SOME FRAGMENTS OF KELLY

Excerpts from his letters


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(From a letter from Edward Kelly, dated June 20, 1587.)

As you ask me for advice, I will reveal the Arcanum to you in part, so that the field does not disappoint the hopes of the plowman. Open your ears.

Our gold and our silver, Sun and Moon, active principle and passive principle, are not what you can hold in your hand, but a certain Argentinian and golden hermaphrodite water; if you extract it from any perfect or imperfect metallic body, you are in possession of the Water of Life, the Asa-foetida, and the Green Lion, in which are all the colors, ending in two: white and red.

This land does not matter greatly, but at least it should be fixed, because the Elixir must above all be fixed. If you are serious, all your thoughts should be focused on the fixed earth and the indestructible metallic water; it is useless to look for them in gold or silver, or in some specific compound. It is true, however, that after this dye is separated from the gold, this indestructible water is fixed in its white earth; but it is foolish to do a lot where it is enough to do a little.

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(From a letter dated August 9, 1587.)

The Sages agree that the Stone is nothing more than animated quicksilver. But if there's no life in your quicksilver, it's not the thing they're talking about.

Moreover, if he has the form of Mercury before receiving life, he is of little benefit. Because this woman - to be more frank than discreet - is viscous water, extracted from the bowels of Jupiter, i.e., white lead; it is damp and wets the finger.

If an adequate quantity of the body of the Sun is added to it, it coagulates and becomes bright, - the Sun is dissolved into an exceedingly clear mineral water. For water dissolves the Sun precisely at the same instant when it itself is frozen, and thus the dissolution of one is coagulation of the other, quite at the same time. This compound is living Mercury, from which alone all colors arise.

Regulating the fire is child's play. After the conjunction, it looks precisely like common Mercury, limpid, and does not wet the hands but is viscous and alive.

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(From a letter dated November 15, 1589.)

I have given you both luminaries and the best instruction concerning these things, if you can never forget it. To sum it all up in a few words: "Mix water with water, digest with vaporous cloud, and it will not be easy for you to make a mistake."