Little Farmer, The Small Peasant’s Casket Treatise on the Secret of the Philosophical Art , or The Open Ark


, also known as

THE SMALL PEASANT’S CASKET.

The Open Ark of the Most Artful Secret.


1617.

First Part.

For God gives and takes from whom He pleases.

I made an earnest prayer to Him, that He might have pity on me by inspiring in me the true way to reach His Divine Majesty through the spirit of truth and wisdom.

What also gave me some consolation was what Zacharias said, that many Philosophers have failed at the beginning, yet nevertheless, they have finally reached the completion of their Work.

As I was almost overwhelmed with various thoughts about the unfortunate accident that had happened to me with the breaking of my vessel, a question came into my mind that tormented my spirit: whether the Almighty would truly permit us poor sinners (coming into this so perverse and corrupt age) to attain the knowledge of so great a Secret as the Philosopher’s Stone.

After these anxieties and disturbances, I finally resolved no longer to trouble my mind, considering that all those who came before us and attained the perfect knowledge of this holy mystery were sinners just as we are, and that this gift of God is not revealed because of any merit in man, but it is a special grace of God, since we are but utterly useless and full of error.

This consideration led me to take a firm resolution to turn to God and to have no other aim than His honor and the help of my neighbor in all my endeavors.


Being in this firm resolve, I felt a holy ecstasy and certain emotions that brought me clarity amidst my previous afflictions; and rising from my prayer, I found myself compelled to take up my Philosophers again.

But it seemed to me that I should especially favor the Count of Trevisan, whom, although I had previously leafed through well, I had not discovered anything in that gave me a solid foundation.

However, after this illumination, when I reached the place where the Author discusses the first matter, I felt an inner enlightenment, recognizing in what truly consists the virtue and power of the Work.

Immediately, I trembled with joy; yet, as I continually examined this science, I found my understanding completely open, whereas before it had been closed and restrained.

And though I had previously engaged, with such great effort and diligence, in many operations, they had all been done in vain, for I had built upon a poor foundation.

Everywhere, I praised God and joyfully invoked His holy Name.

I continued to pray humbly that He might grant me the perfection of these good and solid beginnings, which had no other end in me than His glory and my salvation.

At that moment, I continued to grasp this matter well, so that I might no longer be deceived by appearances but place my finger on that which may be rightly called and named the proximate and not the remote matter.

For the former is richer and more fertile than the latter, though both tend toward the same goal, according to the good Ripley, in his axioms of the Twelve Gates, and according to Flamel, folio 120, and likewise folio 180 or 150, where he states that it is above all a very great secret to know from which mineral substance one must proximally make the Work.

Now, as I had gone on a journey, I found myself between two mountains, where I beheld a man of the fields, grave and modest in his bearing, dressed in a gray cloak, with a black cord on his hat, a white sash around him, girded with a yellow belt, and wearing red boots, whom I greeted.

As I approached, I noticed that he held in his hands two very radiant, star-shaped flowers with seven rays; one of these flowers was white, and the other red.

I observed them closely, for they were exceedingly beautiful, brilliant, and of very fine colors, highly fragrant, and pleasant to the taste.

Moreover, one possessed a feminine nature, and the other a masculine one, yet both grew from the same root and under the influence of all the Planets.


I asked this man what his purpose was with these two flowers, for I had a fairly good knowledge of them, but not that they had a distinct intention within them, nor that they were male and female, that is to say, of two different natures.

Then, gazing at me intently, he asked me who had directed me to this uninhabited place, saying that he was sought after by the greatest of this world, yet surrounded by many perils and almost inaccessible.

When I had recounted to him the course of my life, my adventures, and my pursuits, he smiled, giving them little importance; yet he treated me very courteously and began to speak to me in these words:

“Know that no one attains the knowledge of these two flowers unless he is called by God, guided by faith and by invocation; yet even in his search, he will encounter great hardships, troubles, and afflictions, so that this lofty science may be held in great reverence when he possesses it as a dearly purchased treasure.”

"But since you have reached this place, you shall see that God authorizes me to tell you that from these two flowers arises (after their conjunction, and not before) the first matter of all metals.

This is confirmed for you by Trevisan at the end of his second part, where he names these two flowers 'red man' and 'white woman.'

However, the Philosophers, for many reasons, have spoken variously about this first matter to cover it and its root as if with a veil, and they have also been careful not to reveal the second matter.

Yet it is necessary that you first treat this second matter, which is crude and undigested, and which is nonetheless the subject of the Stone.

You must extract it as from the man and the woman, who, after conjunction, become the first matter that I sincerely declare to you here."

I marveled at this discourse, which nonetheless brought me joy, for I was pleased to be with him.

Regarding these matters, I could not refrain from saying to him: "Friend, your simplicity would have prevented me from seeking in you things of such high intelligence."

He began to smile and said to me: "It is truly this simplicity that leads everyone astray and causes me to be neglected by all, for my outward form deceives them all, seeing my lowliness and what seems vile in me.

But when they courteously ask me to remove my gray jacket and my coarse woolen cloak, I grant their request and reveal beneath them a garment of diamond and a fur of rubies, or, if you prefer, a most precious shirt.

Yet the Almighty has blinded almost all of them so that they do not see from what these metals have taken their origin."

I replied to him: "Dear Friend, dweller of the fields, these flowers have a most high brilliance and radiance, yet they also have medicinal properties."

He answered: "They are indeed medicinal, but their greatest property is hidden within them, for when they are upon their own root, they are poisonous.

This is why their root must be gently and delicately sublimed with care, as I believe you know—judging by your operations—though they have not succeeded well for you until now.

I do not doubt that you understand well what is meant here by this sublimation, which is accomplished without ever introducing anything mordicant or corrosive, which would destroy the goodness of its nature.

And it is from there that these two beautiful flowers take their birth, without the addition of any foreign or different substances, drawn from this contagious mountain.

And if I had not known under which Planets the men of the fields are constellated, I would never have arrived here, nor been able to reach this most remarkable place."

I said to him: "Dear Friend, your words compel me to beg you once more to tell me whether these two flowers are born and grow at the same time, and what their production consists of; for I suppose that in this clarification, great aids to the science are revealed.

I consider it an honor and a great advantage to be enlightened on this matter, because the Philosophers have spoken very little about it."

At this, instead of smiling, he shook his head a few times and remained silent for quite a while.

Then he said to me: "You ask me about the stumbling block over which many fall, for many know the first matter, but they err in the mastery of it.

However, return here tomorrow at this same hour (twenty-four hours later), and you will find me ready to give you understanding of these things, as much as I am permitted."

I thanked him, departed joyfully, and spent all that time in great anxiety for the hour to come, which I observed punctually.


So I saw him arrive, holding the two flowers in his hand, and I summoned him to fulfill his favorable promise, earnestly assuring him that I was entirely devoted to him, though I acknowledged that I was of little use to him.

To this, he replied: **"As long as you are truly with God, I will be with you, and you with me.

Otherwise, I will always be distant from you if you are distant from God.

But since I believe that you are with God, I will reveal to you here the entire process and will repeat my earlier words, each of which you must consider with particular attention, accompanied by continual prayers to God.

This Science is a special gift of supreme goodness; therefore, take great care with all my words, and examine them very carefully.


Sit with me on this greenery, for I am old and naturally cold; I do not have strong legs nor robust health, so I cannot stand for long, and besides, I greatly enjoy resting on the grass."

"You have undoubtedly read that our Magi, Philosophers, and Kings write and say to all:

‘Follow Nature, follow Nature.’

From this, you must infer that all who wish to produce something beneficial and great in this Science must first have a complete knowledge of the origin and foundation of all metals—of their birth, production, and differences, of their sympathy and antipathy, that is to say, their love and hatred.


Know further that all metals come from the same root, for the matter from which they originate is one and unique, and they acquire their differences only through cooking, that is, according to how much they are more or less cooked or digested.

The good Authors confirm this truth for you; but do not be discouraged by their various ways of expressing it.

Simply avoid those who hand out recipes and specific procedures.

Be tireless in reading the good Authors, for any delay will reward your patience and effort.


But know, in a few words, that whoever fully understands the origin of our metals will recognize that the matter of ours must be metallic, also born from a metallic mine yet without metal; for there is no metal without metallic light, nor metallic light without metal.

Thus, consequently, one relates to the other, for their natural being and their kind are one, which is called mineral-minor electrum unripe, or magnesia, or otherwise lunar.

And this is why the Philosophers always speak in the plural when they say, for example, ‘our metals.’"

But I must explain this to you more clearly, since you have the true knowledge of the real matter, from which this metallic root must be gently separated from what is contrary to it, or against nature; I mean from what it has accidentally acquired from poisonous vapors.


Then, one must extract from it that white and mercurial liquid, which is so delicate and fluid, and which must be sought in its upper part.

Its name is Azoth, or the glue of the eagle.

But its fixed, sulfurous, red, and incombustible liquid must be sought in the most hidden lower part, and is called brass, or the red lion; a word to the wise is sufficient.


But if you lack any light, invoke the Name of the Lord of lights and the Author of all good gifts.

And above all, observe with admiration that these two flowers never dry up or wither, that one can be converted into the other in all forms and figures, and that it has an inclination and tendency toward all the seven Planets, to which, if it once joins, it never separates again.

The natural virtue and property of these flowers cannot be adequately described, no matter how learned a Philosopher may be.


You now see that these two flowers come from the same stem, which is sevenfold and capable of all colors.

However, these flowers are quite distant from each other, which comes from their different natures, and therefore, one must find a way to join and unite them, to make them vegetate and grow.

From these two must be born an excellent, indissoluble, and perpetual fruit, which does not happen without the express permission of the Sovereign."

Moreover, know that the count, or the number of the seed or germ of the white lily is different from that of the red lily, and that these two flowers do not operate at the same time; this is something that the ancient Sages kept very secret and covered, and this is what they call their weight without weight.

These two lilies do not unite or mix by tiny parts.

The Ancients among the Arabs, speaking of these things in these terms, say that the weight of the male is singular, and that of the female is always plural; this is explained by the Count of Trévisan in this way: 'The earthly power upon its resistance according to the deferred resistance is the action of the agent in this matter.'

Do you understand this?"

I replied that these terms were obscure; to which he replied, "Do not trouble yourself with that; for," he said, "if you reach the increase of these two lilies, then you will know by their own essence, property, and nature, what you must do, and no otherwise.

I advise you to be very careful that the heat of your fire be slow and gentle; otherwise, the seed of the white lily will evaporate in smoke, and all your work will be for naught."

Then I said to him, "You have mentioned two lilies, and yet the Philosophers sometimes say that in one thing, or one Mercury and Azoth, lies all that the Philosophers, or Sages, seek; sometimes they speak of three things, Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt, and most often of soul, spirit, and body; yet you make no mention of these."

He replied, "I must laugh at you, for you do not yet understand the terms of the Philosophers, and they are so little known to you, or perhaps you wish to test me.

I must therefore relieve you in this matter.

Know then that by one thing, the Philosophers mean the salt of the Metals, or the Philosopher’s Stone, and by two, the body and the soul, of which the third is the union of these two; namely the spirit, which cannot be perceived, as it is hidden in these two; and thus it can be said that this spirit floats upon the waters.

You can read this in Moses: let that be enough for you."

"As for me, I willingly stick to these two; therefore, take these two lilies, very clearly polished, and having enclosed them in a well-sealed crystal, without fire, place them in a gentle and light heat of the athanor.

Then the white lily will spread wide, embrace and contain within itself the red lily, and since the red lily has a fiery nature and receives aid from the external heat, it communicates and gives its odor and the balm of warm oil into the coldness of the white lily, from which discord arises, one not wanting to yield to the other, which proceeds from the contrary qualities that are within them, as you know.

Then both rise to the Sky, or rather, grow together in the Sky, but they are afterwards pushed back by the wind, and this happens repeatedly until they become weary and tired of the work of going up and down; they are forced to rest on the earth.

And know that if the bath is not so regulated and governed, in such a way that their natures do not rise both at the same time, but each separately or one after the other, you will never enjoy their fragrance.

Therefore, pay great attention to this remarkable operation."

"Now, because of these two enemy or contrary natures or qualities, one of these two lilies cannot prevail over the other, they unite and come together in such friendship that they will no longer wish to part; then, after this union or coming together, the entire Firmament stirs similarly, and the Sun and the Moon become darkened and obscured, as much as it pleases the Most High.

After this, by the love of the Almighty, the Rainbow of all colors will be seen in the air, to show that then you can no longer doubt that God is favorable to you, and that the flood of these two lilies will no longer occur, of which you should rejoice."

"You will also notice in a short time that the Moon will gradually appear less dark than before, and finally adorned with a glow, a whiteness, and a clarity of a very beautiful luster, but the Sun is still hidden behind the Moon, which, because of the interposition of the earth, cannot yet be seen.

If you have the eyes of understanding open, you will see four Planets in the Moon, which, by the radiance of its glow, you will convert and transform into its permanent nature."

"But when the Lunar or the Crab approaches the Sun, and the heat multiplies and increases more and more, then the Moon is obscured by the rays and the bright radiance of the Sun, until it is forced to hide behind it and in its rays; in contrast, this radiant Sun, by the conspiracy of the other Planets, comes to clothe itself with a beautiful and pleasant color, and, finding itself irritated by their means, it begins to pale, then cover itself, and turns red like blood.

But as these Planets humble themselves before it, as before their Lord and good Master, God having thus ordained it, it finally receives them with grace, and makes them equal to itself, by associating them with its reign through a close union and friendship.

Therefore, being thus united and ennobled, they praise God for such a great and marvelous ornament, and with their excellent improvement, they dedicate everything to His praise and glory."

"Now see that I have drawn you from your doubt and uncertainty, and be entirely in this belief that you have acquired the full understanding of the entire matter; but you must keep silent, praying to God that He may grant you the grace to use it rightly with much discretion, for if you act otherwise, you will never see me again."

"I remained so astonished and dumbfounded by this that I had no words enough to give Him thanks, although I was inclined to express all kinds of gratitude.

However, I did not fail, with all humility, to ask Him one more question, namely, whether there was anything more to add to the Science, and if it had its limit and fulfillment there.

To which He graciously responded: You will know that the power and effectiveness of these two lilies increase and renew themselves every three days, multiplying and sowing by the thousands; this happens when the seed is cast into the first and preceding earth.

Thus, on the first day, darkness appears; on the second, a clear moonlight shows itself; and on the third, a Sun drives away the darkness from its setting, and this matter proceeds as much as the Almighty wills or allows."

"From the nature of this Stone, other precious stones of all kinds are formed; but its great effect tends to the knowledge and worship of the Almighty, as well as the lengthening and prolongation of life; and even if someone acquires the possession of the smallest leaf of these lilies, he will have antidotes against all infirmities and diseases; likewise, whoever acquires the possession of the smallest flower of lilies will have what is necessary to render himself happy."

"But I will come back to see you in nine months, and at that time I will explain more fully the properties of these flowers, for I must withdraw now; however, I notice that you are somewhat troubled by my appearance, as you see me covered in this envelope or gray cloak, which I have donned in order to shield myself from the Powers that seek to seize and torment me with their hells; but did I not tell you that inside, beneath this outer cloak, I am adorned and clothed in Gold, Diamonds, Emeralds, and Rubies?"

"To which I responded with great submission, recognition, and very humble prayers, requesting that for a greater clarification, I might still make this request; I said to him: all the great Authors represent to us that there are great observations to be made regarding the regulation of the fire, and that great things depend on this, since it must often be hotter or colder at different degrees; moreover, I would greatly desire to know distinctly what is the closest material to the Stone, from which the specific form must be extracted, or these two beautiful flowers; for although I know the general material, I am still uncertain about this first point regarding the nearest material, and this because Clangor Buccinœ tells us that it is hardly possible to extract from one pound of material the weight of a drachm, from which one can operate usefully in the Work, and I was proposing that from one pound, several ounces could be prepared, both for the red and the white."

"You press me too much," he replied, "and all that you will extract from me today is that you must take care that beneath this my gray coat, I wear a green and red shirt, which if you polish and perfect with the fire and philosophical stones, adding filings or rust of Mars, and the fixed red Eagle in the Work, then this shirt will greatly improve.

And when you have dipped it into a gleaming fountain of a very clear Moon, this Moon will enrich it with six other Suns, good and valid, which you will extract at each operation for your use, and you will be able to procure this profit every week, with which you will live with honor and comfort, even up to very good annual revenues, while awaiting the perfection of your Work."

"This is what the friend can openly say and declare to his friend, always keeping silent about what constitutes the full conduct of the great Work, which God Himself distributes; He has reserved the dispensation for Himself alone."

"At these words, my Doctor vanished and entered the vast and deep mountain, and the two lilies remained in the same place, where the said Agricola, that is, the man of the fields, slithered.

I advanced to pick these flowers, but upon arriving at the place where I had seen them, I saw in their place a large heap, or mass of raw material, and the true Stone, whose weight was several pounds, and nearby was a sign bearing these words: God sells these goods through labor; this was the end of my conversation."

The Second Part

"When I had thanked with all my heart, praised and exalted the Eternal, the one Almighty God, Creator of all things, for the grace He had bestowed upon me with the revelation above; I took my second matter (the first matter will follow below); I kissed it with joy as something for which I had longed and sighed with all my senses, and about which I had lived for so many years in doubt, misery, sadness, and anxiety.

I considered it with great astonishment, especially because it had no outward appearance, yet it was capable of accomplishing and perfecting such a high, important, and supernatural Work.

At that moment, I remembered what the Farmer had told me, that God had ordained it thus for very important reasons, so that the poor, just as the rich, could enjoy it, and that no one would have grounds to complain to God, claiming that He had preferred the rich over the poor; truly, the rich do not care about this, and even less do they believe that such a virtue lies hidden in such a vile substance, as can be read on the twenty-eighth page of the great Rosary.

If we named our matter by its true name, the fools, the poor, and the rich would not believe it to be that; thus, the poor more often find it than the rich."

"When I had well wrapped and enclosed my matter, I returned home with joy, singing along the way the Canticle.

I was not long at home before I began to gather: 1) a good portion of the necessary things for the Particular, which the good Farmer had taught me, so that with more rest and steadiness I could proceed to prepare the Universal; so, I began in the Name of God, I bought a considerable amount of charcoal, as a great deal is consumed in this process; I built furnaces and kilns for this purpose, very useful ones, and in a short time, I had a considerable supply of charcoal; but the Devil, enemy of Christianity, could not bear this, and caused me several alarms one after the other.

The neighbors accused me of setting their houses on fire; my friends and others known to me warned me that there was a rumor of counterfeit coins, and advised me to give up such a futile enterprise, fearing that I might fall under suspicion; they said I should rather dedicate myself to the practice of Law, telling me that with more reason, I would find more success and profit in it, because I was a Doctor of Law, and that only this profession could provide me with ample livelihood."

"But although in good conscience I could not earn my bread by such means, I did not fail to greatly increase the price of charcoal, so that the Blacksmiths and Goldsmiths accused me in court, claiming that I was the cause of its high price.

They complained that they could not continue their trades and provide themselves with the necessary food, and consequently, they could not continue paying taxes and contributions to the Republic, because I was paying more for the charcoal in order to be preferred over the others; they discussed this matter extensively, to the point that the Council had me banned from it, and at the same time told me to desist from this use of charcoal, and live according to the Laws of my profession.

In short, the dispute became so large that I had to dismantle my furnaces, leave, and seek a good friend who would lend me money so that I could more peacefully attend to the Universal."

"However, I did not reveal to anyone the purpose I had; the same tribulations and discomforts lasted almost until the third year; God knows the pains it caused me in my heart to hear bad things said about me, without being able to make progress in the Work; I even thought that God might not yet find it right to allow me to succeed: for we must follow the path where destiny leads us and guides us.

Count Bernard of Trévisan similarly testified to having the entire science of the Universal perfectly, two years before he could put it into effect due to several obstacles."

"During my travels, I conferred with learned men, became more knowledgeable, and we gave each other mutual assistance through science and discussion, as is customary; I also gathered a beautiful collection of materials, of all sorts of ores and working stones; but I found very few, not even more than three people who kept to the true physical path.

They all wanted to use common Mercury, Gold, Antimony, and Cinnabar ore; and even the simpler, lesser things, in which they all went astray, failing to work and follow the natural path of nature; but if they had followed it, they would not have strayed so miserably.

Furthermore, a gift of such great excellence is not granted to everyone; let each one take account of this, and test themselves well before loss and harm come to overwhelm them and surprise them; observe this, whoever is capable of it."

"So, when I had finished the course of my travels, I returned joyfully to my home, and soon my so-called friends came to visit, wanting to know where I had been for so long, what I had done, and what I intended to do.

I gave them a brief answer: 'Isn't the world large enough? You may think your city encompasses all of the world, and that outside of it, one cannot find sustenance.

But if you had tried even a little, you would judge otherwise.

Thanks be to God, there are enough people who receive and recognize with great gratitude what you despise and mock.'

You will also know that henceforth I shall not trouble you much with the charcoal, for I no longer need it."

"They were greatly astonished by these words, and shook their heads in confusion, trying to understand what the riddle was.

But I completely withdrew from their company; I rented a house, taking only one servant with me."

"After giving thanks to God, for my great desire for the Work, I resolved to accomplish it.

Patience and perseverance are the key parts of the whole Work, as all the Philosophers write, and they are the key to the Art.

Anyone can easily prove this to their shame, by burning the flowers, or otherwise burning the growing virtue and germinating nature; that is why I had to be very cautious.

I also took great care to avoid any accidents caused by delay or lack of heat, as Theophrastus mentions in his Manual.

But finally, by the goodness of God, everything succeeded well for me."

"Now, as the poisonous vapors were withdrawn from the Stone, our two flowers appeared, just as our Farmer had said, growing beautifully, though gently.

I saw the white one first, with the red one not yet having reached its full stage.

I took a small leaf from the white flower, tasted it, and found it truly a sweet, excellent, and pleasant taste, unlike anything I had ever experienced, and I rejoiced greatly and from the heart at that moment.

I placed the rest of this small leaf on red-hot iron, and it immediately melted and turned to smoke at once.

From this, I recognized that it was the female, as it was so volatile and light.

So, I proceeded with great caution, and with it, I mastered the red one, which cared not at all for any work, did not flee, but remained steadfast and in control of the fire."

"However, before I had recovered these two lilies, I encountered several significant setbacks, which I will not mention here, but they were soon forgotten when I had recovered the two lilies.

I thought of the Farmer and marveled at his deep and sublime judgment.

I always followed the instructions he had given me, and I joined the two lilies together.

At this junction, I saw some remarkable things, which is why I then enclosed them both in a beautiful crystal vessel, which I gently placed in a location that gave off great heat."

"As the Sun began to shine, the white lily began to expand, as if it were entirely water, and just as one sees the morning dew on the grass or a clear tear of the Sun shining like the pure Moon, yet with a slight bluish reflection.

And upon bringing my eye closer, I saw that it had consumed the red flower and absorbed it into water, so that I could no longer see even a single petal.

However, it could not hide all the red, as the red has a more fiery and dry nature, while the white one is colder and more humid.

And as the sunlight aided it externally, it tried to reveal itself again, but could not due to the strength of the white, whose nature still predominated.

However, they gently fought, both agreeing equally in the Sky, or toward the Sky, but they were rebuffed and pushed back by the whirlwinds of the winds.

This lasted until both, bound together, were forced to remain below, as the root that had allowed them to grow had been removed."

"Then begins the first matter of the Stone and the Metals.

After this, darkness began to appear little by little, and the Sun and the Moon were increasingly covered.

This lasted for a considerable time, as can be read in the Treatise of Count Bernard of Trévisan; meanwhile, the peaceful and graceful sign of the Rainbow appeared, with all sorts of marvelous colors, of which the Farmer said that it would be a sign of joy and an omen of good faith."

"Now, as the Moon began to be glimpsed, though not very clearly, the Sun started to shine more ardently, until the Moon became full, and transparent, it emitted a clear light, as if it were all pearls and small diamonds lightly crushed.

At this, four Planets rejoiced, for by this means they could be transformed from their imperfect nature into the splendor of the Moon and its nature, which the said Count Trévisan calls in his parable, the King's shirt."

"Then, after giving the third degree of heat, all sorts of excellent fruits began to grow and flourish, such as quinces, lemons, and oranges that were pleasing to the eye, coming from a soil full of hyacinths, which soon transformed into lovely red apples, called Paradise apples, growing from a ruby-like earth.

Finally, they changed and solidified into an admirable, clear, pure, and ever-shining carbuncle, which, by its own glow, makes all the dark and obscure planets shine, and it is brilliant, radiant, and celestial, all in a very short time."

"After that, having made several projections on a quantity of purified and cleansed metals, I was extremely happy and amazed at how such a small amount of our Stone could have such great power to penetrate and transform all sorts of metals in an instant.

That is, one part of it could become a thousand others.

I then sat down after having made my Stone.

After giving thanks to God, I wished to make another projection, with the intention of getting closer to the knowledge of the foundation of the projection."

"Just as I was about to proceed, the good man, the Farmer, arrived.

He greeted me kindly at first.

I was very surprised because I did not recognize him immediately, and he suddenly entered, now dressed in a robe of various colors.

I sank onto the bench, as my legs were trembling.

He spoke to me with a smiling mouth and pleasant gestures, saying, 'Do not fear, my dear brother, you have a gracious and merciful gift with you, and you have what your heart desires in the world.

I have come back to see you now, as I promised, to inform you further of secrets and other higher and more sublime things.

For this is only the beginning.

And to teach you these things fundamentally, hear this: making the Stone is of little importance, simple and light, as you must admit yourself now.

And God, for very important reasons, has arranged it so.

But as for truly understanding it well and perfectly, all the Philosophers—Adam, Hermes, Moses, Solomon, and Theophrastus—must bow and humble themselves before it, publicly acknowledging and making known to all their impotence in this matter.

As Zacharias (who has often made the Stone) openly testifies, folio 39, saying: 'Our Medicine is a Science both divine and supernatural.

'In the second operation, or conjunction, it has been, is, and will always be impossible for any man to know or discover it by himself, through any study or industry, no matter how great or expert the philosophers might have been in the world, because all natural reasoning and experience fails us in this."

"But in order that, as I promised, you may be more instructed and informed, as much as is allowed, and free to reveal and discover the secret, I want you to understand the matter fundamentally.

Always be diligent in fervent prayers to the Sovereign; you can follow the path I have shown you, for all the greatest treasures of knowledge come from God; then you will surely be enlightened, illuminated, and endowed with great intelligence, all knowledge and wisdom, according to the testimony of the very wise King Solomon, in the Book of Wisdom, chapter 7, verse 8.

For the Eternal God, and with reason, demands to be prayed to, and He gives it as willingly as He did to others in the past, to those who with their hearts yearn for it, with the intention of using so sovereign a gift of God, for His honor, for their salvation, and for the relief of their neighbor and the poor needy."

"Now, because I have learned that you have already proceeded somewhat imprudently with the projection and establishment of the tincture, you must know that you must carefully purge and cleanse the Metals of their burnable accidents, or sulfurous impurities, before you make the projections, otherwise it will turn to loss for you.

The method by which this cleansing is done is described in the Books of the Philosophers, and is treated as follows."

As he said this, he took a piece of copper, placed it in a crucible, threw a purifying powder over it to calcine it, and with a curved wire, he removed what there was of the contrary, red, foul earth that cannot be burned and prevents the tincture from penetrating, and which was like mud or scum, so long and so much until Venus became clean and pure and in white mud.

And when I then poured my tincture over it, it quickly passed through and penetrated to the inside, and the body of Venus was entirely changed into truly excellent gold, better than natural Hungarian gold.

Upon this, I rejoiced greatly and humbly thanked him for the precious advice he had given me, for pride or vanity should never swell the heart of a true Philosopher, who in this universal and immense science should always consider himself ignorant, despite all the knowledge and discoveries he may have made."

"Then this little Farmer likewise told me about the purification and cleaning of other metals, which was a pleasant and entertaining experience.

He also said to me: 'You must know that with this white, fixed Stone, you will make all sorts of white precious stones, such as diamonds, white sapphires, emeralds, pearls of similar kinds; and with the yellow Stone, before it reaches its high red state, you can make all sorts of yellow stones, such as hyacinths, yellow diamonds, topazes, and with the red Stone, you will make carbuncles, rubies, garnets.

When the stones are prepared and finished, they surpass the Eastern ones in nobility, virtue, and magnificence.

I want to personally guide you in this and lend you a hand, for one can easily make some mistakes here.'

The End