[The following text appeared in two parts in The Familiar astrologer, London, 1832 (i.e. the year of publication of Cyliani's book), p. 490-499 and p. 632-638. According to Joscelyn Godwin (The Theosophical Enlightenment, 1994, p. 147), its author, Zadkiel, would in fact be a certain John Palmer (1807-1837). However, Zadkiel is also the pseudonym of Richard James Morrison (1795-1874), an astrologer English (see Wiki); but, according to Godwin, one should not not confuse the two.]
At the request of the Editor, a gentleman of perfect chemical skill, and well versed in classic lore, as also in mathematical and philosophical knowledge; and of no mean talents in the astrological art, has undertaken a series of papers to illustrate the possibility and truth of the Alchemical Art, which has for itsgrand object the Transmutation of Metals, the Elixir Vitœ, &c ; which the ancients are said, by credible historians, to have known, and performed wonders therewith.
The Editor of this work trusts these singular essays will prove highly agreeable to the readers of the Familiar Astrologer, as they are at once rare, curious, extraordinary, and learned ! He would also just mention, what the writer of the disquisitions did not seem aware of: viz. that Dr. Woolaston and Sir Humphry Davy each pursued the Hermetical Science for a considerable period; and during the pursuit thereof, hit upon most of their invaluable chemical discoveries.
The Editor's informant was a Mr. Wagstaff, a highly respectable bookseller ; formerly residing in Brown's Lane, Spitaltields, London ; who was well known, a few years back, for having the choicest collection of Alchemical works and MSS. of anv one in England. He knew many persons who had followed up the theory of the Hermetic art, as given by the old authors : but with little success, as the Alchemical writers above all other authors clouded their dissertations with far-fetched enigmas, difficult to penetrate, or even guess at, except by adepts.
He informed the Editor, that Sir Humphry Davy, and other great chemists, were constantly purchasing these Alchemical works of him, and employed him to collect those publications, whether in print or MS., whenever and wherever he could procure them. He likewise told the Editor (of this work) that he could prove these gentlemen believed in Alchemy secretly, whatever were their public opinions : and that he was credibly informed, a series of experiments were generally carried on at His Majesty's Mint, to ascertain the growth of gold, and its chemical foundation, &c.
It may perhaps appear singular, that in these times, when knowledge is so generally diffused, that men believe but those things which can be proved with almost mathematical exactness; that the sciences generally, have attained to such a height of perfection, and that the deep and mysterious studies of our forefathers, are now, by most men, treated as idle chimeras, and children of a sickly fancy; that a man should dare to run the risk of being thought a fool or an impostor, by attempting to revive again the long condemned and long forgotten science of alchemy.
But I write for those men who read and judge for themselves ; for those who will not allow their ideas to be enslaved by the trammels of modern philosophy ; which were forged by men, who, in their own self-love and self-sufficiency, believed it to be impossible, that sciences should exist, which their all-powerful, all-penetrating genius could not fathom: and who, unwilling to own their insufficiency, condemned as futile those things which had baffled their utmost endeavours to attain. How have they condemned the profound science of Astrology ?
How the science of Hennetic Philosopy ? How all the other sciences that the ancient wise men and magi followed ? I answer, that they have condemned them from their ignorance of their simplest laws or precepts! Let them, if they can, bring forth their proofs of the untruth of the mystic sciences; let those who condemn the ancient art of Astrology be put to the test; and it will be found that not one of them is capable of bringing up a direction, or even of casting a figure. How then is it possible that these men, possessing no knowledge of these arts, can have the power of reasoning on them, or of showing their defects ? it would be just as reasonable, to take as a law the opinion of a child on the intricacies of Algebra! But let their criticisms be what they may, let them attempt what they will, THESE ARTS HAVE REMAINED, AND WILL REMAIN, BRIGHT AND RESPLENDENT AS EVER; even when the progeny of those who have condemned them, shall have passed from the memory of man, and their puny and ephemeral slanders and inventions shall have been forgotten, and not one trace of them existing* to causa the student to smile at their ineffectual endeavours. I have taken upon me the pleasing task of laying before the unprejudiced reader, the history, theory, and application of the hermetic art ; and I shall endeavour to prove, that it is not so impossible to attain to the knowledge thereof, as those who have failed in the study have endeavoured to prove.
If I were to endeavour to trace THE SCIENCE OF NATURE to its origin, it would be vain and foolish ; as its commencement is lost in those times which form the infancy of the world. The patriarchs of Jioly writ possessed it ; and it was to the influence of it, that they owed the enjoyment of that lengthened life that strikes us in the present day with wonder.
Hermes, who is supposed to have been cotem-* porary with Abraham, is the first author who has traced its principles, and who has placed them in order ; but being unwilling to disclose it openly to the world, he invented hieroglyphics and symbolical characters, under the veil of which he sent it forth to the people ; it was from his writings, that the various schools and temples among the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Druids, were formed, and where the Priests alone explained it to their disciples.
The Arabians studied it with enthusiasm; and Geber seems to have been the inventor of distillatory apparatus, which no doubt he contrived, to aid him in his complicated experiments, before he had discovered the simplicity and facility of the art.
After the crusade, the study of this science became common in Europe ; and a philosopher or learned man, in those days, would have been very little thought of, if he had not some smattering of the art.
From the toils and labours of these men, from their unremitting exertions and multiplied experiments, we have gained the arts of Pharmacy and Chemistry ; and the names, Raymond Lully, Count Bernard of Trevisan, Sendivogius, Philalethes, will always be remembered : Ieite these names in particular, as I am certain, that they had a perfect knowledge of the art.
The manipulation, theory, and all the technicalities of the science, exist in their works ; and all is explained and laid open to the student, except the real names of the first matters to be employed. This they have ail zealously concealed; and the ignorance of it, has been the stumbling-block of almost all who have endeavoured to attain a knowledge of Alchemy.
Towards the middle of the seventeenth century, the study of the art began to decline ; and at the present time, a man would hardly credit you, if you told him, that there was existing, a single alchemist.
I now arrive at that part of my Treatise, which must give to the reader an idea of the possibility of the existence of an ART; by means of which the operations of nature may be performed in less time than she takes to bring the stubborn metals to perfection in the Earth's womb. It is evident, that all things must have a beginning, and likewise different stages of perfection: Man is not born at once in force and vigour, neither does the tree bring forth its fruit at once ripe and fit for food f We are all positive of this, and we know that all things, whether vegetable or animal, require time to come to perfection: why then should we believe that mineral productions are exempt from this law ? If we look at a piece of gold, can we for a moment consider it as the work of an instant ? is it possible that it has gained its metallic splendour, its ductility, maleability, and beauty all at once ? or is it to be supposed that the metals were all created at the moment when our terrestial planet was launched from the Creators hand into immensity?
This cannot be possible; as we have on record instances of mines having been worked for a considerable number of years until nearly exhausted, and shut up for a length of time; and when re-opened they have been found abundant in ore, and fit for working. THIS PROVES THAT METALS DO GROW AND INCREASE. Our next object is to ascertain what their beginning or root is, where it is to be found, and what is its nature. The root is a substance which is neither metallic or mineral, but partakes of both; and arises from [provient de] the putrefaction and decomposition of both mineral and vegetable bodies; it is soft and maniable, sometimes one colour, sometimes another: the metallic germ is frequently found in it, and it is so common that there is not a child but what knows of it; and yet this plentiful and well known production, is the womb [utérus, matrice, entraille] or vehicle which is most fit for the astral and fructifying fire of the world ; to work its slow and secret operations in, on the formation of metals; it may be found and seen everywhere; it is common in fields and marshy places; it is not necessary to dig deep in the bowels [entrailles] of the Earth for it, as it is frequently found at the depth of a man's leg.
This matter the philosophers called their vase and with reason too—for it holds the astral spirit in itself, and contains it in all its workings, until it putrifies with it, and becomes one body with it, and then it acquires the name of the first matter, which is so earnestly sought after by those who devote themselves to the study of the art of Hermes. I must now say something of the Astral or universal spirit—the LIFE, FIRE AND SOUL OF PROCREATIVE NATURE; by means of which all things are brought forth, live, and increase; and whose generative power is fell to the very centre of the Earth.
All men know that they cannot live upon food alone; and that if they were deprived of air they would droop and die. Neither would a plant live or thrive without it. We must not pass over the action of light in silence: let a vegetable be planted and kept in the dark, it will grow, because it has sufficiency of air, but it will come forth sickly and yellow; but let but one small ray of light fall on any of its leaves, and it will be found that that part will quickly assume its healthy garb of green: and if a man be exposed to continual darkness, its effects on his mind and spirits is quickly visible We have now convinced ourselves that light and air are necessary for the growth, well being, and life of men and vegetables
[mais pas des métaux ; Schwaller : « Le minéral est la mine du métal, il est le lieu de gestation du règne métallique qui a une destinée évolutive qui lui est propre. Ce qui est remarquable, c’est que le minéral joue ici, à l’instar d’une matrice, le rôle maternel et environnemental, tandis que pour l’évolution biologique, il joue le rôle paternel de sel fixe, ayant pour fonction de spécifier la forme de l’incarnation. (…) Je parle maintenant du métal dans sa gangue minérale, du métal en gestation dans le ventre de la terre. L’exposition à l’air et à la lumière, et particulièrement l’extraction hors de la matrice minérale par la fusion à de hautes températures, interrompt le processus, et les métaux imparfaits, tels que nous les connaissons une fois que la mine est ouverte, sont des phases d’arrêt d’une évolution dont la finalité est l’argent et l’or. (…) Notez que l’environnement de lumière et d’air, essentiel aux organes de l’assimilation et de la reproduction du règne végétal, est en fait mortel pour les métaux, lesquels vivent et n’évoluent que dans la mine, et que ces conditions sont la cause éventuelle de leur corrosion. » (Al-kemi, p. 184) ; Trojani : « vous comprenez aisément que la fonte du minéral tue sa vie, laquelle est déjà altérée dès qu'il est extrait de son filon et qu'il subit l'influence de la lumière et du soleil » ; ailleurs : « Par exemple, j'enveloppais immédiatement d'une étoffe noire les minéraux extraits, qui ainsi ne voyaient jamais le soleil. »];
English Translation:
[but not metals; Schwaller: “The mineral is the mine of the metal, it is the birthplace of the metallic kingdom which has an evolutionary destiny of its own. What is remarkable is that the mineral plays here, like of a matrix, the maternal and environmental role, while for biological evolution, it plays the paternal role of fixed salt, having the function of specifying the form of incarnation. (…) I am now talking about the metal in its mineral gangue, the metal in gestation in the belly of the earth. Exposure to air and light, and particularly extraction out of the mineral matrix by melting at high temperatures, interrupts the process, and imperfect metals, as we know them once mined is open, are phases of arrest of an evolution whose finality is silver and gold. (…) Note that the environment of light and air, essential to the organs of assimilation and reproduction of the vegetable kingdom, is in fact fatal for the metals, which live and evolve only in the mine, and that these conditions are the possible cause of their corrosion. (Al-kemi, p. 184); Trojani: "you understand easily that the melting of the mineral kills its life, which is already altered as soon as it is extracted from its vein and that it undergoes the influence of light and of the sun”; elsewhere: “For example, I immediately wrapped the extracted minerals in a black cloth, so that they never saw the sun. »];
and those who have read the Emerald Table of Hermes will remember that he says the following words: ‘’That which is above, is like that which is beneath’’ ; so that subterranean productions likewise require the assistance of these two agents of nature. Now this leads us to the following enquiry: do the invigorating principles of light and air act, one independent of the other ? or, do they from their union give birth to a third, which affects alt things, whether above or below the earth, in an equal manner ?
We must naturally conclude that this is the case, as neither light nor air in an isolated state can penetrate the depths of the earth. The generative essence of nature then, is a subtle fluid, compounded of light and air, which is capable of penetrating all things. This is what the Philosophers call their astral spirit, their water of the Sun and Moon, &c.; and this is what the hermetic student must learn to obtain, before he can commence his operations in the art; for this purpose the philosopher’s loadstone [aimant] must be discovered, for it has the power of attracting this fluid, and of giving it a substantial form. I cannot disclose openly what this is, but I can tell the student that it frequently takes the form of the CROSS ; and in this emblem are contained more mysteries than it would be right to divulge openly to all men ; for this reason, it is called the sign of Redemption, as by its power and assistance, the Philosophers prepared their medicine, which had the universal power of bringing to a perfection, for beyond that which nature alone can do, both animals, minerals, and vegetables; and it restores man to his primitive state, and adds new fire and vigour to his body and mind.
The proper time for the recolt of this fluid, begins when the sun enters the sign of the ram, on the 20th or 21st of March, and continues till he quits the sign of the Twins, about the 20th of June. It must be gathered [recueilli] after sunset, when the Moon is at or near her full; and the wind must not blow violently at this time; the Sun's rays are reflected by the Moon, and the air is strongly impregnated with the astral fluid, or nitre; it is adviseable [conseillé] to turn to the north during the time of gathering; and if the student has been fortunate enough to divine the attractor of this fluid, let him seek it in A MINE OF THIRTY YEARS STANDING, and he will then be able to obtain the spirit in the form of a viscous fluid: and the stone of magi, their medicine and universal solvent, is nothing more than this fluid, carried to its highest pitch of concentration and fermentation; it may be considered like condensed fire, and is brought to this state of purity, by being frequently fermented and putrified with the mineral matter.
Nature presents us with one of the materials necessary for the practice and perfection of this art, ready formed to hand and fit for use, as the body, matter, or vase in which we work, is found in the bowels of the earth, according as I have stated in' the former part of this treatise.
The astral spirit is a liquid, fair and clear, like water, and without the enjoyment of which, no man could live. With these two materials we begin the work of Hermes, and for this commencement we must take nature for our guide; for in like manner as she softens and gives to the earth its fructifying property, by rain and dews, so we imbibe our solid matter with our astral spirit.
By this means our matter becomes incorporated and combined with the generative essence of nature, contained in our water; in this manner, by frequent imbibitions and desinations, our matter becomes dead and putrifies, and in putrifying it arises again to a more perfect state of existence, according to the universal law of sublunary things. It must not be supposed that because the matter becomes dry, that it retains nothing of the virtue of the former imbibitions: it merely looses the aqueous part; and I will endeavour to prove this to those who mav not understand the science of Chemistry, and yet be inclined to study the art of Alchemy. I will take for example the formation of Glauber's salt.
If you take a portion of Caustic or Carbonate of Soda, on one part, and some Sulphuric Acid on the other, and you imbibe the Soda with the Acid, they will mutually neutralize one another, and you will obtain a liquid which is neither acid nor alkaline; and an intimate and electrical combination will have taken place between the two bodies from this liquid. By evaporation you may obtain crystals, which will be composed of one part or atom of Soda, two of Acid, and twenty of Water: if you suffer these crystals to dry, or even if you calcine them, you will never be able to make them loose more than the 20 parts of water; the Acid will remain in a fixed and solid state with the calcined salt.
So we must conceive the theory of our imbibitions ; when our matter dries, it still retains to itself the astral essence contained in our water. Having conducted the unbiassed [impartial, objectif] reader thus far, we will proceed to the practice of the:
For this, it will be necessary to have a small box, with a door, about a foot high, having its top and bottom pierced with holes, and a shelf of wire grating placed rather more than half way up on the inside ; on this shelf you can place an evaporating dish, of glass or Wedgewood ware, which will contain the mineral matter, and at the bottom of the box a common night lamp, with a small floating wick, will cause sufficient heat for all the practice of the work, which ought never to exceed that of the egg whilst hatching; this may surprise some persons, but I do not write for charcoal burners, or for those who send gold up their chimnies by the intensity of heat they employ; this sort of work is merely destroying nature, and cannot be called an imitation.
But to return to our subject:—the mineral matter must be divided into small pieces about the size of peas [petits pois], and watered with our liquid ; care must be taken not to give too much or too little, but just as much as it will suck up and no more; it must then be placed in the warm air oven, and suffered to dry completely.
This process must be continued until such time as the matter becomes saturated and pregnant with the astral spirit; this will sometimes after forty, at others after fifty imbibitions, often take from two to three days drying, and frequently upon watering it, it will make a small crackling noise; if small, white, and brilliant spots be observed, it shows that too much water has been added at a time; when it begins to be saturated, it becomes clammy [humide], sends forth a fetid smell of graves, and gradually changes colour, becomes blackish, as I have sometimes seen it, as if ink had been spotted over it.
This is the beginning of the putrefaction; it proceeds on, and at last becomes brown, black, scaly [écailleux], and crusty [croustillant], like pitch [poix]. This the old adepts called by divers names, such as crow's head, &c. When it has attained to this, it must no longer be watered, but left in the gentle, oven heat, it will again change colour, and a light colour will soon be perceived to encircle the vessel in which it is placed.
This will extend itself through the whole matter, which will shortly become light coloured and white all over; this is called the first sublimation, and is in fact the philosophical mercury, which requires to be sublimed six other times to bring it to its perfection. These sublimations are the same as the first; this white mercury must again be imbibed until it putrifies, changes colour, and becomes white again; it must thus go through the seven purifications, which is sometimes called loosing the white doves of Diana, &c.
When you have arrived at the seventh sublimation, you must next proceed to separate the pure from the impure, which is done in the following manner: the white substance proceeding from the seven sublimations, must be dissolved in our astral spirit, and suffered to crystalize, when there will form on the top a sort of cottony mass, very brilliant, and floating; this is the long desired, and much sought for, Philosophical Mercury. Underneath will be found other salts, which may be brought to perfection by a continuation of the work, and below all, a pulp will subside which you must keep carefully, as it contains the sulphur of the Magi.
Hermes tells you "not to throw away your ashes, for they contain the crown of your heart" The next step is:
The above-mentioned pulp must be imbibed with our astral spirit, until it becomes putrescent; it will then gradually change its colour to that of red, and is in this case the tinging spirit [l’esprit teignant] and blood of the pelican, spoken of with so much secrecy by all hermetic writers. It must be gathered [recueilli] carefully, and separated from the earth which remains, which is called the terra damnata, is of no use, and may be thrown away.—We have now shown bow the ancients prepared the two first matters for their work ; and the next is, to unveil the mystery of the philosophical marriage of Basil Valentine, where he tells us the white man and red woman must be joined together: to accomplish this, the hermetic workman must proceed in the following man:—the sulphur must be divided into two parts ; one part of which must be put aside; the other must be placed in a glass vessel, and must be imbibed with the mercury, dissolved in astral water: this, as in the former case, will require forty or fifty imbibitions ; after which it will turn colour and putrify.
It is then that the marriage is compleated, and you have obtained the first philosophical matter; it will become black and shining, and is then called the blacker than black, according to the enigmatical language of the adepts, when it has attained this state, it must be left to itself; it will soon pass from the reign of Saturn to that of Luna, and will become a powder of most brilliant whiteness.
Having succeeded that of dusky [sombre] Saturn, the preparation has now acquired its first stage of perfection, and has not only become a medicine of supernatural force, for the human body; but it has likewise attained the power of acting on metals, and converts them, in proportion to its degrees of multiplication, to the nature of silver. Still must the process be continued; the brilliancy will vanish, and whiteness will subside, and a greenish colour will pervade the whole. This is the sign of your entry to
Care must be taken that your fire be not too strong; the matter has already gained a high degree of subtility, and it ought to be governed so that the mass remains at the bottom of the vessel; by judicious and careful working, the colour again changes; a yellowish tint ensues, then reddish, lemon colour, and thus begins the
An igneous nature is now abundant in the matter ; it marches on towards the red; the fire must here be strengthened, and it is here that the portion of sulphur which was formerly put aside, will be found necessary, and it will be necessary to continue the work with the solar liquid. This being done, the red colour will become deeper, a tint of regal purple will be seen, then let the student's heart rejoice, as this is the sign of
We have now arrived at our last labour, and the harvest is at hand; the purple colour grows darker, and at last the matter will remain in the vase, of a black red colour, not unlike a freshly precipitated powder of Cassius, containing a large portion of gold. If the student still wish to proceed on, and to advance as far as this part of the science will admit he must here commence the
Which is merely an exact recapitulation of the foregoing manipulations; but he must beware of proceeding beyond the ninth multiplication; here the medicine becomes too strong and subtle to be contained in any vessel, it passes through glass like olive oil through paper. My limits have not allowed me to treat of this subject in so detailed a manner as I could have wished, or I would have pointed out to the student its intimate relation with the mysteries and ceremonies of religions. I would have shewn that the mythology teaches this art in enigmas; but, however, I have gone as far as my time and place will allow for the present, let others do the same on this, or what subjects they have a knowledge of, and it may be the means of mutual improvement to us all, in the sciences and learning of the ancient Magi, of which there is not a more ardent and zealous admirer than
Your well-wisher, ZADKIEL.
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