Viz., Water and Earth". And he continues to say: "that Artists have to these two Simplices given the name Lili ---

afterwards using the said Simplices and not one". But know it is indifferent whether you, in the beginning, use one or

two things. If our matter is found in one thing, it will equally well be found in two (Nature having already converted

the original One into Two).

[...] Now, I wot there is no one who would not wish to know this shorter method; and that you may not have to

complain of Theophrastus, he shews you another short way, admonishing you also to let the above tedious process be,

and to take from the Lion nought but his rosy blood, and from the Eagle the white gluten. These two bodies you must

coagulate together and bring into one body, as it were male and female seed.

An Explanation of the Natural Philosopher's Tincture, of Paracelsus, by Alexander von Suchten, 16th Cen.

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If you know how to amalgamate our Mercury simplex with your common Gold, which is dissolved, vivified, and

renewed by it, you may be sure of effecting the Great Elixir, although neither so quick, so natural, nor so rich, as you

might have done without it. And this is our third way.

The Amalgamation of our Mercury simplix [distilled urine] with common Gold consists only in the right Proportion,

and in the indissoluble Union of both, which is done without any external Heat in a very short time [this is a lie, it

takes a very long time], without which exact Proportion and right Union nothing of any Moment is to be expected

from their Marriage.

Know then, that this right Proportion is ten parts of our Mercury simplex to one of your finest common Gold in filings,

which is dissolved in it, like Ice in common Water, after an imperceptible manner, and as soon as the Dissolution is

over, the Coagulation and Putrefaction presently follow, which Effect, it you find not, 'tis a sign, that the Mercury

exceeds its due Proportion. Now when your Gold has been thus well amalgamated, united, putrefied, and inseparably

digested with our Mercury simplex, you will then have only our Philosophical Sulfur, in which time one might easily

have performed the whole Work, working without common Gold.

Aphorisms of Urbigerus, by Baro Urbigerus, 1690 AD

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18. Understanding the Writings

Now that we've covered the theory, I will give you a short glossary to aid you in understanding the

alchemical books in case you choose to study them further.

You should now have a good idea about the principles of Nature which operate on the development of the

Stone, and this should be enough to understand the alchemical writings. However, I will help you out by

explaining the meaning of the words used by the alchemists.

Unfortunately the alchemists were in the habit of not only using several words for one thing, but also using

one word for several things, and different alchemists used each word to mean different things. So you still

have to work out the meaning according to the context, which you will be able to do with an understanding

of the natural process. Some of the alchemists made up their own words and symbols, so all I can cover

here are the commonly used words.

The following should not be considered definitions, but merely a rough guide to help you to understand

some of the ways the alchemists have used these words.

mercury. Usually represents distilled urine, or the Stone itself at any stage of the process, or just urine.

More rarely used to represent the white salt.

sulphur. Usually represents either the white salt, or any impure substance not needed. Sometimes used to

represent the Stone at any stage of the process.

alkahest. The Stone, red or white.

amalgam. The definition is an alloy. In alchemy it represents when two things are combined into one, such

as the beginning of the Second Part of the process, or the Stone at any stage.

aqua fortis. Nitric acid, which is never used in alchemy. Sometimes it can mean the same as mercury.

aqua vitae. "living water", same as mercury.

argent vive. Same as mercury.

art. Alchemy.

body. Usually represents the white salt, or the Stone at any stage, or anything else which makes up the bulk

of whatever you're dealing with.

book of nature. The world itself. To learn by experience and observation of Nature.

calcine (calcination). To dry, traditionally with strong dry heat, but the alchemists sometimes use it to refer

to a drying with gentle heat.

cinnabar. Same as mercury.

coagulate (coagulation). A liquid becoming a solid.

conjunction. The joining together of two things (e.g. the white salt and distilled urine.)

common. Something referred to as "common" means it's the normal substance, without any metaphor (e.g.

common gold.)

crow. Represents the black (putrefaction) stage of the process.

dew. Same as mercury.

digestion. Same as putrefy.

distil (distillation). To evaporate and condense. In alchemy this is always done with low-heat.

dove. Usually represents the White Stone, or sometimes the distilled urine.

eagles. Represents distillation.

elixir. The Stone, White or Red.

fermentation. When the White or Red Stone is mixed with silver or gold respectively.

first matter. Either urine, or the life-energy.

gold. Sometimes represents normal gold, otherwise represents either the Red Stone, or the white salt, or the

Stone at any part of the process.

great work. The process of making the Stone.

hermaphrodite. When the white salt and distilled urine have been combined.

hermetically sealed. An airtight seal.