SECRETA.PDF

Written originally in Hebrew, and translated thence

into Arabick, and out of Arabick into Latin. Now it

being faithfully rendered into English by:

WILLIAM SALMON

professor of physick

CHAPTER

XXII

OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF THIS ART

I. Thanks be given to God, the Creator of all things, who hath

made us, renewed us, taught us, and given us knowledge and

understanding; for except he should keep us, preserve us, and

direct us, we should wander out of the right way, as having no

Guide or Teacher: Nor can we know any thing in this World,

unless he teach us, who is the begining of all things, and the

Wisdom it self, his power and goodness, it is with which he

over-shadows his People.

II. He directs and instructs whom he pleases, and by His long-

suffering, and tender Mercies, brings them back into the way of

Righteousness. For he has sent his Angels (or Spirit) into the

dark places, and made plain the Ways, and with his loving

kindness replenishes such as love Him.

III. Know then my Brother, that this Magistery of our Secret

Stone and this Valuable Art, is a secret of the Secrets of God,

which he has hidden with his own People; not revealing it to

any, but to such who as Sons faithfully have deserved it, who

have known his Goodness and Almighty-ness.

IV. If you would request any Earthly thing at the Hand of God,

the Secret of this Magistery is more to be desired

—1—

than anything else. For the Wise Men who have perfected the

knowledge thereof, have not been wholly plain but speaking of

it, have partly concealed it, and partly revealed it; And in

this very thing, I have found the preceeding Philosophers to

agree, in all their so much valued Books.

V. Know therefore, that Musa, my own disciple, (more valuable

to me than any other) having diligently studied their Books, and

laboured much in the Work of this Magistery, was much perplexed,

not knowing the Natures of things belonging thereto: Whereupon

he humbly begged at my Hands, my Explanation thereof, and my

Directions therein.

VI. But I gave him no other Answer, Than that he should read

over the Philosopher’s Books, and therein to seek that which he

desired of me: Going his way, he read above an hundred Books of

the Secret of the Great Philosophers: but by them he could not

attain the knowledge of that Mystery which he desired, tho’

continually studying it for the space of a Year, for which

reason he was as one astonished and much troubled in mind.

VII. If then Musa my Scholar (who has deserved to be accounted

among the Philosophers) has thus failed in the knowledge of this

Mystery; what may be supposed from the Ignorant and Unlearned,

who understand not the Natures of things, nor apprehend whereof

they consist?

—2—

VIII. Now when I saw this in my most dear and chosen Disciple,

moved with Piety and Love to him, by the Will also and

Appointment of God, I wrote this my book near the time of my

Death, in which tho’ I have pretermitted many things which the

Philosophers before me have mentioned in their Books; yet have I

handled some things which they have concealed, and could not be

prevailed withal to reveal or to discover.

IX. Yea, I have explicated, and laid open certain things which

they hid under AEnigmaticaj. and dark Expressions; and this my

Book I have Named, The Secrets of Aichymie, for that I have

revealed in it, whatsoever is necessary to the knowledge of this

Learning in a Language befitting the matter, and to your sence

and understanding.

X. I have taught four Magisteries far greater and better than

the other Philosophers have done, of which number the One is a

Mineral Elixir, another Animal; the other two are Mineral

Elixirs; but not the one Mineral whose virtue is to wash,

cleanse, or purifie those things which they call the Bodies. And

another is to make Gold of Azot Vive; whose Composition or

Generation is according to the Natural Generation in the Mines,

or in the Heart and Bowels of the Earth.

XI. And these four Magisteries or Works, the Philosophers have

discoured of, in their Books of the Composition thereof, but

they are wanting in many things, nor would they

—3—

clearly show the Operation of it in their Books: ~nd when by

chance any one found it out, yet could he not thoroughly

understand it; than which nothing was more grievous to him.

XII. I will therefore in the Work declare it, together with the

way and the manner how to make it, but if you read me, learn to

understand Geometrical proportion, that so you may rightly frame

your Fornaces, not exceeding the mean, either in greatness or

finalness; with all you must understand the proportion of your

Fire, and the form of the Vessell fit for your work.

XIII. Also you must consider, what is the ground work and

beginning of the Magistery; which is as the Seed and Womb to the

Generation of Living Creatures, which are shaped in the Womb,

and therein receive their Fabrick, Increase and Nourishment. For

if the Prima Materia of our Magistery is not conveniently

managed, the Work will be spoiled and you will not find that

which you seek after, nor shall you bring your Work to

perfection.

XIV. For where the cause of Generation is wanting, or the root of

the matter, and heat itself, your labor will be lost, and the

Work come to nothing. The same also will happen, if you mistake

in the proportion or weight; for if that not be right, to wit,

the proportion of the parts compounding, the matter compounded

missing of its just temperature will be destroyed, and so you

shall reap no fruit, the which I will show you by an Example.

—4—

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