treasure; in so much, as if there were but this only use of it, (and no other like, better or more excellent were known) it would abundantly satisfie every honest Man, to live amply therewith, and to maintain his Family with great Tranquillity.
Behold I present to you, yet another Royal Experiment, which I have not long since effected, by the help of our Red Stone, in the following manner.
One day I cast our Red Stone upon Gold, in Flux, only for a Tryal, whether by the help of that, the Gold would be tinged with an higher Colour; because I found, that Silver had took a yellow Colour from the same. But after I had poured out the Mixture, I found what was contrary to my Hope. For it was so far from exalting my Gold in Colour, as on the contrary, it took from the same almost all its Colour, so as it was white like Silver. At first, I was not a little troubled, that, contrary to my Expectation, I should work so unhappily. But returning to my self, I begun to think, whether this my Red Stone (being, perhaps made of Steel) was not that Chalybs, [or Steel] which Sandivogius so highly extolled in his Writings, and said, it could extract from Gold its Tincture. But since, by reason of other Business intervening, I had no leisure to proced further in the Work begun, I was constrained to leave the whole for some higher Experience to another time. Yet I cannot but wonder, that our Key of Keys should so readily unlock every Closure of Gold, and be able to spoil it of its Royal Soul: Whereas otherwise, Gold according to the Sayings of all Philosophers, (as in very deed it is true) and according to the common Opinion of all other Men, experienced in Chymical Labours, is accounted to consist of such Homogeneal parts, as are difficultly separable. If the most wise GOD prolong my Life; and also grant Time and Opportunity of making further Tryal, I will spare no Labour or Cost to find out that Arcanum, until by the gracious help of GOD’S assistance, I shall become the Master of that Art of Arts. For now unto me the Gate of the Royal Closet is opened (I would not be envied for what I now say) by our Herculean Key in such a manner, as, I doubt not, but in a short time (unless the supream Deity, which I have no cause to fear, notably resist me) to obtain the Kings Crown made of a Carbuncle, and be able to distribute the same among the needy, to relieve their necessity. To which my hope, let the most wise GOD give a Blessing, so, as the Event may answer my Desires, Amen.