Other Philosophers speak of this Salt in these Words: The Spirit and Salt of the World, bring the Souls of the dead out of Hell. What is this Hell, but a Stygian Water, wherein we dissolve Metals, and after draw forth their Souls with the Salt of the World. Of which Spirit and Salt of the World, Nuisement hath writ a curious Treatise. I say therefore, that he who understands the due way of applying this Salt, for drawing the ☿ of Metals, has obtained the greatest Secret in the World, the said ☿ being easily fixable into a true Tincture.
I have known several, who could fix the ☿ of ♄ and ♁ prepared by others into Tinctures, but could not prepare the Mercuries themselves: And to this day, I do not know one Man that can bring a running ☿ from Metals, tho’ I have communicated the way of making the said ☿ to many, as it is set down in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœia Spagirica: But seeing so small a quantity prepared that way, they let it drop. It had been well, they could have been satisfied with that: But Men generally are of such a Humour; that if they cannot have all without Toyl or Labour, they presently despond and give over; but they that persevere to the end shall obtain the Crown of Honour.
Thus much shall suffice, by way of Parenthesis, concerning preparing the Mercuries of Metals in great quantity, by means of our Resuscitative Salt of the World.
Let us now return to our dry wash-Fire, and see, what further may be done with it. We know, that with a Rapid and violent Flame, the Volatile part of Metals is driven away, the fixt and grosser staying behind: As for Example. If I dissolve a Metal, or Mineral in Aqua Fortis, and afterwards add to the Solution some good Niter, by this means the Metal abides with the Nitre and shoots with it into Crystals, which from ♂ are Red, from ♀ Green, from ☿ and ♃ White, from ☉ Yellow. When now this Nitre is kindled, the Volatile part of the Metal sublimes from the grosser, and is better for Medicinal use, than the gross Body of the Metal.
N. B. But if to this Niter impregnated with a Metal, we joyn some Salt of the World; and then detonate it, the said Salt through the Flames carries the immortal Soul of Metals out from Hell, that is the ☿ of them, which afterwards may be fixed into Tincture. The said Nitre impregnate with Metal, and the Salt of the World, doth also, by means of a swift Flame draw the Colours from precious and common Stones, and introduceth others, and better into them again; which is a thing of great Profit to him that hath Skill of it. This is the speediest way of meliorating Metals, when by means of a Rapid Fulmen, as it were in a moment, we Separate the pure Soul, or incombustible 🜍 from the gross Metal: For in this quick Flame the superfluous 🜍 of the Metals is consumed, which ties the pure ☿ to the Metal, and makes the same difficultly separable from its gross Body.
In this manner a pure ☿ may in quantity be drawn from all Metals, and as much ☿ as is got this way, so much Tincture, for every ☿ of Metals is fixable into Tincture, which cannot be said of the common. And yet amongst these Metallick Mercuries, one yields a better Tincture than another, the ☿ of ♂ as hath been said being the best, tho’ that of ♄ be good also. He who is come so far as to be able to make the ☿ of any one Metal, with the help of the Salt of the World, may easily do the same with all the rest, and then try which ☿ is the best. I have tryed several, but found none better than that of ♂. For which Reason also sometime before my falling Sick, I bought up a great quantity of Steel Needles unfit for common use, with intention to make a great quantity of ☿ of ♂, but being seized with Sickness not long after, and continuing Bed-rid till now; my design was hindred. Now whether God will be pleased to raise me, that I may prepare a good quantity of the said ☿, for those that come after, I know not; for at present by reason of my Weakness, I have no hope to do any thing. And therefore have determined with my self, to manifest these and the like great Secrets to the World, as far as my Weakness will permit; that they who are Lovers of Art may know, and work them, or let them alone as they please: For it shall suffice me, to have discovered the wonderful Works of God to mankind, not at all concerning my self with the rest.
’Tis here to be noted, that the ☿ which by means of the Salt of the World, in the moist way is drawn forth from Aqua Fortis, or other like corrosive Liquors, is purer than that which, in the dry way is forced over with a strong Fire, yet both are good, and fixable into Tincture. It is also less trouble to bring over the ☿ of Metals in the moist way, than by a strong Flame. For when a Metal is dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and Salt of the World added to the Solution, then if by Alembick, you separate the Menstruum, part of the ☿ will come over with it, which, as before-mentioned, is to be separated from it: Afterwards drive what remains in the Alembick through a Retort, and the Salt of the World will carry more of the ☿ over, by which means a good quantity of ☿ will be obtained. For which God be praised, who hath shewed us his poor necessitous Children so near and strait a way to the Land of Promise. For I still say (as I always did) that nothing more excellent can be found, either in Physick or Alchimy, than the ☿ of Metals, all other Works being mere trifles in Comparison of it: Because such a ☿ well fixed, is not only the highest Medicine, but besides Tinges ☽ and ☿ into ☉. I have clearly and fully described the manner of it, Preparation, save only, that I have not named the Salt of the World, because it is such a vile and contemptible thing, and cast out upon Dunghils: And yet nothing in the World lives without it. No living Creature in or upon the Earth, Bird in the Air, nor Fish in the Water is sustained without this Universal Salt of the World. Concerning this Salt of the World, or true matter of the Universal great Stone of the Philosophers, an unknown Author in the Thirty fifth Chapter of his Book writes thus,
That the first Work of the Elixir, is every where to be found.
Concerning the true making of the Elixir, as to its first Work, the Philosophers say, that the true Matter is every where to be found; because it is in every Man, and found with every Man. Adam brought it with him out of Paradise, and when he died took it along with him to his Grave. And therefore an Allegory of the Wise men saith, that the said Matter is subtilized ☉, that is ☉ advanced to the highest pitch of mineral Virtue. Concerning this ☉ it is said: With our Gum and little ☉, we can buy much. And, Albertus in his Book of Minerals saith, and proves it, that ☉ is every where to be found: Because there is nothing made of the four Elements, in which, after its highest refining, ☉ is not to be found, and therefore they say it is every where to be found. The same Albertus also asserts, that a great Mineral Virtue is in every Man, especially in his Head between his Teeth: For that in his time, in old Graves ☉ was found in little longish Grains, between the Teeth of dead Men Skuls, which could not be, except the said mineral Virtue were in Man, which mineral Virtue is in the Matter of our Elixir. And therefore it is said, that the Stone is in every Man, and that Adam brought it with him out of Paradise, &c.
The Philosopher tells us here, proving it by several Authors, that the true Matter of the Elixir, as to the firstl Work, is to be found with every one: Concerning which Matter, much might be said, but it is better be silent for fear of the abuse of wicked Men. Yet I cannot but hint here, how it may be made out, that ☉ can grow in the Skuls of dead Men, as before-mentioned. It seems probable then, that these were the Skuls of such Men, who in their Life-time much used ☿, either taking it inwardly, or much handling it in their Trades. Now it being the Property of ☿, to mount upwards to the Head, and settle between the Teeth, we may suppose, that by length of time the Microcosmical 🜍︎ did Coagulate it into ☉. Let no Man think this impossible, for the 🜍︎ of Mans Dung hath a very great affinity with the Mineral 🜍︎, which no Body can better witness, than he to whom God hath revealed it, and who hath found it true by Experience.