Johann Friedrich Helvetius

“ Sir, you say true? yet Art will be Art, whether you can believe it or no. Even as is seen in the Magnet. How it by its own insited Sulphureous Virtue, of Iron, by Contact presently makes a Magnet. Although you will not believe, that such wonderful Operations are latent in it, yet they are, and will remain true. So also you should Judge of the Stone of Philosophers, in which is all that the Wise seek. ”

“ Certainly, according as you say, so I believe, that in the things of Nature are given other more excellent Medicaments, as also very many other Philosophers affirm, that there is a certain (although to few known) Universal Medicament, by the benefit which, we may prolong Life unto the appointed End, cure all Diseases otherwise uncurable, and many other such things. But, where is any among all the Wisest men of this world, that can shew us the way, how to find out so noble a Fountain, whence such a wonderful Medicamentous juice, nobilitating the Physician, is drawn? ”

“ Therefore, let every serious Lover of this inestimable Art judge, that the whole work of him required, is, that he constantly, with the prayer of true faith, in all his labour, implore and solicite the Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit. For the solemn manner of GOD alone is, candidly and liberally, either mediately or immediately, to communicate his gifts and benefits, to none, unless to candid and liberal Ingenies only. ”

“ Nor are the Plants, which the Earth supplies us with, to be rejected, although I; or you, from the External Signature of them, know not how to judge aright of the Effect of Virtues ingenited in them, which they notoriously exercise, according to their power, in healing and conserving Humane bodies. Therefore, since all others are also offended at the Internal Light, being ignorant of all abstruse things, of which you, or I, want the Science, how can the same Virtues be deduced into art, according to the end for which they were created? ”

“ Yet, in the meanwhile, it is not impossible, that an Universal Medicine should be given in the highest Mineral Kingdome, by the benefit of which we may perform and administer all things, which are by you related to me, touching the lowest Kingdom of Vegitables; but the most wise God, for several weighty reasons, hath not on all Philosophers promiscuously conferred this most magnificent Charisma of Supereminent Science, but hath revealed it only; to a very few. According as all the Adept, with one mouth, confess, and say: The Science is true, And, the verity thereof not to be doubted. ”

“ But I hope I shall satisfie the curious Naturalists, or investigators of Physical Arcanums, by communicating and publishing in this present Discourse, all which passed between Elias the Artist, and Me, touching the Nature of the Stone of Philosophers. For that is an Ens more Effulgent than the Morning, or a Carbuncle: more splendid, than the Sun, or Gold: more fair, than the Moon, or Silver: so very Recreable, and Amiable, was the sight of this Light, and most pleasing Object to me, as out of my inward Mind, it cannot be obliterated, or extinguished by any Oblivion ”

“ Such a Remedy is exceeding necessary for a Physician, but no man knows, what and how great are the Secrets yet hidden in Nature, nor did I ever, in all my Life see such an Adept Man, although I have read and perused many things, touching the verity of this thing, or Art, in the Writings of Philosophers. ”

“ Transmutation is a great natural Mystery, Metallick, and not contrary to the Course of Nature, nor repugnant to the Order of GOD, as many men of it do falsly judge. For imperfect Metals, are changed neither into Gold, nor into Silver, without this Stone of Philosophers. ”

“ Therefore the only care of a Conscientious Physician should be, how to deduce the motion of the Vital Spirits to a digestible natural Heat, and that is best of all, and most securely performed by the Operation of our Universal Medicament, by which they are found to be notably recreated. For as soon as this more than perfect Medicine hath driven the Morbifick Evil from the Seat it occupies, then immediately it infuseth the lost Sanity, and that only from the Harmony, or Sympathy it self, which the Vital Spirits, and this Medicine, have mutually in themselves. ”

“ For the inexhausted Treasures of the Divine Light and Deity, no less abundantly, than liberally granted to us, may best of all be known from all the Creatures, which are produced either under the Ætherial Heaven, or in the belly of the Earth, or in the Womb of the Sea, to the end, that by their potentially insited virtues, they should restore health to the Mortal Body of Men. ”

“ But in ordinary Diseases it is not so; and yet here, very many Men, before the fatal term of Life be expired (abfit Nemesis dicto) are enforced to pass out of this fair Kingdom of pleasing Light, into the Shadowed Land of the Dead, whilst, either they neglect the health of their own Body, or commit the same to the Faith of Physicians, unskilful of the Remedy they have in their hand.
Physician.
As far as I can gather from your discourse, if my Judgement deceive me not, you are either a Physician, or a man expert in Chimistry. ”

“ For all Gold, Silver, Tin, Mercury, and like Metals, are corrupted by Lead Vapours, and likewise converted to a brittle Glass. While he was thus speaking, I shewed him my Crucible, who, viewing the remaining Substance, perceived a most beautiful Saffron-coloured Tincture, adhering to the sides of the Crucible, and say'd, To-morrow at nine of the Clock, I will return, and shew you; how your Medicine must be used to transmute Lead into Gold. ”

“ I am not ignorant, that many have been found among the most wise, yea among the exquisite Chimists, who have not only consumed their own Goods, but the Goods of others also, in this Great Vulanick Secret, as Experience even at this very day sufficiently proves. For we have seen, the more is the pity! how unwary Chimists, yea such as are more worthy, than those who are called Alchimists ”

“ Wherefore, it is needful, that the Sons of Art should know, how by some Saline suitable Ferment, grateful to the Metallick Nature, they may subdue, dissolve, separate and concentrate, not only the Magnetick Metallick virtue of Tinging, but also, how they may multiply the same in its own Philosophick Homogeneal Golden, or Silvery-manner. For we see, that the bodies of all Creatures, are not only easily destroyed, but thenceforth also the Internals cease to live, and hasten to the dark Shadowings, in which they were, before they, by the Creation of God the Creator, were brought to Light. ”

“ Within the Earth, the aforesaid Powder is found, or what is in a sort like thereunto, which transmutes almost an infinite Mass of impure Metal into perfect Gold, by uniting the same to it self, it defends from Rust, and Ærugo, from Cankring, and Death, and maketh the same, as it were, immortal, against all torture of Fire, and Art, and transfers it into the Virgin-purity of Gold; it requires only heat. ”

“ But, as touching the matter of which our Arcanum is made, I would have you to know; there are only two Metals and Minerals, of which it is prepared. And because the Sulphur of Philosophers is more abundant in these Minerals, therefore it is made of them.
Then I again asked him: What the Menstruum was, and whether the Operations were made in Glasses, or in Crucibles. He answered; The Menstruum is a Celestial Salt, or a Salt of Celestial Virtue, by the benefit of which, Philosophers only dissolve the Terrene Metallick Body, and in dissolving, the noble Elixir of Philosophers is produced. ”

“ Moreover, the most wise GOD doth not reveal his Gifts of Solomon promiscuously to all Mortals. They indeed seem strange to them, when they behold a Creature, from the occult Magnetick potency incited in it self, deduced into art by its own like; as for Example: In Iron is a Magnetick, ingenited, potential virtue from the Magnet: a Magnetick virtue in Gold from Mercury: a Magnetick virtue in Silver from Venus, or Copper: and so consequently in all Metals, Minerals, and Stones, Herbs, and Plants, &c. ”

“ For the Adept Philosophers, according to the antient Faith of their experience, have affirmed, that this Natural Mystery (which many anxious men have sinistrously sought, and required) is only to be found with Jehovah, Saturninely placed in the Centre of the World. In the mean while, we proclaim those happy, who take care, by the help of art, how they may wash this Philosophick Queen, or how they ought to circulate the Virgin-Catholick-Earth, in Physico-Magical Crystalline Artifice, as Khunradus. ”

“ Also I know, that many Stupid Men will rise up, and contradict the truth of my true Experience, touching the Philosophick Stone. One will have it to be a work of the Devil; another affirms there is no such thing; a third faith it is the Soul of Gold only, and that with an Ounce of that Gold, an Ounce of Lead, and no more may be again tinged: but this is repugnant to the Attestation of Kifflerus, as I shall briefly commemorate; a fourth believes the Verity and Possibility thereof, but faith it is so chargeable, as it will never quit Cost ”

“ Moreover, long after other discourses, touching Experiments in Metals, made by the violence of Fire, Elias the Artist spake to me thus; Do not you know the Highest Secret, when it is offered to your sight, viz. the Stone of Phylosophers, you having read in the Writings of many Chymists most excellent, touching the Substance, Colour, and strange effect of the same? I answered, not at all; except what I have read in Paracelsus, Helmont, Basilius, Sandivogius, and like Books of Adept Phylosophers extant. ”

“ For the common Sulphur, whether of an impure, or pure Metal whilst conjoyned with its own body, mixt with Salt Peter only in the burning heat of Fire is easily changed into a most hard and most fixed Earth, but this Earth is thenceforth by the Aire easily changed into a most limpid Water: and this Water afterward, by a more strong Fire, according to the Nature of the Metallick pure or impure Sulphur mixt is converted into Glass, admirably Well tinged with various Colours. ”

“ Also this Laudable Medicine of Philosophers, according to my understanding, cannot prolong Life, beyond the term prefixed from above, but only preserve from the Effect of all Venimous, or otherwise mortiferous Diseases: and so it is certainly true, as is commonly believed, that the prolongation of Humane Life depends, on the Will of the Omnipotent God only. ”

“ After the death of these two, none could find out the way of either of their Operations.
Certainly here is cause of Admiration, that the Internal Nature of Lead, by the simple maturation of Spirit of Salt, should appear in an external form so noble. No less admirable and wonderful to the mind is this, viz. that the mirifick Stone of Philosophers can so exceeding swiftly transmute Metals; having virtue potentially insited in it self, so as it is deduced into Art, as in Iron by contact of the Magnet. ”

“ I perceive your Mastership takes pleasure in passing from the use of the Medicine, to the infinite Transmutation of Metals. Although I could easily believe the possibility of Art, viz. that a Chymical Experiment of that kind was in the Adept, as I have also made mention above, touching that Experiment of Dr. Kifflerus who, with the Tincture of one ounce of Gold transmuted 1 ounce & half of Silver into the best Gold, not to mention the Experiment of Helmont ”

“ Even so is the Operation of the Universal Medicine, which by recreation of the Vital Spirits, excites Sanity, for a time only suppressed, because it was naturally in him before; even as the heat of the Sun changeth not Herbs, or Flowers, but only provokes the same, and from the proper potential nature of them, deduceth them into act only. For a Man of a Melancholy temper, is again raised up to exercise his own Melancholy matters ”

“ Yes, Matter Doctor, You now have within your hand, the most pretious Treasure in the World. For this is the true Stone of Philosophers, than which, no Man ever had a better, nor shall have any other. And I my self did elaborate the Composition, from beginning to end. If you have another convenient Chamber, I will Shew you Metal transmuted into Gold, by such a Stone as this (When I had brought him into another Chamber.) Behold (said he) these five Pendants, were, by the benefit of this Philosophick Tincture, prepared of Saturn, or Lead ”

“ So very farr do all these dark-sighted men deviate from the true rule of Verity, as in success of time, they, intangled with their own Errors, will miserably wast away and expire; but our Assertion, built on the Eternal Foundation of Triumphing Verity, shall continue and remain, unto the Consummation of all ages, without diminution, although this art be not yet known to all Mortals. ”