Reader, that we may see, if and how the inferiour Metals, by true Art, may be transmuted into good and constant Gold and Silver: I find, that it is first necessary to declare whence, and by what means the Melioration of the imperfect Metals must proceed by Art, and by what means only by Nature, without the hand of the Artist, the clean and fixed Gold and Silver hath arrived to such a Purity, and Perfection.
It being then, that this knowledge is the only Foundation, upon which Alchymy is built, I find it necessary to discover it to those, who are ignorant of it, and to shew a sure way, in which they may go without hinderance, and happily arrive to the desired End.
The Reason, why Nature generates all Metals in the Mountains, and brings some of them to Perfection, and leaves others imperfect, several Philosophers of our Ancestors have very plainly described, and therefore needs not here to be repeated. He that knows it not may enquire after it, in the Writings of these Philosophers, where he may learn their Grounds, or Reasons, only this little I think necessary here to shew, viz. that all Metals and Minerals have but one Original, or beginning, to wit, the four Elements, Fire, Air, Earth and Water. But that one Metal in the Earth, in which is its Matrix, becomes to be more noble than another, this is but accidental, according as one Metal by the Central Fire is more, or less cocted, and chiefly from thence, according as the Universal Spirit of the World, or first Matter of Metals, lights of a Matrix in the Earth, more clean or unclean. But passing this by, because the Books of Philosophers are filled with them, although observed by a very small number of Men. For almost all who read Chymical Books, read only to the end, that they may see those Processes, which teach how to make Gold and Silver out of the inferiour Metals, but do not at all mind the Original, and difference of Metals, although that ought to be the first, for where the Philosophers write of the Generation and difference of Metals, there they publish the whole Ground of Alchymy: But where they write their Receipts, and Processes, their they obscure the Art, and lead the easie Believers into Errour. Among all the Philosophers, I have found none which hath dealt more plainly and openly in this Matter, than Paracelsus in his Heaven of Philosophers, who writes, that every Metal is an hider or concealer of the other Six, or that every visible Metal contains in it self invisibly and spiritually the other six Metals, and that to bring forth and make visible, the invisible, and more noble Metal, and on the contrary, to transplant the visible and ignobler Metal in the same place, where the more noble and invisible was, is very possible, which is indeed the very Truth. For I my self have perform’d this Transplantation, not only once, but some hundred times. If any hath a mind to perform any notable thing in Alchymy, he can find no Book, which will teach him more than the Book above cited. But yet I will not despise the Books of other good Writers. And if this were not true, that every visible Metal hides in it self the others, invisibly, how could it be possible to transmute any inferiour Metal, either universally or particularly, into good and constant Gold? But that it is possible, daily ocular inspection proves to be true, in several places of the World. Now if this be so, as no man needs to doubt it, it will not be difficult to teach any understanding Man, if he will but learn a little how to handle the Fire, how to bring forth fixed and corporeal Gold, out of those gross and visible Metals, in which lyes hidden a great deal of pure and spiritual Gold. But yet you must know, that one clean Metal hath more invisible and spiritual Gold in it, than another. Jupiter hath in it much spiritual Gold, but Venus more, and Mars the most: Yet Antimony doth not give place to Mars, for the quantity of spiritual Gold. Now whosoever is minded to undertake this sort of Labour with Profit, let him take care what Metal he handles, and how he handles it, that instead of Profit, he may not reap discouragement and damage, but may have reason to thank God, Nature and Art; in which, this following Process will sufficiently help him, in which, the true and most certain way is openly shewn. Yet with this Proviso, that he so lives, that God may be pleased with his Conversation, and not have it in Abomination. For Gods blessing is all in all. There must be together earnest Prayers, diligent Consideration, and unwearied Labour, or else one may easily fail, although the Art be plainly and clearly set before his Eyes, without any reserve, which a good Christian ought certainly to believe. Yet I have often heard the contrary, from impious Men, such are the adherents and Consorts of Farnner, as if God had nothing to do with such Arts, and that Art alone was Master in these Cases, which certainly is very impious, seeing that such Blasphemies, take away from God his Omnipotency, his Goodness and Mercy, and give them only to Nature, seeing that God hath not his beginning from Nature, but Nature from God. Have not the wise Heathens believed, that God could give his blessing to Mens endeavours, and take it away again at his Pleasure? What saith Virgil, that famous Philosopher? when he teacheth hew to pluck the Golden branch from the Opake Tree:
Tene manu, facileque sequetur, & uno avulso,
Non deficit alter, si te fata vocant, aliter nullis viribus
Nec duro ferro avellere potes.
One Branch being pluck’d and born away,
Another follows; unless the Fates say nay nay:
Without whose Smile, no force of hardest Steel
To crop the smallest Twig, can ought prevail.