Arnaldo da Villanova: Letter to the King of Naples, in which Alchemy is Discussed
(From G.B. Nazari – Della Tramutatione Metallica Sogni Tre, 1599)
Know, O King, that the wise have placed many things in their works, and many methods of operation, namely dissolving and freezing, and they have used many vessels and weights, which they have done to blind the ignorant, and to explain the aforementioned work to the intelligent. And know, O King, that the wise have denounced the work under brief words, even though they have added and included other words, so that it would not be understood except by the wise. But the wise have said that the stone is one only, which is composed of four natures, namely fire, air, water, and earth, which stone is called 'lapis' in resemblance and in touch, but not in nature; and it is called 'lapis,' or a certain composite thing.
The composite, while reduced through the right path, is what is sought, in which there is nothing superfluous or deficient, rather all the things that are in the stone are necessary to it, and it does not need any other thing. And the said stone is of one single nature, and is one thing, which in the decoction of fire takes on different colors before it becomes the perfect white stone. And know, O King, that when the said stone stays longer in the fire, it increases more in virtue and goodness, which is not the case with other things, because all other things burn in the fire and lose their radical humidity, but the said stone, in and of itself, always improves in the fire, and its goodness grows, and fire is the nourishment of the stone itself, and this is one of the evident signs to know the stone, which you must understand well.
This stone is divided before the operation into two modes: the first is corporeal, the second is spiritual. One comes from the other, and they are united and governed by one another, and one improves the other. The philosophers call one masculine and the other feminine. And know, O King, that when the philosophers have mentioned quicksilver and the magnet, saying 'freeze the quicksilver in the body of the magnet,' they did not mean the vulgar quicksilver that is commonly seen, but they meant that quicksilver is a moisture of the said stone, and that the magnet is not the one commonly seen, but they called the magnet the entire composite, in which is all the said moisture, which is the quicksilver.
This moisture is not like other moisture, for this moisture moves in the fire, and in the same fire, it dissolves the entire composition, freezes it, makes it black, white, and finally red, thus making it perfect. And know, O King, that in the work, nothing more is added, but only one thing, and there is no need for any grinding by hand, nor should anything be added to the said stone. And know, O King, that the white earth is called the perfect white stone, and the red earth is called the perfect red stone. This white earth, by the direction of the said work without the aid of anything else, turns red. But the water, or quicksilver, is called moisture, and when it exits the composition, or stone, it turns the whole composition black in the bottom of the vessel. And so, continuing the fire, the same blackness, in which the moisture is contained, turns into various colors, and finally into whiteness. This moisture is also called air, which is the air or moisture that mixes with its earth and with the other elements in the stone, so that it becomes a white thing. And know, O King, that this said airy moisture, which is quicksilver, is the same thing as its said earth, and the other elements that are in the said stone. This moisture, although small in quantity, is sufficient to nourish and perfect the whole stone, from which the same moisture comes. And it is to be known that in the said composition, or stone, there are the Sun and the Moon in virtue and power, and in the elements in nature. For if these things were not in the composition itself, neither the Sun nor the Moon would be made from it. And yet, it is not the same Sun as the common Sun, nor the same Moon as the common Moon, because the Sun and the Moon in the said composition are better than those in common nature, for the Sun and the Moon of the said composition are alive, while the others in nature are dead.
Regarding the same Sun and Moon that are in the said stone, as previously mentioned, although the philosophers have called the stone 'Sun' and 'Moon,' it is important to understand why, for in the stone they are present potentially, but not visibly. And it must be known that the stone, or composition, is solely one thing, and of a single nature, and in it is everything that is necessary for it, and in it is what improves it, and what completes it. This composition is not like the work of some animals or vegetables; rather, it is a pure and clear nature from its own mines that transforms under the guidance of fire, and it rots, turns black, white, and red, and passes through various colors.
And know, O King, that the philosophers have said, 'Melt the body, and roast it, so that it becomes water.' This refers to the said composition, which melts and freezes, and at that moment it is called earth. And know that the philosophers call water that which is the liquid form of the stone, which is fixed in the stone itself, and this water at that moment is flowing and white, like water.
And know, O King, that when they say the water is converted into air, it should be understood that the water in question freezes and transforms back into the body it was before, and that the body is so thoroughly governed by fire that it is transformed into a subtle and resolved state of perfect whiteness. At that point, it is called 'air.' But when it is said that the air is converted into fire, it means that the said composition, which is called air, remains in the strong fire long enough to turn red, and at that point, it is considered complete in its red state, which is called 'fire' or 'the Sun.'
And know, O King, that from a single composition, and only from it, is the work made, and not from anything else. This composition must be taken pure, without the impurities that may be in it, meaning it should be as clean as necessary. Govern the composition in the fire according to its nature, and this must be done at the beginning of the fire's regulation, because in this process lies all the defect or danger.
And while this is being done, there can be no further defect, and at that point the fire must be between slow and strong until the spirit is separated from the body, and it will ascend above the earth, leaving the dead body in the bottom of the vessel, without the spirit remaining in it. It is a sign that if it is placed back on the fire and does not melt or smoke, then the process is complete at this stage. While this occurs, the same spirit must return to the body from which it left. This spirit is similar to dark clouds that carry water because this spirit is called the water of life, by which this body is sustained, and with which it dies, but after death, it is revived.
And know that with the said composition, there is that which mortifies and revives the composition itself, and with the same thing, it turns white, and the same composition turns red without the aid of any foreign substance. Similarly, be advised that the fire at the beginning of the work must be slow, at the second stage moderate, and at the third stage strong, meaning the fire should gradually increase so that the said lapis turns white and ultimately red.